Indian-origin ex-minister amongst three contenders for Singapore’s presidential polls

Singapore-born Indian-origin Tharman Shanmugaratnam and two Chinese-origin former executives of government-linked firms have certified to run for the city-state’s presidential election on September 1, it was introduced on Friday.

The Presidential Elections Committee (PEC) acquired a complete of six purposes for the Certificate of Eligibility by Thursday’s deadline, the Elections Department (ELD) stated.

Singapore had earlier stated it could maintain the presidential election on September 1 if a couple of individual qualifies for the presidential run. Incumbent President Halimah Yacob’s six-year time period will finish on September 13.

The two Chinese origin who’ve certified as candidates for the presidential election are Chief Investment Officer Ng Kok Song and former NTUC Income Chief Executive Tan Kin Lian.

The division famous that Tharman submitted his bid below the general public sector service monitor whereas Ng utilized below the general public sector deliberative monitor, and Tan below the personal sector deliberative monitor.

Tharman who launched his bid for the presidency on July 26 met the general public sector service necessities, having held workplace as a minister for at the very least three years.

Tharman, 66, resigned from public and political posts final month to run for the presidency.

Tharman was an economist and civil servant, primarily on the Monetary Authority of Singapore, earlier than becoming a member of politics in 2001.

He served as Minister for Education and Finance and was Deputy Prime Minister from 2011 to 2019.

The subsequent step for Ng, Tan and Tharman is to be nominated as candidates.

They should ship their nomination papers – together with the Certificate of Eligibility, group certificates and political donation certificates – on Nomination Day on August 22.

Although the ELD has not named the candidates who couldn’t qualify to run for the Presidency, media experiences stated businessman George Goh, who had been campaigning for the previous month, was amongst those that didn’t meet the qualification necessities.

The six-member PEC, headed by Public Service Commission chairman Lee Tzu Yang and together with two Supreme Court judges, was happy that Ng, Tan and Tharman have been males of “integrity, good character and reputation”, stated ELD.

The PEC was happy that Ng had the expertise and talent corresponding to that of an individual who has served for 3 or extra years because the chief government of a Fifth Schedule entity, specifically key statutory boards and authorities firms such because the Central Provident Fund Board, Temasek, and GIC. Ng, 75, labored within the public service for 45 years, first within the Finance Ministry after which the Monetary Authority of Singapore, earlier than turning into the chief funding officer at Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC.

The committee was happy that Tan had the expertise and talent corresponding to that of somebody who has served because the chief government of an organization with at the very least SGD500 million of shareholders’ fairness whereas fulfilling different Constitutional standards equivalent to his most up-to-date interval of service as a CEO being at the very least three years.

Tan, additionally 75, was the CEO of NTUC Income for 30 years till 2007. After leaving the insurer, he began a pc software program enterprise and travelled frequently to offer insurance coverage consultancy in Indonesia.

Published On:

Aug 18, 2023