Tharman Shanmugaratnam, wins the Presidential Elections In Singapore (Image: twitter.com/FAODG/)Indian-origin Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Singapore’s former Deputy Prime Minister, has been elected President.
“I declare Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam as the candidate duly elected as the president of Singapore,” said election returning officer Tan Meng Dui, on the results of the state’s contested vote, in more than a decade for the most prominent position, reported NDTV.
Mr. Shanmugaratnam, the 66-year old economist, would take the place of Halimah Yacob, who has been in charge for the last six years unopposed, from 2017 onwards. The declaration came after securing 70.4 percent of votes cast and defeating two other candidates. The other candidates were Ng Kok Song with 15.72% votes and Tan Kin Lian with 13.88% votes.
As the term of the incumbent President would end on September 13, Mr. shanmugaratnam would become the ninth President of the state and the third Indian Origin President, with a term of six years.
The Presidency would add Mr. Shanmugaratnam to the list of leaders of Indian Origin at world stage, along with Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US’s Vice President Kamala Harris, said the Indian Express.
Mr. Shanmugaratnam ran the presidency after he resigned from the People’s Action Party (PAP), though this non-partisan position has come into question as he was the Finance Minister and a long-time member of the PAP, observers are view that his win would be a boost to the party, reported NDTV.
The elections were held on September 1, 2023.