Photo credit: SCMP
The official roster of candidates for the forthcoming presidential election in Singapore was unveiled on Tuesday, initiating a pivotal electoral process that carries implications for the political landscape of the nation, having been dominated by the same party for more than sixty years.
Among the contenders is former Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, aged 66, widely perceived as the favored choice of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP), though the party's influence over the voting process is nominal, and no formal endorsement of a candidate has been made.
In recent weeks, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong acknowledged the PAP's diminished standing, stemming from a series of scandals that included a corruption investigation and the abrupt departure of senior legislators. These events, uncommon in a nation known for its political stability, have dented the PAP's standing.
The remaining two candidates are Ng Kok Song, aged 75, formerly the chief investment officer of the sovereign wealth fund GIC, and Tan Kin Lian, aged 75, a former CEO of insurer NTUC Income.
The victor will succeed Singapore's inaugural female president, Halimah Yacob.
Halimah stood as the sole eligible candidate in the 2017 election, a result of constitutional amendments a year earlier aimed at increasing ethnic diversity in the role. These amendments permitted candidates from a specific ethnic group to contest the presidency if no representative from that group had held the position for five consecutive terms. The disqualification of four candidates in 2017 prompted rare public demonstrations.
Approximately three-quarters of Singapore's population of 3.5 million citizens are of ethnic Chinese origin, with the remaining populace consisting of ethnic Malays, ethnic Indians, and Eurasians.
This year, the election opened candidacy to individuals from all ethnic backgrounds.
The election, scheduled for September 1, will witness over 2.7 million Singaporeans casting their votes. This marks the third presidential election since the implementation of the 1991 legislation granting the public the authority to choose the president.
Strict eligibility criteria in Singapore's electoral system have led to most elections, apart from those in 2011 and 1993, being uncontested.
Tan Kin Lian was also among the four candidates contesting the 2011 presidential election.
The president of Singapore assumes office for a six-year term.
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