Voting for ceremonial president : After Singaporeans rare political scandals
Singaporeans have headed to the polls to vote in their first contested presidential election in over a decade.
- Asia
- Agencies and A News
- Published Date: 10:20 | 01 September 2023
- Modified Date: 10:31 | 01 September 2023
The president primarily holds a ceremonial position in the city-state, wielding limited powers and playing a minor role in public affairs.
Nevertheless, the outcome on Friday could serve as an indicator of public sentiment toward the long-standing ruling party in the wake of a series of parliamentary scandals involving members.
The frontrunner in the race, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, boasts a storied career as a minister within Singapore's ruling PAP party.As a former deputy prime minister and finance minister, the 66-year-old economist chose to resign from the People's Action Party in June to vie for the presidential election.
The PAP, led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, experienced its weakest electoral performance in 2020, even though it managed to retain a parliamentary majority exceeding two-thirds.
There has also been consternation among voters about the stringent restrictions on who can run for president.They must have either served as a senior civil servant or the chief executive of a public company worth at least $500m Singaporean dollars (£292m; $370m).
Voting is compulsory for Singapore's 2.7 million eligible citizens.