Singapore holds first presidential poll in over 10 years to pick next head of state
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Voting is compulsory for eligible citizens and those who do not vote are at risk of being struck from the voters' list. By 5 pm Friday, around 85 per cent of eligible voters exercised their franchise, according to the Elections Department Singapore (ELD).
Singapore on Friday (September 1) held its first contest presidential election in over a decade to elect the new head of the state. The frontrunners for the election are former deputy prime minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam (66), Ng Kok Song and Tan Kin Lian. According to a report by the news agency AFP, Song, aged 75, is the former chief investment officer of Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, which manages the country's foreign reserves. Lian (75) meanwhile, is a former chief executive of insurer NTUC Income.
Whoever wins the election will take over from Singapore's first female president, Halimah Yacob. The president's role is largely ceremonial. However, there are stringent requirements for the position which formally oversees Singapore's accumulated financial reserves and holds the power to veto certain measures and approve anti-graft probes.
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Voting is compulsory for eligible citizens and those who do not vote are at risk of being struck from the voters' list. By 5 pm Friday, around 85 per cent of eligible voters exercised their franchise, according to the Elections Department Singapore (ELD).
The frontrunners
Former deputy prime minister Shanmugaratnam, a leader of the People's Action Party (PAP), is widely perceived as having the government's backing and was questioned about his independence during the campaign. Shanmugaratnam stepped down from the deputy PM's post ahead of his candidacy. His party was recently rocked by political scandals.
Citing observers, AFP reported that Friday's vote could indicate the level of PAP support ahead of general elections due in 2025 or discontent after the scandals.
Tan Kin Lian has gained the support of several opposition leaders. Lian had recently said that it was okay to be merciful to drug mules facing the death penalty in Singapore, adding he did not believe would granting clemency would lead to a flood of drug traffickers.
Meanwhile, two days before the election, Ng Kok Song said that politics in Singapore had become highly contestable and having the "wrong team" in charge is “no longer a remote possibility,” CNA reported on Wednesday.
(With inputs from agencies)
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