President notes disquiet over election, but vows to serve each and every one

SINGAPORE – In the face of an uncertain and troubled world, Singapore must continue to uphold the principles of multiracialism, meritocracy and stewardship as it deals with challenges ranging from terrorism threats, an ageing population to ensuring jobs for workers, said Madam Halimah Yacob.

In her first speech as the Republic’s eighth President following yesterday’s swearing-in ceremony at the Istana’s State Room, Mdm Halimah described the Presidency as “a key institution in our democracy”, and unifies the nation by embodying its shared values.

Paying tribute to the country’s founding fathers and its first President, Mr Yusof Ishak, for establishing the country’s multiracial foundations, she said they understood that multiracialism did not mean “ignoring or forcibly erasing differences between ethnic groups”.

Noting that the founding fathers had also entrenched multiracialism in key national policies such as housing, education and security, Mdm Halimah, 63, added: “I am proud that I belong to a country that does not just say it is diverse, but lives out this diversity every single day.”

Despite the progress made, she stressed that building a multiracial society is a “constant work in progress”, with every generation facing new challenges, needing “champions who care deeply about multiracialism and fight to uphold and realise this ideal”.

And even as she lauded the changes to the Constitution to ensure multiracial representation in the highest office of the land, Mdm Halimah acknowledged public unhappiness over this year’s reserved presidential election, which turned out to be a walkover after she emerged as the sole eligible candidate.

“I know that some Singaporeans would prefer to achieve this without needing reserved elections. I respect their views,” she said.

“Like them, I look forward to the day when we will no longer need to rely on the provision to have reserved elections, and Singaporeans naturally and regularly elect citizens of all races as presidents.”

In the meantime, she reassured all citizens that as President, she would serve “every one of you, regardless of race, language or religion”.

Appearing slightly emotional as she cited herself as a living example of the country’s meritocratic system despite hailing from an underprivileged background, Mdm Halimah said that Singaporeans should have the opportunity to get a good education and a good start in life “regardless of who your parents are or where you come from”.

“I have strong personal convictions about our meritocratic system, because without it, I would not be here today.”

Mdm Halimah said she will continue to use the President’s Challenge — an annual campaign to raise funds for charity started by the late President SR Nathan — to give underprivileged families a helping hand, by ensuring that their children receive a good start and helping parents upgrade their skills for better job security.

While Singapore has benefited from the efforts of earlier generations, it is now up to the current generation to “steward this island-nation well” to ensure that future generations inherit “a better country, a more robust system and a stronger commitment to our values”, she added.

This involves working together to address future challenges, such as managing an ageing population and growing healthcare needs, preparing workers and businesses for new jobs and opportunities, as well as combating threats posed by terrorism and Islamophobia.

Although investing in future infrastructure and education is key for the long-term, Mdm Halimah cautioned that these efforts will be carried out amid tight budgets.

“We need to grow our economy so as to generate more resources to afford these programmes and investments. We will also need to husband our reserves carefully.”

Mdm Halimah, whose critics have questioned her relative lack of financial acumen and her independence, given her long-standing and close ties to the ruling People’s Action Party, said that she would exercise her custodial powers by using her “independent judgment”, consulting the Council of Presidential Advisors and working with the Prime Minister and his government.

As her custodial powers involve holding the second key to the country’s reserves and making key public appointments, Mdm Halimah said the reserves “must not be used, except for a very good reason”.

She will also ensure new appointments to critical posts “measure up to our high standards of integrity and ability”, so that the public service maintains its high quality and standing to serve Singapore well.

Concluding her speech with a call to unity, Mdm Halimah said her duty as President “is to unite the people, to overcome the many challenges ahead of us, together”, with a collective goal to leave behind a “better Singapore” for future generations.

“We must measure our success not just by how well we do for ourselves, but by whether we enable the next generation to do even better. Let us commit ourselves to this task, and together create a brighter future for all Singaporeans,” she said.