Tharman formally launches bid to be Singapore's 'President for a new era'
SINGAPORE — Singapore's former senior minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Wednesday (July 26) said he intended to be "a President for a new era" as he officially launched his platform for the presidential bid.

Presidential hopeful Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the launch of his campaign to be elected president of Singapore, at the York Hotel on Wednesday on July 26, 2023.
SINGAPORE — Singapore's former senior minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Wednesday (July 26) said he intended to be "a President for a new era" as he officially launched his platform for the presidential bid.
“I stepped into this race because I feel very strongly in the need to evolve Singapore's culture, some of our norms and the way we go about working with each other so that we remain a shining spot in the world,” said Mr Tharman at a press conference at the York Hotel.
The official launch comes more than a month after Mr Tharman first announced his intention to run for President. On June 8, he informed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that he was putting himself forward as a candidate, and in doing so leaving politics and the People’s Action Party.
Accompanied by his wife Jane Yumiko Ittogi on Wednesday, Mr Tharman outlined challenges facing Singapore both globally and domestically and emphasised that the nation's real challenge was to avoid becoming a divided society.
"If I'm fortunate enough to be elected as President, I pledge to bring my full experience and capabilities on the ground nationally and internationally, to serve as your President for this new and more challenging era."
Mr Tharman said his 22 years in politics had given him ample experience in unifying people, an important role for the President.
"When we talk about being a unifying figure, I do not say this rhetorically or just as an aspiration but I speak from a real track record," he said.
"That includes the track record of respecting different views, including different political leanings and constantly trying to find common ground."
Mr Tharman stepped down in early July as Senior Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for Social Policies and Member of Parliament for Jurong, as well as from all his government positions.
The 66-year-old was an economist and civil servant, mainly at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, before joining politics in 2001. He has served as Minister for Education and Finance, and was Deputy Prime Minister from 2011 to 2019.
He has also held prominent posts at international organisations including the International Monetary Fund, World Economic Forum and the United Nations.
Mr Tharman said he would also fulfil other responsibilities of the presidency such as safeguarding the reserves, citing his experience in government and politics over the years.
But he said that more importantly, he would bring a "more basic orientation" of integrity and independence of mind, which he has been known for.
While he will no longer be in Cabinet, he will be the same person, he said.
"I don't have to change my colours like a chameleon. I'm the same person with the same integrity and same independence of mind, and that remains critical for the role of the President," he said.
QUESTION OF INDEPENDENCE
Questions about Mr Tharman’s independence were raised more than once by reporters during the press conference.
He repeatedly emphasised his “independence of mind”, highlighting the difference between that and “independence from any past affiliation with a political party”.
Citing the example of former President Ong Teng Cheong, who was a Cabinet minister and PAP chairman for many years before he became Singapore'e head of state, Mr Tharman said that no one regarded Mr Ong as being less independent because of his past association with the ruling party.
“Just like Mr Ong Teng Cheong, I am advantaged by having been in politics … I’m greatly advantaged from having spent 22 years on the ground,” he said.
He warned against judging candidates on the existence of a past relationship to the government, as that would rule out many qualified candidates, including top civil servants, and "weaken the system".
“Let’s not draw these artificial distinctions based on past affiliations. Let’s look at the positive attributes of each candidate and they all bring positive attributes,” he said.
He added that he hoped people would avoid thinking about political experience in partisan terms.
"I'm, by nature, non-partisan. I have no regrets at all of having been at the PAP and serving as a politician for 22 years both in Cabinet as well as on the ground... and I have no doubt at all that in my new role, I'll be able to rise above politics because that's been my makeup all along."
CULTURE OF RESPECT
Elaborating on how he intends to evolve Singapore's culture and norms, Mr Tharman said that he wants to "deepen the culture of respect" in Singapore for different groups of people — from the poor who are trying to uplift themselves, and people pursuing alternative paths in life, to people with different views and political leanings.
In his view, creating a more inclusive society must go beyond policymaking.
"I have believed for a long time, and I've grown to believe increasingly, through my experience, over the last 20 plus years, that we will not succeed in creating a more inclusive society through policies alone. We do need to deepen the culture of respect in Singapore."
This theme was also reflected in his slogan: Respect for All.
When asked how she reacted when Mr Tharman said he would run for President, Mrs Tharman quipped: "In our relationship, it's always said that I have the last word, but on this decision it was really tough to have the last word."
But Mr Tharman had assured her that her community work would not be affected, she said. Mrs Tharman has served on the boards of various arts organisations and museums, and she now chairs Tasek Jurong, a non-profit that helps disadvantaged children, youth and ex-inmates.
"I, therefore, happily helped support this position because none of what I believe which I think is urgent and important will be affected, and it will also streamline well, with this cultural focus that he's been speaking about this afternoon," she said.
The press conference was originally described as a "campaign launch" but the organisers later told the media that event was, in fact, held to launch Mr Tharman's "platform" and introduce his proposer, seconder and assenters.
Under Singapore's electoral rules, the campaign period starts after nomination proceedings end on Nomination Day, the date for which has yet to be announced.
Of the three prospective candidates who have publicly announced their intention to run, Mr Tharman is the only one who unequivocally clears the bar to run in the election.
Two other prospective candidates have announced their intention to contest in the upcoming Presidential Election — businessman George Goh and former GIC chief investment officer Ng Kok Song.
Under requirements laid out in Singapore's Constitution, public sector presidential candidates must have held office for at least three years as a minister, chief justice, attorney-general or other high-level posts.
Private sector candidates must have served for at least three years as chief executive of a company with an average of S$500 million in shareholders' equity.
The 2023 Presidential Election is expected to be called soon, as President Halimah Yacob’s six-year term ends on Sept 13. The upcoming election is open to all races.
Also present at the launch were Mr Tharman’s proposer, seconder and eight assenters - the parties signing Mr Tharman’s nomination paper.
Electoral rules require each presidential candidate’s nomination paper to be signed by a proposer, a seconder and at least four other people who are registered voters.
The proposer is former Nominated MP Thomas Chua, president of the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Association and honorary president at the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Mr Tharman’s seconder is Mr Mohammad Alami Musa, Singapore’s ambassador to Algeria and head of studies in inter-religious relations at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University.
Mr Mohammad was also former president of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) from 2003 to 2021.
They, along with eight assenters from a broad swathe of Singapore society, spoke in support of Mr Tharman's decision to run for President and of his ability to fulfil the role.
One of his assentors, Banyan Tree executive chairman Ho Kwon Ping said that he thinks it is important to have a President who can speak to the world on issues that are vital, not just to Singapore but to the whole world.
"We need a President who can stand above the rest of the crowd in terms of global leaders, and make us proud that the small nation can actually be internationally respected," he said.
Others talked about Mr Tharman's ability to connect with people on the ground. Mr Kim Whye Kee — founder of Qi Pottery and co-founder of Beacon of Life, an ex-inmate led programme — said he knew Mr Tharman through volunteering at Taman Jurong ward, where Mr Tharman was MP.
Speaking in English and a smattering of Hokkien, he said that he told Mr Tharman that he was "sick of going to prison", "sick of discrimination" and not being able to find a proper job, and was told to prove himself by going to school and getting an education. He asked a few friends to join him, and they now all have university degrees, he said.
This was all because Mr Tharman "doesn't look down on us", he said.
The eight assenters are:
- Mr Hassan Ahmad, Special Advisor, Humanity Matters, and Former Chief Executive Mercy Relief
- Mr Ho Kwon Ping, Founder and Executive Chairman, Banyan Tree Group; Executive Chairman, Thai Wah Public Co Ltd; and Founding Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Singapore Management University
- Ms Kamsinah Sadar, General Manager, Tasek Jurong, and Former Executive Director, Pertapis
- Mr Kim Whye Kee, ceramicist; Founder, Qi Pottery; Co-founder, Beacon of Life and Beacon of Life Academy
- Ms Mary Liew, President, NTUC, and General Secretary, Singapore Maritime Officers' Union
- Mr Lim Siong Guan, Founding Chairman Honour (Singapore) and former head of the Singapore Civil Service
- Mr Royston Tan, film director; and nominee, Golden Horse Awards
- Veera Sekaran, Practice Professor, National University of Singapore; Founder of Greenology
For more reports like this, visit cna.asia.