“My Fellow Singaporeans…”: Indian-Origin Leader Is New Singapore President

New Delhi:

Singapore’s former Indian-origin Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam was elected President on Friday, comfortably securing victory within the city-state’s first contested vote for the largely ceremonial place in additional than a decade.

“My fellow Singaporeans, I’m actually humbled by the robust endorsement you may have given me in our nation’s presidential election. My fellow candidates put full effort and vitality into their campaigns, and made this a worthy contest. I thank and commend them,” Mr Shanmugaratnam posted on Fb.

“Above all I thank my fellow Singaporeans, whichever manner you voted, in your curiosity and calm engagement within the points raised within the election. I imagine the vote for me and what I stood for is a vote of confidence in Singapore itself, a vote of optimism in how we will progress collectively and help one another as Singaporeans,” he stated.

Singaporeans headed to the polls that had been intently watched as a sign of help for the ruling occasion after a uncommon spate of scandals, however the longtime stalwart of the occasion gained greater than two-thirds of the vote over two rivals.

“I imagine that it is a vote of confidence in Singapore. It is a vote of optimism for a future through which we will progress collectively and help one another as Singaporeans,” the previous Finance Minister stated in a speech earlier than the outcomes had been introduced.

“I am humbled by this vote. It isn’t only a vote for me, it’s a vote for Singapore’s future,” he stated, as he gained 70.4 per cent of the vote to win a six-year time period.

Whereas the presidency is a non-partisan submit underneath the structure, political traces had already been drawn forward of the election to interchange incumbent Halimah Yacob, who ran unopposed for her six-year time period in 2017.