Tharman Shanmugaratnam, of Indian heritage, achieved a resounding victory when he was elected as the President of Singapore on September 1. In the country’s first contested presidential election since 2011, Shanmugaratnam, an accomplished economist, secured a substantial 70.4 percent of the vote, triumphing over his rivals of Chinese descent.
Prior to becoming President, Shanmugaratnam held the position of a senior minister. He will be the third President of Indian origin, following in the footsteps of Singapore’s third president, Devan Nair, and the sixth elected president, Sellapan Ramanathan. He will be succeeding the eighth female president, Halimah Yacob. His previous roles included serving as Deputy Prime Minister from 2011 to 2019, as well as holding the positions of Minister of Finance and Minister of Education.
In response to his victory, the President-elect expressed his gratitude, stating, “I extend my thanks to my fellow Singaporeans, regardless of your voting preferences, for your keen interest and thoughtful engagement in the matters raised during the election. I believe that the support I received and what I represented reflects confidence in Singapore itself, optimism in our shared progress, and our ability to support one another as Singaporeans.”
He further stated, “I will take on the duty of using the President’s roles and responsibilities to promote this vision of positivity and togetherness. I will maintain the trust you’ve placed in me and commit myself entirely to serving you in the future.”
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warmly welcomed the President-elect and expressed his belief in Shanmugaratnam’s capacity to fulfill his duties with distinction. Prime Minister Loong remarked, “Tharman has a lengthy and illustrious history of public service. I have full confidence in his ability to carry out his presidential duties admirably. I have spoken with Tharman to offer my congratulations on his election and to assure him of my government’s complete cooperation. Tharman has also affirmed his intention to collaborate closely with the government.”
