Ex-deputy PM new president of Singapore

Election seen as vote of confidence for ruling party; candidate scores big win

Singapore's new presidency shows that Singaporeans still prefer the ruling party they know and trust, said Tan Ern Ser, a sociologist at the National University of Singapore.

The candidate of the ruling People's Action Party, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, a former deputy prime minister and finance minister, won the three-way presidential election by a wide margin on Friday.

Shanmugaratnam, 66, gained 70.4 percent votes, Ng Kok Song, a former banker, 15.7 percent, and Kin Lian, a candidate for the presidency in 2011, 13.9 percent.

"I believe that it's a vote of confidence in Singapore. It's a vote of optimism for a future in which we can progress together and support each other as Singaporeans," Shanmugaratnam said in a speech before the results were announced.

"I'm humbled by this vote. It is not just a vote for me, it is a vote for Singapore's future."

Shanmugaratnam's performance was in part a referendum on the PAP's performance, said Associate Professor Walid Jumblatt Abdullah of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

"I wouldn't say support for the PAP is fervent, but resentment toward the PAP is obviously not fervent. There is no doubt Tharman is more popular than his party, but at the very least it shows that the party brand is not toxic so that association with it drags a person down."

Patrick Low, 70, a self-employed worker, told Agence France-Presse after casting his vote: "What we want is a prosperous Singapore."

However, whether Shanmugaratnam's comfortable win will translate into support in general elections, due in 2025, is a different matter.

"The expectations are very different," said Felix Tan, also of Nanyang Technological University. "I don't think that the presidential election was about the opposition versus the ruling government … Singaporeans voted for the best person they feel can represent them."

Scandals plaguing the PAP did not feature significantly during the campaign, said Associate Professor Alan Chong, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

"I think people knew that this sort of thing should be discussed in the run-up to the next general election, and (the presidential election) was not an arena for it."

The vote also showed that there is a group of disgruntled Singaporeans, he said, but a sizable majority seemed to favor the PAP.

Shanmugaratnam's victory was unsurprising to at least one voter, who said he was relatively well-known and had been dedicated to his constituency.

"He's got marketability because people know him," said He Yulan, 33, a media worker.

"That sort of word of mouth easily goes around and makes him a popular candidate."

Shanmugaratnam has been one of Singapore's most popular politicians. He resigned from parliament in July to stand for the presidency, a nonpartisan role.

Stability desired

He won the support of a broad spectrum of voters, Tan Ern Ser said. "People who desire stability, being able to make a living, being able to do better for themselves and their family."

Shanmugaratnam's victory demonstrates that a good record of public service matters, he said. "He comes across as down to earth, reasonable, knowledgeable and capable. I believe his insights and advice will be taken very seriously by the government."

Tan said: "Tharman is someone who is respected within the ruling government as well as beyond that."

The election results demonstrated that most Singaporeans support Shanmugaratnam as a person of good character and integrity, he said.

"Clearly this wasn't an election where race or religion mattered, and given how comfortably he has won, it's also not about his political affiliations, but him as a person. Importantly, Singaporeans believe that Tharman has what it takes to be president."

Agencies and Xinhua contributed to this story.

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.