Once ruled out as potential PM, Singapore’s Tharman Shanmugaratnam quits cabinet to make bid for elected president

The elder statesman, widely seen as a formidable establishment choice, was earlier ruled out for the prime ministership on account of his race

Observers say feel-good factor from Tharman’s candidacy could boost ruling party’s standing in the next parliamentary elections

Reading Time:5 minutes

Observers said Singapore’s ruling party can leverage the formidable popularity of Tharman Shanmugaratnam to stave off contenders for the elected office. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:12pm, 8 Jun 2023Updated: 3:26pm, 8 Jun 2023

A respected elder statesman that Singapore’s ruling party once discounted as a potential prime minister because his Indian ethnicity was feared to be a handicap in the majority-Chinese city state is now its likely favourite for the post of president.

Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 66, on Thursday became the first individual to throw his hat into the ring for the presidential poll due by mid-September.

He declared his plan to resign from the Singapore cabinet to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday, setting his final day in office as senior minister and coordinating minister for social policies on July 7, the prime minister’s office announced as it released an exchange of letters between the two men.

“If I am fortunate enough to be elected as president I will represent the unity of Singaporeans, of all races and religions, social backgrounds and political leanings, at a time when views in the population are becoming more diverse … I will also work to the best of my abilities to project Singapore’s interests and voice of reason in an increasingly turbulent world,” wrote Tharman, who will also resign from the ruling People’s Action Party.

In his letter of acceptance, PM Lee said Tharman’s departure represented a “heavy loss” to him and his team and that his leadership would be missed but he understood why his senior colleague wanted to make bid for the presidency, as it was “in keeping with the spirit of public service and sense of duty that you have shown all these years”.

He paid tribute to Tharman, widely regarded as a social reformer, for working hard to “build a more inclusive society and to improve wages and create better jobs” for the people.

Observers said the People’s Action Party can leverage his formidable popularity to stave off unwanted contenders for the elected office and create a feel-good factor that could flow into the country’s parliamentary elections due by 2025 but likely to be called earlier.