Singapore presidential election: Tan Kin Lian’s ‘pretty girls’ controversy clouds nomination day as campaigning kicks off

Election officials on Tuesday formally approved the candidacies of Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Ng Kok Song and Tan Kin Lian to run for Singapore president

But the typically sedate nomination-day proceedings became clouded by controversy amid an outcry over Tan’s past social media posts regarding women

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A view of Singapore’s central business district and Merlion statue from Marina Bay. A 10-day campaign period ahead of next week’s presidential election got under way in the city state on Tuesday with the acceptance of three men’s candidacies. Photo: AP

Published: 1:13pm, 22 Aug 2023Updated: 6:10pm, 22 Aug 2023

Campaigning for Singapore’s September 1 presidential poll is set to kick into high gear, after election officials on Tuesday formally approved the candidacies of the three men vying for the largely ceremonial job.

Observers had mostly expected Tuesday’s nomination-day proceedings to be a sedate affair, but the occasion became clouded by controversy after the past comments of one of the candidates – Tan Kin Lian – regarding women were thrown into sharp relief in recent days.

Tan, 75, an ex-CEO of Income Insurance Singapore, one of the city state’s biggest insurers previously known as NTUC Income, is going up against Ng Kok Song, 75, former chief investment officer of state investor GIC, and former ruling party heavyweight Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 66.

Presidential candidate Tharman Shanmugaratnam (left) waves on Tuesday as he arrives at the nomination centre for Singapore’s presidential election. Photo: AFP

The consensus view among observers is that the election is Tharman’s to lose, given his popularity over the 22 years he served with the People’s Action Party (PAP) – rising from a junior minister to become Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s top economic tsar.

The long-ruling PAP has not formally endorsed Tharman – election rules bar political parties from backing a presidential candidate – but various influential figures close to the ruling establishment have openly voiced support for him.

Singapore’s past presidents have all had significant ties with the PAP and their candidacies have been seen as having the tacit backing of the party that has governed the republic since 1959. The incumbent, President Halimah Yacob, was a former PAP MP and parliamentary speaker.

Ng and Tan have stressed that they are a better fit to be president as they do not have strong links to the PAP like Tharman.

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