Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:22pm on 01 Sep 2023,Friday International
Indian-origin Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 66, was elected Singapore's new president with 70.4% votes, replacing the nation's first female head Halimah Yacob. Shanmugaratnam, the former deputy PM, resigned from the ruling PAP and Cabinet to contest the first competitive presidential polls in over a decade. The ceremonial role oversees reserves, vetoes appointments, approves probes against PM's will. The outcome signals support for PAP despite scandals as Indian-origin Shanmugaratnam is establishment-linked. Voting was compulsory for 2.7 million voters. PM Lee's PAP has ruled since 1959 but saw worst performance in 2020. Shanmugaratnam's significant win reflects enduring trust despite controversies.
