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Singapore presidential campaigning ends as voters reflect on values, ‘antics’, surreal moments

  • After 9 days of campaigning, Ng Kok Song, Tan Kin Lian and Tharman Shanmugaratnam enter a cooling-off period ahead of the Friday poll
  • Some voters said the most memorable moments had been ‘antics’ by the candidates to make themselves more personable – especially to young people

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Singaporeans will vote for the city state’s ninth president on September 1. Photo: AP
Singapore’s presidential hopefuls on Wednesday made a last-ditch push for votes, as citizens reflected on their promises and the funny, strange – and at times surreal – moments during the nine-day campaigning period.
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The clear front runner in the three-way race, former ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) heavyweight Tharman Shanmugaratnam, meanwhile vigorously dismissed eleventh-hour social media comments that his civil servant son’s past involvement in the management of the country’s fiscal reserves could result in a conflict of interest if he became president.
Tharman, 66, Ng Kok Song, 75, and Tan Kin Lian, 75, are vying to be the country’s ninth president – a largely ceremonial position with custodial roles over the use of fiscal reserves and the appointment of senior bureaucrats.

Opinion polling is not allowed during presidential election campaigns in Singapore, but the consensus view among analysts is that Tharman, a popular senior minister for more than two decades, was highly likely to capture the most votes among the 2.7 million eligible voters.

The three candidates must abide by a 24-hour cooling-off period ahead of Friday’s vote.

The Istana is the official residence and office of the President of Singapore. Photo: Shutterstock
The Istana is the official residence and office of the President of Singapore. Photo: Shutterstock

Campaigning has largely been focused on the candidates, their views about the president’s role, and their respective life partners – but on Wednesday messages about Tharman’s civil servant son Akilan circulated on WhatsApp and on social media.

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