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SINGAPORE: Presidential candidate Ng Kok Music has warned that the looming election should not “develop into a proxy struggle between the federal government endorsed candidate and the opposition endorsed candidate,” referring to his opponents Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Tan Kin Lian, respectively.
Veteran politician Mr Tharman is the institution choose and seems to be backed by the ruling get together whereas numerous smaller opposition events have overtly supported former NTUC Revenue chief Tan Kin Lian.
In a Fb submit printed on Sunday (27 Aug), Mr Ng stated: “That is harmful and divisive. Save the get together politics for the subsequent Basic Election and don’t let it pollute the workplace of the President, which is meant to be a unifying drive.”
In one other submit printed earlier, the previous GIC chief funding officer stated: “It’s crucial that we honour the spirit of the Structure. The President is a unifying determine. She or he shouldn’t be beholden to any political events.”
He added: “I stand as a very unbiased candidate with a heart-powered group. I’m not backed by any events, however fairly by my document of serving the folks of Singapore.
“I’m pushed by love from my household and the folks I’ve met over my life, together with the previous few weeks. I’ll safeguard our nationwide treasures primarily based on the perfect curiosity of the folks. In occasions of political or different crises, I’ll take advantage of goal judgment name.”
All three candidates have made guarantees of independence however their dedication to be a non-partisan President has come underneath scrutiny.
Mr Tharman, who was Senior Minister till final month, has a long time of historical past with the ruling Individuals’s Motion Celebration (PAP) whereas Mr Tan is perceived to be operating his marketing campaign like a normal election candidate would – making guarantees to affect insurance policies.
Among the many three candidates, Mr Ng has received a contemporary wave of appreciation for placing himself ahead as a substitute candidate. Though the previous GIC chief funding officer has hyperlinks to the institution and was initially seen as making a bid to the presidency to offer the phantasm of a contest, he comes throughout because the extra impartial candidate compared together with his two rivals.
The query of whether or not partisan affiliations matter in a Presidential Election stays to be seen when Singapore goes to the polls on Friday (1 Sept).
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