SINGAPORE, Sept 2 — Singaporeans have elected the country's ninth president, following a landslide victory for Tharman Shanmugaratnam who garnered 70.4 per cent of the...
SINGAPORE, Sept 2 — Singaporeans have elected the country's ninth president, following a landslide victory for Tharman Shanmugaratnam who garnered 70.4 per cent of the votes despite what had appeared to be a bruising electoral fight with his rivals during the hustings.
Out of this figure, around 50,152, or 1.98 per cent, of the total votes cast were rejected votes. These are ballots which were found in the ballot box unmarked or improperly marked. This is slightly higher than the 1.76 per cent of rejected votes in 2011. “A future of closer interactions between our different faiths and cultures, so that we deepen our multicultural identity. A future of solidarity even as we hold to diverse views, which is natural in our democracy.”
Pointing out that this was “a contested election with a multiracial slate”, Tharman noted that even in an apolitical election such as a Presidential Election, race is never absent. Ng, who garnered the second highest vote count, conceded to Tharman shortly after the sample count was announced. As for Tan, he wished Tharman his “sincere congratulations” for his electoral success. “I am confident he will be elected as the President of Singapore. I wish him all the best in meeting the challenges ahead and I hope he will be able to bring a better life for the people,” he said.
With the results announced, it marks the end of a nine-day campaigning period that began after Nomination Day on August 22. Analysts had previously observed that about a third of voters in Singapore would traditionally vote for opposition parties at general elections.
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