Commentary: How not to misread Singapore voters and the Presidential Election outcome
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Commentary
Commentary: How not to misread Singapore voters and the Presidential Election outcome
If a General Election were to be held in the near term, it is not the case that Singaporeans who voted for Tharman Shanmugaratnam would also vote for the People’s Action Party, says SMU associate professor Eugene K B Tan.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam and his wife Jane Yumiko Ittogi arriving at Toa Payoh Hub on Sep 2, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Marcus Mark Ramos)
Eugene K B Tan
05 Sep 2023 09:17AM (Updated: 05 Sep 2023 09:28AM)
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SINGAPORE: Does
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam's resounding victory in Singapore’s Presidential Election tell us anything about the support for the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP)?
Related to that, would the result have any bearing on the timing of the next General Election or even the leadership handover?
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Singapore netizens have commented that Mr Tharman’s landslide win - where
he garnered 70.4 per cent of the popular vote – might mean that following it shortly with a General Election, which must be held by November 2025, would be in the PAP’s favour.
However, it would be an error to transpose the Presidential Election outcome to the state of affairs in popular politics.
Mr Tharman’s outstanding performance cannot be taken as being indicative of the popularity of the PAP. The positive reception to Mr Tharman’s candidacy may not necessarily reflect the public mood and support for the PAP government.
There is no denying that Mr Tharman’s breadth and depth of experience has much to do with his presidential win. He is well known to Singaporeans, having spent 22 years in the ruling party and holding high-profile positions such as Minister of Education, Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister.