Singapore Prepares for Presidential Vote

Facts

• Singaporeans will head to the polls on Friday to choose between the three presidential candidates who have met the stringent criteria to run for the position. It comes amid a spate of political scandals, a rarity in the country.¹
• Former deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam — seen as the unofficial pick of the long-ruling People's Action Party (PAP) — will face off the former chief investment officer of sovereign wealth fund GIC Ng Kok Song and NTUC Income's former CEO Tan Kin Lian.²
• While Tharman is widely considered the frontrunner, the controversial Tan has been described as a potential dark horse candidate, as anger mounts against the PAP over rising living costs and alleged disillusionment with the status quo.³
• Singapore on Thursday entered its cooling-off period, in which no further campaigning is allowed. However, the release of opinion and exit polls are permitted before the end of Friday's vote.⁴
• Whoever wins the vote will be sworn in as the ninth president of Singapore at the Istana in mid-September, replacing Halimah Yacob — the country's first female president — who took office after a reserved election in 2017.¹
• The elected candidate for the largely ceremonial presidency — and a number of limited powers associated with the role, including guarding the wealthy city-state's secret reserves — will serve a six-year term.⁵

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²Reuters, ³South China Morning Post, ⁴CNA, and ⁵CNBC.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Bloomberg. Though it's comprehensible that many Singaporeans will opt to spoil ballots in protest over dissatisfaction with the status quo and Tan's insensitive remarks, voting in this upcoming election is a privilege that must be exercised. It is unlikely that the PAP will lose, but voters should still engage in democracy, recognize the important role the president plays in the country, and cast their ballot wisely to protect the integrity of the government.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Council on Foreign Relations. The once mighty PAP is looking weaker than ever, as their decades-long rule is being undermined by arrogance and corruption maring their once ironclad image. Anger among voters is growing amid ongoing political scandals, a fraying social contract, and threats towards the principle of equality under the law. It's only a matter of time before an outsider is finally elected to detoxify Singaporean politics.

Predictions