SINGAPORE: A netizen asked Singapore Democratic Party chairman Paul Tambyah to give the pros and cons of the three candidates in this year’s Presidential Election, which will take place on Friday (Sept 1).
Dr Tambyah, who has met two of the three candidates, said in an Aug 27 (Sunday) video, “Ultimately, I think Singaporeans have three good candidates to choose for President. They need to decide who is the person who is going to be best able to help them to send a message to the Government of Singapore. Vote wisely.”
@paultambyah Replying to @supporting🐼character These are my thoughts about the 3 candidates! #fyp #teamSDP #politics #sgpolitics #singapore #xyzbca #fypsg #PE2023 #president #sgpresidentialelection2023 #GE2025 #Tharman #tharmanshanmugaratnam #ngkoksong2023 #tankinlian #sgpresidentialelection
Dr Tambyah said he had last met former Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in early 2020 at a community food distribution event.
He “very graciously” posed for a picture with Dr Tambyah and the infection control team “much to the consternation of some of his grassroots leaders,” said the SDP chair.
Dr Tambyah added that Mr Tharman’s voice is very similar to that of his father, Professor K Shanmugaratnam, who had been the SDP chair’s teacher, and noted that the son had inherited the father’s “brilliance” and “amazing way of speaking.”
This, he said, is a pro and a con at the same time because Mr Tharman has said much during the campaign about “all of the great things that he will do for Singapore. But unfortunately, as we have been reminded time and again by the Elections Department and IMDA, the President is severely constrained in what he can do.”
“Mr Tharman could do all of those things and much more if he was the Prime Minister,” he said.
He went on to say that he met the former chief executive officer of NTUC Income over 10 years ago, and Mr Tan Kin Lian largely appears to have made a favourable impression on the SDP head, noting that he has some “interesting ideas,” although some of them can be a somewhat “odd.”
Some supporters have told him that Mr Tan should maybe “do a Joe Biden,” meaning he should keep quiet until the election ends.
He has never met the third candidate, Mr Ng Kok Song, the former GIC chief investment director, though two of his friends know him and say good things about him.
“However, I’m still not clear on why he’s taking part in this campaign,” added the SDP chief. /TISG
Paul Tambyah: Tharman is a brilliant economic mind but is better suited to be Prime Minister