Halimah Yacob submitted her application forms to contest the upcoming reserved presidential election today. She is the last of the presidential hopefuls who have declared their interest to contest the election to do so, with Salleh Marican submitting documents on 23 August and Farid Khan following suit a day later.
The former Speaker of Parliament who resigned from her role of elected parliamentarian to contest the election told reporters outside the Elections Department (ELD):
“I hope to receive a favourable response. As I have said repeatedly, my goal, my objective is to serve Singapore and Singaporeans with all my heart and all my passion. So I will just wait for the outcome from ELD.”
Halimah also held a press briefing yesterday as she gears up for the race, to unveil her campaign slogan: “Do good, do together”
She said of the slogan:
“It allows us together as one people to come together and do what is good for the community and the country – I think that is the most important part of it. We ‘do good, do together’ regardless of race, language or religion, and we come together to make Singapore a home we can all be proud of.”
Voters responding online couldn’t seem to relate to the establishment favourite’s campaign theme:
Ravi Kumar: “Do good, do together”. Why not just “Do good together”? Redundancy
Raymond Koh: Tony Tan slogan was “confidence for the future”. Now after his term ends, I am still not confident about our future. Nice slogan does nothing at all.
Loh Wai Poon: The EP is a custodial post not a political one. She should tell us why she is capable of carrying out her custodial duties. Slogan shouting is a politician task. She is no more a politician.
KT Jas Per: say is easy… now can say anything to gain votes… can anyone enlighten me what GREAT ACHIEVEMENT Tony has made for the citizens or the country ? What Tony has said before he was elected ???
Madhavan Charles: That depends on doing good for who really. For the people or the people in power? It’s 2017, I doubt there are as many naive folks. Hopefully.
Anu Banu: No need campaign, no need slogans. Just be ready to move in Istana. And we will get on with our lives. Only one mystery will stay unsolved forever. What is the race in her original IC? My brain seems to be stuck at that point when it comes to this PE. Well, we will never know, will we?
Robert Tan: A banner is only a piece of cloth. A slogan contains only some words. Do they mean anything after the event when they are thrown into a prestigious $840K rubbish bin. During GE voters had seen many slogans.
NC Tay: Totally cannot relate…not sure what your do good means…the way the elites interpret do good can be absolutely different from the common man…or even the totally opposite.
Raymond Koh: They should have tap my brains. I would have given them a better slogan that is truly reflective of them. How about this as a slogan ? “Kaki Kong, Kaki Song”
Jonanthanyoona Yap: it could even not contested and auto become president..lol…no need comment too much on slogan and prepare to be “reserved” president.
Alvin Peh: ‘Do good do together’ when disacknowledging ones own race and fak democracy is already bad enuff
Herring Osman: Do good?what kind of good?many dying to get their cpf out at 55.what did you do?
Wong Yking: Now must be Sweet talk….after confirm….no more talk….
Samuel Choong: Do good do together for pap
The hopeful also unveiled her key campaign members such as Sheng Siong chief executive Lim Hock Chee, Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Chia Yong Yong, former NMP Mary Liew and Singapore Institute of International Affairs chairman Simon Tay at the press briefing where she said that she will not put the interest of people behind party colours:
“Whatever I do, it has always been people first, people first, people first … My loyalty lies with Singapore and Singaporeans.”
"My loyalty lies with Singapore and Singaporeans, and nothing else," said Madam Halimah Yacob yesterday (Aug 29), as she unveiled her presidential campaign slogan. http://str.sg/4HQX
Posted by The Straits Times on Tuesday, 29 August 2017
Again, voters floated the hashtag #NotMyPresident and responded with sardonic one-liners:
Ian Yap: Did she just rephrased OTC? “My loyalty is first and foremost, to the people of Singapore. It has always been so, and will always remain so.” – Ong Teng Cheong (1936 – 2002)
Haziq Rosli: Correction: *SOME* Singaporeans. We don’t need loyalty. We need integrity, something that you clearly have none of Madam Embarassed to be Indian.
Simon Lam: Loyalty, if no integrity, pointless. Are u people president or u just want that $2 million? Touch your heart.
Madhavan Charles: Can’t even be loyal to her own race…still speaks about loyalty.
Johanes Pkmi: do you think a pawn will EVER has its own Freewill???
Krishnann Nil Nil: Blah blah blah election speech. Bet she won’t remember anything after winning
Nicky Weiwei: What happened to the loyalty to ur yee tee residents? Last GE u asked for their vote right? Suppose to serve them faithfully for the full term isnt it?
Dan Tsingtao I have no doubts which party you are loyal to
Brian Shah: Would I take part in an open election the answer is yes. Then face TCB.
KT Jas Per: you can say anything you want now to gain votes.
Chua Jean: YOUR loyalty lies with us? u must be kidding
David Leong: Earn More, Do Less. This is better.
Alvin Fong: Don’t make promises you cannot keep.
Goh Guan Sam: Loyalty to who, ppl know.
Nomination Day will be held on 13 September, according to the writ of election that was issued by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday. If more than one candidate are nominated, Polling Day will be held after a 10-day campaign period, on 23 September.