“Don’t Wayang Lah” – Netizens on Halimah Yacob “thinking about” running for presidency

Netizens have trolled Madam Halimah Yacob, claiming that the Speaker of Parliament is acting and putting on a show of “thinking about” joining the presidential race, following her confirmation that she is eyeing the presidential election to be held this year.

At the parliamentary debate on the Presidential Election (amendment) Bill in February this year, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Chan Chun Sing, accidentally referred to Madam Halimah as “Madam President” instead of “Madam Speaker”. Netizens who responded to Mr Chan’s slip then, wondered if it was a freudian one.

Speaking after a community event in her Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC yesterday, Madam Halimah said:

“I am thinking about it, of running for the presidency…The elected presidency is a very heavy responsibility and an important institution in Singapore, so it’s not something that one should take lightly… so it needs a bit of time to think. But I must say at this moment, I have a lot of duties I have to perform, as Speaker, as MP. These duties are also very dear and important to me.”

Commentators online have responded sarcastically to Madam Halimah’s statement that she is consulting her family on whether she should join the presidential race, which has been reserved for members of the Malay community.