SINGAPORE - Bird’s nest, herbal tea, kopi, good conversations and a cat named Max.

These are some of the wellsprings of motivation that the three presidential candidates – Mr Ng Kok Song, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Mr Tan Kin Lian – have tapped to keep them going as they enter the second half of their campaign.

They were also quick to credit their partners, who have been supporting them.

Mr Ng, 75, said that aside from his daily meditations, his 45-year-old fiancee Sybil Lau has cared for him by ensuring he was hydrated and by ordering food for him.

“I don’t think I would have gone through the last few days without Sybil by my side,” said the former GIC chief investment officer.

A frequent feature in Mr Ng’s walkabouts is his younger brother Charles, 60, who Mr Ng said provides a comforting presence. He also said that his children and grandchildren send him messages throughout the day to check in on him.

“Just getting those messages really lifts me up and know that although they may not be physically (there) with me, they are with me in spirit,” added Mr Ng.

But it is a furry friend that provides the most comfort when he gets home. Mr Ng said his pet cat Max Lemon Ng, which has amassed more than 3,500 followers on Instagram, always greets him at the door when he goes home.

“You know what happens when you have this feeling? This experience of being loved. It really lifts me up. I might come home a bit tired from having been out in the hustings, and then Max is just there.

“Playing with Max, it is such an important part of how I stay peaceful, how I stay energetic,” he said.

As for Mr Tharman, he has campaign experience on his side. The 66-year-old made his political debut in the Taman Jurong division of Jurong GRC in the 2001 General Election, and went on to secure re-election four times – in 2006, 2011, 2015 and 2020.

When asked how his wife Jane Ittogi, 69, has supported him on this campaign trail, Mr Tharman said that being together helped, as was the case when he was campaigning for the general elections. 

“We are not doing anything new for the campaign per se. We are just doing what we have been doing all along, and visiting more parts of Singapore than I usually do.”

Mr Tharman added that stamina has not been a problem for him because he has years of experience campaigning, and enjoys it. 

“What keeps you going actually are the conversations. The conversations are just so heartening. Singaporeans are basically quite an optimistic and positive people, I find. 

“They like having a conversation, they like sharing a little bit of what is happening to their kids, they are just very friendly people – and I have enjoyed that all through the years. So, that keeps you going. You never think about whether you are tired or not,” said Mr Tharman.

He listed conversations with a former classmate from over 50 years ago as an example of these conversations, saying: “(Singapore) is a small country. We just have to stick together and support each other.”

Mr Tan, 75, former NTUC Income chief executive, said his wife Tay Siew Hong made him consume bird’s nest and ginseng a few times a day.

Madam Tay, 67, accompanied her husband for the first time on Friday, and told reporters she had been preparing herbal tea to keep him hydrated. She had also been preparing his favourite dishes, such as Indonesian rendang.

Aside from his wife, Mr Tan said a neighbour stepped up for him, too, by chauffeuring him to all his engagements after he had overslept.

“He is very good. Without him, I would have to book a Grab (car, and) it would have been difficult,” said Mr Tan.

With just a few days left to win Singaporeans over, the candidates will resume campaigning on Sunday.

• Additional reporting by Kok Yufeng, Osmond Chia and Chin Soo Fang