SINGAPORE - A three-way contest for the presidency is officially under way between former GIC investment chief Ng Kok Song, 75, former senior minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 66, and former NTUC Income chief Tan Kin Lian, 75.

More than 2.7 million Singaporeans will head to the polls on Sept 1, which has been declared a public holiday.

The three candidates successfully filed their nomination papers on Tuesday, with Returning Officer Tan Meng Dui officially announcing the trio as candidates at 12.39pm.

All three had arrived at the nomination centre at the People’s Association headquarters in Jalan Besar ahead of the noon deadline.

Mr Ng was accompanied by his fiancee Sybil Lau, while Mr Tharman was with his wife Jane Ittogi, and Mr Tan with his wife Tay Siew Hong.

The supporters’ section at the centre filled up from 10am as people streamed in.

Undeterred by the searing heat, many came prepared with handheld fans, sunglasses and umbrellas, while others sought shade where they could under large white tents that had been set up in advance.

Large groups of Mr Tharman’s supporters arrived by bus, covering the field in a sea of maroon as they came decked in matching shirts.

Mr Ng and Mr Tan also had their fair share of supporters who turned up, although they were noticeably fewer.

A group of alumni from Montfort Secondary School, Mr Ng’s alma mater, as well as friends he made during his time at GIC and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), were spotted cheering him on.

Among Mr Tan’s supporters were some opposition politicians, including Democratic Progressive Party secretary-general Mohamad Hamim Aliyas and People’s Power Party secretary-general Goh Meng Seng.

Having been officially announced as candidates, none of the trio can pull out of the race without forfeiting their election deposit of $40,500 each.

The three men, who are vying to become Singapore’s ninth president, have begun campaigning officially.

Mr Ng visited the site of his childhood home in Kangkar – today’s Sengkang – where he officially launched his campaign. He said he has plans to hold an online seminar where people can tune in to ask him questions.

Mr Tharman’s posters were spotted being put up in various parts of the island, bearing his campaign slogan “Respect for All” in four languages.

His team also announced that he will hold a townhall gathering on Friday evening at Pasir Panjang Power Station to share more about his vision for the presidency.

Mr Tan said high costs for venue rental may scupper his plans for a physical rally, but he will continue with his walkabouts.

He has also uploaded online the text for his first presidential candidate broadcast, covering how he will carry out two key duties of the president – safeguarding past reserves and protecting the integrity of the public service.

Campaigning ends on Aug 30, with Cooling-off Day on Aug 31 and Polling Day on Sept 1.

There will be two presidential candidate broadcasts, which will be aired on television and radio, on Thursday and on Aug 30. Each candidate will have 10 minutes.

On Sunday, a video of candidates answering questions from younger Singaporeans will premiere on The Straits Times’ YouTube channel, as well as on ST’s website and social media platforms from 8pm.

Next Monday, a presidential forum will be broadcast live on CNA and its YouTube and Facebook channels.

Voters can now access their e-Poll card through the Singpass app. It includes details on the individual’s polling station address and voting eligibility.

The race begins

Each candidate had two minutes to address the crowd at the nomination centre after their successful nominations.

Mr Ng said he was standing for president to protect Singapore’s three national treasures, which define the country as exceptional.

The first treasure is the reserves, which he said he can protect, having spent his entire career at sovereign wealth fund GIC and MAS helping to build them up. 

The second is good public administration, and the third is social stability.

“I do not belong to any political party. And so I am well placed to unite the people of Singapore to face an uncertain future,” he said.

Speaking to the media later, Mr Ng said: “I feel I am on a mission to really serve the people of Singapore. So, I feel excited that the people of Singapore are giving me this opportunity to serve my country one more time.”

In his speech, Mr Tharman said he looked forward to a dignified and honourable contest, focused on what each candidate brings to Singaporeans and what each of them brings to the country’s future.

Addressing all the supporters in the crowd, he said: “Let’s look forward to a campaign which is dignified and honourable, and a campaign which itself seeks to unite Singaporeans and not divide us.”

He later told the media that he was running for the presidency not on the basis of new positions or statements, but on the basis of a long-held purpose in his life.

“I believe in a fairer, more compassionate and more inclusive society. And my life is dedicated to that. Singapore can be special,” he said.

Mr Tan said in his speech that he wanted to give the people of Singapore “a chance to vote for a president who is truly independent of the ruling government”.

If elected, he will carry out his duties, as set out in the Constitution, diligently, honestly and to the best of his ability, he added.

“These duties are to safeguard the reserves and uphold the integrity of the public service. I ask for your support so that I can do my best for the people,” he said.

He later told the media that he hoped his supporters would elect him to be an “independent president”, so that he can do his best to use the influence of the President’s Office to make life better for all the people in Singapore.

Symbols of the presidential candidates

The three candidates have also selected their symbols.

Mr Ng’s symbol is the palm of a hand with a heart within it. Mr Tharman’s is a pineapple, while Mr Tan’s depicts four people holding up a flower.

Mr Ng said the five fingers symbolise the various races in Singapore, and the palm signifies that while people might come from different races and religions, “we are one palm, we are one country”.

He added that he wanted to unite all the people of Singapore, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation.

Mr Tharman said the pineapple is a symbol with a lot of meaning to the communities here.

“Ong lai – it is a propitious and welcome symbol for many people – when we move into a new home, when we start a new business, when we want good luck and good things to happen, it is our future,” he said. Ong lai means pineapple in Hokkien, and symbolises prosperity and good fortune to come.

Mr Tan said his symbol represents living in harmony. The four figures represent the major ethnic groups in Singapore, all reaching out to a flower, which represents hope for a better future.

• Additional reporting by Judith Tan and Kok Yufeng