SINGAPORE – Presidential candidate Tharman Shanmugaratnam hopes that Singaporeans will vote for him as he believes that he represents the best for the presidency at a time when demands on the role are going to grow.
He said that the role of the presidency will grow not just with regard to using the reserves, but also in its traditional role of holding Singapore in high regard internationally, strengthening bonds on the ground and supporting initiatives.
“I believe that is critical to our next phase of development. I intend to be very active in that role, sometimes called a ceremonial role, but it just depends on what you make of it.”
Speaking to media on the last day of his campaigning activities on Wednesday, Mr Tharman, 66, said that meeting Singaporeans from all walks of life during his campaign has been very rewarding, and gives him optimism about the nation.
He said: “You meet people and they’re just so warm. It’s not as if everyone has a perfect life, but they’re just so warm. The chit-chats I’ve had just reinforce my confidence in Singapore.”
The former senior minister said what also inspired him during this time was the number of people on the ground who came forward to speak about him in videos on social media.
He said: “These are ordinary people... who just know me over the years, and I’ve been just so inspired by their accounts, which not just talk about me or my wife, but also about themselves and their motivations.”
“One of the things that make me optimistic about Singapore is that ordinary folk want to make life a bit better, not just for themselves. They like the idea of a strong community, it moves them and they want to be part of it.”
People do not just want to be on the receiving end of support, he added. “They want to be giving, they want to be contributing. And it’s just very inspiring.”
He was moved when he watched video clips of people speaking about their experiences, especially as some of them have had it really tough in life.
“We’ve gone out of our way to help them and give them second chances for sorting out their problems,” he said. “Each time you do it, you know that you’re spending some time on it, but you’re helping to change a person’s life.
“That is something I’ve been doing on the ground. But as a president, if I am fortunate to be elected, I’m going to support every on-the-ground initiative that helps strengthen that culture – the culture of people feeling empowered, not just receiving, being able to uplift themselves and all our spirits.”
When asked about a survey released on Wednesday that found that more than half of voters are familiar with his campaign messages – a greater proportion than for the other candidates – Mr Tharman said he does not think it increases his odds of winning.
He said: “I always take the view that you can never tell until election day. In my mind, the way I frame it is that it’s always uncertain, and it’s a tough thing.”
Being a known entity, as he has been around for so long on the ground nationally and internationally, is obviously an advantage, he said.
“But you can never tell in any election. So I assume nothing in terms of what the outcome can be. I assume nothing.”
As for Cooling-off Day on Thursday, Mr Tharman plans to spend it at home eating pineapple tarts he has received from his supporters, and waking up a bit late.
“But at a certain point, my cats tend to make noise outside the bedroom door, and I’ll have to open it and wake up.”
Mr Tharman said he hopes voters remember this presidential election as one that was contested and multiracial.
“I’d like it to be remembered as a contest where people actually do look at individual track records and life histories. Even though there is a lot of political noise, I think Singaporeans are quite calm and sensible about it.”
