Indian-origin economist Tharman Shanmugaratnam, a former ruling People's Action Party MP and deputy prime minister, has won Singapore's Presidential election with an impressive 70.4 percent of votes. His rivals, Ng Kok Song and Tan Kin Lian, garnered only 15.7 percent and 13.88 percent votes, respectively.
Here are seven things to know about the man who could be Singapore's next President.
1. Personal Life
Mr Tharman is married to Jane Yumiko Ittogi, who is a lawyer by training and of Chinese-Japanese descent. They have a daughter and three sons.
2. Education
Mr Tharman attended the Anglo-Chinese School before graduating from the London School of Economics (LSE) with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics.
LSE later awarded him an Honorary Fellowship in 2011.
Subsequently, he obtained a Master of Philosophy degree in economics from the University of Cambridge, and a Master in Public Administration at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, where he was conferred the Lucius N Littauer Fellow award for outstanding performance and leadership potential.
3. Entry Into Politics
An economist by professional background, Mr Tharman was first elected Member of Parliament in November 2001 in Jurong GRC, after the PAP team secured 79.75 per cent of the votes.
Since then, he has been re-elected four times. Mr Tharman represents the Taman Jurong division.
4. Official Secrets Act Case
In 1992, while serving as director of the Economics Department of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Mr Tharman was one of five people charged under the Official Secrets Act after the growth rate for Singapore’s economy in the second quarter of that year was published in the Business Times before it was revealed officially. The others included the newspaper's editor Patrick Daniel.
All five individuals were found guilty and fined. However, the court concluded that Mr Tharman was not guilty of communicating any secrets. He was found guilty of negligence and fined S$1,500.
Mr Tharman addressed his conviction while campaigning in the 2001 General Election.
He was quoted in the Business Times as saying: "No one concluded, including the court, that I had done anything deliberately. So my integrity was never challenged, never in doubt both during and after the case."
Responding to press queries separately, he added: "The facts are simply that I had a document with me at a meeting between MAS officials and the private sector. A private sector economist said he saw a figure from across the table. I did not give any official secret to anyone and the court records show this."
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong - the Deputy Prime Minister at the time - said the PAP does not "write people off because of one mistake", according to the Business Times report.
5. Political Career
Mr Tharman has been Senior Minister since May 2019, after serving for several years as Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Education Minister. He is currently also Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, and advises the Prime Minister on economic policies.
He is also the chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the deputy chairman of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, chairing its investment strategies committee.
He has also chaired the Economic Development Board’s International Advisory Council since 2014.
Mr Tharman has spent his working life in public service, primarily in roles related to economic and social policies.
Besides serving as Deputy Prime Minister (2011-2019), he was Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies (2011-2015). He was also Minister for Finance for nine years (2007-2015) and Minister for Education for five years (2003-2008).
6. Public Service Contributions
While serving as Education Minister, Mr Tharman introduced major educational reforms aimed at achieving a broader and more flexible system of meritocracy.
He saw to investments in KidSTART and the expansion and upgrading of preschool education and later, led the SkillsFuture programme, which was launched in 2014 to enable life-long learning and up-skilling among Singaporeans.
During COVID-19, Mr Tharman chaired the National Jobs Council, which oversaw efforts to support and rebuild jobs for Singaporeans.
He also oversaw the raising of incomes of lower-wage workers through the progressive wage model as well as enhancements to the standing of social workers and capabilities of social service offices.
7. Other Roles
Outside of his roles in government, Mr Tharman chairs the Board of Trustees of the Singapore Indian Development Association, which seeks to uplift educational performance and social resilience in the Indian Singaporean community.
Mr Tharman has led several international councils, focused especially on economic and financial reforms. This includes chairing the Group of Thirty (G30) - an independent global council of economic and financial leaders from the public and private sectors - from 2017 to 2022 and becoming the first Asian chair of the International Monetary and Financial Committee from 2011 to 2014.
He is currently on the external advisory group to the International Monetary Fund managing director and the World Economic Forum’s Board of Trustees.
Meanwhile, here are the key points from Mr Tharman’s speech that was broadcast on national television on Aug 24.
8. Inclusivity And Diversity Of Views
Amid an increasingly divided and unstable world, Mr Tharman noted that Singapore is becoming a democracy with more diverse views
He said that Singaporeans' real challenge is to ensure that such diversity of views does not lead to a more divided society. In his speech later on, he also called on people to respect those with different views and political leanings
"We must be a democracy with more space for different views and a thriving civil society. But to be confident of our future, we must also be a society with a strong centre of shared aspirations and respect for all citizens," he said
To Mr Tharman, a fair, more compassionate and inclusive society goes "much deeper" than what government policies are doing to achieve it
It is about the respect and friendship Singaporeans extend to each other regardless of background, educational achievements, religion and other differences, he said
Mr Tharman pledged to strengthen "a culture of respect" for all Singaporeans by supporting inclusive ground-up initiatives that benefit those who are disadvantaged, senior citizens and homemakers, among others.
9. Projecting Singapore’s Voice Of Reason
Mr Tharman pledged to promote Singapore’s interests with his governmental experience and his international standing, so as to "project our voice of reason in an increasingly turbulent world"
"We must never become just another small country. I have been flying the Singapore flag high internationally for many years, and will work actively to strengthen our existing partnerships and build new ones," he said
Mr Tharman also reiterated his intention to fulfil the constitutional duties of the President thoroughly and impartially, referring to the prudent use of the nation’s reserves and ensuring that the country has an “honest and first-rate public service”
As a leader in government financial policies for many years, he said that he possesses “deep knowledge and experience” of how and when the country should spend from the reserves.
10. Own Path Wasn't Predictable Or Assured
Describing his path as never "predictable or assured", Mr Tharman said that he had made his way up the public service as a non-scholar, while facing "setbacks" along the way.
"But my knees never buckled and my integrity was never in doubt. I eventually progressed to the highest levels of the public service, serving as managing director of the MAS," he said.
He added that in his youth, sports had taught him to value every team member, respect his opponents, as well as how to win and lose graciously.
Concluding his speech, he said that he has held onto his ideals of social justice and inclusiveness through his years in Government as a minister, working continually "to build consensus on practical and sustainable ways to uplift workers and ordinary citizens’ lives".
"While the President stands apart from the overnment, and does not make policies, I will never waver from this purpose in my life and independence of mind as I fulfil my duties," he said.
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