Halimah Yacob
'thinking about' running for President
SINGAPORE: Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob said on Sunday
(Jul 16) she is "thinking about" running for the Presidency.
"I am thinking about it, about running for the presidency," Mdm
Halimah told reporters at a community event in her Marsiling
ward.
"The EP (elected presidency) is a very heavy responsibility and an
important institution in Singapore, so it's not something that one
should take lightly. The duties are also heavy duties. So I have
been thinking about it. It needs a bit of time to think.
"I must say at this moment I have a lot of duties that I have to
perform as Speaker, as member of Parliament. Those duties are also
very dear, very important to me," Mdm Halimah added.
"I need to consult my family, my colleagues. It's not a question
that we can just I say, make a decision alone," she told
reporters.
Her comments come after 62-year-old Bourbon Offshore Asia chairman
Farid Khan Kaim Khan formally announced his bid for candidacy on
Tuesday (Jul 11).
Following Mdm Halimah's comments, Mr Farid Khan said: "I welcome
Madam Halimah's intention to contest in the upcoming Presidential
Election."
Mr Farid is chairman of marine services provider company Bourbon
Offshore Asia. According to a statement by Mr Farid, the company
operated a fleet of more than 500 vessels in 2016. It has about
9,300 employees in 45 countries.
He said he is confident of qualifying as a Malay candidate, even
though his identity card identifies him as 'Pakistani'. Under
changes to the elected presidency, candidates will be assessed by
the Community Committee as to whether they belong to the particular
community.
Another bid has come from 67-year-old Second Chance Properties CEO,
Mohamed Salleh Marican who also announced his intention to
run.
This year's Presidential Election, which has been reserved for
Malay candidates, will be held in September.
Applications for the 2017 Presidential Election certificates opened
on Jun 1, the Elections.
They will close five days after the writ of election is issued in
August, ahead of the elections in September.
Prospective candidates must apply to the Community Committee for
a Malay community certificate. The Malay community sub-committee,
chaired by former Nominated Member of Parliament Imram Mohamed,
will then assess the application.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome before Nomination Day.
Incumbent President Tony Tan Keng Yam will complete his term of
office on Aug 31. In the interim period from Sep 1 to when the new
President takes office, an acting President can perform the role of
the President under the law.
Source: CNA/mn
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http://mothership.sg/2017/07/theres-an-epic-battle-going-on-now-over-one-detail-in-halimah-yacobs-wikipedia-entry/
