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Halimah Yacob to get eligibility certificate, set to be Singapore's next President
Halimah Yacob is likely to be the next president of Singapore.
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Halimah Yacob is the only presidential hopeful to be issued a Certificate of Eligibility by the Presidential Elections Committee. (Straits Times/file)
H
alimah Yacob is set to be Singapore's next President, with the first presidential election reserved for candidates from the Malay community headed for a walkover.
The 63-year-old former Speaker of Parliament was the only presidential hopeful to be issued a Certificate of Eligibility by the Presidential Elections Committee.
Marine services firm chairman Farid Khan, 61, and property company chief executive Salleh Marican, 67, have been informed they did not qualify to contest the election.
This means Halimah will be declared the country's eighth President shortly after nominations close at noon on Wednesday.
The committee announced its decision on Monday (Sept. 11), two days before Nomination Day, which falls on Sept. 13.
Salleh and Farid's bids had been uncertain because neither man helmed a company with S$500 million (US$372.33 million) in shareholder equity for the most recent three years, a condition set out in the Constitution following amendments passed last year.
No more certificates of eligiblity will be issued, since applications closed on Sept. 4.
This election requires candidates to have a Certificate of Eligibility, and a Community Certificate confirming that they belong to the Malay community.
Three Malay Community Certificates were issued.
Of the five individuals who had applied for certificates of eligibility, two did not declare themselves to be a member of the Malay community.
Halimah, 63, was the only one of the three hopefuls who was automatically eligible to run, and was widely seen as the front runner.
In a statement, Farid said that he accepted the decisions made by the PEC and the Community Committee and that unfortunately, his presidential bid was not meant to be.
"I wish to thank Singaporeans, my family and friends for their overwhelming support since I first announced my decision to contest in the upcoming election," he said.
"Although I am disappointed by the Committees' decision, it will not stop me from continuing to serve the people," he added.
This article appeared on The Straits Times newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
