Singapore’s recent Polling Day has come and gone in a flash, with crowd favourite Tharman Shanmugaratnam emerging victorious. Ahead of our new President’s inauguration, here are some nuggets of info you’ll want to keep up to date on – both surrounding the event and the man himself.
When will Halimah Yacob’s term end?
Halimah Yacob’s presidential term will end on September 13 2023. She was first sworn in as President of Singapore on September 14 2017 and chose not to seek re-election for a second term when her term drew close to expiry. Halimah was Singapore’s eighth president, and its very first female head of state.
Who is Tharman Shanmugaratnam?
Tharman Shanmugaratnam is a notable figure in Singapore’s political scene, having been a key public member of the People’s Action Party (PAP) since 2001. Some of his larger roles in politics over the years include being the former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Manpower, and Senior Minister of Singapore. From September 14 2023, Tharman will assume office as the ninth President of Singapore.
Who is Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s wife?
Tharman Shanmugaratnam is married to Jane Yumiko Ittogi, an ex-lawyer of mixed Japanese and Singaporean Chinese descent. Previously a lawyer, Jane eventually left the legal industry to pursue philanthropic work, and founded non-profit organisation Tasek Jurong Limited, which has a special focus on helping underprivileged kids and teenagers.
Tharman and Jane married in 1990 and have four children together: a daughter, Maya, and three sons named Aran, Akilan, and Arivan.
What percentage of votes did Tharman win in the Presidential Election?
Tharman won by a landslide victory in the 2023 Presidential Election, where he bagged 70.4% of the total valid vote count. His opponents Ng Kok Song and Tan Kin Lian received 15.72% and 13.88% of the votes respectively.
When will Tharman be inaugurated as President of Singapore?
Tharman’s inauguration will happen on September 14 2023, Thursday, from around 7pm to 8.30pm. The ceremony at the Istana will start with Halimah's farewell, before segueing into Tharman's welcome.
How to watch Tharman’s inauguration ceremony in Singapore
As with any other significant event in Singapore’s political history, Tharman’s swearing-in ceremony at the Istana will be broadcasted live on selected free-to-air television channels in Singapore, namely Channel 5 and Channel News Asia (CNA), with subtitles for speeches. It will also be streamed online via meWATCH. An on-demand playback video may also be uploaded on meWATCH for those unable to catch the inauguration live. Here are the broadcast timings to take note of:
- Channel 5 and CNA: 7pm
- meWATCH: 7pm
- CNA via YouTube: 7.25pm
- The Straits Times via YouTube: 7.20pm
Do note that the inauguration ceremony will not be aired live on non-English channels like Channel 8, Channel U, Suria, and Vasantham; it will be business as usual with regular programming for these.
How long will Tharman be President of Singapore?
The term of presidency in Singapore is six years from the date of inauguration. As such, Tharman will be President until September 13 2029.
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