George Goh, founder of Harvey Norman Ossia, to run for President in Singapore
Mr Goh, a former non-resident ambassador to Morocco, is the second person to step forward as a prospective candidate for the Presidential Election after Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
Mr George Goh, the founder of Harvey Norman Ossia. (Photo: georgegohchingwah.com)
SINGAPORE: George Goh, the founder of Harvey Norman Ossia, on Monday (Jun 12) announced his intention to run for the Singapore presidency, becoming the second person to step forward after Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
A statement from his media team said Mr Goh will contest as an "independent candidate".
"He has no political party affiliations - past or present. He has no political baggage. He was never in the public sector. He is an entrepreneur who started working at the age of 16, and has since built a business empire spanning 14 countries," it said.
Mr Goh - who brought Australian electronics store Harvey Norman to Asia - had been floated as a possible presidential hopeful in recent days.
The 63-year-old is chairman of Ossia International, an SGX-listed investment holding company.
Married with four children, he also co-founded the charity Border Mission and is a council member at the Red Cross Society, among other roles.
He was in 2017 appointed as Singapore's non-resident ambassador to Morocco.
To contest the Presidential Election and to "maintain his independence", Mr Goh tendered his resignation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Jun 9, the statement said.
President Halimah Yacob's six-year term ends on Sep 13 this year. The 68-year-old announced on May 29 her decision not to seek a second term. She is the country's eighth President and first female President.
Media reports previously said the Presidential Election must be held by Sep 13. The Elections Department (ELD) said on Monday that the election may be held at any time from Jun 13, and if it has not been held by the expiration of the term of the incumbent President, it should be held shortly after.
DECISION TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT
According to Mr Goh's team, he made the decision in 2017 to stand for election, after the eligibility requirement for private sector candidates was raised - from those helming corporations with at least S$100 million (US$75.6 million) in paid-up capital to corporations with at least US$500 million in share equity.
“He was concerned that the more stringent conditions might lead to another uncontested election, as was the case in 2017 with President Madam Halimah Yacob, a former Speaker of Parliament. Although there are 1,200 such companies, not many are helmed by citizens. Most would also rather remain 'private' citizens," the statement read.
“This time, the establishment has endorsed Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam as its candidate. Mr Tharman has been with the People’s Action Party since 2001. He is a long-time Cabinet minister and has, since his civil service days, been closely involved in public finance policies and institutions."
Mr Goh questioned if Mr Tharman was “the right man to become President”, given his close alignment with the ruling political party.
“This is especially so, given the President’s role in checking the government in the two important areas concerned with the national reserves and key public office appointments. To maintain the integrity of the office, the President must not only be above politics but be perceived as such," the statement read.
It added that Mr Goh is equipped with the financial and technical skills to "scrutinise the government's books", and that he has "considerable managerial and leadership expertise, acquired both here and abroad, to make judgments about a person’s suitability for an important post".
"All four of Singapore’s past elected presidents were political appointment holders or from the public sector. It is time to have a truly independent person with a pair of fresh eyes to play the role the elected president was created for," the statement read.
Mr Tharman announced his intention to run for President last week, saying he will resign from the People's Action Party and retire from all his positions in government.
The former Deputy Prime Minister told reporters on Sunday that it is important for him to have a contest in the upcoming Presidential Election, saying he would “much rather win or lose with a contest”.
Potential candidates can apply for a Certificate of Eligibility from Jun 13 - the first step in order to enter the presidential race. Prospective candidates must also submit a community declaration.
