President Halimah Yacob's support for women, the disadvantaged lauded; some people disappointed she will not seek re-election

SINGAPORE — Calling her a champion of vulnerable communities in Singapore, some of the people who have worked with President Halimah Yacob expressed disappointment that she will not seek to be re-elected when her term of office ends this year.

Speaking to TODAY on Monday (May 29), Ms Chia Yong Yong, a former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP), said that she was “deeply disappointed” by Madam Halimah’s decision to not contest in the upcoming presidential election.

The next presidential election must be held by Sept 13.

“She’s been doing an extremely good job,” Ms Chia said. “She’s been motivating and inspiring many people to do more for people with disabilities as well as those in the lower socio-economic quintile.

“I was hoping she would have a second term so that she could continue the good work.”

Ms Chia is a member of SPD’s board advisory panel. SPD is a social service agency serving persons with disabilities. Mdm Halimah is the organisation’s patron.

Similarly, Mr Mohamed Irshad, founder and president of interfaith group Roses of Peace, said that as Singapore’s president, Mdm Halimah has put in a lot of work to reach out to people from the vulnerable communities, such as seniors and the underprivileged.

Mr Irshad, who is also a former NMP, said that “it will be disappointing to see her not continue for one more term" given the goodwill she has built among various communities over the years.

Mdm Halimah is also the patron of Roses of Peace.

On Monday afternoon, she announced that she will not be standing for re-election in the next presidential election.

Mdm Halimah took office on Sept 14 in 2017, after running in an uncontested election due to a lack of eligible candidates, because other nominees did not meet additional requirements to stand for election. She was the only one to be issued a certificate of eligibility by the Presidential Elections Committee.

The election was reserved for ethnic Malays because there had not been a president from the racial group for the five most recent presidential terms.

The next elected presidency ahead will not be reserved for minority candidates.

In her statement, Mdm Halimah said that she has tried her best to fulfil the "tremendous responsibilities" of the presidency after she took office, and had aimed to help create a more caring and compassionate society.

"I am glad that I was never alone in this journey. I was supported by many Singaporeans who shared strongly in this belief," she said in a statement.

HELPING THE DISADVANTAGED 

Ms Chia said that during her interactions with Mdm Halimah, the latter would always ask about what more could be done to help the vulnerable in the community, including disabled persons.

“It was very, very encouraging that whatever we (at SPD) were doing on the ground, that the person who was holding the highest office in the land was concerned about the results and the impact.”

Ms Chia also recalled how when she assumed the NMP post in 2014, Mdm Halimah, who was then Speaker of Parliament, made an effort to ensure that Parliament had the necessary infrastructure in place for Ms Chia, who uses a wheelchair.

Such infrastructure included customising the height of Ms Chia’s table in Parliament to suit her wheelchair, and installing ramps for Ms Chia to get around.

“The 'human-ness' of accommodating another person so that the person could serve effectively, I thought that spoke volumes (of Mdm Halimah) without me even having to ask,” Ms Chia said.

She remembered that Mdm Halimah had been “humble and respectful” when asking Ms Chia to be her assenter during the 2017 presidential election.

“She was so humble and respectful, as if my presence on her team would be so important. Whereas to me, I felt it was my privilege to be able to serve in that capacity to support her in her presidential bid,” Ms Chia added.

MAKING ‘SOUND DECISIONS’ DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Mdm Halimah approved draws from the country's past reserves of up to S$52 billion in the financial year (FY) 2020, S$11 billion in FY2021 and S$6 billion in FY2022 to fund the Government’s crisis measures.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is also the Finance Minister, said that she served the presidency with “unwavering commitment, compassion and grace”.

“President Halimah championed a society rooted in empathy and kindness, and always paid special attention to the more disadvantaged and vulnerable groups,” he wrote.

Mdm Halimah’s assent to draw on past reserves during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic was also crucial in protecting lives and livelihoods during the period, he said.

Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said in a Facebook post on Monday that Mdm Halimah had brought to the presidency “her own character, judiciousness and humility” and always took an interest in every individual, regardless of their background.

She also made "sound decisions" as the guardian of the nation's reserves, enabling Singapore's decisive response to the pandemic, he added.

Mr Eddie Teo, chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA), told TODAY that he enjoyed working with Mdm Halimah. 

“She was always clear and forthright in expressing her position on any issue, and there was no need to second-guess her opinion or views,” he said.

The council advises the president of Singapore on the exercise of the role's custodial powers, and the president must consult CPA when exercising discretionary powers related to fiscal matters, such as drawing from the national reserves. 

Mr Teo said that Mdm Halimah understood the urgency and need to respond quickly when considering the Government’s requests for drawing on past reserves to manage the pandemic, while making sure that the Government’s proposals were robust and necessary.

SUPPORT FOR LABOUR MOVEMENT

Members of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) thanked Mdm Halimah, who is a longtime activist in the labour movement, for her contributions to workers.

Mr Ng Chee Meng, NTUC’s secretary-general, said in a Facebook post on Monday that Mdm Halimah has been a “staunch supporter” of workers, even during her tenure as president.

For example, during her presidency, she launched the Empowering for Life Fund in 2018, of which some went towards enabling lower-income members to upskill.

She also regularly engaged union leaders from various sectors to stay informed about workers’ issues.

NTUC’s president Mary Liew told TODAY that Mdm Halimah “always had a heart for women”, and understood the needs of working mothers, being one herself.

For example, she took part in a dialogue organised by NTUC last October on issues related to women workers, such as retaining women in the workforce, Ms Liew said.

WOMEN’S PROGRESS, INTERFAITH WORK

Madam Hazlina Halim, president of PPIS, a non-profit group supporting women empowerment in Singapore, said that Mdm Halimah was “unwavering in her commitment” to lend a voice to the disadvantaged.

“She also always has a special spot for women — advocating for mindset and cultural change for the support and progress of womenkind.”

Mdm Hazlina also pointed out how the president invited students from PPIS’ preschools and student care centres to the Istana for the Hari Raya open house last year, such that many children and their families could visit the grounds of her official residence for the first time.

“Her tenure will be remembered as a transformative period in Singapore's history, characterised by progress, inclusivity and a stronger focus on the welfare of its citizens,” Mdm Hazlina added.

Mr Irshad the former NMP said that Mdm Halimah went farther than past presidents to champion inter-faith and inter-religious harmony in Singapore.

For example, she helmed the International Conference on Cohesive Societies in 2019 and 2022, showcasing Singapore as a champion of inter-racial and inter-religious harmony, Mr Irshad noted.

The conference provides a space for interfaith and multicultural dialogue and is organised by the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

After she assumed the presidency, she pressed on to champion socio-cultural causes.

Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, a senior international affairs analyst at business consultancy Solaris Strategies Singapore, said that in that sense, Mdm Halimah could be dubbed “Madam Compassionate”.