Presidential hopeful George Goh confident of chances against Tharman, urges S'poreans to vote not based on fame but candidate's 'heart'

SINGAPORE — Presidential hopeful George Goh said on Tuesday (June 13) that he is confident about his chances at the upcoming Presidential Election as past results have shown substantial support for non-establishment candidates.

Mr Goh, who is the chairman of retail company Ossia International, said that he is also confident that amid general public angst due to the current economic climate, those who would normally have voted for a candidate supported by the establishment would now consider an independent candidate such as himself.

Mr Goh pointed out that in the 2011 Presidential Election, it was "very clear" that people wanted an independent president, with 65 per cent of the votes going to non-establishment candidates. 

"Today we are in a very difficult situation in Singapore, where there is high cost of living," he said. "I think people are clearer (in wanting a President with no political affiliation)."

He added: "The people in 2011, they (are) still here. I'm also confident that the other 35 per cent will think now is the time to vote in an independent candidate. People want change."

Mr Goh was speaking to reporters at the Elections Department on Tuesday morning shortly after collecting documents relating to the Certificate of Eligibility. 

He also told reporters that he has taken steps to prepare himself and his businesses to be ready and qualified for the Elected Presidency, spending the past seven years ensuring that his businesses can meet the requirements for a candidacy.

To qualify as a candidate in the Presidential Election, an individual from the private sector must have served as chief executive of a company with an average of S$500 million in shareholders' equity for at least three years. During this time, the company must also have made profit after tax throughout.

Mr Goh, who was with his family and supporters dressed in red, said that he had to put together a team of professionals such as auditors and accountants to discuss his eligibility requirement for the candidacy. 

"I believe I am qualified," he said, adding that he will submit details on the companies he has founded and incorporated and of which he is a shareholder to the Presidential Elections Committee.

He urged voters not to vote based on a candidate's "fame" but instead look at their "heart": "What's more important is that the heart of the person (wants) to serve the nation, that is the key."

On Monday, Mr Goh announced his intention to contest the upcoming Presidential Election. This came on the heels of Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s announcement last week that he is planning to stand for the election.

Mr Goh said in a statement that he would contest as an independent candidate with “no political baggage”, having had “no political party affiliations — past or present”.

The father of four is the chairman of Ossia International, a footwear, sports and fashion retailer listed on the Singapore Exchange, and is the founder of Harvey Norman Ossia, which is responsible for introducing the Australian electronic appliances retailer to the region.

Mr Goh was appointed Singapore’s non-resident ambassador to Morocco in June 2017.

He said on his website that during his service as Singapore’s non-resident ambassador to Morocco, he had set up the Honorary Consulate-General office in Casablanca in February 2020.

In his statement on Monday, he said that he tendered his letter of resignation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 9 this year to contest the upcoming election.

'A HARD DECISION TO MAKE'

When Mr Goh arrived at the Elections Department on Tuesday with his wife and children, a group of about 50 supporters were already waiting for him and greeted him with applause.

Speaking to reporters later, Mr Goh said in Chinese that he had waited until Monday to announce his interest to contest as he wanted to wait for the Elections Department to announce when applications for the election were open.

“Yesterday, they said (interested) candidates can come forward, so I thought it was the most appropriate time,” he said.

When asked how he could contribute to the presidency given his private sector background, Mr Goh said that it had taken more than 40 years for him and his brothers to start several companies and build them up.

“This took a lot of effort. It didn’t happen overnight,” he said.

He added that running for the presidency and contributing to the country was what he wanted to do now, following these business achievements.

He said in Chinese that running for the presidency was “a hard decision to make” but reiterated that he wanted to give people a choice at the election.

Repeating a point he made in his statement on Monday, he said he had first decided to contest after the eligibility criteria for private sector candidates was tightened in 2017.

For example, private sector candidates now had to head a firm with S$500 million in shareholders' equity, instead of one with S$100 million paid-up capital under the previous requirements.

Calling it a “difficult threshold” that very few people could meet, Mr Goh said that he then discussed with his financial adviser what he could do to meet the requirement.

He was also asked to comment on rumours he is being pushed by the establishment to contest, to prove the legitimacy of the election.

In response, Mr Goh said that at the age of 15, he had independently made the decision to work and earn money for his family.

Similarly, he also made the decision at the age of 22 to stop working for his brother and set up his own company, he said.

He said that based on his business success, he felt that he was qualified to contest, and that he should do so now as he is already 63.

"If I don't serve (now), it will be too late for me."

ABOUT GEORGE GOH

Born in the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan, Mr Goh first came to Singapore as a teenager in the 1970s in search of work. In 1990, he became a Singapore citizen.

Mr Goh first started out as a general worker at a shoe factory in Geylang, earning a weekly salary of S$15, he said in an interview with The Straits Times in April 1993.

From there, he learned to make shoes and soon opened a factory with some partners.

Business took off and his company, Ossia International, expanded to trading and distributing imported designer shoes from Italy and Spain.

Based on a check by TODAY, Mr Goh holds 57 directorships and other positions in companies registered in Singapore. 

Apart from his business ventures, Mr Goh is also actively involved in helping the poor in Singapore and the Himalayas.

Having experienced living in squalid conditions in his childhood, Mr Goh and his wife set up Border Mission in 2015 to provide aid to the needy in Singapore and Himalayas.

Mr Goh also serves on the board of various non-profit organisations, including the Red Cross Society, the Presbyterian Community Services and the Presbyterian Preschool Services.

SUPPORTERS HAVE 'NO DOUBT' ABOUT MR GOH'S ABILITY

After speaking to reporters, Mr Goh spent about 15 minutes speaking to supporters who had gathered outside the Elections Department. The supporters included people he had worked with, had mentored or knew personally.

One of them was Mr Matthew Fong, the 51-year-old co-owner of carpet retailer The Mill International. 

Mr Fong said that he got to know Mr Goh last year through participating in a Border Mission trip to Nepal. 

Mr Fong said that he had "no doubt" about Mr Goh's ability to be president.

"As an entrepreneur myself, to achieve the kind of (business) numbers that Mr Goh has achieved is incredible," said Mr Fong.

He said that Mr Goh's business expertise in managing funds and investments will be useful for his role as a president as he will be able to make sensible financial decisions.