Tony Tan to be next President of Singapore

Singapore, Aug 28 : Former Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan Keng Yam has been declared elected Singapore''s seventh president by defeating his nearest rival by a thin margin of 7,269 votes in the first ever four-corner presidential election campaign.

He was declared elected early this morning after a recount of the votes polled yesterday.

71-year-old, Dr Tony Tan, will take over from President S R Nathan at the end of this month when he retires.

Indian-origin Nathan has served two six-year terms.

Welcoming the results and election of Dr Tony Tan, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said "this is the first presidential election in 18 years. It is good that Singaporeans have had the chance to vote for their next President, and to focus on what the elected President is about. I thank the four candidates for putting themselves forward." Dr Tony Tan, a former top ranking political executive of the ruling People''s Action Party (PAP), won by a thin margin of 0.34 per cent, or 7,269 votes against its rival, garnering 744,397 votes or 35.19 per cent of the 2.15 million votes casts yesterday.

Tan Cheng Bock, 71 and a former PAP member of parliament, received 737,128 votes or 34.85 per cent of the votes.

A former civil servant and now a financial investment advisor Tan Jee Say, 57, received 529,732 or 25.04 per cent of the votes in the first ever four-corner presidential election campaign.

Tan Kin Lian, 63 and a former executive of an state insurance company, lost his deposit after receiving only 4.91 per cent or 130,931 votes.

PTI