Singapore got its first female president Wednesday, but the milestone was overshadowed by criticism that her selection was undemocratic after she was handed the job without a vote. Halimah Yacob, a former speaker of parliament from the Muslim Malay minority, did not have to face an election for the largely ceremonial post after authorities decided her rivals did not meet eligibility criteria.
Social media was abuzz with criticism as Halimah, a bespectacled 63-year-old who wears a headscarf, was formally announced as president-elect, with Facebook user Pat Eng writing: “Elected without an election. What a joke.”
“I will call her President Select from now on,” said Joel Kong on the networking site, while some posts were marked with the hashtag #NotMyPresident — echoing the message used by upset Americans after the election of President Donald Trump.
Halimah was a member of parliament for the ruling People’s Action Party for nearly two decades before resigning to contest the presidency. She addressed the concerns about the selection process after being named president-elect. “I’m a president for everyone. Although there’s no election, my commitment to serve you remains the same,” she said. Halimah added she would “start working immediately” to bring the country together.
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