Anger in Singapore as 1st female Prez is elected without a vote
13 Sep 2017 4:43 PM GMT
Singapore: An establishment stalwart has been named Singapore's first female president 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 strict eligibility criteria. It was not the first time in the affluent city-state – which is tightly controlled and has been ruled by the same party for decades – that the government has disqualified candidates for the presidency, making an election unnecessary. Art v government at Singapore festival: 'I fear once I leave, they will punish me'.
But there had already been criticism of the process as it was the first time the presidency had been reserved.
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