SINGAPORE - Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian on Wednesday withdrew assertions that he was the target of a smear campaign that drew attention to some of his past social media activities, but declined to discuss the issue. Mr Tan, 75, had published a statement on his website and on Facebook on Tuesday morning saying criticism that he had objectified women...
that drew attention to some of his past social media activities, but declined to discuss the issue.
On Wednesday morning, the statement could no longer be found on Mr Tan’s website. Also not found were Facebook posts he had made on Tuesday that said he rejected “allegations and insinuations” made by the Association of Women for Action and Research and that the gender advocacy group had “lost the respect of many people, including me, for being involved in gutter politics”.
He said that in Singapore, the president is elected by popular mandate “but after being elected, he has to do the duty similar to, I think, a monarch”.He added: “I may not be the monarch, but if I’m elected by one million people, majority in this election, I will play that role, and that’s the role of a monarch.”
Mr Tan said he is clear that he is running for the office of the president, that the Presidential Elections Committee had issued him a certificate of eligibility, that he had submitted a nomination as a candidate for the election, and that his nomination was accepted by the Returning Officer for the election.
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