Voters speak: How Singaporeans chose their president

While old stereotypes of youth voters – that they are politically apathetic or disinterested in current affairs – had begun to fall away, the just-concluded presidential election has arguably shown the political nous of those in their early 20s to mid-30s. Asst Prof Walid Jumblatt Abdullah of NTU’s SSS stressed that young people are not a monolithic group and are divided into many identities. But it could be seen in this election result that many people, whether young or old, voted for Mr Tharman, he said. He pointed out Mr Tharman’s recognisability, strong qualifications, and a strong campaign, particularly on social media, for securing voters. “People young or old generally appreciated the fact that Tharman has a good reputation in terms of not engaging in personal attacks against his opponents, which, for the presidency, for someone who is above partisan politics... It’s almost like a prerequisite,” he added.

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