Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

After President Halimah Yacob announced that she will not be running for another presidential term, several Singaporean politicians have penned their responses and expressed their gratitude to her for her service.

This included Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Heng Swee Keat, DPM and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam and National Trades Union Congress' (NTUC) Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng.

Wong: "Unwavering commitment, compassion and grace"

Wong wrote in a May 29 Facebook post that President Halimah ensured that Singapore's reserves were used judiciously in her role as its custodian.

He stated that the Ministry of Finance has "greatly benefited from the exchange of views" during their discussions with President Halimah and the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA) on Singapore's reserves.

He added that her assent to draw down on Singapore's past reserves during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic was crucial in protecting lives and livelihoods and helping the nation to emerge stronger.

Wong said President Halimah has served with "unwavering commitment, compassion and grace" as Singapore's head of state.

She also championed a society rooted in empathy and kindness, and always paid special attention to the more disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.

He extended his "heartfelt gratitude" to her "steadfast and devoted service to Singapore and Singaporeans".

Tharman: "Prouder now to have had her as president"

Tharman said in his May 29 Facebook post that President Halimah brought her own character, judiciousness and humility during her tenure, and served Singapore outstandingly.

He said President Halimah always took an interest in every individual, especially the disadvantaged, and projected Singapore's unique multiracial identity while serving Singapore’s interests abroad.

Tharman said President Halimah made sound decisions acting as the guardian of Singapore's reserves and enabled a "decisive response" to the Covid-19 crisis.

He did a throwback to his 2017 Facebook post, where he wrote about President Halimah who was about to take up her post as Singapore's head of state, and stated that he was "prouder now to have had her as president".

Ng: "Holds a special place in her heart for workers"

Ng, who is NTUC's Secretary-General, wrote a Facebook post looking back at President Halimah's time both at NTUC and during her tenure.

He said:

"If there is one individual who holds a special place in her heart for workers, it is undoubtedly Madam President Halimah Yacob."

"Throughout her 33 years of service with the Labour Movement and in her current tenure, Madam President has consistently been a staunch supporter of our workers."

Ng stated that President Halimah displayed remarkable compassion for all workers, particularly those who were vulnerable, and displayed genuine concern for people, availing herself to those in need.

She championed programmes and initiatives that Ng said made a tangible difference in the lives of workers, particularly women and low-wage workers, and relentlessly pushed for these policies to be implemented while she was in NTUC.

Ng said President Halimah continued to demonstrate unwavering support for workers even as president.

"As a voice for the vulnerable, she launched the Empowering for Life Fund in 2018. Part of the fund went towards NTUC's LIFT-UP Pathfinder programme, which enabled lower-income members to upskill as a family."

Ng added that President Halimah also stayed informed about workers' issues by engaging union leaders from various sectors and profiles regularly.

During these interactions, Ng said he witnessed the deep care that President Halimah holds for workers, where she encouraged younger unionists to remain dedicated to their cause despite the challenges and demanding nature of the work.

"The room was filled with smiles and nods, underscoring that Madam herself serves as a shining example of a true advocate for workers."

He extended his "heartfelt gratitude" to President Halimah for " always standing by our workers and for Singapore"

"As a president, you have shown us the meaning of passion, empathy and humility – values that we too, hold dearly as unionists.

NTUC and the labour movement deeply appreciate your unwavering commitment, and we wish you the very best in your future endeavours."

Six-year term will conclude Sep. 13, 2023

President Halimah took office in 2017.

On May 29, 2023, she released a statement saying that she will not be running for a second term in the upcoming Presidential Election.

She thanked Singaporeans, saying that she will forever cherish the fond memories of the people that she has met and the experiences she acquired during her term.

She also thanked her husband and family for their "unstinting support" throughout her term.

Her term is set to conclude on Sep. 13, 2023.

Related stories

Congratulations on making it to the end of this article. That makes you different. The sort who likes to consume such content. And possibly create your own. For us. The type of content to get more of our readers to stick till the end. Want to write for us? Check this out.

Top image by Liu Ying from Lawrence Wong/Facebook