Former Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam Elected as Singapore's New President

Tharman Shanmugaratnam, a Ceylonese-origin politician, has been elected as Singapore's next president.

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Tharman Shanmugaratnam)

Tharman Shanmugaratnam, a Ceylonese-origin politician, has been elected as Singapore's next president. The former minister won the presidential race with a majority of 70.4 percent, the country's election department announced on Friday, 1 September.

Shanmugaratnam will be taking over the office from incumbent President Halimah Yacob, who is Singapore's first female president, according to Reuters.

(Editor's Note: An earlier version of the story incorrectly identified Shanmugaratnam as an India-origin politician. The error is regretted.)