Wednesday afternoon saw Second Chance CEO Salleh Marican submit documents to seek certification and to qualify to stand for the Singapore presidency.

And following suit less than a day later is Bourbon Offshore Asia Pacific Chairman Farid Khan, who at 10:30am on Thursday arrived at the Elections Department to submit his documents, in a bid to qualify to run as well.

Low-key arrival

Farid was accompanied by his campaign manager Borhan Saini and three other supporters, a contrast to the large group of businessmen who turned up for Salleh Marican yesterday.

Speaking to reporters after completing his submissions, he said:

"I have already submitted the documents to the committee to be decided, now it's in their hands. Let's wait and see when they will come back to me."

On the prospect of a walkover, he said:

We cannot speculate. We have submitted the documents, and with confidence I can say I will be approved. I'll qualify."

"(If there's a walkover) I would be disappointed, I think a lot of people would be disappointed. But I'm quite confident there will be a contest. I'm ready for any contest, two-corner, three-corner, I'm okay. I'm ready for that."

This election, potentially slated to be held next month, will be reserved for Malay candidates only, thanks to the new hiatus-triggered model passed in Parliament last year.

[related_story]

And since 2011 runner-up Tan Cheng Bock had his Court of Appeal case for Ong Teng Cheong to be named the first Elected President dismissed on Wednesday afternoon, too, it looks to be full steam ahead for this year to see Singapore's first reserved-for-Malays election for the Presidency. On Tan's case, Farid had this to say:

"Mr Tan Cheng Bock already kind of accepted it, the judgment is out and the appeal has been dismissed. I'll go by that, he's already accepted and I think that's the right thing to do."

Farid's parent company, Bourbon Group, is worth US$1.2 billion, but the firm he runs comes up to a reported excess of S$300 million, which still falls short of the minimum S$500 million threshold in shareholder equity.

That said, like the case of Salleh, Farid's chances of qualifying come down to the decision of the Presidential Elections Committee, which will determine whether or not to grant him and Salleh discretionary eligibility despite them not being able to meet the newly-instituted rule.

His race certification may also become an issue, considering the fact that he is listed as Pakistani on his IC — so the community committee has to certify him as Malay as well. But if he is certified as eligible to run, Farid already has in mind a strategy for his campaign.

"The three things that I've shown to the people of Singapore, the Presidential side of me, the serious side of me. I've also shown the human side of me. I've shown you guys the jovial side, the comedy side, whatever you want to call me. That's also important for me...I tried to be a puppet but I'm not a good puppet, I cannot be a puppet."

Farid also took a few questions in Malay, saying among other things that he will be looking to make use of social media to reach out to the voters, and that he is looking forward to campaigning.

Meanwhile, we're not sure if the latest entrant in the race, Halimah Yacob, has submitted her papers yet — one can collect and also submit them online — but the race to the presidency proper (provided it is happening) looks like it's getting started.

Related stories:

Presidential hopeful Farid Khan doesn’t just want to be a recipient of anti-PAP/govt votes

Presidential hopeful Salleh Marican submits candidacy documents at Elections Department

Top photo by Mandy How