Ooi Boon Ewe is a perennial election candidate.

The 76-year-old private tutor is most notable for attempting to contest various general and presidential elections without any record of success.

On Sept. 13, 2017, he showed up in a suit to enter the Nomination Centre in the late morning, where the sole eligible presidential aspirant Halimah Yacob is expected to be declared president unopposed.

Ooi was stopped by security and some shouting ensued.

He was seen being escorted by Nomination Centre staff outside the People's Association:

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In this second video, the same Nomination Centre staff could be seen placating him. Ooi was eventually allowed onto the premises.

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History of trying to contest elections

Ooi first dabbled in the presidential election in 1999. He submitted eligibility forms to the Elections Department, which later declined to issue a certificate of eligibility.

In 2001, he contested Joo Chiat SMC in the General Election as an independent candidate, against People's Action Party incumbent Chan Soo Sen. He received 3,038 votes (16.45%).

In 2005, Ooi tried to run for president a second time in the presidential election. His application for the Certificate of Eligibility was rejected by the Presidential Elections Committee due to his lack of experience and ability required by the Constitution.

In 2006, he formed the People's Liberal Democratic Party, four days after Nomination Day of the 2006 general election. He was unable to contest the election.

In 2011, Ooi sought to contest Sengkang West SMC in the 2011 General Elections, and attempted to promote himself by singing an impromptu election jingle on television.

One of his assentors did not turn up on Nomination Day and was unsuccessful in attempting to seek a replacement from the crowd. He then left the nomination centre without submitting his nomination papers.

In 2011, Ooi decided on a third run for the presidential election. As the constitution requires presidential candidates to be nonpartisan, Ooi had to resign from the PLDP. He submitted his forms on July 11, and was found to be ineligible because his application was incomplete and he had asked for a waiver from certain requirements set forth by the constitution, which the Elections Department claims it has no power to do.

In 2013, Ooi was the first to collect nomination paperwork for the Punggol East by-election.

Ooi dropped out of the hustings when he failed to file nomination papers on Nomination Day. He claimed that he had lost his political donation certificate, in addition to failing to find assentors, and having his driver abscond with the deposit.

He launched into a tirade in front of the media, accusing the mainstream media of discriminating against independent candidates.

For this PE2017, Ooi applied to contest but his application was rejected as it's reserved for the Malay Community.

[related_story]

Most memorable interview: Called himself a "born loser"

In the aftermath of his failed electoral bid for the Punggol-East by-election in 2013, Ooi famously decried himself as a "born loser".

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He had also accused the mainstream media of putting down independent candidates:

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