Of the three candidates who have thrown their hats into the Presidential Election ring, Tharman Shanmugaratnam is the closest to the establishment, having been part of the Administrative Service as well as a Cabinet minister.

The other candidates have somewhat capitalised on this, pointing out that the president needs to be independent of any political party and the government of the day in order to safeguard the reserves.

Tharman stressed, on multiple occasions, that he has "independence of mind", but is that enough?

Speaking to Mothership, Tharman explained why it's more important than just being an independent candidate.

Can't be a solo player who takes your own position for the sake of it

If being independent means being a "solo player who takes your own position for the sake of it", you'll soon be isolated, the former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Senior Minister said to Mothership.

It will be obvious to the people, he added, having served as a minister in the cabinet from 2003 to 2023.

"You're an interesting figure with views of your own, but nothing comes out of it. And very importantly, you will also not be taken seriously internationally."

So while having independence of mind is crucial for performing the executive functions of the presidency, such as protecting the reserves and the integrity of the public service, the role requires another quality, said Tharman.

It requires the ability to work with the government as well as international standing, he pointed out.

A non-partisan mindset, openness to different perspectives

Independence to Tharman is more than just a lack of association. It's a state of mind, if you will.

"Being independent means you've got to engage in debate, engage in discussion with your colleagues, your teammates, your workmates in ways that find some common ground.

It's not just being a gadfly, you've got to be able to use your independence of mind to persuade others and to find consensus.

And I've always been like that."

An evolution

It might surprise you to know that Tharman wasn't always perceived to be pro-establishment.

The self-proclaimed student activist and critic said that he used to be "on the other side", spending a lot of time on student activism during his education in the UK.

After he joined the civil service, he continued to keep his idealism for a more just and socially progressive society.

"But my sense of what was practical and workable kept evolving," he said.

In the lead up to the 2001 General Election, Tharman was asked by then-DPM Lee Hsien Loong to join the PAP as a candidate.

In the exchange of letters between PM Lee and Tharman, PM Lee recounted that he worked with Tharman closely in many roles for the last 27 years., starting from Tharman's time as a civil servant in the Ministry of Education.

Despite having disagreed with the government on issues in the past ("even on the so-called Marxist conspiracy"), Tharman didn't find it a tough decision.

"You make an adult decision—how best are you going to contribute to Singapore? Some do it outside government, some do it in civil society.

And I decided, given my expertise and my knowledge of the system, and my sense of what I could contribute as a minister, I wanted to do it in government."

Importantly, it allowed him to be on the ground.

"I really wanted to be on the ground. I wanted to be on the ground, day after day, week after week, throughout the year."

Tharman will go on to serve as a Member of Parliament in Jurong GRC for nearly 22 years.

Listening to a range of people

Here's a "quirky" observation about his stint as a PAP MP: many of the folks who worked with him in Taman Jurong were not PAP supporters.

Tharman said that it was "a bit unusual" because he didn't know (or perhaps didn't really care) how they voted in the General Elections. They were simply drawn together by a willingness to contribute to the community.

It's a mantra that Tharman abides by:

"I believe in listening to a whole range of people and being yourself. Being yourself with your own convictions, your own rethinking of issues, never sticking with what you believe 10 years ago or 20 years ago."

This was evident from how he discussed his contributions to the local education systems when he was education minister. His ideas of creating new and specialised paths, as well as doing away with school rankings were all gleaned from his discussions with educators and principals who "possess a lot of practical wisdom".

"It was not my solo thinking. Most of my ideas in education came from teachers and principals. I'd be visiting schools all the time."

Openness in Parliament

He brought this same non-partisan openness to Parliament.

Veteran opposition politicians like Low Thia Khiang and Chiam See Tong often asked "very good questions" in Parliament, even though they held different views, he said.

"I remember Chiam See Tong asking me about whether the teaching of Confucianism and traditional cultures might inhibit independent or critical thinking.

It was a very good question. And I took it very seriously, gave him respect for his question. I had a different point of view."

Even after he stopped running a ministry, Tharman made it a point to provide honest feedback to the opposition.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Tharman was seated beside the Leader of the Opposition, Pritam Singh during Parliament sittings.

"On several locations after his colleagues spoke about an issue, I would tell Pritam, 'That was a point very well made.' Or sometimes I'll say, 'I don't think that point is well made.' Or maybe, 'That was a bit too opportunistic, and not quite the right way to make the point.'"

Bringing optimism to the future

Amid the clashes of global powers and looming global crises, the role of the President is more important than ever, both as a unifying figure and a guard to ensure prudent use of our reserves.

Tharman sees himself being able to play an active role in unifying Singaporeans by actively supporting initiatives on the ground and representing our interests on the global stage,

He also sees his extensive experience in economics as vital to ensuring prudent spending of our reserves which is barely keeping pace with economic growth, according to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, the current Finance Minister.

This is especially important in a future where there will be multiple competing claims for the use of our funds.

"Crises are going to keep coming, unfortunately. The pandemics are going to keep coming. Economic crises are going to keep coming. Plus, you have the slow burn crisis of climate change, and the shift in the world's environmental balance, which is going to affect all of us.

And Southeast Asia is going to be one of the most worst affected regions by climate change and the rising sea levels. We'd have to think hard about how we finance the long term infrastructure to protect future generations."

"That's why I decided it was time for me to take up this new role. And I believe I can play a role in adding optimism to Singapore's future."

Top photo: Mothership