Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong has sent his congratulations to Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

His congratulatory post is among a string of well-wishes from the new president-elect's former Cabinet colleagues, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean.

A vote of confidence

In a Facebook post on Sep. 2, Wong noted that the election outcome "is a vote of confidence in Singapore's future, and augurs well for the stability and unity we all want for our little red dot".

"I look forward to your service as our Head of State, strengthening our solidarity as a country, bringing out the best in our people and representing our interests abroad," he added.

Previously, Wong had responded to a question at the Reinventing Destiny IPS conference on Aug. 14 on which candidate he would vote for at the Presidential Election.

"I shall keep my vote to myself, but I would encourage everyone in Singapore to consider very carefully and choose the best candidate who can hold the highest office of the land," he said.

Top photo from Lawrence Wong/Facebook and by Andrew Koay