SINGAPORE, Sept 2 — For Yio Chu Kang resident Leanne Chia, 58, the photo she snapped with President-elect Tharman Shanmugaratnam today (September 2) morning was worth making the trip to Taman Jurong Food Centre a second time.
Hours earlier, Chia had gathered at the food centre hoping to see Tharman, who had gone there on Friday night to meet his supporters before the official Presidential Election result was announced.
Tharman, 66, secured a landslide win in Friday's vote, garnering 70.4 per cent of the more than 2.4 million ballots cast.
Meanwhile, his rival candidates, Ng Kok Song and Tan Kin Lian, both 75, won 15.72 per cent and 13.88 per cent respectively.
“We actually came down last night but missed him so we decided to come down again this morning,” said Chia, who was at the food centre on Saturday with her friend Eileen Heng.
The pair, both business executives, were waiting on the second level when they approached Tharman with their mobile phones for a photo.
Speaking to TODAY, Heng, 50, added that she had “expected” Tharman was going to win because he was a “true and authentic” candidate who can “represent Singapore on the world stage”.
Jubilant mood, with free pineapples
When TODAY visited Taman Jurong Food Centre today — the first stop of Tharman's victory parade — the mood was jubilant.
Supporters, armed with pineapples, began chanting “Ong lai, huat ah!” and “Majulah Singapura” in preparation for his arrival. “Ong lai”, which means pineapple in Hokkien, is the symbol Tharman used in his campaign.
Crowds thronged the food centre's three floors in anticipation of Tharman's arrival. Meanwhile, his supporters began giving out free pineapples to the public at about 8.45am.
Tharman and his wife Jane Ittogi arrived shortly after 9am to a roar of cheers.
The couple were mobbed by well-wishers, who sought shake Tharman's hand and take photos as the pair walked towards the centre.
Taman Jurong resident Rohana, 64, who said she was a long-time supporter of Tharman, was among the crowd hoping to get a photo with him. She declined to provide her full name.
Hugging two pineapples, Rohana positioned herself strategically at the entrance. “It’s very difficult to get to him,” she said.
“Yesterday I could not, it was so many people, so today we hope we can get a second chance.”
While Madam Rohana was not able to shake Tharman’s hand or take a photo with him, others were successful in getting him to pose for a selfie or a photo as he made his way around one of the food centre's wings on level two.
During his walkabout, Tharman also greeted several stallholders and posed for photos.
Saramachapu, 60, who runs her own company, said that she felt “happy and proud” when she learned Tharman had won the election.
The Jurong resident, who goes by only one name, told TODAY that she had been a grassroots volunteer and met Tharman on numerous occasions during her time there.
“He is always respectful to people and I am very proud of him,” Saramachapu said, “I’m proud to be a Singaporean to be a very good leader.”
Result shows 'strong faith'
Tharman headed to Marsiling Mall Hawker Centre next, where he was joined by Marsiling-Yew Tee MP Zaqy Mohamad.
There, Tharman, his wife and Zaqy conducted an impromptu photo session with Marsiling residents who queued up to get a photo with them.
One of them, Jeanette Tan, 47, was having a meal with her husband and son when Tharman arrived and took the spot in front of her table for the photo-taking.
“I think he is the best candidate to represent us and I was so delighted to see him this morning — I was pleasantly surprised!”
The agency manager shared that while she was nervous about the election, especially the margin percentage, she said that the result today showed that the large majority of Singaporeans have “very strong” faith in him.
On what she hopes Tharman can achieve in his presidency, Tan said: “Maybe act as a bit of a devil’s advocate to the present government to keep them in check. I think that’s something that most Singaporeans would like to see happen and I think he will be able to carry that out.”
Tharman also visited Our Tampines Hub, before concluding his victory rounds at Toa Payoh Hub on Saturday afternoon. ― TODAY
