Singapore leaders thank Senior Minister Tharman for his 'enormous contributions' to the country

SINGAPORE: Singapore leaders on Thursday (Jun 8) thanked Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam for his contributions to the country after he informed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of his intention to run for the Singapore presidency.

Mr Tharman, 66, will retire from politics and all his positions in government, as well as resign from the People's Action Party. 

He will step down on Jul 7 after fulfilling his immediate official commitments in Singapore and internationally, and ensuring that arrangements are fully in place for the constituents of Jurong GRC, where he is a Member of Parliament.

In his letter to Mr Tharman, Mr Lee listed the Senior Minister's career achievements, including serving in the Monetary Authority of Singapore with distinction.

"Over two decades, you have held key Cabinet appointments, including Minister for Education, Minister for Finance, Deputy Prime Minister, and Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies. Most recently, as Senior Minister, you have helped me to mentor and groom the next generation of ministers," said Mr Lee.

Mr Tharman worked hard to build a more inclusive society, and has done much to "promote the growth and resilience of Singapore's economy", said the Prime Minister.

"Your departure from the Cabinet and the party will be a heavy loss to me and my team. We will miss your leadership, insightful views, and wise counsel," Mr Lee added.

In a Facebook post, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean hailed Mr Tharman's "enormous contributions" to the country.

He said: "We’ve worked closely together for more than 25 years – in Cabinet and MOE (the Ministry of Education).

"He has done Singapore proud both at home and abroad. I wish him all the very best as he seeks to serve our people and Singapore in a new capacity."

Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin lauded Mr Tharman for his "many years of dedicated service to our people and nation".

"And on a personal note, thank you for your advice and guidance when I first entered politics whilst at the Ministry of Manpower. Best wishes for your next journey," he wrote in a Facebook post. 

Secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Ng Chee Meng called Mr Tharman a "longtime friend of NTUC and our union leaders".

"His incredible vision and wisdom, coupled with a certain unassuming sense of warmth and humility, has benefitted union leaders and workers far and wide in the past few decades," he wrote on Facebook.

Fellow Jurong GRC MPs Rahayu Mahzam and Xie Yao Quan also paid tribute to Mr Tharman.

In a Facebook post, Ms Rahayu described the Senior Minister as "kind, compassionate, highly intelligent and sharp, yet always humble".

"He has instilled in the team important values of working hard and serving together in the interests of residents in Jurong," she added.

Mr Xie said Mr Tharman has been a "towering figure" in Jurong GRC for 22 years.

"We will all miss him dearly. But I am also very proud to have served with him, learn from him, and see first-hand everything that makes him so special and respected," he added.