Singapore Inagurates First Female President

Singapore has inaugurated its first
female president, Halimah Yacob. Yacob
was the only person put forward for the
position, which this time, was reserved
for candidates from the minority Malay
community.



Other candidates fell short of the criteria
set for contesting the election.



The decision to reserve the position, a
largely ceremonial six-year post, on the
grounds of race, was aimed at
strengthening a sense of inclusiveness,
but critics have expressed dismay that
the position went uncontested.



Of the four other applicants, two were
not Malays and two were not qualified to
contest.



63 year old Halimah, a former speaker of
parliament, had automatically qualified,
because she held a senior public post for
over three years.



If the election had been held, all citizens
would have been eligible to vote.