Singapore ready for non-Chinese PM, says Indian-origin presidential nominee Tharman

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Singapore is ready for a non-Chinese prime minister at any time, presidential candidate Tharman Shanmugaratnam has said ahead of the September 1 election, calling it a marker of the society’s progress in the country dominated by Chinese-origin population. Race is a factor in politics everywhere, he said on Friday, citing former US president Barack Obama, who has spoken and written about it. However, Singaporeans today, unlike 40 or 50 years ago, look at all factors and not just race, said 66-year-old Tharman, a Singaporean of Indian origin. “They look at people in totality… Singapore is ready at any time. If...