In this day and age, social media is more than a mere tool.
It’s an advertorial weapon, the commercial board of the modern age.
And so, it’s relatively unsurprising to see that Tharman Shanmugaratnam, former Senior Minister as well as the first Presidential candidate in the upcoming election race, has extended his social media reach by crafting his own TikTok and Instagram accounts.
Presidential Hopeful Tharman Shanmugaratnam Just Joined TikTok & Instagram
It’s official; the first presidential hopeful in the upcoming election race, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, has become a TikToker. And an Instagrammer.
On 15 July 2023, the former Senior Minister created his first Instagram post with the cursive caption, “I am an optimist.”
In the post, Mr Tharman documents his thoughts on Singapore going forward and the post-retirement regrets he has faced thus far.
He also promised to treat all Singaporeans with respect if he won.
And a few days later, he crafted his very first TikTok post, with the accompanying caption “Hello TikTok!”
Taking place at Bangkit Market, the post showcases Mr Tharman interacting with several residents of the community.
There were also lots of handshakes, smiles and photo-taking opportunities.
But the most exciting thing here may be how Mr Tharman’s social media intern has synced the entire video to the very familiar beat of Charlie Angel’s iconic soundtrack.
As such, what was originally a relatively routine meet-and-greet became an enticing spy episode starring Tharman Charlie and his angels around the community.
Really, really innovative way to get your first post across.
But then again, local political figures have always managed to create absolute content bangers. Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung, for instance, could very well become a full-time influencer if he ever chose to retire from politics. And we definitely enjoy Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s TikTok content as well.
It should be noted that Mr Tharman also has a Threads account, which he has used regularly since its creation a few days ago.
Netizens Support His Influencer Route
Mr Tharman may be a considerable newbie to the TikTok and Instagram scenes, but Netizens have been eager to make his entrance a more pleasant one.
For instance, the comments section of his Instagram post has been flooded with positive comments, including ones advocating for him as their future president.
The comments section of his first TikTok post hasn’t been too shabby either, with many Netizens professing their undying support for him.
Presidential Hopefuls
Thus far, we have a golden trio in the upcoming, highly-anticipated presidential race.
The first, former Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, unveiled his intention on 8 June 2023.
The second, businessman George Goh, announced his bid on 12 June 2023. Mr Goh is also the first independent candidate to enter the presidential race.
The third, former GIC Chief Investment Officer Peter Ng Kok Song, declared his participation on 19 July 2023. He’s the second independent candidate.
Earlier in May, current President Halimah Yacob, whose presidential term ends on 13 September 2023, declared that she would not seek re-election.
The application period for the Presidential Election will end five days after the Writ of Election is issued.
Mr Goh and Mr Ng are on TikTok and Instagram as well. In terms of numbers, Mr Goh is currently leading by a pretty clear margin, but only time will tell who the ultimate influencer will be, both on the net and in real life.
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