On Sunday, Mr Tharman attended the official opening of ActiveSG Sport Village @ Jurong Town, located in Jurong GRC where he oversees the Taman Jurong division as its Member of Parliament (MP).
He was joined by three other Jurong GRC MPs – Mdm Rahayu Mahzam, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Health and Ministry of Law, Mr Shawn Huang and Mr Xie Yao Quan. Dr Tan Wu Meng was overseas.
Mr Tharman took a tour of the facility by observing ongoing hockey and football games, and interacted with the young players and their families.
Asked about the response from his residents to his intention to retire from politics and run for president, he said: “It was a mixture of sadness and wishing me well, and vice versa.”
But Mr Tharman reiterated that “Jurong will be okay” and his residents would be “very well taken care of”.
He also praised his fellow Jurong GRC MPs for their “exceptional” work and the “character of their relationships with the public”.
After Mr Tharman announced his intention to run for the presidency and retire from politics, observers noted that Jurong GRC may lack a “solid anchor” minister.
Currently, there is no requirement under the law for a by-election to be called if an MP of a GRC resigns. In 2017, Mdm Halimah resigned from her roles as Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC MP and Speaker of Parliament in order to stand in the reserved Presidential Election.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad took on the role of adviser to Mdm Halimah’s former ward while continuing as MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC.
Mr Tharman, who is also Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, on Thursday informed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of his decision to retire from politics and all his positions in government. He also said he intends to resign from the People’s Action Party.
He plans to step down on Jul 7.
Mr Tharman’s decision to run for the presidency comes more than a week after Mdm Halimah said she will not stand for re-election. Her term ends on Sep 13.