Halimah Yacob sworn in as Singapore s first female President

Singapore Sep 14 (IANS) Halimah Yacob was sworn in as Singapore s eighth President here on Thursday at the country s presidential palace Istana.

The presidency "unifies our nation by embodying our shared values as a people -- multiracialism meritocracy and stewardship. These values are even more important today guiding us as we find our way forward in a troubled and uncertain world " said Yacob in her speech Xinhua news agency reported.

As the country s first female President Halimah Yacob assured all Singaporeans she would serve every one regardless of race language or religion.

Yacob was announced on Wednesday as the country s next President. As the only qualified candidate in the election which was reserved for the country s Malay community she was declared by the presidential electoral board as the new President shortly after she handed in her nomination forms.

The 63-year-old Yacob became the country s first female parliament speaker in January 2013 a post she quit last month in order to run for the presidential office.

Singaporean former President Tony Tan Keng Yam ended his six-year term in office at the end of August.

--IANS
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