Ng Kok Song resumes walkabouts, beefs up security after heckling incident
Presidential candidate Ng Kok Song has beefed up his security as he resumed his walkabouts on the last day of campaigning, a day after he was heckled during a visit in Clementi.
On Tuesday night, a man had shouted profanities at Mr Ng during his walkabout at Clementi Central, and rode his bicycle into the crowd where Mr Ng was having his photo taken with members of the public.
The man had also shouted the name of fellow presidential candidate, Mr Tan Kin Lian, a few times before leaving.
A police report was made by a member of the public.
Police said on Wednesday that a 30-year-old man who disrupted the walkabout at Clementi had been taken to the Institute of Mental Health, after he went to the police on his own to lodge a report about the incident.
Speaking to the media during a visit to Hougang Hainanese Village Centre on Wednesday morning, a smiling Mr Ng said that he was unhurt.
“I’m getting my campaign team to have more people who can be in charge of security. I’ve been very well-protected by some of my security personnel. I’m also concerned that they should stand where the public are, to protect the public against any intrusion,” said Mr Ng.
Mr Ng said his main concern that night was the safety of members of the public who had lined up to take photos with him. He apologised to those who did not get the chance to take photos with him because of the incident, adding that some had queued for more than 15 minutes.
Mr Tan’s team also released a statement after the incident, saying that the heckler is not among Mr Tan’s regular supporters.
Mr Ng on Tuesday stressed why he had stepped forward: to ensure that there was no walkover so Singaporeans would have the chance to vote for their president; and to protect the country’s reserves.
“I just wanted our system to be a better system in terms of having a non-partisan president,” added Mr Ng, reiterating that he has never belonged to a political party.
“At this stage of my life I’m not motivated by fame by power, by money. Those are unimportant to me.
“What is important to me is the welfare and the future well-being of Singapore.”
“I started out as the underdog, and there are even some people who are concerned that I might lose my deposit,” he added.
“I do not know. All I know is I have given my best,” he said.
‘Whatever the outcome is, I will continue to serve the people of Singapore either inside the Istana, or outside the Istana.”
On Cooling-off Day on Thursday, when campaigning is disallowed and election advertising must not be published or displayed, Mr Ng said he will be spending time with his pet cat and dog, a British shorthair named Max and a Japanese Spitz called Cotton.
Mr Ng’s campaign trail continues with a visit to Foo Hai Ch’an Monastery in the afternoon and to Kopitiam Square at Sengkang in the evening.
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