
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, August 29, 1993                   TAG: 9308290142
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: SINGAPORE                                LENGTH: Short

SINGAPORE VOTERS PICK PRESIDENT FOR 1ST TIME

Former Deputy Prime Minister Ong Teng Cheong became Singapore's first elected president Saturday despite a strong showing by a reluctant opponent who had barely campaigned.

Backed by the ruling People's Action Party and the nation's labor unions, the 57-year-old Ong was heavily favored to win a six-year term in the newly strengthened post.

He faced token opposition from Chua Kim Yeow, 67, a retired civil servant and banker who said he was urged to run for the sake of having a contest.

Ong won 952,513 votes, or 58.7 percent of valid votes cast, to 670,358 and 41.3 percent for Chua.

Voting was compulsory, and 1,659,482 ballots were cast, representing 94.5 percent of those eligible.

- Associated Press

by CNB