Before outgoing President Ong Teng Cheong's term ended, he called for a press conference to take to task the PAP government for his difficulty in enquiring about the reserves due to the uncooperativeness of the civil service. Later, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong announced that he would not support President Ong to go for another term, citing the latter's poor health as reasons. Instead, they opted to support an ethnic Indian candidate to keep the President's office rotated among different ethnic groups. Two others, both Chinese including DPP chairman Tan Soo Phuan, tried to apply for the Certificate of Eligibility but were ruled by the Presidential Elections Committee to be unsuitable. S. R. Nathan was the sole candidate granted the Certificate to file his nomination and the election ended with no contest, prompting some political critics to label this a "Presidential (s)election". Polling on 28 August 1999 was cancelled.

Nomination day: 18 August 1999 [Wed]
President swearing-in: 1 September 1999 [Wed]

Eligible voters: 1,967,984

Election deposit: $30,000 (+66.6%)

RESULTS
	Sellapan Rama NATHAN, 75 Ambassador-At-Large [M]

S. R. NATHAN wins by a walkover