Before outgoing President Ong Teng Cheong's term ended, he called for a press conference to criticise 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 for another term, citing the latter's poor health as reasons. Instead, they opted for another candidate, an ethnic Indian, to keep the Presidential seat rotated among different ethnic groups. Three others, all 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. Only one candidate was granted the Certificate to file his nomination and the election ended without a contest, prompting some political critics to label the exercise a "Presidential (s)election".

Nomination day: 18 August 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