Mohamed Salleh s/o Kadir Mohideen Saibu Maricar, usually referred to as Mohamed Salleh Marican or Salleh Marican, is the founding Chairman and CEO of Second Chance Properties Ltd, a listed company on the Singapore Stock Exchange. His company is the first owned by a Malay and Muslim to be listed in Singapore. He went to participate in 2017 Singaporean presidential election but his application for the Certificate of Eligibility was rejected.
Early life and education
Born in 1949 in Joo Chiat, Salleh is the third of six siblings. His father, Kadir Marican, was from Pondicherry, India, while his mother, Salmah Mar’ie, came from Malaysian Borneo. He attended Victoria School from 1962 to 1967. However, he dropped out of school before his A-Level Examinations. He performed his National Service from 1968 to 1971 and left with the rank of lieutenant.
Career
Salleh has more than 40 years of retail business experience. He first went into menswear tailoring in 1975, and started his menswear label Second Chance, which expanded to 25 outlets in Singapore and Malaysia by 1988. In 1992, he diversified into Malay women’s fashion brand First Lady. He also started a jewellery business Golden Chance and went into the property business in the late 1990s. Mr Marican listed his firm on the Singapore Exchange in 1997. He owns 22 units at City Plaza.
On May 31, 2017, he announced his intention to run for the Presidency of Singapore, which will be reserved for Malay candidates. Mr Salleh said "I believe I have done well for myself in business and would like to step up and give back to society in a much larger way." and that he "can also fulfill the call of most Singaporeans who desire a truly independent Elected President, one who is untainted by party politics". Salleh applied on the premise that although Second Chance Properties' shareholder equity was between $254.3 million and $263.25 million in the past three financial years, which fells short of the $500 million required for automatic qualification as a candidate, it did not prevent the Presidential Elections Committee to qualify him, if it is satisfied that he has the experience and ability to effectively carry out the functions and duties of the office of the President. Nonetheless, on 11 September 2017, the Committee rejected his application, issuing only one Certificate of Eligibility to Halimah Yacob.
Personal life
Salleh is married to Sapiyah Abu Bakar. They have four children, Radiah, Nadia, Sofia and Amal.
