Since Yusof Ishak, we have Sheares, Wee Kim Wee, Nair, Teng Cheong, and Nathan on two terms as president, I believe many Singaporeans are looking forward to a Malay president. Though there is no constitutional provision for a system of rotation, it will be nice to have a Malay president after such a long while.
I also think that PAP is planning for a Malay president this time round, and Abullah Tarmugi seems a likely candidate. But with the ire against anything PAP at the moment, Abdullah may have a problem in a contest. And to make matter worst, there are two irritants in Tan Cheng Bock and George Yeo coming into the fray. Then Tan Kin Lian will take away all the votes for those who do not want to see a PAP mark on the presidential candidate, no matter how faint it is.
Now it is unlikely that a good Malay candidate will be elected to be the next president. The only possibility for it to happen is for all the other candidates to be disqualified, and a walkover like Nathan did before takes place. Don’t think it is easy to do that.
The GRC is not working to the PAP’s scheme of things. This elected presidency is turning into another big headache.
20 comments:
Looks like some smart alec party paint themselves into a corner?
Renho
Hi Renho, the forces of yin yang at work. What was good is turning bad, and bad turning good. Or they say, feng shui loon liu zhuan, ie fortune goes in cycles of up and down.
With due respects to the Malays, there might be some who can qualify as EP candidates. But, by shear force of numbers, there will be even more Chinese candidates who qualify, and probably with more impressive credentials. Although Indians are eve more of a minority in Singapore, they are well represented, if not over represented in the upper echelon of society here. So, if the Malay candidate has to pit himself/herself in the election against other candidates, chances are that he/she will not win.
If, despite all the odds, the Malay candidate wins, then it is proof positive that the raison d'etre given by the government for introducing the GRC is bunkum.
Since the Elected President is so constricted in his duties, with little or no executive power, why bother with the election? Why not revert to the good old days of appointing president. This way, there is no valid reason to pay the President a higher salary than the PM.
There is no scheme, however devious, in this world that can function forever. People wise up and eventually counter such schemes.
The Chinese have a saying that power and wealth cannot last for more than three generations. How much of the wisdom is in that saying is debatable.
When perpetrators think of devious schemes, they always think it will be foolproof, but as the saying goes, man proposes, god disposes.
Hitler, Mao, Marcos, Suharto and their African counterparts also suffer failures in the end, however total control they may exert on their own people.
Even highly touted and less criticised regimes, like the Kennedys of US and The Ruling Gandhis of India, while not failures in devising devilish schemes, have also suffered in other tragic ways and are on the verge of entering history.
So, our rulers can control all the talents to devise all the schemes, but above everything, there is still heaven and fate that decides.
Who can overcome the decision of the last caller, the master we call 'death'?
Atfer 45 years of nation building, national pledge and singing the songs, we are still different. We should be thinking ourselves as Singaporeans, and as the Elected President must be opened to all who are interested, and not because he/she is affilate to a certain race, political party etc.
If it cannot be done, do away with the Elected President, and we appointed the Queen of England as our head of state - paying her a token the growth bonus depending on the GDP. We can rent out the beautiful house to the highest bidder.
After more than 45 years and having seen 6 Presidents Singaporeans are still asking what does the President do exactly?
Isn't that funny and ridiculous.
Most Singaporeans will in time die without knowing what their President do or how much is GIC and Temasek really worth.
Laughable, really laughable!
Since the president is only a puppet on a string whose every action and every movement is activated by the puppetteer there is no need to be so fussy about high qualifications and high remuneration. May be the high salary is to serve as a basis for ministers to justify insane high salaries for themselves. Just nominate any high ranking prominent Singapore citizen like retired bankers, lawyers, teachers and so on will be good enough. These retired prominent citizens may not necessary be so money worshipping like the ministers but will be only too happy with the honour that goes with the titular job. Strictly speaking none of our Singapore politicians qualify for the job. They are too mercenary and money grabbing conscious. People have no respect for them and are really very scared of them.
Singaporeans only need to believe, trust me. If only Singaporeans believe that HDB prices are affordable, they will living happily.
If Singaporeans believe that the President holds the second key and the reserves is safe, they will sleep well.
'May be the high salary is to serve as a basis for ministers to justify insane high salaries for themselves.'
Shhhhhhhh...this is national secret.
Where got second key thingy?
First key held by PAP.
Second key held by puppet manipulated by PAP.
Logically, second key also belongs to PAP.
So, what is the purpose of holding the second key?
QED
Time to abolish the post of President!
It is outrageous to waste so much money on a practically ceremonial position. How many thinking people will believe that a President holding the second key can stop a rogue govt?
The amount of money and resources, time, etc to hold the election and the upkeep of the Istana, and expenses associated with the office, the money to support a presidential council/staff, hey plenty of unnecessary money that can be saved.
Tan Kin Lian was also a former PAP Member.
I don't think the Malays would want to be our President just to make it look nice to everyone else..
The Malays need to work harder and show greater capability before they can even consider running for something in this country
I agree that we should get rid of the post of the non-executive President. Why can we just give the Prime Minister the status of Head of State as well as Head of Government.
I could even settle for the post to be changed to Mayor of Singapore!!!
The current thinking is that this job is indispensable? Or is it that paying millions is indispensable? Why not an honourary president with an honorarium? No takers? I volunteer.
And I am sure thousands will queue up to volunteer. Big sacrifice, loss of privacy my foot.
Just wondering if these presidential hopeful can withstand a pap smear test on them.
Why do we ever need a shadow president of any Race in the first place???
My suggestion is put a stone or wooden deity in the Istana, be it Raffles, Confucius, Merlion or whatever. They can do the job as well. What it it that a powerless, shallow, compliant human can do, that that stone or wooden deity cannot do?
It is literally cheaper, better and faster.
No need to waste money to call for elections every 6 years. No need to worry about what race to put inside the Istana next. No need to go through so much trouble selecting someone that does practically nothing and contribute nothing. No need to waste taxpayer's money for a council of Presidential advisers and a whole retinue of attendants to serve the position. And it is so much, much, much cheaper!
The NTUC chief should start the ball rolling, since he was the one who brought up the issue of getting cheaper, better and faster people for the buck.
Sorry for what I'm about to say, but, the Malays are already so well taken care off, there's be chaos with the way they break the law!
Parking violations along long stretches of road 'near' to Mosque are being looked away... at first on Fridays... now literary every day. You even have traffic warden and traffic police directing traffic in mist of cars blantantly parked on double yellow lines!
I had just being booked for parking on double yellow line for a short 5mins today... And this traffic warden was rude and unforgiving when I asked for a chance... "go explain to LTA!" was his reply.
A friend had joked that I should have put a Islamic sun-screen or tag on my car to avoid being booked by them!
In fact, a friend once related that her Malay neighbor gave her an Islamic tag for her car while she was staying in Jln Eunos for a year. And true to what her neighbour had told her, she was not booked for an entire year whilst parking her car without season parking!
Whilst I accept the penalty for my offenses, but it creates very sour after tastes when offenses by Malays are being waived by these Malay Traffic Warden but not to other races!
Of course, we are not supposed to raise such issues as it would be considered as 'creating disharmony' amongst the multi-races of Singapore! Give me a break! I'm not a racist and I do have many Malay friends but, If we are to be known as a first world nation, then they Rules must be applied on the same level to all races! Otherwise it is a joke to have double yellow lines near places of prayers!
So if you have a Malay President, maybe they will park all over Istana without being booked!
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