Theoretically
this is so and can be so. But the Eurasians need not worry as the PAP would
know when to put up an Eurasian EP like they are putting up a Malay EP for the
next EP election. It is within the party’s control to put up whoever they so
desired, from Yusof Ishak to Tony Tan and the next EP. So this is a moot point. The exigency and
necessity of political pressure would make sure that the Eurasian community
would not be left out in the cold.
Maybe this
is understood and the Eurasian MPs in the PAP did not make a strong case to
have a separate category for the Eurasians. Joan Peirera did said something
about recognizing the contributions of the Eurasians and that’s it, case
closed. The Eurasian community’s representative has said their piece and has
more or less agreed with this new arrangement, this new category.
The CMIO
formula would be changed to CM and I++ or CM(I++). So far so good. The Eurasian
community has taken this change in their stride and all is quiet on the western
front. No violent street protest is
expected, not even a walkabout in Hong Lim Park. When a good idea is proposed, it
is quite easy to get it passed without any strong objections. That is why these
new changes to the Constitution are better than the proposal by the WP. The
latter has no chance to stand scrutiny and dumped into the waste bin in one
sitting in Parliament, by Shanmugam as badly conceived, full of flaws.
Maybe the
Eurasians and all are saying, since there is no other better alternatives, not
considering the current model, or the appointed Presidency in the past, this is
the best model and so let’s live with it. If one cannot have the best of the
best, then have the best of the ‘not the best’ will do. Is this a compromise or
a new reality in decision making in Parliament? Can a ‘the best of not the
best’ be set aside until the best is found, or this is the right approach to
solve an important national issue like this? Urgency, no choice lah. So long
never appoint a Malay President, so now must do it at all cost, in double
speed, no time to wait, cannot wait. It is all about minority interest and
representation or else there will be trouble in the future. Now our system will
be so solid, so sound, unshakable, and no racial problems could be expected as
the minority has been given the right to be represented in the Presidency. For
those who think otherwise, that this is tokenism, please rethink. This is very
serious stuff, and very real.
What do you
think?