Presidential Candidates Review

If it is already part of the Constitution, why is there still so much confusion over the role of the Singapore President? My understanding is the Elected Presidency was primarily initiated to prevent a rogue government from using the past reserves of Singapore. To me it means, providing check and balance to prevent the government from taking advantage of its people for its own benefit.

With such confusion aided by the comments from the Law Minister, I humbly suggest that the parliament go back to the drawing board to make sense of what the EP is all about. If not, the embarrassment will reappear before every Presidential Election!

Now let's take a good look at the picture above. Remember the old school troublemaker who bullied everyone but was never caught? Remember the bully sitting behind you. He kept hitting you on your head during class while the teacher was not watching. He continued to irritate you with his knocks even though you quietly turn around to tell him don't. Worse, he cocked you a snook with a snigger. When you've had enough of his bullying and turned around to confront him, he yelled, "Teacher, teacher . . " In the eyes of the teacher, you end up being the culprit instead of him. While you were being punished, he made you more "tulan" (fookin' mad with anger) by having the smug look on his face. Does the face of Tony Tan above reminds you of the bully that you had to deal with? And yes, Viswa looks like the teacher and poor Tan Jee Say, the poor innocent you, asking for fair play and justice!

So let's watch this video [Link]!

How does one vote for a president? Unless one is related to or know a candidate personally, how is one to judge the character, the ability and integrity of a candidate. Does one judge each candidate and vote for him based on the following factors?

1. His Connection/Affiliation
2. His Track record
3. His Ability to carry himself well (Appearance and Mannerism including the ability to speak well)
4. His Sharpness
5. Our Perception of his Honesty/Integrity
6. Our Perception of his Trustworthiness
7. Our Perception of his Courage
8. Our Perception of his Care and Concern for his fellow citizens

I guess one's decision also depends on one's gut feel.

It is good that we no longer need to depend only on SPH and MediaCorp to find out what we need to know to make an informed decision. We have Singapore Window, The Online Citizen, Temasek Review Emeritus, Singapore Daily and many others to help us know better. I believe if not for the advent of internet, ex-Foreign Minister George Yeo and his team may not have lost Aljunied GRC!

Based on the factors above and the video I have watched, I will not vote for Tony Tan. I will encourage my friends and relatives not to vote for him too. The reasons are simple:

1. Morally and mortally, he cannot provide the 'check and balance' as he will be checking on himself. He is the immediate past Vice Chairman and Managing Director of GIC.
2. He is related to the Lee Family [Link]
3. He wasn't forthcoming in answering the special treatment his son Patrick received while doing NS and ICT. 12 years disruption of National Service sounds like AWOL to me! [Link Pt 1], [Link Pt 2 ] and [Link Pt 3]
4. His constant threat of impending financial crisis and how as president he can solve the crisis sounds cheap. If he cares so much for Singapore and Singaporeans, he should have stayed as DPM and not quit the cabinet. He quit the Cabinet not once but twice!
5. When asked if political detention is justified, I find his comparison of Norwegian Andre Brevik to Teo Soh Lung and Vincent Cheng (plus 20 other alleged Marxist Conspirators) distasteful! His shiftiness in answering a straight question shows the man that he is.
6. While mainstream medium plasters Tan Jee Say for his 'outburst', no decent medium has the guts to slap Tony Tan for his lack of decorum and rudiment of good manners. Since when is it decent to interrupt and threaten someone when someone is given the floor to speak?
7. The PAP 'group think' in Tony Tan is impossible to erase. Try as I might, I cannot see another Ong Teng Cheong in Tony Tan. My gut feel tells me Tony just doesn't have the essence that President Ong Teng Cheong possessed.

Whatever reasons each has to run for President, only each knows. The rest are mere speculations. Only Tony Tan knows why he quit his comfortable GIC and SPH positions to run for President. In so doing, he had his son's special treatment in NS exposed and has himself and his wife booed for what he represents!

Speculation . . . . . . . Could it be that Tony has to go for the presidency to further the opaqueness of our sovereign wealth funds? To ensure that the stink and skeletons remain where they are and not leaked to the "unconnected" and the public at large?

Meanwhile let's hope that the Establishment will not do a Tang Liang Hong on Tan Jee Say. If they do, we are fooked, big time!

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