Presidential Election 2011

[yqyq]

raysusan:

anyone here leaning towards TJS too?

I think I will give my vote to TKL :evil:

[Strparent]

raysusan:

anyone here leaning towards TJS too?

:salute: :salute: definitely me.

http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/07/tan-jee-say-why-i-want-to-be-president/

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_699332.html

of the 4 candidates, I prefer TJS, only drawback is that he isn't as charismatic nor speaks as convincingly as TCB.

There are plenty of 'safe' people who do not want TT, but do not want to rock the boat as well ( duhhh ), so I suspect some may switch to TCB.

TKL, I like his gusto, but he is not cut out for president, in my opinion.

and beat-around-the-bush Taiji Tan will never get my vote.

[Musings]

verykiasu2010:

to me :


TJS --- is a political opportunist at his convenience; as 3boys said, 3 months ago he was in the GE, and suddenly now resign from his party to contest the PE, where is his political commitment ? just flow where the wind blows....; check and balances are better served in the Parliament than in the Istana....so if he is elected president, he will flow where the wind blows again too. Have no doubt about his fund management experience but the fund did not do well due to financial crisis

TKL --- he has an axe to grind, pure and simple

TCB --- probable he is what he said he is

TT --- never before in Singapore history has any union come out to endorse a candidate (following the US presidential election ??) except this time, and it is more then mere coincidence. PAP has been silent on any candidate - but the silence is too obvious and too deafeningly loud.....and we all deaf and blind ?

anyway I have not made up my mind

just my 0.02 cents

I agree with TJS being a political opportunist. I don't like the close connection betw TT and the establishment. In the same vein, I am uncomfortable with TJS's connections with SDP. Him running for President straight after GE just seems so calculated and one cannot ignore that he must have calculated he will only reap benefits by raising his profile through the Presidential campaign which will benefit his future political career.

Further, his proposed economic policies are highly debatable and contentious. If he tries to use the platform of the President to further his agenda which is not the right platform, he can cause a lot of problems because he has veto powers. In the worst case, we may have a stalemate not unlike the US Congress.

In this regard, I agree with NSP's Goh Meng Seng:

\"With due respect to Tan Jee Say, if he becomes the President, all his moves would be viewed with contempt by core PAP supporters. If he criticise the PAP government, rightfully or wrongfully, there will always be lingering doubts on whether his criticism is embedded with political agenda or not. This will be the setting for endless political bickering. The same criticism that comes from Tan Kin Lian would not suffer such perceptions.\"

So from that perspective, I agree TKL is the most neutral. But sorry, he just doesn't seem convincing as President.

[limlim]

verykiasu2010:

TT --- never before in Singapore history has any union come out to endorse a candidate (following the US presidential election ??) except this time, and it is more then mere coincidence. PAP has been silent on any candidate - but the silence is too obvious and too deafeningly loud.....and we all deaf and blind ?

Quite abnormal.. indeed.. for someone who doesn't seems very keen to protect the interests of workers

http://young-pap.blogspot.com/2011/08/very-angry-minister-for-trade-and.html

Copied link from
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showthread.php?t=3363252

http://young-pap.blogspot.com/2011/08/very-angry-minister-for-trade-and.html\" url=\"http://young-pap.blogspot.com/2011/08/very-angry-minister-for-trade-and.html:

President Ong Teng Cheong
(Asiaweek, March 10, 2000):

in January 1986 I did sanction a strike, the first for about a decade. It was in the shipping industry where the management was taking advantage of the workers.

I did not even tell the cabinet about sanctioning the strike. And some of them were angry with me about that. The minister for trade and industry was very angry, his officers were very upset. They had calls from America, asking what happened to Singapore? -- we are non-strike.

[blueblue]

I think TT is too ‘high class’ to become a People’s President.


Used to like him but the recent incidents changed my opinion of him…esp the handshake incident…

[Chenonceau]

I like TKL best… not sure about TT (after the Patrick Tan issue) and TJS is not convincing… at least to me.

[3Boys]

mummyo:

1amber:

In my view PAP has embraced quick fixes and short term benefits over long term betterment of our country.

:goodpost: well-said

And they're so so afraid to lose power that they've lost the real plot a long time ago.

Actually this is pretty preposterous.

The easiest, short term thing the government can do to stay in power is to take the short term view and do the popular thing by spending, subsidising and putting up barriers, so-called 'protecting' Singaporeans. Its also called 'kicking the can down the road.' Also known as 'bowing to public pressure.'

And then we can end up like Greece/Italy/USA (take your pick).

I don't know about you, but I want a financially viable Singapore for my children, not one owning debt to a dozen countries.

[Strparent]

Chenonceau:

I like TKL best... not sure about TT (after the Patrick Tan issue) and TJS is not convincing... at least to me.

Chenonceau,

I like him too, but I think he seriously has a personal agenda. He has been harping against the govt for quite some time now, even during the recent GE...and he wasn't even running for MP.

http://www.asiaone.com/News/Elections/Story/A1Story20110815-294573.html, and sad to say, it affirms my personal belief that he is not the most eloquent EP candidate, and does not really fit into this high positioned title.

but, kudos to him for trying to be the voice of the people ( as he said in the speech ), but that is not what the President is about.

[Angelight]

what abt the handshake incident?

blueblue:

I think TT is too 'high class' to become a People's President.

Used to like him but the recent incidents changed my opinion of him..esp the handshake incident..

[1amber]

This is just IMHO:


A high-handed govt by definition doesn’t care about the views of the people. They pursue policies according to what they think is best and expect the population to accept without question.

Over the years, I think there have been many issues that are hard to fix because of the complexities interwoven into many related policies. It is harder to tear down and rebuild than simply to erect an annex. So in the end, the govt simply twitches here and there to effect some changes but the root problems are not solved. I call this short term approach which does not benefit the populace in the longer term. Short term approaches are not necessary popular. But they are easier to implement. Having said that, I have also commendable things to say as well.

It is only recently that the ruling party in Spore has finally conceded that they have to listen more to the people. The fact is that we voted the way we voted because we the people of Singapore want to be heard. If govt has now chosen to please the people recently then I think we got what we wanted. If they are called populist it is still ok provided they sincerely look after the welfare of the people of Singapore. Short and long term nation building. Of course they shouldn’t squander away money just to please but invest in building up the skills of her own people, infrastructure etc etc…

I feel that electing a suitable president is part of that nation building process.