Presidential Election 2011

[hquek]

markfch:

hquek:

Then I vote for Takashi Kimura (spelling right?) aka Jin Chen Wu!!

But he has to change his name to Tan-kashi Kimura first to be eligible ..... :siam:

He can call himself Tan Goo Goo....I'm sure many of us will still go googly eyed over him. :boogie:

okay, better stop this line of talk :spank:

[Flowermonaster]

northernstar:

Flowermonaster:

[quote=\"northernstar\"]

but for those working 5 days, there is no extra rest day leh...

Yes! Have holiday in-lieu on Monday for those who work 5 days. :boogie:

oh my company dun have :([/quote] :yikes: Why don't have? Got give you extra leave or pay you extra? My Ex-CO also don't have but they pay us extra or give extra one day annual leave.

[limlim]

Way2GO:

Chenonceau:

Nope... just a gentle reminder that he gave me his word and I thanked him graciously for it. Why would you think I am wound up?

Relax, hv a cup of tea OK?

some kopi or tea outing would be nice..

[concern2]

The scandal of Tony Tan, Singapore presidential candidate

(source: http://johnharding.com/)

Tony Tan has seen better days.

In the late 1980s, he was Lee Kuan Yew's first choice to succeed him as Prime Minister of Singapore, but Tan declined.

Until July 1, 2011, he was Executive Director and Deputy Chairman of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (where he lost money), and Chairman of Singapore Press Holdings Limited (where he controlled Singapore's press).

When Tony Tan delivered his two-minute Presidential Nomination Day speech on August 17th, the crowd jeered as he spoke. The hecklers chanted \"Patrick Tan, Patrick Tan.\"

Tony Tan's decision to run for Singapore's presidency has brought to light a scandal.

Tony Tan's son, Patrick Tan, had just been exposed for an unprecedented 12-year leave from Singapore's compulsory two-year military duty called National Service. Even worse, this happened while his father was Singapore's Minister of Defense.

Patrick Tan served for only seven months as a trainee at the Basic Military Training Centre and Officer Cadet School before being granted a 12-year leave, ostensibly to study medicine at Harvard. His leave was much longer than what was normally granted, and medicine was not what he studied.

Upon his return to Singapore after his leave, Patrick Tan was \"officially\" given a cushy assignment as a Defense Medical Scientist doing lab work. However, researchers at the lab where Patrick Tan was supposed to have worked had never come across Patrick Tan or any National Service person working there.

According to a few ex-Singapore Armed Force officers it is likely that the research position was created specially for Patrick Tan upon his return from the United States to ensure that he did not have to complete the rugged combat training like others in Singapore's National Service.


Daddy's boy, Patrick Tan
Why was Patrick Tan was so special that he was granted an unusually long leave from National Service, and then given a cushy job that does not even normally even exist?

The explanation is that his father, Tony Tan was, at the time, Singapore's Minister of Defense and controlled Singapore's military.

It gets even better (or worse for Tony Tan).

In addition to his extended leave from National Service, Patrick Tan was awarded a prized President's Scholarship and a Loke Cheng Kim Scholarship to study medicine in the United States, (Source: Channel News Asia, 30 July 2011).

Here, the Singapore press was wrong (again) as Patrick Tan was not studying medicine but only pursuing a Bachelor of Arts at Harvard.

These Singapore awards included funds for his education-funds he didn't need as his father was one of Singapore's million dollar ministers.

Yes, Singapore Cabinet Ministers command million dollar annual salaries and million dollar annual pensions.

Now it has been revealed that Patrick Tan's official position during his National Service was only that of Chief Clerk in charge of administrative matters during in-camp training.

In a desperate attempt at damage control, on July 28, 2011, the Office of Tony Tan issued a clarification on Facebook (of all places) claiming that Patrick Tan has fulfilled all requirements of in-camp training by writing, \"Throughout his National Service, he received a National Service man's salary and fulfilled all requirements of National Service\"

Two days later, Singapore's Ministry of Defense parroted Tony Tan releasing a \"clarification\" stating, \"Dr Patrick Tan received an NSman's salary and fulfilled all requirements of NS, such as the Individual Physical Proficiency Test.\"

So did Dr Patrick Tan fulfill his National Service, including his reserve duties?

According to sources, Patrick Tan did not serve his reservist duties as a 'defense medical scientist' nor even as Chief Clerk. Nor did he even have to complete his full period of reserve duties. The National Service requires men to serve as reservists until they reach the age of forty—not so for Patrick Tan.

Instead, Patrick Tan was \"promoted\" straight into the Ministry of Defense Reserve which consists of National Service men who have completed their training cycle but have yet to reach the statutory age of forty years. Patrick Tan apparently had an early out, even from his reserve duties.

Most likely, no one would have ever known about Patrick Tan's preferential National Service treatment had his Daddy, Tony Tan, not decided to run for President of Singapore.

For some people, a million dollars a year is just not enough.

[Otah]

Strparent:

concern2:

My first thoughts were that TT really lost touch with the ground, donno that SA not so popular, should find someone more popular.

concern2,

if he was really out of touch with the media popularity, his first choice would have been Xiang Yun or Huang Wenyong. :evil:

It reminds me of the celebrities who were asked to act in the NKF show last time. When the NKF saga was surfaced, they found out that these celebrities were \"forced\" to act to cry to gain sympathy for donation.

Believe Sharon Au was arranged by TT's PAP supporters, or the one who arranged her to perform in NDP :evil: When TJS ask NS to speak for him, they must do something similar, else they will be perceived as doing nothing and might be questioned.

[concern2]

I came across the following article, thought it might be of interest to some of you.

(source:http://www.littlespeck.com/content/politics/CTrendsPolitics-110820.htm)

Tony Tan
What if he loses?
A darling of the elites, his apple-cart may be overturned by lingering anti-PAP feelings - with important consequences for Singapore. By Seah Chiang Nee.
Aug 20, 2011

(Synopsis: A strong late surge by Tan Jee Say and Tan Cheng Bock spells trouble for the ruling People’s Action Party.)

WHEN Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam, former Deputy Prime Minister, announced his intention to run for President two months ago, his prospect of winning ranked high among surprised citizens.

Most believed that the one-time People’s Action Party (PAP) financial strongman, who nearly succeeded Lee Kuan Yew as Prime Minister in 1990, would win hands down.

Many of my friends, including staunch opposition supporters, were among those who thought his chances of winning would be high.

“In his profession, he’s blue chip stuff,” said one retired executive. “With his reputation and experience, he towers over others, a darling of the elites.”

That he had a strong base appeared to be reflected in a Yahoo online poll in June when he first made clear his intention to run.

Some 6,013 – or 48% of 12,650 users – said they would vote for him.

Two months later, however, the proportion of support fell to 21% as strong rivals joined the race and revved up the offensive in the social media.

By August, (the final list of candidates) Dr Tan had fallen behind to third place, securing 21% or 15,661.

-
Yahoo users’ preference polls
June (incomplete list)
Tony Tan 6,013 (48%)
Tan Kin Lian 2,270 (18%)
Tan Cheng Bock 1,987 (16%)
Incumbent SR Nathan (before he pulled out) 2,382 (19%)

August (the final list of candidates)
Dr Tan Cheng Bock (31,215) 41%
Tan Jee Say (22,947) 30%
Dr Tony Tan (15,616) 21%
Tan Kin Lian (4,575) 6%
-

But most damaging may be the strong anti-PAP sentiment carried over from the general election in May. It may upset the mild-mannered former finance minister’s apple cart.

He recently resigned from the party, but the public still seems to link him to PAP policies and the party itself.

(Lee Kuan Yew once said that he had wanted Dr Tan to succeed him as Prime Minister, but his younger ministers had unanimously chosen Goh Chok Tong).

In the current political environment, Lee’s admiration could spell trouble for his candidacy.

PAP supporters, however, say that online surveys are not conclusive since they exclude the non-English speaking and non-Internet users.

Besides, the anti-PAP votes being split three ways should ensure victory for the 71-year-old Dr Tan.

“I think he may get less than 50% of the vote,” said one party grassroots leader.

The presidential election to be held next Saturday is supposed to be non-political, but with the strong emotions generated, keeping it free of politics is impossible.

The campaign is developing into a heated affair with booing and yelling crowds. Many Singaporeans are regarding it as an extension of the May general election, when the PAP took a drubbing.

A former trade unions chief and former PAP chairman said that given the current situation, people might prefer a President who is not closely linked with the PAP.

“My sense is that people would prefer if there were someone who can be a strong unifying symbol for Singaporeans, who’s not so closely related to the PAP,” he commented.

Dr Tony Tan is facing a strong challenge from former opposition figure Tan Jee Say, 56, who once served as Goh Chok Tong’s Principal Private Secretary.

He joined the private sector, serving as regional managing director of investment firm AIB Govett (Asia).

Of the two others, Tan Cheng Bock, 71, is a medical doctor and ex-PAP MP, and Tan Kin Lian, a former executive of insurer NTUC Income.

Next week’s vote will be crucial for the PAP.

It will show if Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s reforms to lessen public grouses – namely, the reduction of high cabinet pay and intake of foreign professionals, the provision of more public housing and varsity places – are working or not.

If Dr Tan’s vote falls too much below 60%, it will signify greater unhappiness. This will spell trouble in the 2016 general election.

But if he loses – a distinct possibility – it will be regarded as the first election defeat for the powerful PAP.

Prominent blogger ‘redbean’ said that Dr Tan’s defeat would be “the clearest sign of change, that the wind in the PAP sail is off.”

The election has started a big debate on the role and power of the president.

Singaporeans are demanding to known why a largely ceremonial president is paid an eye-popping salary of S$4mil a year.

It was made an elected post in a constitutional amendment in 1991, which also granted him a few special functions – including the right to veto key government positions and tap into Singapore’s past reserves.

It was Lee’s idea of safeguarding the nation’s reserves from being frittered away after he is gone.

A year after he stepped down as Prime Minister, it came into effect.

Under the scheme, the elected president was to keep “a second key” to the reserves.

But Lee and his successors apparently did not anticipate the possibility of a determined president insisting on doing his job.

In 1999, then President Ong Teng Cheong revealed that he encountered a “long list” of problems when he tried to protect the reserves.

He said he was not provided a list of Singapore’s total physical assets.

When he asked, the Accountant-General replied it would take 56 man-years to work out.

“Giving the president the capability to check the government may work – as long as he is a pro-PAP figure,” said a blogger.

“What will happen if a PAP critic, or worse, someone hailing from the opposition, is elected and decides to challenge?”

All this may have increased the chance in future of another constitutional amendment on presidential powers.

(This was first published in the Star).

[Luanee]

Strparent:

concern2,

if he was really out of touch with the media popularity, his first choice would have been Xiang Yun or Huang Wenyong. :evil:

http://i56.tinypic.com/21ox2lw.jpg\">

Actually I think either Xiang Yun or Huang Wenyong would be better choices than SA. At least they appeal to the older generation. What about SA? She appeal neither to the young nor the old.

[Otah]

This news only come in today to my friend’s sms. I did not receive, most prob im on singtel. Did not see any publication. Just to share.


Dr Tan Cheng Bock Indoor’s Rally tonight

Venue : Singapore Expo, Hall 8
Time : 7:30 pm

[raysusan]

There is this malay girl speaks very well in tcb rally.

Not bad looking too. Simple pin Sharon down to the ground.
Maybe she will be back in ge 2016. Lol

[daisyt]

raysusan:

There is this malay girl speaks very well in tcb rally.

Not bad looking too. Simple pin Sharon down to the ground.
Maybe she will be back in ge 2016. Lol

Yes, young and potential. She speaks confidently, no act act attitude. I finally bring myself to watch SA speech and I have to stop halfway, cannot stand her acting skill. :siam: