President - How?

Everything is out there. You now know who are the candidates and know them a little better. You hear some rumours, controversies and there were some hue and cry. Unions and clans gave endorsements, the hopefuls go around shaking hands. Every voter has a different reason why they may like to vote for a certain candidate.

Strangely, everyone tried to distance themselves from a certain party or at least tried to show that they are independent or have an independent mind but they are all from the fraternity really. If not a political party or its affiliation or working with the government. I wrote a short article on it last week: http://gforce-guru.blogspot.com/2011/08/all-presidents-men.html.

Based on looks alone, a few people told me that it has to be Dr. Tony Tan or for his experience but that is also quite possible that it is because he has the best press coverage over the years or in the news, a familiar face. Yet he is the closest to the government. If it were for looks, I like a President like Yusof Ishak - stately and may I add regal in uniform. He looked like royalty. Perhaps it is a childhood liking. This is how he looks on our $2 bill.

Is Mr. Tan Kin Lian entirely independent? He was also very much a part of the system - NTUC Income Chief and was very much in the grassroots. Mr. Tan Jee Say was in civil service and ex PPS to a PM. In the recent General Elections, the opposition has some gains in getting 40% of the votes so it is inevitable that some political parties in supporting a certain candidate will try to push the boundaries for change stating that this is an Elected President - from the people, by the people and for the people.

Let us get this straight - there is no difference from the appointed Presidents of days gone by except he has veto powers when the national reserves needed to be use. No amount of jostling, pushing or anything you do will get you anywhere as it has to be in the constitution and the constitution can only be implemented or change in parliament. So all rhetoric will go out the window. In fact, nobody wants to see a President quarreling with the government everyday as we have more important things to do.

Of course all previous Presidents were appointed but for Presidents Ong Teng Cheong and S R Nathan while President Devan Nair was a power house from the government. Therefore, somehow my favourite ex Presidents were Yusof Ishak, Dr. Benjamin Sheares and Wee Kim Wee in part due to their personalities and how they connect with people and not from the government but for many more years to come, we will get more of the same thing because of the criteria spelled out as qualification. If you were to ask me, I think Professor Tommy Koh would make a great President too.

First Lady

If you look for a President as a father figure, then the First Lady has to have the dignity of a mother figure. In the old days, they looked at the First Lady with respect and decorum but they won't have to vote and if given a vote the people may then look at the First Lady and be influenced by her. No? Who do you think would make the best First Lady? From a very young time I would stare at the pictures of our President and the First Lady of the time like when in schools or in government buildings. Who do you think would be the ones? I mean, you may be ququeing to pay parking fines and the photos may be there staring at you for six years.

My Conclusion

I leave the best for the last. Dr. Tan Cheng Bock looks to me the best candidate for President. As a MP, he spoke his mind sometimes against his own party yet he has not done anything detrimental to Singapore. He garnered the highest votes consistently in many elections averaging above 70% like no other. Do you think anyone could achieve that if he is not with the people? He is a very principled man if you look at for example the hospital naming issue.

To me, he is the most independent candidate because he is a maverick. Maverick is a lone dissenter, as an intellectual, an artist, or a politician who takes an independent stand apart from his associates. A person with an independent mind cannot be easily swayed not even when his friends persuade him to do the wrong things. Who among the four with this independence has my vote. Everyone of them seems to have a reason or two to be President but Dr. Tan Cheng Bock appears to me that he has none. He just wanted to serve. Vote wisely and all the best to Singapore! My intuition tells me Dr. Tan Cheng Bock is the best man for the job. No, I do not know him personally and have never met him or even shook his hands before. Just my intuition.

The independence of a person is in his mind and what he does and stand for and not necessarily the party or company or country he is from and definitely not just what he says. You can see them because they are consistent. They are consistent because they are based on morals and principles. Morals and principles do not change even when the whole world has changed. Only a truly independent minded person will show true strength and courage to speak the truth even against overwhelming odds or when the boss does not like it. These are the people who can save the world when things go wrong. Otherwise you are just part of the furniture.

Vote wisely and do not be swayed.

Future President

Instead of just looking at the First Lady I am rooting for Singapore to have a lady President in future. Even a female Prime Minister and so on. The UK Australia, New Zealand and even Thailand now has one. A father figure is good to command the love and respect of the people but everybody knows that it is the mother that can unify things as she unites the family. Singapore needs a woman's touch and a mother's love. Maybe Professor Chan Heng Chee and a few others should start thinking. Recently, it is a sad to see Singaporeans divided and unhappy. A unifying figure is needed. We need a mother's love.

Please vote for me! ..... as your favourite blogger! Have a great Presidential weekend.