Presidential Election - Post Mortem

Just a mere 0.34%. Congratulations to Dr. Tony Tan now President Tony Tan. We should all close rank now and work with him. He can be a good President but Dr. Tan Cheng Bock would have been a "natural" to unify people because it takes many years on the ground to connect with people, to understand people. In other words, he already knew what had to be done as opposed to others having to find out what needs to be done. Singapore has lost such a great opportunity.

It would also be wise to read that 65% of the people voted against the winner. Had Messrs Tan Jee Say and Tan Kin Lian not stood for election where would these votes go to? Some said he could go to either or become spoiled. My take is that Singapore is now divided into three camps.

There is this die-hard pro establishment camp that will always vote towards the government line no matter what happens (35%). They wanted stability, fear changes, wealthy business people or they feel the establishment always have the best. Then there are those who go along the line of the opposition no matter what (30%) and those who are on middle ground (35%). If it were a two-horse race I have no doubt that Dr. Tan Cheng Bock would have won handsomely.

Spoiled Votes

The number of spoiled votes were quite a bit. So why do people spoil their votes? Ignorance leading to mistakes, those who were unable to decide, those who did it intentionally as they do not like all on offer? Whatever the reason, the vote is not only sacred, it is very important. It places power in your hands and you should exercise it. One of life's greatest gifts is the fact that we can choose well at least most things. You can't choose you parents or siblings though. If you have not had your votes spoilt, it could have resulted in Dr. Tan Cheng Bock winning or Dr. Tony Tan could have won with a greater mandate, therefore greater moral authority. Why didn't you do that?

Going Forward

One has to be born in a certain country and it immediately defines you. Singapore is by and large a very highly successful country by any standard. We frequently learn from other countries the things that others are doing right and also wrong. What is good and what is bad. But success always brings with it new problems. When we become more successful, we we eat too much rich food and we will have new health problems. When we are successful, sometimes, we do not see our own problems and we can become complacent. When we are successful, we no longer look at the same problems. We want more say, more freedom, more space.

Our country's focus has become the family's obsession too. Success, more wealth, more gains and more material comfort. Everybody loves money and more money, nothing wrong. Who hates money? But we really need make that badly in need of a soul, without which we are all just hard and cold. Singaporeans clearly also wanted more transparency and fairness.

Parents today may not know their children anymore as parents are out trying to make more money just like a government that can loose touch with the people. Just like a company, the people who really know where the problems are and how to solve them are the very people on the job. I read about Ministers taking buses, trains and walking on the streets now to see real things. They must have read my blog earlier.

I spoke to many people and some still do not know or have any specific reason why they chose to vote who they have voted. Whoever they had chosen everybody should respect that anyway. When the economy fails then our social fabric would be the most important to see us through. Harmony and unity, not division are the most important. Especially now that a recession is looming large. Singaporeans have to unite.

People Oriented

Many companies can proclaimed that they are a customer-oriented company. They can even put up placards and hang banners proclaiming it but really who are we kidding? You know it the moment you step into or deal with a customer-oriented company or person because of the culture. Singapore is a country not just a business. We need to be very people-oriented. So I was very surprised to see the People's Association stand that elected MP (Opposition) cannot be advisers to grassroots organisation. A senior official even stated that they are to "connect people with the government and promote government policies and programmes such as anti-dengue and active ageing". "The government has to appoint grassroots advisers who support its programme and can play this role well, opposition MPs cannot be expected to do this and thus cannot be advisers to GROs." And I thought they are the People's Association?

This is a point that has been lost and never learned. You do not have an enemy until you call someone an enemy. I have no political leanings but like so many Singaporeans, many feel this is wrong as the civil service and stat boards should be non-partisan. Has it been tried and tested that elected MP who are from opposition parties cannot support things like anti-dengue and active ageing? We haven't grown up, have we? Policies like these are divisive. How can we unite people and have harmony when policies are divisive? This is disturbing as it is stereotypical labelling. Even same party MPs spoke against certain policies so are they suitable to be advisers? So why polarise the country further instead of respecting the people's choice? As a country, we need to reconcile and unity can only be achieved through fairness and trust. Reform may be needed here? The People's Association must be people-oriented.

Any government that provides and implements policies with the best interests of the people at heart, if the leaders serve with sincerity, passion and compassion, has a sense of fairness and can connect well with the people will have all the people and voters coming to you. If we do it correctly, we will go on to a new high. Well, at least we had a dignified Presidential Election.

In Pursuit of Happiness

.....so as to achieve "happiness", prosperity and progress for our nation. That's in our national pledge. We have achieved prosperity and progress but happiness? Our basic needs have been met but in pursuit of higher incomes and more material needs are we having a balance of family, friends, hobbies or a life? Do our people have compassion, kindness and do we have balance? Are we in perpetual and relentless pursuit of profit in everything?

Flip the papers and we have the world's highest numbers of millionaires but there is also great unrest in the Western world and in the Middle-East too. Why are people dissatisfied and unhappy. Education will help us get out of poverty and economic progress is a great help in improving our lives but in today's world there is also constant anxiety, fear and greater inequality. Big companies can pay their CEO 20-30 million in compensation and yet retrenched 20-30 thousand people. The people being retrenched are the very ones who will buy their companies' computers and what not.

I have mentioned Bhutan in a previous article. The Himalayan Kingdom pursues GNH - Gross National Happiness. Globalization and consumerism has consumed us. Real happiness can only come about when we have balance in life. Yin and Yang. I hope the new President and the government can give us that balance. The new President can gently persuade and nudge and then we can achieve a new frontier of GNH and he would become the people's President. A country needs a soul to weather the storm when the hard times come knocking. I don't know about you but it is my fervent wish for Singapore to achieve this GNH! Otherwise, all the king's horses and all the king's men, could not put Humpty Dumpty together again.

A tribute to outgoing President S R Nathan! I remember he has courageously negotiated with terrorists risking his life may years back. He is also probably the most travelled President promoting good will for Singapore given his past diplomatic connections. By the time you read this, perhaps the new President has been sworn in. Let's get the Little Red Dot going again but with more balance please.