Ultimately, I believe that Singaporeans are clear about their expectations of the role of the President. We know that the President has limited powers, but I also believe that we would like the President to be able to counsel the government through a process of engagement with the Prime Minister and his Cabinet and active deliberations of government decisions.
This engagement and deliberation would be predicated on the President having a good feel of the pulse of the ground, which should be the case since the President is after all elected by the people for the people.
And only if he can truly do that, can we honestly say that we have our next people’s president.
Limited by the Constitution to exercise his powers, then the Presidency is superflous and better to dispense with altogether. It's too expensive to upkeep this Ceremonial position. May as well cut off the crab, with the Govt appointing their own people to run the Civil service directly, no need to beat about the bush, the hypocrisy is stifling.
ReplyDeleteWith the President being a public figure, you can become the voice/ conscience against any people/ institution bullying Singaporeans. You have the Presidential Pardon and the veto against ISA.
ReplyDeleteAs the Presidential ceremonial figure, all foreign dignitories have to visit you when they come to Singapore. Instead of merely having a swelling good time enjoying a 5-course dinner, you can use the opportunity to promote Singaporean interests, Singaporean businesses.
3 Broad Strategies:
1) Ensure there is no vote-splitting amongst the independent/ non-partisan/ anti-pap electorate. The best is the other non-pap candidates automatically pull out by moral suasion, since they also want alternative voice. Then, show the electorate the TR poll and Facebook poll, where you are clearly the front-runner amongst non-PAP candidates, and independent voters stand the best chance by colacsing behind you.
2) Win over the swing voters/ moderates. Win over the FAs/ Insurance agents, by saying that you are not against them, but merely against the system in the insurance industry which set them out for failure (either they miss their targets or had to disappoint their friends/ relatives). Blame the insurance industry/ system/ FIs, instead of FAs. Think of schemes to resettle these people into better/ more rewarding/ fulfilling livelihoods, or protect them from the ruthless competition in the industry, fuelled by greedy FIs.
3) Remind the older folks of the old Chinese saying, "of all unfiliality, not continuing your lineage is the greatest unfiliality of all". If their own descendants cannot survive or thrive, how are they going to answer to their parents in the afterlife? Use your own position as a parent/ grandparent to connect these words with them. Tell them how you will take care of the careers of the middle-aged/ young adults/ youth/ and also those old-aged still working, so that they can not only survive, but also procreate.