Why This PE is More Significant Than GE

[makapaaa]

[h=2]This isn’t GE[/h]

August 25th, 2011 |

Author: Ng Kok Lim

Dear Straits Times,
I refer to the 22 Aug 2011 letter by Mr Chia Hua Meng.
Mr Chia claims that the presidential election is not the general election and that candidates should not toe the opposition line as it would do more harm than good and make a mockery of our well-conceived presidential election.
While the presidential election is not the general election, it is an election involving all Singaporeans nonetheless. Any issue concerning all Singaporeans is an issue worth championing during the presidential election. Just because the issues happen to be general election issues as well doesn’t mean that they must therefore be excluded from the presidential election. There is no rule or law that says that presidential issues cannot be general election issues and vice versa. In both cases, we are talking about the wellbeing of Singaporeans. There is bound to be some overlap.
Thus, a candidate championing national issues may not be toeing the opposition line. It’s just that national issues happen to be championed by the opposition as well. There is therefore neither harm nor mockery in championing national issues as long as we are clear that they are national issues. High cost of living and over-crowdedness, you can’t say these are solely opposition issues and not national issues.
Thank you
Ng Kok Lim

 

[makapaaa]

[h=2]President isn’t the opposition?[/h]

August 24th, 2011 |

Author: Ng Kok Lim

Dear Straits Times,
I refer to the 19 Aug 2011 letter by Dr Bernard Ee Kuo-Wei. Dr Ee expresses concern for the blurring of the roles of the president and the parliamentary opposition. He is of the opinion that the responsibility for checking on the government lies with opposition MPs, not the president. He further opines that a president that champions opposition causes has lost objectivity and neutrality.
First, it is wrong to assume that the duty to check on the government lies with opposition MPs only. PAP MPs owe it to Singaporeans to check on the government too by disagreeing with the government when they feel rightly so. Unfortunately, PAP MPs often have to toe the party line and are powerless to check on the government when the party cracks its whip. It is idealistic to expect 6 opposition MPs to check the government by out-voting 81 PAP MPs. Given this situation, there is a need for a stronger voice outside of parliament to balance the unhealthy situation where 40% of Singaporeans who did not vote for the PAP are represented by 6 opposition MPs only.
During the Second World War, the total domination of Germany’s parliament by the Nazi party ruined the country utterly. History has shown that individuals like Sophie Scholl who spoke against the Nazis outside of parliament, turned out to be saying the right things for their country even though many at that time couldn’t care less or couldn’t understand. We must learn from history and recognise that individuals outside of parliament can bring important messages to our country. We must all do our part by taking a stand on issues concerning our country’s future and not leave them in the hands of one party. ‘We’ includes the president.
What are some opposition causes? Widening income gap, overcrowding, high cost of living, unequal sharing of economic benefits and so on. These are not just opposition causes. These are the people’s causes. How can a president that champions the people’s causes considered to be losing objectivity when the very objective of those in public office is to improve people’s lives? The president is elected by the people and should therefore stand with the people. He cannot remain silent or neutral when the people’s lives are being trampled upon.
The Queen’s non-interference in the affairs of the British government can mean that she concurs with what the British government has been doing. It doesn’t mean that the Queen has no choice but to quietly condone any wrong doings by the British government. Just as we don’t expect the Queen to silently condone wrong doing, neither should we expect our president to silently condone wrong doing.
It is wrong to say that political causes must be confined to the political realm. Political causes are bread and butter causes which are the concerns of all citizens, not just politicians. Politicians do not operate in a vacuum. They operate to fulfil the wishes of the people. Political causes must always relate back to the people’s wishes. If there is a breakdown in the feedback between the people’s wishes and political causes, there is a need to re-establish that feedback through alternative mechanisms. The elected president can be one such alternative.
Thank you
Ng Kok Lim

 

[Devil Within]

This Dr Bernard Ee Kuo-Wei and Mr Chia Hua Meng are fucking retards brainwashed by the PAP. Anyway, good reply by Mr Ng Kok Lim. The responsibility to check on the gov lies in all Singaporeans, not just in parliament.

 

[HTOLAS]

The PAPzis expect their president to be like Emperor Hirohito during WW2 - one who accepted everything the military government wanted to do. Singapore cannot survive being nuked.

 

[HellAngel]

With 4 candidates this time round, maybe they will change the rule for the next one to make thing easier for them.

Besides the existing criterias, Must be a former Minister, MP or NMP to be President?