Truth be told, the president's job is quite simple. Just zip your lips and look after the past reserves. Don't even bother to ask awkward questions like what is the difference between past, present and future reserves. When they wanted a $150 billion guarantee for bank deposits during the financial crisis circa 2008 S R Nathan just signed on the dotted line in a jiffy. He knew better than to query whether that sum represented 100% or 50% of our total sovereign wealth fund (SWF). That's why he knows he can look forward to another financially lucrative term should he decide to throw his hat into the ring - provided, of course, another blue-eyed boy is not lined up for the race.
Frankly, nobody quite understands what Yeo means when he says " I can better contribute to the Singapore we all love in other ways". He only way he knows how to "serve" Singapore is to be a yes-man. This guy, despite the reputed brainiac capacity, even spouts nonsensical p.c. stuff like "an IR is not a casino" just to suck it up to his political paymaster. George Yeo likes to quote his brother Jim's philosophy that "to succeed in life, one needs the 3 B’s. What are the 3 B’s? They are Brains, Balls and Breaks". Aljunied was a tough break, asking teeny boppers to collect the nomination forms on his behalf was brain-dead, and it looks like the cojones are missing when they are sorely needed.
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From Straits Times, I can sense that government is backing Dr Tony Tan and Dr Tan Cheng Bock (fake opposition) as presidential candidate.
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"Asked about the prospect of three cornered fight involving the two Dr Tans and former NTUC Income chief Tan Kin Lian, 63, academic Tan Ern Ser believes that 'Mr Tan Kin Lian will trail behind the other two' because he has never held public office"
SPH controlled by Dr Tony Tan as chairman is a government mouthpiece and will give more prominence and coverage to candidates it supports. Let's see how it will try to smear TKL during the election period.
You know, for what he's worth, at least GY has the balls to tell his master to reform and take a gd hard look at themselves as his parting shots. How many can say that? LBH has to fake some crying crocodile tears and still uttered "no groupthink"! So I'll give GY has respect on those grounds.
ReplyDeleteOTTH, this present useless president is a total failure and disappointment to we the people. Not only no questions asked, no answered answered too! So while taking breaks in mauritius, he got the balls to tell us to buy his memoirs AFTER he leaves office; collecting a total of 30-40m in salaries!!! Looking at this video here, I think that's what he meant by "unexpected resources" that he found (windfall for 12yrs courtesy of taxpayers') & " hidden abilities" to get 2 Ministers & 1 diplomat be his mouthpiece instead. He has lost his voice for the people that he kept having to clear his throat umpteen times during the swearing in ceremony of new cabinet too. Another PAP man? Wake up Singaporeans!! How much or what do you know about our reserves today?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f01cldPv5a8
We may well get another 6 years of the old puppet. That is , if their last blue eyed boy decided to back out.
ReplyDeleteIn that case, they will engineer another walk- over just so the stand-in will sail in without breaking a sweat cause he can never win on the popular vote.
Now you know why he has not decided to contest although previously he said he would not want another term. He is just waiting for a cue.
The great irony would be that as a young nation barely 50 we are having a 90 year old as a head of state
agree with anon :1146, but note it will be at their own peril. Voters is smart enough to see through that. And they will pay for it 2016. Already there's alot of dissatisfaction wif Nathan.
ReplyDeleteI can't see any difference that Tony Tan, George Yeo, Nathan, Tan Cheng Bock and Tan Kin Lian or any others can make as a shadow president in Sin.
ReplyDeleteSo, I say, let's forget about having a president, however, if the state needs one for whatever reason, please have one without having to involve the people. Singaporeans are cynical about the President and they are justified to be so.
patriot
St George slayed by the dragon?
ReplyDeleteNow, who's the dragon?
Looks like it is going to be a battle of the TANs:
TAN Cheng Bock
TAN Kin Lian
TAN Keng Yam Tony
S R NaThAN
Tony Tan and SRN have not confirmed they are standing. TCB and TKL can be disqualified on one ground or the other.
Looks like it will be a no contest, and we can safely usher in a Malay candidate who will be elected unopposed.
If George Yeo do stand, and in the end failed to get elected, what do you think will be the people's reaction. Pock Two again?
ReplyDeleteI think that thought slayed GY, not the dragon.
Harmless Tony will suit the job and the PAP.
ReplyDeleteHe must be the chosen one that some have been guessing.
So make way all the other Tans, with 'Na' prefix or not.
having tony tan is like asking yr boss to resign and then audit his own work as an "independent" president. like dat surely pass lah!
ReplyDeleteor is like installing another "mentor emeritus" after he retire from his post, machiam lky who still run the show & make millions.
our reserves are like blackhole. nobody knows what this 100staff/9gobaloffices/52MDs are doing. No specific details just bland percentages, worse than China's CIC even!
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704654004575517713334061130.html
http://oxfordswfproject.com/2010/10/04/quick-thoughts-on-gic’s-annual-report/
For those Sinkies who don't care or say is not important..they better not wake up one day and wonder where all these $ comes from, like bernie madoff ponzi scheme that so cleverly swindled ALOT of very smart intellectuals apparently of their retirements/funds. Now they're trying to do the same trick again. Give you an opaque GIC, then give you a non-transparent president.
You decide if you want to be daft or not.
Is it not kind of funny that the Shit Times can quote an academic as saying that TKL is trailing behind just because he has never held public office ?
ReplyDeleteOn what sort of evidence is the academic relying upon, how come the Shit Times never report ?
Looks more like they are surely and slowly trying to shape public opinion against TKL, isn't it ?
Yep, I was also wondering why they need a President that is supported by the ruling Party, appearing powerful but actually powerless, that is not expected to ask questions about the reserves or GIC/Temasek, other than being told to hold a second key to some fictitious item that many are wondering whether still exists.
ReplyDeleteYep, we can debate furiously about who should be the next key holder and of what colour, but in the end, a long long time into the future, we may suddenly wake up to discover that there was nothing to protect all this while.
Then we may not be called daft, but actually, really and seriously daft.
Wahhh, he got Yi Tian Jian!!
ReplyDeleteFrankly, this Presidential election is as credible as the Myanmar experiment. Only the ones who created it thinks that the people really believe in its importance. It is not. That is the brutal truth!
ReplyDeleteI doubt Nathan is seeking re-election because of the age factor and that he would be publishing his 'tell-all' book after August 2011.
ReplyDeleteLooks like it's a battle of the 3 TANs -Tony, Cheng Bock and Kin Lian. Tony being the chairman of SPH, will have the upper hand in terms of MSM support and influence. To be fair and seen being fair, Tony should resign from SPH. I also hope that NTUC remain neutral on this occasion and not allow their resources to be used for electoral campaigning to support any specific presidential candidate.
As for Georgie boy, may be he can wait for a by-election to be held at Tanjong Pagar or Marine Parade (you never know right?..), otherwise I don't know what to say to him. I am rooting for TKL to hold the second key because he appears to be the most independent candidate from this likely slate.
hahaha reason why SR Nathan was in Mauritius is to open an offshore account lah. Best place to hide his coffers mah..that's why got honorary degree for him!
ReplyDeleteI also bet hundred millions $ that all that 52MDs and BODs on the GIC/Temasek board are paid waaaay more than the 82MPs, in fact maybe even better than the Wall St CEOs themselves. The best part, they could hide behind the shroud of SWF & confidentiality of states secrets and no one will KPKB. Tehnically the citizens are the owners/stakeholders of the funds, but what do peasants know about banking...leave it to the elite experts, trust us lah..just focus on your FTs, bread and butter & be happy with your 2.5% cpf returns!
That's why LKY already said - the President does not need an Accounting b/g at all. The even give you 6 wise men to counsel and let u pick their brains..as long as you see/hear/speak no evil like Nathan. Then you'll be guaranteed a offshore acct on some beautiful island...
still think your vote count or now?
Karma can be a bitch, aint it, Georgie?
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