BREAKING: Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam announces intention to run for Singapore's presidency.

[Freeder]

Finally,  we will have a prez with high calibre and stature that will provide sinkies with sense of comfort 😅 

Really have enough of if chicken expensive buy fish lor.. WTF..

[RadX]

On 6/9/2023 at 9:36 AM, Freeder said:

Finally,  we will have a prez with high calibre and stature that will provide sinkies with sense of comfort 😅 

Really have enough of if chicken expensive buy fish lor.. WTF..

and a sign for u to enage MILF to get the L...cos Tharman also sit in L maybe hahahhha

[Daniu82]

Tharman is most probably the only MIW I will vote for. He is recognized globally. Too bad president got not much power and mostly symbolic. 

[Freeder]

On 6/9/2023 at 9:38 AM, RadX said:

and a sign for u to enage MILF to get the L...cos Tharman also sit in L maybe hahahhha

Can u stop mentioning ur fav MILF again n again..I’m trying hard to detox her out of my system.. Really WTF🤮

[Freeder]

On 6/9/2023 at 9:39 AM, Daniu82 said:

Tharman is most probably the only MIW I will vote for. He is recognized globally. Too bad president got not much power and mostly symbolic. 

But this incoming prez got some special set of skills.. Let’s see if he walk the talk when he becomes the Prez..

[SGMCF328]

A piece of well-timed news, to give some breather for those working on the GCB saga.

I am unlikely to vote for Tharman, IF there is a contest, as I would prefer him to be our PM instead. Tharman for President is really 大材小用。Anyway, slim chance of having a PH for PE.

Snap Insight: Heft of Tharman Shanmugaratnam may deter others from contesting Singapore Presidential Election

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/snap-insight-tharman-shanmugaratnam-presidential-election-candidacy-3548456

After the election in 2017 that was reserved for Malay candidates, the sense was voters were expecting leading candidates this time to be Chinese, male, and have as little association with the establishment as possible. This is especially more so if the election timeline is as short as usual, and if Chinese Singaporeans see the process of electing a President as “turn-taking”.

Such a move would capture the support of those who might still feel discomfort with the hiatus-triggered ethnic reservation to ensure fair representation of the constituent communities of Singapore that was introduced then.

Surveys conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies suggest that in lieu of deep knowledge of candidates’ backgrounds and inclinations, voters would opt for candidates of the same ethnicity. If the voters are minorities, their second choice would be a Chinese candidate. In this way and left on its own, Chinese candidates would always prevail.

If there is a contest this year, it will be an opportunity to see if qualifications and political standing can transcend race when it comes to electing our Head of State. While Mr Tharman is ethnically Indian, his family is multiracial and arguably, quintessentially Singaporean - a unique asset to our sense of national identity.

Senior Minister Tharman is well-regarded domestically and on the international stage. His tenure as Finance Minister from 2007 to 2015 contributed to Singapore’s progressive socio-economic policymaking and thought leadership at international fora.

As Singapore seeks its way through a period of shifting geopolitical tides among major powers and growing concerns about the costs of living, Mr Tharman has the depth of knowledge and grasp of the key principles of fiscal prudence to exercise the second key to the country’s past reserves, an important custodial power the President wields.

It is possible to imagine how world leaders and intellectuals will not only put the Istana on their calling card, but be prepared to trade insights on global trends with him as equals, if elected.  

This will be an asset for Singapore when the world is in a state of flux. This is not to say that Mr Tharman or any President can set government policy, but he will become a useful and trusted conduit of strategic information about the changing policy context for the government.

What will matter for the legitimacy of office of the President is a different vote. Of course, the heft of Mr Tharman may deter anyone else, even Chinese candidates from contesting.

If there is a contest, this can only strengthen the legitimacy of the office but only as long as it is not an intensely polarising campaign that rends the body politic apart, especially if the issue of race is involved. That would be far too high a price to pay and erode so much of what the Presidency stands for.

[Vidz]

On 6/9/2023 at 9:36 AM, Freeder said:

Finally,  we will have a prez with high calibre and stature that will provide sinkies with sense of comfort 😅 

Really have enough of if chicken expensive buy fish lor.. WTF..

yeap... SG image level up x1000 with new prez.

every time i need to roll eyes at global events when SG send a makcik... 🙂

 

[Tohto]

On 6/9/2023 at 9:57 AM, yishunite said:

I suggest even oppo supporters should vote strongly for Tharman so PAP happy happy think all is well going into GE line up their new Ivan Lims and so on 🤣

I was thinking more should vote against him since he is already bao jia.... at least he don't has sky high margin of >70%.

Then pappies will be yah yah papaya....

[Throttle2]

If the people voting think that this is a vote of political sides then sorry, they are stupid and dumb and dont know a shit about their own country.

the election for president is not GE.  it is about a simple representation of the people.  The President has no true executive powers in reality.  Figurehead only.   To represent the people to cut ribbons, meet dignitaries, give awards and honors.   Not to fight a political cause. 
 

Edited June 9, 2023 by Throttle2

[Ahwhye]

On 6/9/2023 at 8:19 AM, inlinesix said:

Or 3G NOT retiring (like his dad)

ehhh.... 5G hasn't shown face how to retire? 😆

[inlinesix]

On 6/9/2023 at 10:28 AM, Ahwhye said:

ehhh.... 5G hasn't shown face how to retire? 😆

4G is there already

[Freeder]

On 6/9/2023 at 10:28 AM, Ahwhye said:

ehhh.... 5G hasn't shown face how to retire? 😆

4G already meh.. still can think 5G ? G-string still ok..

[Throttle2]

On 6/9/2023 at 6:38 AM, Throttle2 said:

I believe Singapore has been ready for a non Chinese PM.  I know i am.  Race really isnt the issue but heritage and character (in addition of course to brains, vision, etc etc)  

Tharman is pretty popular with all races and he is a qualified candidate so it should be a “walkover” for him

 

Note that, there is no confusion here, the first is on PM.    The second is current event on hand which is on President.   

The requirements for PM and President are very different.  A PM can usually qualify to be a President.  A President may not qualify to be a PM.

 

 

 

[RadX]

On 6/9/2023 at 10:28 AM, Ahwhye said:

ehhh.... 5G hasn't shown face how to retire? 😆

cannot let go

[Ahwhye]

On 6/9/2023 at 10:31 AM, inlinesix said:

4G is there already

 

On 6/9/2023 at 10:33 AM, Freeder said:

4G already meh.. still can think 5G ? G-string still ok..

it is called continuity, think long term, ensure sustainability or whatever bullcrap...

[Arogab]

This guy I sarpork all the way. 

[Datsun366]

Why masculine? Old men running the show?

Mrs T how you be prez? 

I want zar bor. James would agree.

Who are the valid female candidates?

Has PH done anything to empower women?

 

[Playtime]

On 6/8/2023 at 8:51 PM, Ahwhye said:

I am really amazed by some of you, who wanted tharman to do all the impossibles... come on, whoever take up this position can only walk around, smile and wave, shake some hands, give a few little speeches, and sign-off whatever gov push to him, that's all, he is powerless to do anything that gov has not advised him to do.

I don't mind him  or rather anyone to be there, it is just a farce and I just want PH!

IMO.. The pres isnt "useless" and just do what govt wants him to do... the who is "govt" is important.

The Pres is intentionally made to sound "useless", cos pap got scared that people were begining to expect the pres to be an independent check on govt like OTC.... but we all know what happened to OTC. Hence every pres since OTC is pure PAP cadre. Even TCB is considered not PAP enough. So requirement is actually LOYALTY to PAP.... not just PAP.

Now political change is always preferably evolutionary rather than revolutionary. (Singapore probably cannot afford revolution.)

See thailand, whenever Thais vote the govt they want, somehow there are ways to cripple the incoming govt. The killswitch.

Now imagine one day, 55% citizens want and vote for change. What happens?

See role of President:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Singapore

Quote"

Constitutional role[edit]

The president is the head of state of the Republic of Singapore.[15] In addition to being the Head of State, it is also the function of the President to safeguard the past reserves of Singapore and the integrity of the Public Services of Singapore.[16] The executive authority of Singapore is vested in the president and exercisable by them or by the Cabinet or any minister authorised by the Cabinet.[17] However, the Constitution vests "general direction and control of the Government" in the Cabinet.[18] In most cases, the president is bound to exercise their powers in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet or of a Minister acting under the general authority of the Cabinet.[19]

However, the president is able to exercise some powers in their personal discretion[20] such as preventing the government of the day from drawing on the reserves which were not accumulated during its current term of office, refusing to make or revoking an appointment to any of the public offices under Article 22 of the Constitution such as Chief Justice, Attorney-General, Chief of Defence Force and Commissioner of Police, amongst others.[21], exercising oversight over the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau and decisions of the Executive under the Internal Security Act[5] and the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act.[6]

" Unquote

 

Imagine, in the event of a election where PAP becomes a minority, will we have a "Thai scenerio"  ?

Should the Presidency be acting for the wishes of the people?

But will the individual President together with whats left of the minority outgoing party instead act against the incoming govt?

Maybe i am way out.... but i think it can come true. At the MP level, we have seen how defeated PAP candidates can often be more powerful than the elected non PAP mp, and in the process wreck the constituency to make people repent.