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Tag: elected presidency

  • Damanhuri Abas: Malay Community Don’t Want PAP’s ‘Useless Malay President’

    Damanhuri Abas: Malay Community Don’t Want PAP’s ‘Useless Malay President’

    There is no pride for any person to be offered a token position to be a puppet to sing the tune of his or her master. To then use race as a justification when we all know it is a mere excuse to look magnanimous when in reality it is a disgusting use of racial sentiments to further political interest of a Party in power worried that someone else will open up the books.

    For God sake, discrimination exists for the last 50 years in their own institutions justified by strange ancient suspicion of an entire race that discounts the malays as untrustworthy for so-called ‘sensitive position’ in the SAF. Solve that misnomer first and be more honest to us as equal citizens of this country. Malays have sacrificed their lives in the hundreds on Bukit Chandu fighting the Japanese. If that is not enough to trust our loyalty to this land than tell us what will, instead of lying to the entire race?

    We don’t want your useless Malay president.

     

    Source: Damanhuri Abas

  • Former Journalist Ismail Kassim: PAP Should Nominate Strong Minority Candidate For Upcoming Presidential Elections, Not Amend Constitution To Stifle Competition

    Former Journalist Ismail Kassim: PAP Should Nominate Strong Minority Candidate For Upcoming Presidential Elections, Not Amend Constitution To Stifle Competition

    A note to PM

    Dear Prime Minister

    By now you ought to know how divisive your proposal to amend the EP system has become. I cannot think of any issue in the last three decades that has caused such a wide and deep division within the electorate.

    The tragedy is that your aim to ensure that members from minority communities too have a chance at becoming an EP is commendable, and has its merits.

    Unfortunately, the way and timing of your move have also prompted considerable misgivings over your real motive:

    Is it really to ensure minority representation or is it to prevent an independent-minded citizen from being elected EP in 2017?

    Because of suspicions and emotions aroused over motive, it has become very difficult, even for those in the middle ground, to look at the proposed changes in a calm and objective manner.

    And any rush to implement a system that is deemed unfair may have adverse repercussions on the EP itself.

    Reserving the post for a particular minority is fundamentally flawed and goes against the grain of multiracialism and meritocracy. Likewise, the obsession with higher qualifications without giving due weight to strength of character and integrity is both elitist and undemocratic.

    Will any good arise from foisting a minority candidate in a closed race open only to members from that community on the nation; in all likelihood too, it is likely to become a farce, reminiscent of a past EP election, when a businessman was forced to compete to give the semblance of a democratic race.

    Such an EP is unlikely to command wide respect, and in all probability will be regarded as a ‘kayu’ (wood) by significant sections of the people, including members from his own community.

    There is still time for you to salvage the situation; just make sure that whatever changes that will be adopted will not come into effect in the 2017 presidential election.

    In this way, your protestations that they are not aimed against any individual will instantly become more credible.

    The minority community that has not yet produced an EP for the last 47 years will not mind waiting a little longer.

    As far as I know, they have grumbled over a lot of things such as continuing discrimination in the military and national service for their males and the unfair banning of their tudung-clad females from becoming nurses and policewomen.

    But over the EP, there is none.

    The PAP, notwithstanding its faults, is a great party with a sterling record.

    If you feel strongly, you should nominate a minority for the coming EP and use all the powers at your disposal to get him elected.

    If you think it is too risky, you can always field a stronger candidate. There is someone with impeccable credentials from your ranks who cannot become PM because of his ethnic origins. I think he will be unbeatable in any contest.

    These are the heroic options, which a party with a solid reputation to protect, should choose.

    Do not stoop so low now as to amend the Constitution out of fear, just to exclude opponents and independent-minded citizens.

    So Mr Prime Minister, I hope you will reconsider all your options, and choose one that will unite the people, and not divide them further.

    Ismail Kassim
    14th November 2016

     

    Source: Ismail Kassim

  • Andrew Loh: Forget Presidency, Why Has There Never Been Malay DPM?

    Andrew Loh: Forget Presidency, Why Has There Never Been Malay DPM?

    With the government expressing concerns that we may not have a minority-race Elected President if the current election laws are not tweaked, here is another similar concern – but this time regarding the position of deputy prime minister.

    In post-Independence Singapore, we have had 11 DPMs.

    And here is the interesting thing, the 11 have been:

    8 Chinese.
    3 Indians.
    0 Malay.
    0 Eurasian.

    Lee Kuan Yew’s Cabinet had one Indian DPM – S Rajaratnam.

    Goh Chok Tong’s Cabinet had no minority-race DPM.

    Lee Hsien Loong’s Cabinet has had 2 Indian DPMs – S Jayakumar and Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

    But all have not had any Malay as DPM.

    Is it a concern? Should it be a concern?

    In this era, it seems race and religion have taken on more prominence, and perhaps also more importance.

    While the PAP itself may rationalise its way out of why Singapore is not ready for a non-Chinese Prime Minister, how about a Malay DPM?

    Or has there never been a Malay minister deemed capable enough to be DPM – in all of our 51 years?

    Maybe something to think about?

     

    Source: Andrew Loh

  • A Thank You To PAP Supporters For Forcing PAP To Be Creative With Our Lives

    A Thank You To PAP Supporters For Forcing PAP To Be Creative With Our Lives

    I must admit, I never like PAP supporters. I’m actually jealous of them. When i look at them i always ask myself how can someone be so skillful in angkat buah? Like it is a full tull time job for them right until they are so well-versed.

    But now i have a new-found appreciation for them.

    It is not the opposition parties that keep PAP on their toes. It is actually their supporters right? Every single time PAP lose support from their own supporter base, they always become extra creative. Somehow after that, PAP will come up with some schemes to retain their supporters and to increase their vote share. This PAP creativity means that the Constitution is always updated. Don’t you feel thankful for that?

    You ask yourselves, why was the NCMP (Non-Constituency MP) created? Why was the GRC scheme created? Why did they change the powers of the Elected Presidency back in 1994?

    Now they want to make further constitutional changes to the Elected Presidency, to ensure minority representation even though for many years PAP keep harping on meritocracy. You know how stubborn they have been on their meritocracy but now suddenly, it is fine if we don’t hold on to this ‘meritocracy” too tightly. Wah the minorities must be very grateful for this.

    How did that happen? of course because of PAP supporters lah.

    So thank you PAP supporters for carrying their balls and squeezing their balls and forcing to be creative with the live of Singaporeans.

     

    Tak Kuat Angkat Buah

    <Reader Contribution>

  • Perwakilan Kaum Minoriti Isu Utama Perbincangan Awam Bagi Presiden Dipilih

    Perwakilan Kaum Minoriti Isu Utama Perbincangan Awam Bagi Presiden Dipilih

    Melindungi hak perwakilan minoriti dalam sistem Presiden Singapura Dipilih tanpa menggadaikan merit menjadi topik utama perbincangan awam pertama Suruhanjaya Perlembagaan.

    Sesi hari ini adalah yang pertama dalam satu siri perbincangan yang bakal diadakan, di mana ia akan menyaksikan 19 individu serta kumpulan memberikan maklum balas tentang perubahan-perubahan yang disarankan kepada sistem Presiden Singapura Dipilih.

    Suruhanjaya Perlembagaan sembilan anggota ini merupakan yang kedua sejak kemerdekaan Singapura, ditugaskan mengkaji aspek-aspek penting sistem Presiden Singapura Dipilih.

    Salah satu aspek adalah melindungi perwakilan kaum minoriti.

    Dalam membahaskannya, profesor undang-undang Eugene Tan berkata sistem tersebut tidak seharusnya menjuruskan para pengundi untuk mengundi kaum minoriti hanya kerana ia seharusnya begitu.

    Tetapi ia patut meneliti siapa yang paling layak untuk jawatan tersebut.

    Selain aspek merit, penyelidik kanan Matthew Matthews mencadangkan agar satu pilihan raya bagi calon minoriti diadakan jika Singapura tidak mempunyai Presiden dari kaum minoriti selama empat hingga lima penggal.

    Satu lagi isu adalah berkenaan perubahan kepada kriteria kelayakan.

    Namun Suruhanjaya melahirkan keprihatinan tentang melonggarkan kriteria tersebut kerana jawatan Presiden sepatutnya seorang yang berkaliber dan mampu menjalankan tugas Presiden dengan baik.

    Encik Tan juga menyarankan agar perubahan pada sistem tersebut dilaksanakan pada 2023, tahun di mana pilihan raya presiden keenam dijangka akan diadakan, dan bukan semasa pilihan raya tahun depan.

    Ini kata Encik Tan akan mengelakkan pilihan raya tersebut daripada tidak semena-menanya dikaitkan dengan politik.

    Namun Profesor Chan Heng Chee berkata, jika begitu, saranan sedemikian hanya boleh dilaksanakan setengah dekad kemudian.

    Dan menurutnya, ia “terlalu lama”.

    Sesi perbincangan awam seterusnya akan diadakan Jumaat ini.

    Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg