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Tag: walkover

  • PM Lee: Why Didn’t Malay Candidates Come Up In PE2011? Cause They Knew Non-Chinese Have No Chance

    PM Lee: Why Didn’t Malay Candidates Come Up In PE2011? Cause They Knew Non-Chinese Have No Chance

    Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made it plain that he knew the reserved presidential election would be unpopular and would cause the ruling party to lose votes, but said it had to be done because it was the right thing to do.

    Addressing the unhappiness over the election for the first time at a dialogue last Saturday (Sept 23), he said: “Did I know that this subject would be a difficult one? That it would be unpopular and would cost us votes? Yes, I knew. If I do not know that these are sensitive matters, I cannot be in politics.”

    “But I did it, because I strongly believe, and still do, that this is the right thing to do,” he added.

    The candid remarks were the first by the Prime Minister, since Madam Halimah Yacob was declared President in a walkover at the election reserved for Malay candidates.

    PM Lee was speaking at a People’s Association Kopi Talk dialogue with about 500 grassroots leaders last Saturday, and the Prime Minister’s Office released an edited transcript on Friday (Sept 29).

    During the dialogue, he spoke about race, multiracialism, terrorism and the elected presidency, and gave a stout defence of why constitutional changes were made to reserve elections for groups that have not held the presidency for some time.

    Acknowledging that there was “some unhappiness” over the election, PM Lee said: “I can feel that; you don’t have to tell me.”

    He noted that the Government had spent nearly two years preparing to make changes to the Constitution, and had discussed and debated the issue continually since he first raised the subject in January 2016 during the opening of Parliament.

    “But it is only now that people are seized with it, after a reserved election in which only one candidate qualified,” he said.

    PM Lee added that while some people think “we may be going backwards towards racial politics”, the reality “is the opposite”.

    In fact, he said, ensuring that minorities are elected president from time to time will strengthen Singapore’s multiracial system.

    The current state of affairs, where Singaporeans of different races and religions live in harmony, is not a given, he said.

    “There is nothing natural about where we are – multiracial, multi-religious, tolerant and progressive. We made it happen, and we have got to protect it, nurture it, preserve it, and never break it.”

    Referring to the recently-concluded reserved election, Mr Lee said that three Malay candidates had put themselves up for the presidency, of whom two did not qualify.

    “But they came forward,” he added.

    In the 2011 presidential election, there was not one Malay candidate, he noted.

    “Was there a Malay candidate? Where were the Farid Khans and the Salleh Maricans? Why didn’t they come? It did not cross their minds? No. So why didn’t they come? Because they knew that in an open election – all things being equal – a non-Chinese candidate would have no chance,” he said.

    Citing President Halimah, who said when she was sworn in that she looked forward to the day when reserved elections are no longer needed, Mr Lee said: “I too hope that we will eventually not need such a mechanism to ensure minority representation.”

    But he said it would take time to work towards this ideal state.

    “In climbing towards that ideal state, we need guide-ropes and guard-rails to help us get there and to prevent us from falling off along the way. The reserved election for the President is one such guard-rail,” he added.

     

    Source: http://www.straitstimes.com

  • Commentary: I Think Halimah Has What It Takes To Be People’s President

    Commentary: I Think Halimah Has What It Takes To Be People’s President

    I can understand the unhappiness expressed by some Singaporeans with the Presidential Election, as they felt that they had been deprived of a choice (Hundreds protest against reserved Presidential Election; Sept 16, online).

    A contest would have been good, as it would have given Singaporeans the opportunity to vote for someone they believe in, who can represent them on the world stage.

    With the decision made, however, perhaps we can now give Mdm Halimah Yacob a chance to prove herself.

    A dynamic politician or leader is one who shows empathy and is willing to speak out on an issue, no matter how thorny it is. To the best of my knowledge, Mdm Halimah is one such person.

    During her tenure as a union leader, Minister of State and Member of Parliament, she often spoke up for workers’ welfare and supported the marginalised in our society.

    While I was a volunteer for six months with Club Heal, a voluntary welfare organisation helping Muslims and other Singaporeans with mental health issues, I could see that she felt for those facing adversities in life.

    Despite her busy schedule, she found time to attend Club Heal’s events and mingle with patients and their family members.

    She is a people person, as she is humble and mixes with Singaporeans from all walks of life.

    I am confident that with her positive energy, she will also become the people’s President.

    The two other applicants had mentioned that they wanted to serve all Singaporeans, but were disappointed not to have been able to contest the election. They can still serve Singapore by considering setting up a charity each to help the needy.

     

    Source: Raymond Anthony Fernando from http://www.todayonline.com

     

  • Commentary: Madam President, I Hope You Can Proof Your Critiques Wrong, Walk The Talk, Show You’re People’s President

    Commentary: Madam President, I Hope You Can Proof Your Critiques Wrong, Walk The Talk, Show You’re People’s President

    DIVIDE AND CONQUER?
    Our president? No she is not?

    It is truly sickening and saddening to see this whole circus turning into a racial mud sling like no other. It‘s purely the Malay feeling slighted cause the Majority Chinese and the minority Indians seems not to be able to accept Madam Halimah Selection cause of her perceived race of being Malay. I saw such unbecoming racist comment in all social media news. We are taking 3 steps backwards. It’s a black moment for us all.

    They just miss the point and turn it into a racial slur to their convenience without understanding the whole issues. It’s no longer about the MALAY presidency, that majority of Singaporeans are able to accept. It’s the walkover where the other contenders are denied a fight that pissed us no end and the denial to our voting rights. If Farid and Salleh Marican are fielded one of them , Indian or Malay or even Halimah will be stalled then our votes had done the talking and we will be more appeased.

    So as the story goes! Singaporeans as a whole is upset with this Malay only qualify to run PE. As to add salt to our already injured wounds, the Malay is not really Malay. But then we were all hype up and was excited that well okaylah there will still be a contest. We will still be able to register our rights as voters with 3 Malay contenders. But lo and behold, it’s a walkover and that is when the Camel Break it’s straw and all hell break loose.

    That disappointment of a no contest is indescribable. Besides denying our rights to vote, we are denied the right to let our one and only vote do the talking. What a let down. And as though there is not enough entertainment for us, Madam President decides to turn her residential area into a Yistana. Well that is another fanfare for us netizen to have a field day with.

    All this excitement will soon dies down and life goes on as our outgoing president had admitted the highlight of his presidency is Schooling won a medal, well this is a merely ceremonial job.

    And to Madam President, I hope you can proof your critiques wrong including me. That you will do better than your predecessors. Be that unifying factory. Please help to close the bridge that will collapse slow and steady if not repaired in time.

    Now that you are bringing in that motherly figure as your style of governing. Please bear in mind we are all your children. Some of us are good and some are rebels. Whoever, we are we are your children that you have to love us equally and be fair and may one day we all grow to love and appreciate you for all goods that has been said about you and you have 6 years to do just that. To be a good and respected figure head. Walk the talk. Proof it that you are our president indeed! THE PEOPLE PRESIDENT!

     

    Source: Zarina Jaffar

  • Do Indians Regard Newly Elected President As A Traitor For Disowning Her Indian Race?

    Do Indians Regard Newly Elected President As A Traitor For Disowning Her Indian Race?

    Some people still don’t get it as to why Singapore’s 2017 Presidential Election is a discrimination to the Malay community. Some questioned where got anymore pure breed Malays in Singapore?

    Actually, to measure how Malay you are, it is tightly linked to how Islamic you are. If you notice, in our mainstream media, usually news bulletins or articles will feature Malays as “Malay/Muslim” or “Melayu/Islam” without fail. So, somehow, if you want to argue that there are Malays who have denounced Islam, yes, that can be true, but bottomline is, perhaps, majority of Malays are still Muslims, whether or not they are practicing Muslims.

    However, there are some people who may want to argue that the race group you belong to depends on your father. If your father is a Malay, then the child will be Malay. And this has been the government’s stand for the longest time. That is the reason why previously, Malay children do not have to pay for their school fees (however, this privilege has been withdrawn). The new President, Halimah Yacob, was born to an Indian father, hence, why is the government still flipping prata?

    Another issue is that the government has always been pressing on the meritocracy. Whoever has the ability will be accepted into any job, especially those high-ranking jobs. The meritocratic aspect does not give privilege to any individual from whatever race or religion. This was what the government has been proud of and that from here, we can see that those who have the ability will be successful in securing the high-ranking job without accounting the individual’s race or religion.

    However, for the Singapore’s 2017 Presidential Election, the government has bypass the meritocratic principle because other races were not allowed to contest for Presidency. This caused the other races, especially the Chinese to be very angry because it is true that the Presidential Election is an unfair one. And this also shame the Malay community because it is obvious that the newly “elected” President got her high-ranking job not based on meritocracy.

    And the Indians are also angry because the “elected” President is an Indian and dear Mdm President Halimah Yacob is seen as someone who disown her own race to become Malay and hence, be eligible for Presidency. If there is a Malay who declares him/herself as Chinese just to be eligible for a career in the political office, for sure, the Malay community will regard the individual as a traitor and a disgrace to the Malay community.

    It is obvious that the new “elected” President has caused so much unhappiness and problems to Singapore even before her term started.

     

    Rilek1Corner

  • Damanhuri Abas: Singaporeans Must Remember This Walkover When Next GE Comes, Don’t Be Cheated By PAP Again

    Damanhuri Abas: Singaporeans Must Remember This Walkover When Next GE Comes, Don’t Be Cheated By PAP Again

    Singaporeans woke up today unhappy and in sadness. The country rightly felt betrayed by the ruling party for denying our right to vote. The wound is real and the scar is permanent.

    Any doubt that this Reserved PE was a political ploy to deny Singaporeans to choose a popular President who clearly was a threat to the ruling party is now put to rest.

    This battle is lost not on fairplay, so the people should hold our heads high as the PAP Government cheated us again. Power has corrupted them.

    Let this be their last high fix before the fall. Do not allow anyone to forget our own 911 that intends to bring down our democracy.

    Singaporeans must remember this day when the next GE comes. The stakes are our children and our children’s children.

    We are not a racist nation they paint us to be. They are the one stoking racial sentiments again and again for their vested political interest. Let us unite as a nation to right this wrong.

    For after every hardship there will be ease. Again, after every hardship there will be ease.

    God bless you all.

     

    Source: Damanhuri Bin Abas