Dr Tony Tan favourite for President role

Regret subscribing ST. When subscription is over, I will not buy the Straits time. Too much coverage on pap and not much on the oppositions. I feel sad that Mr.Ong, our beloved President who was trying to do his job as a responsible President was denied the State funeral. Pap was really too much. I learned more relevant information from yahoo news instead.

Nathan 2nd highest no. ov votes ? I think this is bull. Really hard to believe. Bull

What is elected president ? Singaporean do not wants the PAP APPOINTED PRESIDENT!!!!!!

All the 3 + 1 also have ties with the PAP, thses 4 include Tan KL. Does it make any different ? So what if he is from WP, still the same politically affliated ! All those people in this forum keep complaining this and that is a waste of time. No matter who is being voted it will never satisfy any parties. The Pro-WP will make noise regardless whether it is good or bad. And the PAP will keep stressing how good the candidate is. Just let the people vote and stop talking so much irrelevant things.

It's a long message - here is Part 1/4

President Ong died a bitter man.

Reflections & Refractions!!!!!

This was the one brave man who stood up and got punished by not given a state funeral – a honour accorded to all previous Presidents and even Goh Keng Swee who was only a DPM . A President who was told he had no right to see the account of GIC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You probably have read this? President Ong's interview with Asiaweek - revisited




Timely reminder of the need for checks and balance

President Ong's interview with Asiaweek - revisited

In light of President Nathan's press conference where he explained why he approved the government's request to use the reserves, we re-publish former President Ong Teng Cheong's interview with AsiaWeek (10 March 2000) where he revealed the obstacles he faced when he asked for the copies of the government's accounts on the reserves and investments.

'I Had a Job to Do' Whether the government liked it or not, says ex-president Ong

ONG Teng Cheong will go down in history as Singapore's first elected president. But for twenty years before that, the Chinese-educated, foreign-trained architect was a stalwart of the nation's People's Action Party government led by its first PM Lee Kuan Yew. Ong, now 64, was minister of communications, of culture, and of labour; he was also deputy PM, secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress, and chairman of Lee's PAP. By common consent, he was the man who kept the Chinese ground loyal to the party; indeed, his command of the language was such that Lee always asked Ong to accompany him whenever he visited China. In the 1980s, Ong was one of the party's four senior 'second echelon' leaders who were considered as possible successors to Lee. It was Ong's long time friend, Goh Chok Tong, who got the nod for the job. Ong, who was diagnosed as suffering from lymphatic cancer in 1992, chose instead to run in the first elections for the presidency the following year.

He won - and soon became embroiled in a six-year long festering dispute with his former colleagues in government over how much information he should have in order to fulfil his role in safeguarding Singapore's prodigious financial reserves. The altercation came to a head last year when Ong and his mentor Lee and friend Goh clashed publicly and rancorously in a rare display of disunity among PAP heavyweights. He decided not to run for re-election as president - but not before he had spooked Goh's men by leaving the announcement until the last moment. He has now returned to the private architecture firm he set up with his late wife, Ling Siew May, and which is now run by one of his two sons. His doctors have given him a clean bill of health after a debilitating bout with lymphatic cancer - though he still wears a cap to cover the baldness caused by chemotherapy treatment. Last week, he gave his first in-depth interview about his presidency to senior correspondent Roger Mitton in a nearly two-hour long talk. Extended Excerpts:

The general feeling is that there is a lack of moral integrity in the Law Minister K. Shanmugam in his tendentious way of expounding the quest of the late President Ong Teng Cheong for an account or details of the Singapore reserves. Minister Shanmugam showed a fertile imagination in asserting that President Ong was not ” stonewalled” and was in fact provided with “a complete listing of State buildings and lands” by the Government. He further asserted that President Ong wanted all of them valued at (then) current values which could have taken 56 man-years.

Quite fantastic! This was the first time that Singaporeans had ever heard that President Ong had asked for a listing of State buildings and lands. All along it was made clear in the public’s mind that President Ong had asked for an account or details of the Singapore reserves which had caused great consternation to the PAP leaders. For some esoteric reason, the PAP leaders considered it prudent not to share this information on Singapore reserves with President Ong lest it could lead to some unforeseen consequences. So the PAP wallahs hatched a grotesque excuse to President Ong that it would take 30 years of work to provide the information the President had sought for.

President Ong was not so naive as not to realise that this was an underhand trick of the Government to prevent him access to the information he asked for. And as to be expected, this was the beginning of his turbulent relationship with the PAP Government, which is never known to be magnanimous. This state of affairs continued until the retirement of President Ong. The PAP leaders continued their vindictiveness even after his death by not according him a State Funeral, when other lesser dignitaries were accorded this honour when they died.

The disrespectful impertinence towards President Ong by the PAP leaders over Singapore reserves has continued to fester among Singaporeans who from time to time showed outrage on this disrespect. President Ong was regarded as a People’s President and was adored by Singaporeans, especially the Chinese-educated. There is a prospect that this will continue to haunt the Government and so Mr. K. Shanmugam, as Law Minister, took upon himself to try to put the ghost to rest. With due respect to him, he lacks the finesse and moral integrity to put up a convincing explanation. He started on the wrong footing by asserting that there was no “stonewalling” of President Ong which no decent Singaporean would believe. Then out of the blue with a sleight-of-hand he introduced a so-called “complete listing of State buildings and lands” provided by the Government. Mr. Shanmugam did not mention if President Ong was satisfied with the Government’s presentation, which would have obfuscated him, let alone satisfied. The puzzling question is why should President Ong want a listing of State buildings and lands when it was clear in everyone’s mind what he asked for was about Singapore’s reserves.

If Minister K. Shanmugam expects his sophistry to dispel the suspicion of Government’s disrespectful treatment of President Ong, he will have to try harder and with more sincerity

What the HECK!!!.....The very fact that he is SPH Chairman, says that he is has been on the best of terms with the heads of PAP. The LEE Family is known to reward cornies & yes man with jobs after retierement. To make him Chairman of SPH shows the trust that have in him to continue with the task of suppressing media freedom & ensuring that news is skewed towards praising the PAP.

Something is really wrong with the whole system. Ministers getting high pay check like Mah Bow Tan, raymond Lim, PAP leaders not in tune with the general floor's sentiments, everybody wants to be president for the SGD4.2 mil, high cost of living but salary didnt increase as much, Ministers start saying things that angers the public, etc. Bear in mind, what ever the ministers comments are, they have a strong effects. Say something wrong without feelings for the people of Singapore, end result=loss of GRC. It could also be the end of the ministers' career like those that left the cabinent.Please be prudent on your speeches and comments-ministers...

No thanks.

Not another President with PAP connections especially Tony Tan was close to the PAP Inner Circle.

As SPH Chairman, he was was responsible for Singapore's poor Media Freedom. The Media is still PAP's prostitute especially ST.

With Tony Tan's close PAP connections, how can he as President effectively check on PAP unnecessary use of reserves and how will Tony ask difficult but necessary questions on PAP ??

President is suppose to guard reserves against government and PAP is the government now.

You get ex-PAP man with heavy PAP connections to check on PAP. Where is the audit and transparency ?? Lots of conflicts of interests here.

Singapore does not need another cruiser and auto-pilot like Nathan who ask no questions at all and is not pro-active in defining and expanding President role of Singapore.

At least Ong Teng Cheong tried to define the role of President and execute his Presidential duties.

Under Nathan, the Singapore Presidency was reduced to just a flower vase with the highest pay in the world.

Even Queen Elizabeth made more speeches, appear in public more, talk to world leaders more and initiate plenty of programmes even though her role is also ceremonial like Nathan.

Tony Tan got 48% of votes... and SR Nathan second?? I am highly suspicious... Smacks of big time kelong ..

I will not vote for any candidate that is closely associated with the ruling party.

My CPF balance is LESS than any minister ONE month salary.
A whole lifetime of work which bears this little sweet fruit and be
made untouchable by WHO ??????????????
The "president" MUST tabled what he/she CAN do & WILL do
before he/she is accepted as legitimate for the PEOPLE.
Otherwise, just another "puppet" salary that effects the payment
of the people CPF.
If a "president" CANNOT & DO NOT knows what the Nation
Reserves, WHAT IS HE/SHE GUARDING ? 2ND KEY TO WHAT ?
An EMPTY vault ??

Champion the release of people's CPF at 55 and MOST will champion
your candidacy. First good step. Or else, dont waste further people's
money which is good to release to them.
All the best.

l think l will vote for karung guni man if he wish to be President of Singapore.

what is the use of being a President and there is no improvement in our lives. Aiya, same story, different puppet!

Hoala...Dr Tony Tan....

GIC Chairman...and Elected President ?
What can you do for the people, instead of just having funs with the people, and be a 'symbol' in the name of the People Elected President ...~~~

True, you spoke out against the IR and against Graduate Mother's Scheme...against what the old man thought only Graduate mother can produce smart babies..genetically... so that PAP can keep those in their circle and continue to remain in power... Smart Thinking but might be the downfall of the Lee. You save the Lee...not the people.

So, what can you do as a President, then ?

The police case of embattled PAP MP Tin Pei Ling has been transferred to Central Police Division with a new Investigation Officer in charge.

A police report was lodged against Ms Tin on 12 May 2011 for allegedly flouting election laws on ‘Cooling-off’ day by posting a snide remark about her opponent Nicole Seah on her Facebook page though Ms Tin claimed that it was posted by her ‘administrator’ – the elusive ‘Denise He’ whose existence in real life had not been verified by anybody.

Ms Kimberly Chan, who lodged the report was informed that the police is still looking into the matter when she called to ask for an update on the case.

According to a netizen who called Inspector Diong yesterday, he promised to do a ‘proper job’ to account to the public:

“Insp Diong returned my call today. He said he is currently investigating the matter and will report to the complainant the outcome once he is done. He is aware he is accountable to the people for the outcome of his investigation and wants to do a proper job. I told him that we fully support a thorough investigation into the matter and look forward to his report on the same.”

In the meantime, Ms Tin continues to act ‘yaya’ as if nothing has happened. In her latest post on her Facebook page on 13 June 2011, she ’showcased’ her ‘volunteer work’ to distribute food rations to needy families in her constituency:

“Very happy to work wif Man Fatt Tong volunteers & RC mbrs to distribute food rations to 420 families. Looking at the happy faces on some of the elderly residents who received the pack, my heart was warmed & I’m so glad to be part of this movement. Sincere appreciation to volunteers for past weeks’ planning & hard work yesterday!”

The thread attracted more than 2,400 comments in four days with most of them criticizing and slamming her, an indication of how ‘popular’ Ms Tin is among young Singaporeans.

Judging from the response from the ground, it appears that PM Lee is indeed ‘wise’ to field Ms Tin as a candidate to ‘engage’ young Singaporeans. She single-handedly woke many young Singaporeans out of political apathy as evidenced at the number of Facebook pages set up spontaneously to call for her resignation.

Tin Pei Ling police case still must wait long long is it.....?

The case outcome will determine the result of GE 2016......!!!!

We Gen - Y cant wait to vote out PAP Ministers and MPs out....!!!!!!

Faster...faster lor....

Why need PE. Just 2 ballot box, 1 for "YES" and 1 for "NO". i AM SURE ,majority would vote "NO", cause we don't need a puppet President and spending Millions $$$$$$$$$$.It just a waste of TAX payer money. Just release back our CPF money. We need it.

56 years to get the answer of what the late president ong request for? Come on lah does the govt. think we are a bunch of dumb @#$%? More like it will take 56 years for the govt to cover up where all the $ had went to and how it was used.

There is a saying, our ancestor planted a tree, we then can have shade under that tree.
So our ancestors having planted so many trees, is it too much to know the actual trees conditions and fruitfulness??????????
Is the tree already chopped???
How come do not dare to own up???
Very interesting???
Seem like the present govt forgot, the present generation are not uneducated, so just show the figures(True one). We can see it. We have plenty of accountants, I.T professional, etc etc to look at it.
Unless, they still think we are like our ancestors not educated, very submissive, and easily smoked!!!
Sound like Prata man again....... everything is ok, while shaking the head, and nodding the head?
?!!!