We can debate till the cow comes home and we still won’t get anywhere. Let’s face it, apart from performing his ceremonial function as Head of State, when will the elected president who in all probability, will be a pro PAP or ex-PAP man find himself in a situation where he will have to invoke his custodian and veto powers?
The answer to that question will depend on when the PAP government is expected to lose power - GE2016, GE2021, GE2026 or even longer? If the PAP government doesn't lose power, it will continue to control or use (call it invest if you like) the reserves as it deems fit since it is the one who has accumulated them (the reserves). In which case, the pro PAP EP will not want to rock the boat and be happy to just cruise along.
And even if the PAP does lose power one day, why is there a need for the pro PAP EP to invoke the said powers to block the new government of the day and prevent it from going about its business of governing? Does the PAP not expect that the new government of the day will be elected by the people through fair and democratic election? And if the new government is indeed democratically elected by the people, why shouldn’t it be allowed to govern freely without the need for presidential interference?
The argument that reserves accumulated by previous government and cannot be used by the government of the day is flawed because reserves belong to the people. Or is it right for the government to always assume that whichever party wins a future election - other than the PAP - it can only win by default because of a freak election outcome threw up by an ill-informed electorate, as envisaged by LKY in justifying the idea of an elected presidency?
In the context of Singapore as a parliamentary democratic republic, the idea of an elected presidency for the purpose intended is clearly and hopelessly skewed. Surely, there is no harm to elect the president if the government is really obsessed with democratic practices and truly believe in the need to choose our president through fair and open elections.
But it should only be done for the right reason. Electing a president for a function that, for all practical purposes and intent, is not needed to be carried out cannot be said to be the right reason. It is simply nothing more than political melodrama at work and therefore, a pure waste of time and public money.
A better use of public money is to hold a referendum for the people to decide if they want in the first place, an elected presidency that costs the taxpayers $4.2 million a year for a purported role it doesn't play or need to play.
Well said! But as long as PAP is in power things will not change. It's a long road ahead.
ReplyDeleteI am not going to waste my time to vote. Why are we the people so stupid that we are being played like a fool in this political wayang set up to perpetrate the PAP's rule and the continuity of this unaccountable and opaque dynasty? What are the choices really among the 3 Tans? All of them are PAP-related though some play to appear independent? So, all these are just wayang to show sort of democracy on this island. People of Singapore should just ignore this wayang and take the day off to enjoy themselves. When the total % participants in this EP election is low, this will send a signal to those who are dreaming of perpetuating one-party dominant political parliament. Perhaps, this may force the dynasty politics to change a bit. The real change is to have an alternative party to be voted in.
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