tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852717036526979577.post3036792638287583245..comments2024-03-08T19:26:19.450+08:00Comments on Blogging for Myself: For my children: Why the President must be beyond Politics.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852717036526979577.post-10196862266107447472011-07-29T09:08:15.634+08:002011-07-29T09:08:15.634+08:00" If Singaporeans really want an alternative ..." If Singaporeans really want an alternative voice, a champion, then vote Chee Soon Juan into Parliament or more opposition. Voting in the EP is not going to change any policy, period. "<br /><br />Why do you think Chee is suffering all these abuses by govt for so long?<br /><br />It is well and good to talk about party politics as the platform. But, this is credible only in a country like UK, US, France, Germany, Australia, NZ and many other European countries where the rights of an opposition party and its members are respected by the govt of the day. <br /><br />You must be joking to even suggest that it is also possible here where the LAW even made it illegal for ONE person to stand up publicly to voice his opinion, let alone his dissent. For those who are still like the sleeping frog in a slowly heating up pot of water, such a performance by a lone person is according to PAP made law, an ILLEGAL GATHERING. Such a concept makes a laughing stock of the govt of Singapore the world over.<br /><br />So please stop preaching and misinforming others about the situation here. The way LKY and his cronies have been behaving towards people who have different views here and the world over have been earning the govt lots of IOUs from people, esp, those outside of the country just waiting and biding their time to kick it in the teeth whenever the opportunities arrive and the PAP cannot do anything about it, except to lie to Singaporeans and muzzle the local press from spilling the beans about it. <br /><br />One reason the GIC did so badly during the financial storm may be attribute to such golden opportunities to wack the LKY gang. LKY has NEVER won any court cases outside Singapore eg. LKY's case against ex-president Nair in Canada. Australia is a good example of a country who is constantly getting one back for Singaporeans and the rest of the world by being able to dictate terms to the govt because of its superior bargaining position and perhaps hardened ex-convict forefathers (joking). And I must say, most of the time the PAP govt deserves it for their petty tin-pot dictatorship behaviour. The Aussies are obviously not impress. See how heavy a going SIA has been having for decades trying to spread its wings downunder?<br /><br />The very unfortunate thing for us Singaporeans is that no significant changes is possible until the local dictator and autocrat leaves the scene- PERMANENTLY. I don't believe that part about clawing his way out of the grave!Garyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14240714679371017671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852717036526979577.post-28298118557831829232011-07-29T08:37:51.306+08:002011-07-29T08:37:51.306+08:00@KAM
That is exactly what the government wants you...@KAM<br />That is exactly what the government wants you to think. This is one where the government would not want anyone, the EP included, to think out of the box.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852717036526979577.post-671028743258115442011-07-29T04:22:03.383+08:002011-07-29T04:22:03.383+08:00An EP is not a King (like the one in Thailand), no...An EP is not a King (like the one in Thailand), nor the Queen (like the one in UK), and so the clowns running for it, are misunderstanding the role of the EP.<br /><br />If Singaporeans really want an alternative voice, a champion, then vote Chee Soon Juan into Parliament or more opposition. Voting in the EP is not going to change any policy, period.KAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852717036526979577.post-700461606998519352011-07-28T15:28:51.880+08:002011-07-28T15:28:51.880+08:00@"An activist President will cost us dearly. ...@"An activist President will cost us dearly. If you want to be activist, go and get elected into Parliament. The Presidency is the wrong place for it. You will be forcing the government of the day to remove you from office."<br /><br /><br />For roles and responsibilities of the EP, these could be and are defined by the Constitution. <br /><br />When its "Voice of the People" ... The Constitution would not be able to define this, or rather dictate the "scope" of what people want to say freely. <br /><br />Obviously, the EP will be intelligent enough to reflect the "Voice of the People" only relating to his "Roles and responsibilities". Certainly, this should not be a "minority" voice. Whether or not the EP will "go wrong" whilst speaking up, it is a performance issue. Choose one who is logically with the right "values". <br /><br />Due to "structural issues" with governance as pointed out by Mr Tan KL, is it then necessary to see where the thin line falls between the role and responsibilities of the Govt with "executive powers" and those of the EP with "custodial powers"? Our Govt now wants to keep them separate and distinct. <br /><br />So if MPs and the Govt., given the "executive" powers; chose to "ignore" or "keep quiet", should the EP then speaks up as ""Voice of the People", while representing the majority (both technically, as empowered by the people's votes; and practically, as collecting and representing people's views) <br /><br />Next is whether the Constitution should give the EP a "leeway" to say more outside his "authorised" roles and responsibilities which are defined by the Constitution. Again, if the Govt refuses to amend the Constitution in this respect, can the EP raise this up openly?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852717036526979577.post-53548037915118674912011-07-28T13:05:09.546+08:002011-07-28T13:05:09.546+08:00The question is not whether the president should b...The question is not whether the president should be above politics or not, but why is there a clamour for an "activist" president? Could it be a symptom of some fundmental flaw in our structure of governance? I think that if there was a true separation of powers in the first place, such a clamour would not have occurred.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852717036526979577.post-21697803139000530652011-07-28T09:01:35.861+08:002011-07-28T09:01:35.861+08:00I support the suggestion of a non-activist preside...I support the suggestion of a non-activist president.<br />I must qualify this statement by saying that "non-activist" means not pushing own agenda and / or create another political power / centre.<br />The EP should be non-activist, but it should not stop him from interacting with ordinary citizens everyday, should not hide in the palace all days. Maybe a way to learn if from King of Thailand, where he was well respected by the people of Thailand, although there been lots of political unrest in the country. Thai King did not push for any political agenda nor political reforms, but he has the courage to make statement in time of crisis, to remind the government in power address people's concern. He is certainly an example to follow.<br />I understand this suggestion will not go down well to many, in particular those believes EP should take confrontational approach.<br />Perhaps best to address this issue is to adopt suggestion from WP - abolish EP system and move on from there.<br />For those seek a change, GE is the route, and I believe the change is slowly (to some people, it was too slow) taking place from the just concluded GE in May.<br />Wish all well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852717036526979577.post-27731092836531190322011-07-28T07:52:44.336+08:002011-07-28T07:52:44.336+08:00We had a non-activist president for the past 12 ye...We had a non-activist president for the past 12 years. Did he perform the "needed role of someone above and beyond politics at those critical moments"?<br /><br />Time to move on and change what is clearly not workingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com