Selecting the next President

Up until now, selecting a President of the Republic was a surreal experience. The President who has custodial responsibilities was always a pro-government personality save one. The first EP was supposed to be a PAP man and expected to be quietly friendly to them. He turned out to be independent minded. Assuming George Yeo runs for the job and gets in, he could make it uncomfortable for the PAP government too. Who knows? Well we can guess. If George Yeo runs but he is not the government nominee, then GY will definitely not be like SR Nathan by a long shot. I shall always remember Nathan for offering the reserves to the government even before they asked!

If GY is offered as the government nominee, I would hesitate supporting him.

I think Dr. Tan Cheng Bock would be an independent minded President. His doctoring charms would go far in rallying the people. He could be the resurrection of  the late Wee Kim Wee. On the other hand his relationship with the government of the day and the Council of Presidential Advisers might be testy from fierce disagreements. Would he become an ineffective President as a result? Loved by the people but detested by the government?

George Yeo can be expected to be creative as the EP. He will reinvent the job but any hopes of him poking his fingers into foreign policy would be mistaken because contrary to what people wish or think, that is the government's job. GY is too cerebral for the common man, but as shown by his success in cyberspace, he is a determined and adaptable man. However as a person to unify the people, I suppose he have the most powerful philosophy and concepts for that, but to put that into practice, is a totally separate matter. For GY is the intellectual who provides the brain food to nourish a more practical and personable persons to do the job. I imagine he has tremendous difficulties connecting with the hoi polloi at the emotional level. I don't see how he and they can share metaphors.

Don't take WP suggestion to "promote GY to President" too seriously. It was just their strategy to leverage the ignorance of enough voters that they wouldn't be losing GY if he was voted out of Aljunied. Silly of Phillip Yeo to suggest it on GY facebook page moments ago that GY has WP support.

In the final analysis, the ideal EP must be an aspirational character for the majority of us. He must live our values, lead by force of his high moral character, a monarch without being a monarch. Therefore choose someone like Yusof Ishak, Benjamin Sheares or Wee Kim Wee. While the government talks GDP and business, the EP dispenses wisdom on cherished timeless values of nation, family and society. He lives and defend the pledge which Raja had written for us. By his visible example, he inspires us to to reach the high cliff of our aspirations as one united people regardless of race, language or religion to build a democratic society based on justice and equality so as to achieve peace, happiness and progress for or nation.

Of course, the EP must be a good public speaker and be amazing at relating one to one. Being invited to tea with him like Wee Kim Wee was fond of doing must be an unforgettable experience.

I have established my parameters on who I would vote for as the next EP. Keeping in mind Yusof Ishak for tirelessly working for the unity and sacrificial love for the people across race and religion; Benjamin Sheares for dignity, and the highest scholarly achievements and service; Wee Kim Wee for humility, character and empathy, who had completely filled out the yawning gaps of  PAP ministers and MPs. Financial knowledge ranks last with me as he would be advised by his council of advisers and informed by his admirable personal values and character on the right decision to take.