As for Tony Tan being more equipped to be our top diplomat, I think we have to rank our domestic needs ahead of that. Let the MFA worry over that one.
I was discussing this issue over lunch today with an ex-colleague. His is unhappy with the PAP (many people who vote for them are!) but feels that Tony Tan is the better man. I detected he wasn't so sure as our discussion wore on. He hadn't spent much time thinking through this issue yet. Emphatically, he is not for Tan Kin Lian as he knew more than the man in the street about how he functioned as NTUC Income CEO. It is an opinion I have heard from other corners too, including an ex colleague who had a meeting with him and MAS many years ago.
The dominance of the PAP in Singapore is so comprehensive. We can never find a suitable candidate that had no association with them.
My fear is the PAP is not beneath raiding the reserves to fund populist policies in order to win big int he next elections. Tony Tan cut from the same cloth would be sympathetic to them. They have always been somewhat populist. They just refused to admit it. As they had judged the Opposition, they were simply using them as a mirror to look at themselves too. Don't the pot always call the kettle black?
Lee Kuan Yew is our unofficial reserves blocker. Why do you think he is still involved with GIC? It is not realistic to think he would be able to perform that role much longer.
You are right that behind the official protocol, the real powers are vested in one sagely old man.
ReplyDeleteQuestion is - will he be around by GE 2016?
The outcome of this EP election is not that crucial vis-a-vis the next GE; although it be be more distracting and inconvenient to LHL if the PAP's preferred candidate failed to win.
Is Dr Tan Cheng Bock good enough just because he spoke up a few times? Did he follow up or do anything else besides speaking up? He was an MP for so long but did he do anything to actually improve Singaporeans' lives? Why did he not say anything before GE 2011? Why is he only speaking up after GE2011 when he's running for President? Contrary to his claim, Dr Tan Cheng Bock's actions or lack of real actions as an MP have shown that he has compromised all his life. He will collect the multi-million dollar Presidential salary and not make one bit of difference in Singaporean's lives, just like what happened when he was an MP.
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