One of the surprises in the just concluded General Elections 2011 (GE 2011) was the defeat of former Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo. During the hustling, it was reported that if he was defeated, Mr Yeo would be a candidate for the Presidential Election.
This was vehemently denied by Mr Yeo during and immediately after the elections. Now it seems that he had changed his mind. In his latest update on his Facebook page, Mr Yeo hinted that he is reconsidering his decision as "many Singaporeans from different walks of life, young and old, have asked me to reconsider my decision on the Presidency.”
So far, the views on his decision have been mixed. Some believe he is going back on his word, while others love the idea of him being the President. My view on this; knock yourself out Mr Yeo!
Elections are about choices and if a 23 year veteran of the political scene want to contest the Presidential Election, that’s a good thing for Singaporeans. He is experienced, intelligent and respected in the region. Even the most pro-opposition supporter in Singapore would be hard-pressed to say he will make a bad President.
So if Mr Yeo decides to contest the Presidential Election, I’m all for it. Singaporeans can make a choice of whether to vote him in as the President, and it will be good to have such a choice to make.
8 comments:
What if the people reject him one more time and he this time round? Will he commit suicide? If not how will he feel? Is it a sure-win situation? He entered PAP politics on a sure-win ticket 20 years ago, right? Can PAP ensure that he wins again?
does one really need to be "experienced, intelligent and respected in the region" for a ceremonial post?
April 2005 in Parliament – Goh Chok Tong: “Right from the beginning, I kept an open mind on the casino question. When the subject was first broached by George Yeo, the Minister for Trade and Industry, PM and many Ministers were against it. The project nearly did not see the light of day. But George Yeo persisted. As the Minister in charge of the economy, he had to persist.”
http://iamsg.blogspot.com/2011/05/based-on-parliament-debate-on-casino-in.html
Debate yes, but do not take those in authority as ‘equals’
The Straits Times (Singapore) 20 Feb 1995 p11
Remember your place in society before you engage in political debate, said Information and the Arts Minister George Yeo yesterday.
Debate cannot degenerate into a free-for-all where no distinction is made between the senior and junior party, or what the Hokkiens describe as ‘boh tua, boh suay’.
You must make distinctions—what is high, what is low, what is above, what is below—and then within this, we can have a debate, we can have a discussion, he added.
Speaking to reporters … on the parameters of debate, an issue sparked off by the Catherine Lim controversy, he made it clear that people should not take on those in authority as ‘equals’. The Prime Minister responded to writer Catherine Lim for her article on his governing style because her tone showed disrespect for authority.
Brig-Gen (NS) Yeo recalled that in 1991, the National Trades Union Congress raised a rumpus when Straits Times columnist Sumiko Tan criticised then union-MP Goh Chee Wee for his speech in Parliament.
Mr Goh felt that Miss Tan was ‘wagging her finger at him’, he said. Likewise, during last year’s Budget debate, Parliament took issue with ST columnist Cherian George for his comments on the Speaker’s handling of the guillotine. ‘He had no right to speak to the Speaker as an equal.’
Of course he must be experienced, intelligent and respected. The President may be a ceremonial post but he is the head of state. You want a Tom, Dick and Harry from the street to be the President? I sure don't.
Another thing is that my post isn't about whether Mr Yeo will win the Presidential Election. It's about the fact I believe he should run! He should run and let Singaporeans decide.
GY thinks he a above all the people.. he forgets that public service is serving the public and not the other way around.
The image of GY has been carefully crafted by the MSM.. so what you see is not what you will get .. watch out.. because he bites .. with venom.
George Yeo has every right to run for Presidency.
My only questions are;
a)Is George Yeo politically neutral just because he resigns his long standing political party membership?
b)Does the President need to be politically neutral?
After all, President Obama does not have to resign from his Democrat Party.
c)Can a candidate endorsed by a political party ever be politically neutral?
d)How do we define political neutrality?
I just find the last minute act of resigning from a long held political party membership to "prove political neutrality" a bit of a wayang.
If political neutrality is that important, then a candidate should not be a political party member for at least 1 year. As part of qualifying criteria.
If neutrality not important, then let them keep their political party membership.
If he does run, as it seems the case, these are questions Singaporeans can ask. I hope he run and give Singaporeans the choice of deciding for themselves.
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