Whether the President and the First Lady look good or not on the portraits in our offices and schools is not an issue to me at all. With Photoshop, you can do a lot of magic to wrinkles and eye bags.But with the Constitution, you can't.
I seem to get the impression that people voting for TJS are hoping for some kind of opposition against the ruling party, which is missing the point. Constitutionally, the President post is not made for that. Only MPs serve this purpose. Of course we don't want a President who says yes to everything the government says or does, but we need someone who can hold his own, maintain his integrity but question and assert his constitutional powers when necessary. So it may be more helpful to imagine crucial scenarios like crises when national reserves need to be tapped on, appeals for clemency, meeting foreign dignitaries and gracing charity events. Who would be the best man for the job?
To think one can "punish" the PAP with your preferred President is not very pragmatic, because at the end of the day, he has very limited powers. Democracy is contested and won during GE, and in the Parliament, but not at the Istana.
I seem to get the impression that people voting for TJS are hoping for some kind of opposition against the ruling party, which is missing the point. Constitutionally, the President post is not made for that. Only MPs serve this purpose. Of course we don't want a President who says yes to everything the government says or does, but we need someone who can hold his own, maintain his integrity but question and assert his constitutional powers when necessary. So it may be more helpful to imagine crucial scenarios like crises when national reserves need to be tapped on, appeals for clemency, meeting foreign dignitaries and gracing charity events. Who would be the best man for the job?
To think one can "punish" the PAP with your preferred President is not very pragmatic, because at the end of the day, he has very limited powers. Democracy is contested and won during GE, and in the Parliament, but not at the Istana.
No comments:
Post a Comment