~by: Ravi Philemon~
~pictures: Shawn Danker~
‘Change’ was the theme of the 2011 Presidential Election. All four candidates tried to articulate and win over the electorate with their version of change.
For Presidential candidate Mr Tan Kin Lian, it was change through demystifying the office of the President. He wanted to do this by producing an annual report to account for the reserves under the custody of the President.
For Mr Tan Jee Say it was the substance of change. He wanted the President to be unaffiliated to the ruling party so that the primary role of the President which (according to him) was to check and balance the government would besides being independent, would also be perceived as non-symbiotic.
For Dr Tan Cheng Bock, change was about symbolism. He advocated for a clear separation of the offices of the President and Prime Minister. He wanted the Prime Minister’s Office to shift from the Istana and be situated elsewhere.
Even for President-elect Dr Tony Tan, it was change by the acceptance of the ‘new normal’. A ‘new normal’ which will see a stronger opposition in Parliament to compliment the ruling party to formulate better policies to enable a better Singapore.
In the end it was about who communicated their idea of change the best; it was also about whose idea of change the majority accepted (even if it was razor-thin) as something they can live with.
And speaking about communication of ideas, I think the new media was more instrumental in deciding the winners in the Presidential Election, than it was in the last General Election.
Let me explain.
In my opinion, it was Dr Tony Tan and Mr Tan Jee Say who went across various platforms to not only communicate their ideas, but also to give alternate media almost unhindered access to cover their campaign.
This was the reason why Mr Tan Jee Say was able to garner more than 25 per cent of the votes, and Dr Tony Tan was able to convince those that were ‘sitting on the fence’ that he may be worth considering.
And when I say the new media was more instrumental in deciding the winners of this election, I do not mean those that tried to reach out from their own new media platforms, (for going by that, Dr Tan Cheng Bock and Mr Tan Kin Lian were perhaps more tech-savvy than the other two) but those who besides engaging from platforms of their own, also engaged from those of others.
For example the team that was covering the Presidential election from TOC, needn’t guess on the schedule of Tan Jee Say during the campaign. His media team was very proactive in providing the full run-down of his schedule and gave unhindered access to our team.
As for Tony Tan, he kept engaging TOC despite the critical pieces our writers were writing about his campaign. He had absolutely no reason to do so.
Contrast this with one candidate’s “you are the one who wrote nasty articles about me right?” confrontation; and “Because I’ve never heard of you guys from the online media and my friends haven’t either, so it’s hard for us to take you seriously. The important media is the print media”, dismissal by another.
In a four-cornered, tightly fought election, proactive engagement with a platform like TOC could have given Tony Tan and Tan Jee Say that little bit of edge.
TOC congratulates Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam on being elected.
Going forward, it will be very difficult for the new President to not keep engaging the people of Singapore, using different and varied platforms.
In fact, this was the question TOC asked President -elect Dr Tony Tan at his media conference after his electoral victory, “How does he intend to remain accessible to the people of Singapore?”
To which Dr Tan replied that there are “many noises” before correcting himself, “voices – sorry” in Singapore today, and that he intends to reach them through small group gatherings and community events.
At the media conference, I had a relook at the handout which was given out (it was a copy of Dr Tony Tan’s statement at the media conference), and I was drawn to the words, “[Big SMILE]” on the handout; which was a personal reminder for him to smile at a certain juncture of making his statement.
I think this will be descriptive of the tenure of the new President. He will have to have a personal reminder to engage and remain accessible to the people who elected him, ever so often.
–
@yeoman
The unemployment rate is at one of its all time low. If you don’t have a job, please have some self-respect and look in the mirror instead of pointing the finger at others. Period. No need to say anymore.
@Don’t let PAP divide us
I don’t think you read the premise. Read it again.
Silence people. How on earth can one guy silence anyone? Goodness. Make some sense.
If Tan Jee Say was willing to be a PAP dog all this time, doesn’t it mean that there is a high possibility that he is one hell of a political opportunist? But you don’t want to believe that, do you? Because one is able to working so closely to one of the key figure in the PAP and after all these years, according to you, learn something and become wiser. If so, I wonder why people don’t afford TCB and TKL the same benefit of the doubt.
People believe what they want to. Touch your heart. Be honest.
@Come Together
“unemployment rate at all time low”
Where do you get your figures of unemployment rate?
When you say all time low, do you compare citizens only (not incl PRs), yr on yr?
Any idea how the Govt derive this figure? Does it include 18 yr olds fresh from school? For yr info:-
In 1st World developd countries, they know exactly the number unemployed because in order for citizens to claim unemployment benefits, they have to register with employment agency to look for a job. This entitlement is from 18 yr old onwards.
@Lesson 35 : Bias
Did you come across the part where I said I don’t learn anything new on this site? In fact, the articles are so poorly written and sources questionable that I don’t take you guys seriously.
This is just a place for angry, disgruntled, irrational people to gather, make dumb comments and feel better in the company of like minded people.
@Come Together
“It is a very serious charge!” and indeed so. Perhaps it is precisely so sensitive & serious charge that TCB & TKL & many, many others remain silent about many wrong things. Does it not occur to you that they are not as brave as TJS?
@Siong
Glad you are learning out loud. Yours is the weirdest comment ever.
You speak English?
@Divided up by PAP
Please send all dumb questions to Google. If you can find your way around the Internet to this site you can go a few steps further.
What an idiot.
@Don’t let PAP divide us
Tan Jee Say was willing to be a PAP dog all this time.
Let’s talk about that first.
You can’t deny that that is a FACT! =)
Come Together1 September 2011
@Don’t let PAP divide us
Tan Jee Say was willing to be a PAP dog all this time
…………..
FRICKIN FART YOU…
you don’t know tanjaysee backgrounds
and ere you come huntum……..
he was a loyal poor presidente humble scholars who upon complete his scholarships went to work in the primeister office under gohchoktongue
upon his scholarships ended..he waved goodbyes (where ahTIN’s hubby remained same position same status)
gohchoktongue made him an offer where 99% of DOGs like you would wagged your TAILs
he said stayed and i will give aladdin lamp to you with a belly dancer inside it
and all the wealth positions you can ever dream off…
tanjaysee being a true man @ heart for his plight as a humane just waltz off into the sunset liked john wayne lookin for the vietcong’s fighters
AS SHOLE YOU shall remain
Come Together1 September 2011
@Divided up by PAP
Please send all dumb questions to Google. If you can find your way around the Internet to this site you can go a few steps further
………………
googled? part II
don’t assumed you are 1 smart A S S
try this below
………………….
credit to fortune magazine
=====================
Now we learn from the August 15, 2011 issue of Fortune Magazine that Singapore has no sovereign wealth.
Instead it has a sovereign debt of US$254 billion, which is 95% of Singapore’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
This puts Singapore at 8th position as one of the world’s most indebted nations.
Singapore is near the bottom of the pile; only seven developed countries are more in debt, in terms of GDP.
Apparently, Singapore has borrowed heavily from its own Central Provident Fund (CPF) which holds the retirement funds of Singaporeans.
This explains why Singapore is not only raising the retirement age, but making it more difficult for Singaporeans to get their retirement funds even when they reach that age.
………………….
so ow are you goin to settle the debts?
A NOTE TO TONY TAN: If he has the time to read this.
Dear Tony,
I hope you don’t mind me calling you Tony. I am sure being fresh from
campaigning, you are still in a backslapping, informal, mix with the
commoners mood and don’t mind my being informal.
I am not sure if you are presently basking in the after-glow of your
victory. But it must be difficult for you to accept that the majority of
Singaporeans did not vote for you and in fact view your victory with dismay..
Your victory must have been a big relief to you given the very slim majority
you won. Put in another way, you almost lost. If just 20% of the spoilt
votes had gone to TCB, it would have happened. To paraphase Winston
Churchill, “never has so much depended on so few”, 7,269 voters to be
precise.
I am sure you read Malcolm Gladwell’s book “Outliers” where the element of
luck was highlighted in “Success”. You were extremely lucky in having 3
other candidates and they were certified fit to contest and the votes were
therefore split.
You were lucky to have two fairly strong contenders who to some extent
diluted the votes among themselves. If it was a straight fight between you
and TCB or you and TJS, I daresay the outcome may have been different.
You were also lucky that TKL entered the fray and proved to be stubborn
until the end. He could have surrendered early in the campaign when it was
apparent that his was a lost cause and asked his supporters to back TCB or
TJS. This could have endeared him to Singaporeans. Instead he persevered
in his self delusion that he had a chance and is the one who made it
possible for you to win. Singaporeans will remember him for that.
I need to be upfront with you and say I did not vote for you.
I did not vote for you as I thought you would not be independent being so
intimately tied up with the Government and the management of the reserves
only up to two months ago. I wanted somebody who was much more independent
and not afraid to speak up. You did not fit my requirements.
I was also very disappointed and angry at the continued silence over your
sons’ NS. Why is it so difficult for you and your sons to provide
information on what they did during their NS and refute all the various
allegations? If your sons are proud of their NS record, then why be so coy
about telling more.
Surely with your background as a banker and a top politican, as you yourself
stated, it is important not only to be principled and fair but to be seen to
be so. You surely know better than to place yourself in a position where
your actions and motives can be questioned. People will always wonder and
question. Continued silence will just leave this sore festering and blight
your Presidency. Who knows when and under what circumstances this
controversy will resurface and this could even affect the PAP in future
elections?
Given your actions during this campaign, I will not hold my breath waiting
for clarification and I think Singaporeans will never know unless the
information is forced and pried out somehow.
We had previously a President, who was not elected by any Singaporean voter,
and who served for 12 years. A Presidency best distinguished for being the
highest paid political office in Singapore much more than even the Prime
Minister himself). Now we have a President chosen by one out of 3
Singaporeans. So there has been some progress after all.
Could I suggest you start off your Presidency on a high note? How about
donating your entire President’s pay to charity? TKL and TJS were willing
to part with some of the pay. TCB thought it was tantamount to buying
votes. You said nothing. Since you already won the elections, you can start
off your Presidency with this magnanimous gesture. This will be a powerful
symbolic move to put your Presidency on solid moral ground right from the
start and emphasise your commitment to public service for all Singaporeans.
I
am sure you can spare the few millions involved. This will make it
exceedingly difficult for future potential candidates to challenge you the
next round.
I am afraid I cannot give you much advice right now on what else you can do..
Although you have won, you know that the majority of Singaporeans are
disappointed that this happened. But a win is a win and is better than
losing. You are now in the saddle. I am sure your advisors will be
brainstorming with you over the coming months on how you will define and
manage your Presidency.
The PAP itself probably also was very relieved that you had won but will
have to reexamine the reasons for your poor performance and learn from this
episode.
For the future, I just want to say that although we may stand as a sign of
respect when you officiate at functions, do not mistake this as anything
else than a sign of respect to the office that you hold.
Just remember that what is worse than an unloved President is a President
that we do not respect. Respect must be earned. Please don’t take the
whole of 6 years to do this.
I wish you luck and success.
In the end, we are all Singaporeans.
Majulah Singapore.
Yours sincerely,
Ah Sook
@Come Together
You are mocking on many unemployed Singapore citizens due to many factors especially with the cheap influx FT labour even at middle & upper Mgt level.
You better look at the mirror and pray you won’t be unemployed one day for it may come unexpectedly. Period.
Shame on you! Idiot with no heart!
@iVOTEahMENG
I can only reply if I understand what you are saying.
@2nd Gen Sporean
Yes. I was mocking them. This ‘losing jobs due to someone else who is younger or willing to work for lesser pay’ non-issue has been around for quite some time. Singaporeans were told about this and encouraged to upgrade their skills a decade ago it seems to me.
I am worried about the appreciation of the Singapore dollar and the increasing cost of hiring and doing business in Singapore. It will be worse when our neighbours catch up and they will eventually. Who are these unemployed going to complain about then?
I see the big picture. I don’t pat whiners on the back.
@2nd Gen Sporean
By the way, Singaporeans are only interested about the amount of money in their pockets. They do not care about the plight of others as much as themselves.
You can see it in their attitude towards national service in comparison to other issues. No, you cannot have training any tougher in the army but you have got to make sure that I have a good paying job, an affordable house and efficient, affordable transportation system. If you are going to raise transport costs, you should first consult the people but know that any sort of increase will be seen as a scheme to deliberately go against the people.
Oh, and screw the population rate. I am going to live my life the way I want to. But don’t you dare solve the problem with foreign labour because that messes things up for me.
Come Together,
ask yourself who are the people setting bad examples for the people to follow. its right at the top of public service.onl care about GDP, the rest of the people’s concern is just noise.
the whole environment is created by them to shape the behaviour & attitude towards what they deem are the most important thing in life- $$$.
yes, screw the population. you should see who is doing exactly that.
yeah, GDP is the big picture, not the “small people”…
Blacktryst, yes, your observations of TCB playing planted dark horse role by the pap makes a lot of sense.
And u are very rite on the roles of TOC & TRE vs ST slew of papers (including the chinese press) and mediacorp. Without TOC/TRE and Facebook, Aljunied GRC wld have been retained by Pap! Well said!
@mice is nice
I do see what is happening in Singapore and to Singaporeans.
However, where I differ from opposition party suckers are that I choose to see the big picture and all sides of the issues. Instead, of pointing finger at the government for everything. I don’t think much of people like that.
*shrug*
If you don’t like what I’m saying too bad. That called being rational. There are more than 60% of us around for you to contend with. But you will get a totally different picture judging from the type of comments here.
In the scheme of things , Tony Tan won – and by a slim margin.
That said , I do not think it is the fault of anyone but rather the will of the people by a slim margin. I am not sure why 35,000 people spoilt their votes – I think these people do not deserve to be able to vote – their actions are against the spirit of the elections – but unfortunately that is the type of people we have in Singapore – and thus our plight.
As for the article – I do not think it is right. I do not think that Tony tan was able to reach out with his message ( not sure what it was ) – but rather , there was a good 35% of Singaporeans who would have voted him no matter what he said – their undying loyalty to the political leaders. I think it is not wrong.
To Tan Jee Say – his affiliations in the past came to hurt him but on the whole he came out creditable – I hope he finds more challenging ways to use his new found popularity and influence – it will greatly affect his chances next elections.
As for Tan Cheng Bock – I am surprised that he is being treated as part of the PAP strategy – I doubt it – and his actions going forward will show what he is all about – the good doctor or the witch doctor !!!
As for tan Kin Lian – I simply cannot understand him – much as I support him and felt he was the best – I am not sure what his political future holds – he has to discover who he really is – and maybe learn that people at large forget the people who help them in times of need – especially Singaporeans !!
As for me – this elections has been eye opening – at least I know what the core PAP support is – what the real opposition numbers are – what the independent numbers are – and last but not least – the number of clowns we have in Singapore !!!!!!!