A President who bows to populist pressure is a 'great danger': Nathan
by Ng Jing Yng and Sharon See 04:45 AM Jul 05, 2011SINGAPORE -
Having a President who bows to populist pressure would pose a "great danger" for the country, President S R Nathan said yesterday.
Noting that Singapore has come a long way to what it is today, Mr Nathan said unhappiness might have arisen among some sectors of the populace along the way.
But decisions that had to be taken proved to be for the good of the nation in the end, he said. He added that it would be best for everyone to look back, see the big picture and ask: "How did we arrive here? What are all the good things that we've done?"
Mr Nathan, 87, who will not be contesting in the next Presidential Election, said he would have to look for something to do after he steps down.
"I've not made up my mind. You know, I've been working from the age of 14, 15, so the only thing I know is work," he said.
He described criticism against him as "noise in the environment". It cannot be stopped, hence there is no point adding to it, he said. The President had said before that he had earned his fair share of criticism during his years in office.
Mr Nathan was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the National University of Singapore's (NUS) first commencement ceremony for this year yesterday.
He will be stepping down as NUS chancellor soon, a position he has held for more than a decade. "This will be my last act of a graduation ceremony … I've had the pleasure of seeing many students graduate and every time I shake their hands, I see the light in their eyes," he said.
Mr Nathan added that he was touched when somebody said: "Thank you for being our President for so long."
Ng Jing Yng, with additional reporting by Sharon See
by Ng Jing Yng and Sharon See 04:45 AM Jul 05, 2011SINGAPORE -
Having a President who bows to populist pressure would pose a "great danger" for the country, President S R Nathan said yesterday.
Noting that Singapore has come a long way to what it is today, Mr Nathan said unhappiness might have arisen among some sectors of the populace along the way.
But decisions that had to be taken proved to be for the good of the nation in the end, he said. He added that it would be best for everyone to look back, see the big picture and ask: "How did we arrive here? What are all the good things that we've done?"
Mr Nathan, 87, who will not be contesting in the next Presidential Election, said he would have to look for something to do after he steps down.
"I've not made up my mind. You know, I've been working from the age of 14, 15, so the only thing I know is work," he said.
He described criticism against him as "noise in the environment". It cannot be stopped, hence there is no point adding to it, he said. The President had said before that he had earned his fair share of criticism during his years in office.
Mr Nathan was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the National University of Singapore's (NUS) first commencement ceremony for this year yesterday.
He will be stepping down as NUS chancellor soon, a position he has held for more than a decade. "This will be my last act of a graduation ceremony … I've had the pleasure of seeing many students graduate and every time I shake their hands, I see the light in their eyes," he said.
Mr Nathan added that he was touched when somebody said: "Thank you for being our President for so long."
Ng Jing Yng, with additional reporting by Sharon See
