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[h=3]Saturday August 20, 2011[/h][h=1]No Tan-tative winner in sight[/h][h=2]INSIGHT DOWN SOUTH BY SEAH CHIANG NEE[/h]
Former Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Dr Tony Tan had high approval ratings in an online poll when he announced his decision to run for President, but now he will seemingly face a tough fight in next week’s election.
WHEN Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam, former Deputy Prime Minister, announced his intention to run for President two months ago, the prospect of him winning ranked high among surprised citizens.
Most believed that the one-time People’s Action Party (PAP) financial strongman, who nearly succeeded Lee Kuan Yew as Prime Minister in 1990, would win hands down.
Many of my friends, including staunch opposition supporters, were among those who thought his chances of winning would be high.
“In his profession, he’s blue chip stuff,” said one retired executive.
“With his reputation and experience, he towers over others, a darling of the elites.”
That he had a strong base appeared to be reflected in a Yahoo online poll in June when he first made clear his intention to run.
Some 6,013 – or 48% of 12,650 users – said they would vote for him.
Two months later, however, the proportion of support fell to 21% as strong rivals joined the race and revved up the offensive in the social media.
In June, with the list of candidates yet to be finalised, Dr Tan led with 48% (6,013), followed by Tan Kin Lian (18% – 2,270), Tan Cheng Bock (16% –1,987) and incumbent S.R. Nathan (19% – 2,382, before his pullout).
By August, (the final list of candidates) Dr Tan had fallen behind to third place, securing 21% or 15,661.
It was Dr Tan Cheng Bock in the lead (41% – 31,215), followed by Tan Jee Say (30% – 22,947). In fourth place was Tan Kin Lian (6% – 4,575).
But most damaging may be the strong anti-PAP sentiment carried over from the general election in May. It may upset the mild-mannered former finance minister’s apple cart.
He recently resigned from the party, but the public still seems to link him to PAP policies and the party itself.
(Lee Kuan Yew once said that he had wanted Dr Tan to succeed him as Prime Minister, but his younger ministers had unanimously chosen Goh Chok Tong).
In the current political environment, Lee’s admiration could spell trouble for his candidacy.
PAP supporters, however, say that online surveys are not conclusive since they exclude the non-English speaking and non-Internet users.
Besides, the anti-PAP votes being split three ways should ensure victory for the 71-year-old Dr Tan.
“I think he may get less than 50% of the vote,” said one party grassroots leader.
The presidential election to be held next Saturday is supposed to be non-political, but with the strong emotions generated, keeping it free of politics is impossible.
The campaign is developing into a heated affair with booing and yelling crowds. Many Singaporeans are regarding it as an extension of the May general election, when the PAP took a drubbing.
A former trade unions chief and former PAP chairman said that given the current situation, people might prefer a President who is not closely linked with the PAP.
“My sense is that people would prefer if there were someone who can be a strong unifying symbol for Singaporeans, who’s not so closely related to the PAP,” he commented.
Dr Tony Tan is facing a strong challenge from former opposition figure Tan Jee Say, 56, who once served as Goh Chok Tong’s Personal Principal Secretary. He joined the private sector, serving as regional managing director of investment firm AIB Govett (Asia).
Of the two others, Tan Cheng Bock, 71, is a medical doctor and ex-PAP MP, and Tan Kin Lian, a former executive of insurer NTUC Income.
Next week’s vote will be crucial for the PAP.
It will show if Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s reforms to lessen public grouses – namely, the reduction of high cabinet pay and intake of foreign professionals, the provision of more public housing and varsity places – are working or not.
If Dr Tan’s vote falls too much below 60%, it will signify greater unhappiness. This will spell trouble in the 2016 general election.
But if he loses – a distinct possibility – it will be regarded as the first election defeat for the powerful PAP.
Prominent blogger redbean said that Dr Tan’s defeat would be “the clearest sign of change, that the wind in the PAP sail is off.”
The election has started a big debate on the role and power of the president.
Singaporeans are demanding to known why a largely ceremonial president is paid an eye-popping salary of S$4mil (RM9.85mil) a year.
It was made an elected post in a constitutional amendment in 1991, which also granted him a few special functions – including the right to veto key government positions and tap into Singapore’s past reserves.
It was Lee’s idea of safeguarding the nation’s reserves from being frittered away after he is gone.
A year after he stepped down as Prime Minister, it came into effect.
Under the scheme, the elected president was to keep “a second key” to the reserves.
But Lee and his successors apparently did not anticipate the possibility of a determined president insisting on doing his job.
In 1999, then President Ong Teng Cheong revealed that he encountered a “long list” of problems when he tried to protect the reserves.
He said he was not provided a list of Singapore’s total physical assets.
When he asked, the Accountant-General replied it would take 56 million man-years to work out.
“Giving the president the capability to check the government may work – as long as he is a pro-PAP figure,” said a blogger.
“What will happen if a PAP critic, or worse, someone hailing from the opposition, is elected and decides to challenge?”
All this may have increased the chance in future of another constitutional amendment on presidential powers.
Former Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Dr Tony Tan had high approval ratings in an online poll when he announced his decision to run for President, but now he will seemingly face a tough fight in next week’s election.
WHEN Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam, former Deputy Prime Minister, announced his intention to run for President two months ago, the prospect of him winning ranked high among surprised citizens.
Most believed that the one-time People’s Action Party (PAP) financial strongman, who nearly succeeded Lee Kuan Yew as Prime Minister in 1990, would win hands down.
Many of my friends, including staunch opposition supporters, were among those who thought his chances of winning would be high.
“In his profession, he’s blue chip stuff,” said one retired executive.
“With his reputation and experience, he towers over others, a darling of the elites.”
That he had a strong base appeared to be reflected in a Yahoo online poll in June when he first made clear his intention to run.
Some 6,013 – or 48% of 12,650 users – said they would vote for him.
Two months later, however, the proportion of support fell to 21% as strong rivals joined the race and revved up the offensive in the social media.
In June, with the list of candidates yet to be finalised, Dr Tan led with 48% (6,013), followed by Tan Kin Lian (18% – 2,270), Tan Cheng Bock (16% –1,987) and incumbent S.R. Nathan (19% – 2,382, before his pullout).
By August, (the final list of candidates) Dr Tan had fallen behind to third place, securing 21% or 15,661.
It was Dr Tan Cheng Bock in the lead (41% – 31,215), followed by Tan Jee Say (30% – 22,947). In fourth place was Tan Kin Lian (6% – 4,575).
But most damaging may be the strong anti-PAP sentiment carried over from the general election in May. It may upset the mild-mannered former finance minister’s apple cart.
He recently resigned from the party, but the public still seems to link him to PAP policies and the party itself.
(Lee Kuan Yew once said that he had wanted Dr Tan to succeed him as Prime Minister, but his younger ministers had unanimously chosen Goh Chok Tong).
In the current political environment, Lee’s admiration could spell trouble for his candidacy.
PAP supporters, however, say that online surveys are not conclusive since they exclude the non-English speaking and non-Internet users.
Besides, the anti-PAP votes being split three ways should ensure victory for the 71-year-old Dr Tan.
“I think he may get less than 50% of the vote,” said one party grassroots leader.
The presidential election to be held next Saturday is supposed to be non-political, but with the strong emotions generated, keeping it free of politics is impossible.
The campaign is developing into a heated affair with booing and yelling crowds. Many Singaporeans are regarding it as an extension of the May general election, when the PAP took a drubbing.
A former trade unions chief and former PAP chairman said that given the current situation, people might prefer a President who is not closely linked with the PAP.
“My sense is that people would prefer if there were someone who can be a strong unifying symbol for Singaporeans, who’s not so closely related to the PAP,” he commented.
Dr Tony Tan is facing a strong challenge from former opposition figure Tan Jee Say, 56, who once served as Goh Chok Tong’s Personal Principal Secretary. He joined the private sector, serving as regional managing director of investment firm AIB Govett (Asia).
Of the two others, Tan Cheng Bock, 71, is a medical doctor and ex-PAP MP, and Tan Kin Lian, a former executive of insurer NTUC Income.
Next week’s vote will be crucial for the PAP.
It will show if Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s reforms to lessen public grouses – namely, the reduction of high cabinet pay and intake of foreign professionals, the provision of more public housing and varsity places – are working or not.
If Dr Tan’s vote falls too much below 60%, it will signify greater unhappiness. This will spell trouble in the 2016 general election.
But if he loses – a distinct possibility – it will be regarded as the first election defeat for the powerful PAP.
Prominent blogger redbean said that Dr Tan’s defeat would be “the clearest sign of change, that the wind in the PAP sail is off.”
The election has started a big debate on the role and power of the president.
Singaporeans are demanding to known why a largely ceremonial president is paid an eye-popping salary of S$4mil (RM9.85mil) a year.
It was made an elected post in a constitutional amendment in 1991, which also granted him a few special functions – including the right to veto key government positions and tap into Singapore’s past reserves.
It was Lee’s idea of safeguarding the nation’s reserves from being frittered away after he is gone.
A year after he stepped down as Prime Minister, it came into effect.
Under the scheme, the elected president was to keep “a second key” to the reserves.
But Lee and his successors apparently did not anticipate the possibility of a determined president insisting on doing his job.
In 1999, then President Ong Teng Cheong revealed that he encountered a “long list” of problems when he tried to protect the reserves.
He said he was not provided a list of Singapore’s total physical assets.
When he asked, the Accountant-General replied it would take 56 million man-years to work out.
“Giving the president the capability to check the government may work – as long as he is a pro-PAP figure,” said a blogger.
“What will happen if a PAP critic, or worse, someone hailing from the opposition, is elected and decides to challenge?”
All this may have increased the chance in future of another constitutional amendment on presidential powers.
