Why Tan Jee Say Must Be Handed A Strategic Victory

[PTADER]

Why Tan Jee Say Must Be Handed A Strategic Victory

While I believe TCB would make a better "unifying" president than TJS, for the sake of democracy in Singapore and the emergence of a future two-party system, it is best that opposition voters seriously consider handing Tan Jee Say a strategic victory this weekend.

Those who want to see the opposition advance further and have a chance to form a future government by kicking the PAP out within the next 10-15 years, should seriously consider uniting behind Tan Jee Say and investing in a TJS victory. That small but expected percentage that will go to Tan Kin Lian may well be the decisive percentage in deciding the winner in what can be expected to be a very narrow contest with a win for any candidate to be, I believe, no more than a single digit percentage over the runner-up.

The problem with the various opposition parties is that nobody in their right mind will believe that any individual opposition party will ever be strong enough to form the next Government nor can they or will they voluntarily unite themselves under a coalition umbrella for the common and long-term good of Singaporeans.

This is where an ex-President can play a strategic role in unifying the opposition parties in Singapore. I believe TJS will be amenable to the idea and can be persuaded to play this important role for the greater good of Singapore.

An ex-President would be just that person who will have that clout and "soft power" to knock sense into the various and disparate opposition parties. He will have that moral authority to advise or lead and unite them under a coalition of opposition umbrella. He will have that stature to do what Anwar Ibrahim has done in uniting the opposition forces in Malaysia into an opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

If he performs well in his Presidency and I believe he will, TJS will be just that man who will be able to convince Singaporeans that a coalition of the opposition parties that he leads or advises can take on the role of the Government of Singapore.

 

[steffychun]

No to one degree sore loser Tan Jee Say.

 

[Varuna]

No to one degree sore loser Tan Jee Say.

You have left enough evidence to show that you will not vote for TJS. You are free to go for your preferred choice of candidate. No one is putting a gun at your head to force you to vote for TJS. Relac lah...take it easy....

 

[Khun Ying Pojaman]

Tan Cheng Bock would make a better "unifying" President?

Dr Tan will be holding his rally at 7.30pm on Thursday at Hall 8 of the Singapore Expo.

He said speakers will have to stay within the boundaries of the Constitution. This means they should not engage in day-to-day politics or raise bread-and-butter issues.


TCB has just confirmed he will inherit the Nathan legacy - see no evil, hear no evil.

I think TCB should remain a PAP MP. It's cheaper for the citizens, and it seems he is more hardworking as an MP.

 

[jeesus]

TCB is only looking for a glorious retirement. The man is so tired. Give him a break. His supporters are so eager to send him to Istana, unfortunately he is six years late. If he had ran the last PE, he would have won.

 

[cleareyes]

PTADER will vote for anyone, even a piece of shit, as long as they are not with PAP or have any trace of history with PAP.

 

[kingrant]

i agree with PT. We are about to cross the Rubicon, and TJS is the man to deliver us there. All the others to me disqualified themselves for having been associated with the PAP. At first, I thot TCB was a silver lining, but as time went, he too showed that he could not shake off that estab wiring in him.

I dont care if the PE has become a GE. All i want is for what has been breached at the Ge2011 to continue. If it has become a GE, it is the PAP's fault.

The EP is a PAP construct. It is beginning to self-destruct.

With TJS as EP, we will get to see how the PAP will resolve this 'thorn'. That is why I asked "How do you remove a rogue President (rogue as seen by the PAP)?"

If TT is elected, the govt will surely tweak and tinker with the Constitution again to consolidate its gains and remove any remote possibility of a EP that can challenge its power centre. Would the PAP be desperate enough to stuff the ballot boxes to ensure a TT win? Now we realise the true value of these serial numbers on yr voting slips.

I say again, vote TJS to hold ground till the next GE. No other can do this well enough.

 

[kingrant]

What's wrong with that?? It's the bicycle thief maxim.

PTADER will vote for anyone, even a piece of shit, as long as they are not with PAP or have any trace of history with PAP.

 

[Windsor]

What's wrong with that?? It's the bicycle thief maxim.

White cat/black cat analogy. Who cares as long as TT does not win.

 

[PTADER]

PTADER will vote for anyone, even a piece of shit, as long as they are not with PAP or have any trace of history with PAP.

I said in a different post that I was happy for either TCB or TJS to win. And I still believe TCB would be the best "unifying" President.

But this is an opportunity that must be seized by all opposition supporters and Singaporeans would do well to seize it. I can't imagine the PAP sitting idly by and not fiddling with the Constitution yet again after this PE.

The PAP will come up with some "innovative" mechanism after this PE to continue to entrench themselves in power and I think that is a given. And so, please don't let that opportunity slip by.

 

[PTADER]

White cat/black cat analogy. Who cares as long as TT does not win.

The votes will be split if everyone votes anyone except Tony Tan. Ironically, this would end up with Phony not only being President but effectively the 82nd PAP MP in Parliament and unspoken but defacto Senior Minister in LHL's cabinet.

I think many will rue the day this happens when they could and had the power in their hands to prevent this disaster from happening.

 

[PTADER]

i agree with PT. We are about to cross the Rubicon, and TJS is the man to deliver us there.

Agree. It is simply too good to pass up. It will be a real waste and pity if Singaporeans / opposition supporters do not seize this golden opportunity that has present itself on a golden platter.

 

[glockman]

My vote and those of my immediate family, friends and colleagues will go to TJS.

I initially supported TKL. I still think he is a good man. But now I like the fact that TJS has that fire in his belly and can make a more aggressive president. This is an important pre-requisite when dealing with those PAP thugs in cabinet. I do not think TJS will be easily intimidated. But most of all, I love it that the PAP IB has been working overtime to discredit and slam TJS. Shows he is the man they truly fear.

TJS for president!!!!! And better days ahead for us.

 

[ray_of_hope]

Yesterday my family and relatives met over dinner. After intense discussion, we have pledged to deliver all 23 of our votes to the unifying candidate, Dr Tan Cheng
Bock, because we sincerely believe in the need for unity for our nation at this crucial juncture.

 

[jeesus]

I switched from TCB to TJS after all these days of interviews, TCB has shown that he will just be a Chinese Nathan.

TCB should have contested the last two PEs, but he didn't. He is an opportunist. The reason he is doing it now is because he thinks he has a good chance now after the GE2011, after all the hard work put in by others.

TCB is not much better than TT when it comes to answering difficult questions - he dodges, he ignores.

We have also observed him to be too old, lacking the energy that will be required for an active President, one who will be willing to walk the streets and mingle, in the crowds, to understand the problems of the common people. You cannot bring unity without empathy. TCB as an ex-PAP MP achieved very little for the people during his 26 years as MP. The last straw was when he said that he supports the death penalty, I find it disappointing for a doctor to say that.

 

[papFart]

Yesterday my family and relatives met over dinner. After intense discussion, we have pledged to deliver all 23 of our votes to the unifying candidate, Dr Tan Cheng
Bock, because we sincerely believe in the need for unity for our nation at this crucial juncture.

You still can have another dinner tonight ....to seriously re-consider your option.

 

[BernieE]

I am a strong supporter of opposition, but when come to this election, I really have no choice but vote for TCB because I dont want TT to be elected as president as he is and will always will be a proxy of PAP. Worst is that I dont think TT can be independent because just 3 months ago he was still seating in GIC office.

Why TCB? He is the most complete candidate among the 4, he knows the system of the government which will make it easier for him to instill changes (as former MP), he is a approachable down to earth man who have help many poor Singaporeans in the past 30+ years as a family doctor, he has proven to himself that he will put the nation before his party (NMP case), he is contesting against a PAP candidate, and he is a good enough role model for our children.

As for TJS, He doesnt have track record in serving this country and its people. And as Singaporeans, we should be smart enough to know that TJS only appears during election, and all those promises about serving this country are just populist talk. If he is born with a HEART for Singapore, when what has this HEART been doing over the past 57 years? Why only promise to serve us during a $4m per year election? Simply put, he is an opportunist. He will jump ship at anytime just to take advantage of the situation and our eagerness to change the government. WP, SDP, NSP, TKL, PE. all within a year?


Your vote is precious, please vote for the right reason and for the right cause. a President is not an auditor, he is not a policy maker, he cant change the government and IF you think TJS is the best person in Singapore to change the government, then dont waste his talent, vote him as an MP.

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

v well said my friend...before the hustings period i tot TCB was my man for the istana...but as this black farce played out since then...i hv slowly but inevitably been pushed towards TJS becoz it is clear that the EP is nothing but harry's creation gone phut...was obvious during the comical first PE between OTC n CKY...carried on wif our so called 'people's president' nathan who is an EP wifout any mandate...n now this...

btw ho kwon ping's article in today's ST suggests that the EP may well be tweaked abt after this PE...hohohohohoho...

I dont care if the PE has become a GE. All i want is for what has been breached at the Ge2011 to continue. If it has become a GE, it is the PAP's fault.

The EP is a PAP construct. It is beginning to self-destruct.



.

 

[The_Hypocrite]

I totally agree, however will the other singaporeans think that way?? or will they just vote for TT cos he is PAP?

 

[Checker]

In future politics, PAP will need to play nice outwardly. But at the same time, they must instill party discipline internally. Notice nobody except PM dares to speak about EP candidates. If TCB wins, they may not easily let him off the hook. As a CEC member, now not toeing the party line and even defeating the govt-back candidate, cannot imagine they will easily play nice with him. Otherwise, bad example for their young members. Sends message the party is split, or you can switch sides, do what you like. No way. So, unless TCB, at age 71, is up for a big internal close-door fight, he will be forced to play nice, do everything they want. After all, in his parliamentary career, he has voted >99% in favour of their policies, dissenting only those one or two times.

If TJS wins, he will have little choice but to work extremely hard for the people, to win over the people (since he will at best win by small margin, so lots to win over). The people will be his only power-base. Govt unlikely to cooperate with him for nothing. Only if he has a lot of people on his side. Only way is for him to do everything to reach out, listen, advocate for the people.

For TJS, speaking up, checking, balancing, working hard for the people seems his only logical strategy if he wins. Otherwise, he will be made to look weak, unpopular, useless and shunned by the govt. For TCB, the opposite - if he wins, he must play to the govt's tune - otherwise he sets up a bad example for PAP and their young that they will not likely tolerate. TJS is young enough with enough energy to do this. TCB at age 71 will take the easiest path, or perhaps resign if he can’t take it.