I would have voted for Tharman Shanmugaratnam
August 21st, 2023 | 
Author: 
If the Singapore establishment ever wanted to reverse engineer the Presidential elections to “select” me as president, all they’d have to do is to include a “fitness” requirement – candidates must have run sub 7min 2.4km, broken national records and won gold medals for Singapore. Justification? President must set a good example in physical fitness and must be in good health.
Sounds dumb, right? But this is after all, as arbitrary as needing to be CEO of a company with $500 million in paid up capital, having served at a high position in public office, or, in the case of 2017, being of Malay race.
I’m disappointed that George Goh Ching Wah has been politicked out of standing for the Singapore Presidential Election, being disqualified for a technicality without explanation by the Presidential Elections Committee. Another classic example of the establishment snuffing out potential threats, with George positioning himself as a neutral, non-establishment candidate. The same happened to Dr Tan Cheng Bock in 2017.
Furthermore, it’s an unnecessary decision this time. While Tan Cheng Bock would have won in 2017, Tharman Shanmugaratnam is by far the strongest candidate this year, and I honestly would have voted for him even with George as a candidate. Establishment candidate or not, he’s the strongest candidate in my view.
Removing George Goh from the race in this manner delegitimises the elections, and makes me now think about submitting a protest vote to Tan Kin Lian, just to protest this continuing circus masquerading as the Singapore Presidential Elections (remember how we selected our last president without a vote?).
It’s 2023, and Singapore is far, far away from being a true first world democracy.
* Facebook post by Soh Rui Yong.
Posted in 
It seems that surprisingly the most independent EP candidate turn out to be NKS. The other two both have “Parties” supporters…
Actually NKS may turn out to be the best choice for Singapore…a nice capable gentleman.
loading...
Pappy IBs are hard at work already. The bookies must have given horrifying odds.
loading...
You vote for Tharman. You vote for the System. The PAP system. You like the PAP system? The money is on Tan Kin Lian.
At least he will speak out when it comes to the National Reserves and the appointment of key office holder from the Public Service Division.
Did Halimah Yacob speak out on the appointment of the Attorney-General, when she was in the Istana? Despite the public disquiet. Big fat no, about the conflict of interests as the PM’s lawyer. Why? Because she is from the System. Tharman would do the same. Both are from the same System.
How he will do it and how effective, is a different thing, as long as Tan Kin Lian will speak up.
You want change, start from this PE. You got to be resolute, clear eye and clear head. You cannot move on for systemic change in the GE if you cannot decide between Tharman and TKL. It should be a no-brainer, but unfortunately it’s not the case, even for some intelligent one who have suffered the System for years.
loading...
Totalitarian regime masquerading as Democracy.
Better read all the fine print at the next election.
loading...
“You shall get what you voted for and that is all you deserve.”
loading...
When you vote, count how much you got out of the $23,000 estimated by TinPL. That is $23,000 for every citizen, babies to old folks. If you have a family of six, did your family get $150,000?
loading...
TS makes a false claim.
He says Itogi is TEOCHEW.
No doubt Itogi’s mother is Teochew,Itogi’s father is Japanese.
So,Itogi is not really TEOCHEW.
This is not a right start to my simple mind as TS could also claim Singapore’s Resources are the Government’s and NOT owned by singaporeans?
How to be independent?
loading...
Whether Tharman or NKS the duet are yes man!
TS say yes to Pinky & NKS say yes to HC!
VOTE TKL WHO IS THE ONLY TRULY INDEPENDENT PEOPLE’S PRESIDENT!
loading...
Ah I see, so Soh thinks that Tharman could outperform the rest of the contenders as a $2m rubber stamp. Issit because Tharman can stamp faster and uses less ink? lol
loading...
Watch this Tik Tok of woman Koh objection on Tharman -”https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSLsHxd4D/”.
Reason-Tharman is still affiliated attached to “WEF” and has not resigned from that position and is deemed not independence and cannot be included as Candidacy for President position which need to be totally independent !Catch Tharman on the spot!So law by law,out Tharman.
loading...
Here is my view of the coming Presidential election.
It is like choosing the best chicken rice stall. It is not just choosing the taste of the chicken or the rice. We must consider it in relation to the other food stall in the food court. Each of us have different taste and expectation of service.
Besides the chicken and rice, we can also consider the chicken feet, vegetables, chilly sauce, ginger and the soup.
loading...
As for me, the indian-to-malay president was not the people’s president. She was the pappist president!
Enough is enough! TS & NKS are from the same system!
Remember to vote TKL for a truly independent People’s President on 1st Sep 2023! He will be the 1st truly independent People’s President!
loading...
Actually NKS gets more Presidential by the day…
He know what to say and what not to say…look quite suitable.
Singapore is in safe hand since he build the reserve….
Hope he will ensure if elected that more of it will be used to help the poor and needy…
More than what LSL proposed….too little too late.
loading...
@Presidential
“NKS getting more presidential…”?
He knows what to say or not to say.
Most political animals know what to say.
Go check out ,whether in Public service or Private.
The political animals occupy the top posts even those who cannot do actual work?
I am not saying NKS cannot do real work but has GIC “OUTPERFORM” vis-a-vis the top performers?
And,what kind of returns we get for our CPF savings?
You tell us.
Then,when Reserves were taken out,did needy sgs receive more than even many non-sgs drawing high salaries?
Will NKS speak out for the needy sgs?
Guess if he will,he would have spoken out up a long time ago.
Both TS and NKS will “jaga” their own backsides first before they jaga the interests of more ordinary sgs,I bet my last 2 cents.
Why?
Both have had held “POSITIONS” in their respective spheres of high influence and WHAT EXACTLY have they done for ordinary sgs’ behalf?
TKL is still the lesser of the “evils”.
And,it seems he will seek TJS and other prominent oppo members as his 3 advisors on the CPA.
This alone will go a long way as regards the interests of marginalised sgs.
Yes,NKS is said to be generous and compassionate with his personal resources.
That I don’t doubt.
But as someone so pally and “beholden” to the PAP especially LKY/LHL/HC,do you think he will be more daring than TKL when it comes to giving differing opinions on applications of reserves subsequently ,if and when the need arises?
Let us be realistic.
TKL is still a more ordinary sg to be the EP of the more common sgs.
Both TS and NKS are atas ,no matter how you view.
Pro-rich policy-maker(TS) or policy-Implementor(NKS) will remain pro-rich.
Thinking they will be otherwise when they become the next EP is similar to just having an orgasm from a wet dream.NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS!
Look at Nathan and Halimah.
When HSK took out $100B,those with HIGH SALARIES ,including countless FTs,received much more than the promised $23.5K while many more ordinary sgs received a SHORT-CHANGED AMOUNT OF $600?
And ,Halimah came from the pro-labourers’ UNION where she was Deputy-SG together with LIM BOON HENG ,now TH’s CHAIR and KOK SONG’S classmate?
So,if we want more of the same,go ahead,vote TS OR NKS.
BUT,if we want less of the same,VOTE TKL.
THIS IS A SIMPLE EQUATION.
NO NEED TO SCRATCH YOUR HEADS OR use rocket science or AI.
VOTE FOR COMMON sgs,DO NOT VOTE for PRO-RICH candidates as pro-rich voters will vote for them.
loading...
I will never vote for tkl, and I urge all of you not to vote for him. you have read many of his postings here supporting China Communist Party, and against democracy. He is a stooge of China Communist Party. There has been strong campaign by CCP to influence public in spore, perhaps with a long term plan to annex Singapore. They think because 75% of Singaporeans are ethnic Chinese, they will be able to do it. Yet, we true blue Singaporeans, the original residents who have been here for multi generation, are not like mainland Chinese at all. Our thinking and culture is so different, as most of you know while interacting with the loud moud, uncouth and aggressive mainlanders. So don’t let CCP one leg into Singapore with TKL. also his posts on pretty girls, making nric information public domain etc, shows he is senile. He will be an embarrassment just like donald trump! vote for anyone or no one, but not TKL.
Tech: You so cute and naive. Sinkieland is nothing to China, why should they even be interested in Sinkieland at all, why has Sinkieland got that China doesn’t except for its Sillyzens? lol
loading...
Best cobination is TS as PM and NKS as President.
Send TS back to the Government…he is more needed there and can contribute much better than as a EP.
loading...
If you think carefully,Tharman being a minister and policy maker will be less independent than NKS as EP.
So,for those who wants to vote Tharman,they might as well choose NKS.
Tharman is the least independent of the 3.
loading...
The 4G ministers can easily add “pressure” on Tharman but not so NKS.
Tharman is mentor to 4G.
Vote Tharman means the EP office will bend to 4G ,quite clear.
loading...
Tech: You so cute and naive. Sinkieland is nothing to China, why should they even be interested in Sinkieland at all, why has Sinkieland got that China doesn’t except for its Sillyzens? lol
Don’t be naive, Tech! Singapore has prime time location at the front of the Malacca Straits, one of the most important. If access to this straits is denied to China, China will be stripped of its oil supply, and collapse.
Besides “sinkieland” is a good point from which to destabilize Malaysia (35% Chinese) and Indonesia (90% of economy controlled by ethnic Chinese). CCP will be salivating at any opportunity to annex “Sinkieland”.
Besides everything is now going wrong for China. the world has turned hostile against it. its economy is collapsing faster than a pancake, as all money has been put into the property sector, creating thousands of useless ghost towns, and domino effect on the rest of the economy.
Tech: Yes, the property sector in China is not doing well, but China is rich and they have plenty of options, for example let RMB devalue itself. The OBOR is going slow, but that does not mean it has stopped. When the revised OBOR is completed, Sinkieland will be a useless port. And no, China has no interested in MY, a country of Muslims.
loading...
Tech: Yes, the property sector in China is not doing well, but China is rich and they have plenty of options, for example let RMB devalue itself. The OBOR is going slow, but that does not mean it has stopped. When the revised OBOR is completed, Sinkieland will be a useless port. And no, China has no interested in MY, a country of Muslims.
Once again, you are wrong, Tech! The recent flooding and death of so many people in Beijing (the glittering capital and not some kucing kurap poor province in the hinterland) shows there is lots that have been hyped up about China and its strength. As for not interested in Malaysia because it is a Muslim country, China’s biggest investments outside of China are in Pakistan, as fundamental muslim country as can be. responsible for most of the terrorists attack around the world. where the people tore up and burnt alive a sri lankan buddhist because he did “blasphemy”. Makes Malaysians Muslims look like atheist in comparison! of course ccp would want control or influence of mslsysia – again where 80% of economy is controlled by ethnic Chinese, plus so kuch of natural resources. Sinkieland will be needed for a staging ground. and TKL seems to be their way into this. one thing we have to give to the head honchos of CCP like Xi is they have long term strategy and well laid out plans to get there – preparations done years ago.
Tech: Err.. I was commenting baced on your use of the word “annex”, which is the basis for which I said China has no interest in MY. So investing in and annexing it is 2 distinct concept. China already has its handsfull with the Muslim minorities locally, so I don’t think they are eager to ‘import’ more to govern. lol
loading...
to Tech: also OBOR has been a staggering failure in terms of useful physical development, though a staggering “success” if the goal was to d3bt trap countries into becoming colonies. but the whole plan of using gadar port in Pakistan and transporting huge inventories, oil by railway orvroaf to China is a pipe dream, as was told by world economic bodies to China right at start. it is economically not feasible. China never did any feasibility study or economic analysis, that is the problem. If CCP dictates it, they do. I can assure you that the port of Singapore and the Malacca Straits will remain strategically important to China for decades to come.
Tech: I do not disagree completely with what you say, but remember that China is a STRONG, HUGE and RICH country and they have been known to do the impossible. So until they officially declare OBOR a failure, anything can happen. Maybe I (and even you) won’t be around the next decadeS, so lets leave that to the other generation.
loading...
I am 74 years old and this is my personal view.
Ho Ching is not a member of the Government but has been appointed the CEO of Temasek Holding although she did not not have any fund management qualification or practical experience. Just look any the amount of taxpayer monies being lost.
Anybody linked to her will not be acceptable. So Ng Kok Song is out.
Tharman was a Deputy Prime Minister and hold many senior position in many bodies such as MAS etc When the PAP government was opening the doors for foreigners to work in Singapore, he did not open his mouth to object or care for the local workers who are being misplaced or being put out of job. How can I vote for a person who care only for himself ? So I will never vote for a selfish person such as Tharman.
The only person left is Tan kin Lian who has been screwed up by the PAP many years ago. He is not afraid to speak up as he is already 75 years old and willing to die for the people.
I will vote for Tan Kin Lian for sure.
loading...
NKS & his supporters are wrong re the independent meaning. There is no opposition parties contesting in this PE. Only during GE.
Whoever is connected with the pappy govt even the candidate who was working for govt-linked companies such as TH or GIC is not independent. Obviously TS & NKS are not independent!
TKL IS TRULY INDEPENDENT WHO NOT ONLY SEEK TO SAFEGUARD SG RESERVES BUT ALSO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE! HE WILL SPEND TIME WITH THE PM & OFFICE HOLDERS TO BRAINSTORM THE PEOPLE’S AREAS OF CONCERN SUCH AS HDB, GST, COL, JOBS ETC!
loading...