justina
justina [at] singaporewatch.org
wai kay
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kaifeng
kaifeng [at] singaporewatch.org
Missed the National Day Rally 2005 because you were out of town (like me), or for whatever reasons? Straits Times is offerring the 7 part English series for download here. Malay and Mandarin versions also available.
The committee had gathered - presidents from all the different countries: China, Malaysia, India, South America, Taiwan, Singapore, Nepal, Africa etc. They sat in the stone silent room, waiting.
It was Elections Day. The posts up for grabs, were that for the International Advisory Committee, a committee which headed all the other international organizations on campus, at the University of Oklahoma. The presidents had to decide who was to head the committee, as it would ultimately affect their own organizations.
A lot of people had grown apathetic about the IAC elections, and thus, almost all but two positions had competition. If these elections were held in Singapore, all the other no-contest positions would be walkovers.
But they believed in democracy - they believed in the right to vote. There may be only one candidate running for that position, but votes still can be casted - Do you think that sole candidate is fit for that position? Only a 2/3 majority can put him on the throne. If less than 2/3 is garnered, the chair is opened, for reapplications at a later date. Do you then realize how powerful a vote can be?
True, it may just be a YES/NO vote, but every vote truly counts.
The thing that puzzles me though, is why we get to vote (or not in the case of walkovers) who gets to be our President, a figure-head with not much power really, but we don’t get to vote who gets to be our Prime Minister - the guy who’s really responsible for every good and bad thing that comes out from our government? I mean honestly, do we really care who sits on the throne in England?
I’m ignorant when it comes to the political system in Singapore, but it is after all more similar to the British system then it is the American, and doesn’t the British PM get elected?
Update: HuiChieh has kindly informed me that Britain’s PM doesn’t get elected per se either.
No contest for Singapore’s Presidential Election, only SR Nathan eligible
By Lee Foong Ming, Channel NewsAsiaSINGAPORE : Only President SR Nathan has been given a Certificate of Eligibility to contest Singapore’s Presidential Election; three other applications have been rejected by the Presidential Elections Committee.
This means that come Nomination Day on August 17, President Nathan will be returned unopposed for a second six-year term.
The Presidential Elections Committee, which announced its decision on Saturday, said President Nathan has all the credentials for the office of the President and is well regarded and respected for his public service.
It considers Mr Nathan a man of integrity, good character and reputation.
The Committee also gave its reasons for rejecting the other three applications.
Firstly, Mr Ooi Boon Ewe, a former tutor, had claimed to be the sole proprietor of a realty business.
But the licence for the business had expired at the time of his application for a Certificate of Eligibility.
The second applicant, Mr Ramachandran Govindasamy Naidu, is a retired senior store keeper who was with the Commonwealth Forces from 1946 to 1987.
The Committee said the career history of these two men obviously showed that they did not hold any similar or comparable position of seniority and responsibility in any other organisation or department of equivalent size or complexity in the public or private sector, which is necessary for the office of the Presidency.
As for Mr Andrew Kuan, the former Group Chief Financial Officer of JTC, it was the Committee’s assessment that the seniority and responsibility of that position was not comparable to those needed for the office either.
All four applicants for the Certificate of Eligibility have been informed of the Presidential Elections Committee’s decision. - CNA
(via duh41)
So if Nathan didn’t agree to rerun, then wouldn’t we be president-less? Is a president really that important in Singapore anyway? 
Happy Birthday Singapore, my Homeland!
And I dedicate an old national day song … to all us Singaporeans.
“We are Singapore”
© Ministry of Information, Communications & The Arts
http://www.singsingapore.org.sg/video.asp
There was a time when people said
That Singapore won’t make it, but we did
There was a time when troubles seemed too much
For us to take, but we did
We built a nation, strong and free, reaching out together
For peace and harmony
Chorus 1:
This is my country, this is my flag
This is my future, this is my life
This is my family, these are my friends
We are Singapore, Singaporeans
Singapore our homeland, it’s here that we belong
All of us united, one people marching on
We’ve come so far together, our common destiny
Singapore forever, a nation strong and free
( Repeat Chorus 1 )
( Sung ) ( This is actually the Singapore pledge )
We the citizens of Singapore
Pledge ourselves as one united people
Regardless of race, language or religion
To build a democratic society
Based on justice and equality
So as to achieve happiness
Prosperity and progress for our nation
Chorus 2:
We are Singapore, we are Singapore
We will stand together, hear the lion roar
We are Singapore, we are Singapore
We’re a nation strong and free forevermore
( Repeat Chorus 1 & 2 )
We are Singapore, Singaporeans ( X 2 )
Ack, I saw the post about SDP launching RadioSDP. I was half laughing, half cringing. Somehow, when I think of the word democrat, I think of the dominant Democratic party here in the US, and their competitors, the Republicans. The image I get, is totally different from that which SDP potrays. Think Bill Clinton, John Kennedy, Frankelin Roosevelt. There. Democrats.
Think democrats in Singapore: Chee Soo Juan. *scratch head* Calling themselves the Singapore Democratic Party somehow doesn’t seem very fitting. But of course, this is just a personal opinion. I still don’t know why I feel so biasely against the SDP. *innocent look* Maybe e pur si muove’s entry might shed some light.
Nevertheless, the SDP would like to encourage Singaporeans to use Internet podcasting to breach the control of the media by the PAP Government. - (via sdp website)
I really wish for once, that SDP will just concentrate in running a good campaign, and having interesting solutions, and stop attacking PAP. You don’t have to attack PAP to run a good campaign. Neither will attacking PAP make your agenda good. It’s useless statements like that that really puts me off.
Meanwhile, I’ll just sit here and twiddle my thumbs, and wait. Cause I know there are a lot of people out there who have comments to make about this. 
Somehow, it feels like political party names are beginning to lose their meanings. Just as SDP doesn’t seem very democratic, likewise I don’t think the People’s Action Party (PAP) is really working in the interest of its people anymore. The country is being run like a business now, and the ceo and the board of directors are not interested in listening to the concerns and suggestions of it’s employees. They figure, if these employees are unhappy, ‘just quit lar’. There are many others who are eager to join the company. What’s important is that the money keeps rolling in.
Related Chatter:
- Elections, RadioSDP and SingPass by e pur si muove (Aug 04, 2005)
- Look! We so clever political party because we now got podcast! by mrbrown: L’infantile terrible of Singapore (Aug 05, 2005)
- Singapore’s first political comedy podcast review by Han at Wannabe Lawyer (Aug 05, 2005)
- Dr Chee takes his message on to the Internet by Derrick Paulo at TODAY Online. (Aug 05, 2005)
- Possibly the first Singaporean Political Podcast by Merv at Atypical Singaporean (Aug 05, 2005)
- RadioSDP - A pleasant surprise by Jacob at Omeka Na Huria (Aug 05, 2005)
- Radio SDP, and response from bloggers by Shin (Aug 15, 2005)
- Politically Savvy Podcast by Trevor at Thus I have Heard (Aug 25, 2005)