Sunday, August 21, 2011

PE 2011 FAQs

Are unsure about what the upcoming presidential election is all about? Or are you unable to explain the differences between it and the general elections? (Darn, they are actually almost alike just that it's a one-man show now)

Fret not because I, as always, have been kind, gentle and helpful to people so I decided to come up with some FAQs about this electoral battle. However, do take note that information on this blog have not always been factual and sometimes ridiculous.

You might need to read this if you want to act like you know a lot to impress your friends.


Why are the surnames of the four candidates all Tan?

Tan is most common family name in Singapore. Therefore, there is a high chance that someone with that surname might contest in an election. It is just a coincidence that the four presidential hopefuls share the same surname.

Moreover, there isn't a single Tan in the Cabinet (current ministers) but there are two powerful Lees in the parliament(although one has stepped down). So maybe the Tans think that it's time for them do make their ancestors be proud of them.



So confident that we can afford to be upside down!

Why is Tony Tan's logo a pair of spectacles? Shouldn't it be a lightning?

Tony Tan has quit the PAP and the election which he is participating now is the presidential one. It is above politics and nonpartisan.

Then why did he choose spectacles?

The Presidential Elections Committee did not allow contact lenses or sunglasses as an election symbol.




The slogan looks more suitable for the general elections

Why did Tan Kin Lian choose hi-5 as his trademark in his campaign?

Shaking hands can be tiring if you do it non-stop for nine straight days. It may also hurt your wrist if you overdo it. Hi-5-ing people is a more practical way to engage voters and you can do it easily with both left and right handed people.

Alright, I know, you know. He might have watched the popular kids show, Hi-5, the night before and came up with this splendid idea.



Don't worry my wife, you're still and always No. 1

How the heck did Tan Cheng Bock get confidential information like our addresses to mail out brochures to every single household in the country?

According to electoral rules, the names and addresses of voters were made available in the form of CDs to the candidates.

However, environmental activists will probably not vote for this guy since they see this as a waste of paper.



What about the liver, kidneys and intestines?

Why is Tan Jee Say so eager to take part in another election after losing one during the general elections in May?

Well, he wants to give Singaporeans a choice and he will be a non-PAP president who has never been affiliated with the ruling party in his entire life.

On second thought, it might be more believable to say that he is an opportunist who is out to seek revenge and making use of this chance to be a rebel against the PAP. Quoting the title of a Lady Gaga song, "Born This Way".






If you type his name in Youtube to search, this is the first video at the top of the results page

Is Tony Tan the man who has the highest chance of winning?

If you are talking about winning over the PAP, some unions, CCIs (Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and a bunch of Teochew clan associations, then he is certainly the undisputed champion.

If you are talking about winning the votes of the people, then I would say it is a 50-50 probability. In my opinion, 3 out of 10 Singaporeans will choose him. It is how the votes are split among the remaining 7 to determine if Tony will be victorious.

A bonus answer to this question for you. The ones who are likely to be the three who will mark a cross beside Tony Tan's face on their ballot slips are an elderly couple and someone who works as a civil servant.





Skip to 1:28 to listen to the Tamil version

Tan Kin Lian spoke about the flaws of his rivals. Does that mean that he is the flawless Tan?

Definitely not! Well, you see, no one is perfect but Kin Lian is really the "least-flawed" candidate. He is multi-lingual as seen on Nomination Day where he used 4 languages in his speech. Damn it, even Lee Hsien Loong only used 3 for his National Day Rally.

He claims that he is truly neutral and independent. He has never contested in a general election hence, can act independently of all political parties.

He forgot to clarify why did he not contest in an election when he was still a PAP member. Maybe because he was not yet "polished" to be sent to the battleground? If one fails to even make the cut to be an MP, how to be President?




I apologize if you are not a Teochew Nang

Does Tan Cheng Bock have adequate financial experience to fulfil the role of safeguarding the reserves?


Cheng Bock studies medicine and is a physician by practice. He is also a non-executive chairman of a company and is not directly involved in the management.

Unlike, the other three Tans, Cheng Bock does not possess much experience in finance. Honestly, we can say that he is the one with the least experience. But who knows? He might be a thrifty man who knows what/where to shop for good lobangs. Might have to ask his wife about this.




All you fans of Little Nyonya Nicole, your idol has spoken

Tan Jee Say mentioned that, if elected, he will provide checks and balances on the government. Does that mean that he will be constantly finding fault with PM Lee and co.?

Judging from his political background where he contested in the general elections in May as a Singapore Democratic Party candidate (and failed to win!), there is a high possibility of him clashing with the ruling party.

The heated exchange of him with PAP-endorsed candidate Tony Tan at a forum hosted by The Online Citizen is just a trailer of what we expect to see of him when he becomes president.

PM Lee and his ministers will most probably not vote for this man unless they want to have more headaches in their work.

Special Question

Tony Tan, Tan Kin Lian and Tan Jee Say should eat lots of apples during their campaign.

Why? What about Dr. Tan Cheng Bock?

An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.


One final video to suan all the Tans and make myself look independent and objective

That's the end of my FAQ segment, I hope it quelled some of your doubts and not increased them after reading. Thanks for reading!

No comments:

Post a Comment

My $0.02 worth on NS

So it's down to eighteen days. Eighteen more days as a full-time national serviceman, eighteen more days before I am discharged from th...