But he has continued to keep himself in the news and I think with his latest comeback that the President is not dumb, to Law Minister K Shanmugam's speech in IPS (that the Elected President cannot speak but with the advice of the government), he must have surely won the approval of a few of his detractors.
I had lunch with Dr Tony Tan and a few people who are opinion leaders in the online world and I asked Dr Tony Tan what his views were on the mandatory aspect of the death penalty. Dr Tan said to me that the President has got to decide on the advice of the Cabinet and that that is the Constitution. When I said to him that 'yeah I know that but what's your personal opinion on the 'mandatory' aspect of the death penalty', Dr Tan did not give a direct answer.
In this aspect, Mr Tan Jee Say is the only aspirant who has come out to say that he is against the mandatory aspect of the death penalty. I respect Mr Tan Jee Say for holding this views and for expressing them without fear. The people would like to know who the person they will elect as a President is and for that, the aspirants have got to come out and express who they are as a person, and that is very important.
Dr Tan Cheng Bock, I think besides the strong show of support which was displayed at the time he filed his application for COE, can do more to fire the imagination of the online world.
Of course Dr Tan Cheng Bock is a very colourful man, but he has got to let that colour shine through the cyberworld. Playing the ukulele and singing 'Count on me Singapore', is not my idea if letting the colour shine through. And engaging the online world is more than releasing smartphone apps.
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Comments
At this point of time, I am still confused. TKL lack of ability to handle criticism is a major drawback. TJS on the other hand seems too hard.
Oh well. Looks like we have to get our feets dirty by going down the field and attend the rallies.
TCB's problem is that he re-enact what he did during his rebellious days as PAP MP if he become President. He can't be speaking up as he did during his past glorious days. As such, he is stuck "replaying" and recounting his past political adventures, knowing that he can't repeat them as a President since PAP would give him a even tougher time is he does so.
TJS knows that he is unlikely to get his COE. He is just playing for time.
As for TT, he knows that his game is best played outside the hostile environs of the cyberspace. So he willingly accepts invites to launch books, play VIP and make speeches as excuse to appear on the MSM. He knows he gets more air-time and face-time this way than having to face the rabble-rousers online.
I have lectured on these "Values" during my Mangement Lectures and given notes to my students. Does that make a candidate for the Presidency...NO!See More