Politics
Ng Kok Song criticised “opposition backing” to Tan Kin Lian dragging PE2023 into “gutter politics”
When queried about Dr. Tan Cheng Bock’s strong endorsement of Tan Kin Lian, PE2023 candidate Ng Kok Song voiced his unease.
He criticized the situation as “unhealthy and worrisome,” highlighting concerns about multiple opposition leaders endorsing Tan Kin Lian.
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SINGAPORE: On Sunday (27 Aug), in a significant political development to the Presidential Election 2023 (PE2023), Dr Tan Cheng Bock, a former candidate from the Presidential Election 2011, endorsed former competitor Tan Kin Lian’s presidential campaign.
This follows after Mr Tan Jee Say, 69, another candidate from PE2011, acted as Tan Kin Lian’s proposer on nomination day.
the trio made a joint appearance at People’s Park Food Centre on Sunday. When addressing the media, Dr Tan, chair of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) but speaking in his personal capacity as a previous presidential contender, extended his endorsement to Mr Tan Kin Lian.
The 83-year-old emphasized their shared vision, referring to their bond as that of “comrades.”
Dr Tan accentuated the need for an “independent president” and underscored the president’s crucial role in overseeing the nation’s reserves and ensuring the country’s competent governance.
Hinting at potential risks posed by establishment-aligned candidates, Dr Tan stated, “Somebody who’s with the establishment… maybe makes them very uncomfortable if they choose to take decisions contrary to what the establishment people want.”
Accusations of “gutter politics”
When the media questioned the substantial support provided by Dr Tan Cheng Bock to Tan Kin Lian, Ng Kok Song, a contender in the PE2023 Presidential race, expressed his concern.
He referred to the situation as a “very unhealthy and worrisome development”, where “several leaders from several opposition parties ganging up to endorse Mr Tan Ki Lian.”
“The people concerned are confused between the Presidential Election and General Election,” he said.
During a media interaction at Chinatown Complex on Sunday afternoon, Mr Ng, 75, further elaborated, stating, “They are dragging the presidential election into gutter politics. I think that’s quite shameful. How can you dishonour the presidency by making this presidential election into gutter politics? We should not dishonour the office of the president.”
Mr Ng, formerly the chief investment officer of sovereign wealth fund GIC, asserted, “What happened this (Sunday) morning is going against the spirit of the Constitution.”
He stressed that the essence of the presidential election is to unify the people of Singapore and that the President should serve as a force for unity.
“I think the people of Singapore will begin to realize that you do not want to vote for a candidate who is going to be manipulated by several opposition parties who are supporting (him).”
“We must prevent the presidency from being manipulated by any political party.”
During a visit to Tampines Round Market and Food Centre earlier on Sunday, Mr Ng emphasized the issue of presidential candidates receiving endorsements from political parties.
He highlighted his status as the sole non-partisan candidate running for the presidency and contrasted this with the endorsement received by fellow candidate and former senior minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam from the Government and the People’s Action Party.
Mr Ng said: “It is very important for us to safeguard the integrity of the public service because you do not want a president who is beholden to any political party, you do not want a president who can be manipulated to serve the political agenda of any political party.”
Mr. Tharman’s recent statement, made on Saturday, clarified that he does not carry an endorsement from any political party.
He expressed that it would have been regrettable if former President Ong Teng Cheong and Dr Tan Cheng Bock, both former members of the People’s Action Party (PAP), were disqualified due to their past affiliations.
When asked about potential adjustments to his campaign strategy following the endorsements of Mr. Tan Kin Lian by Dr Tan Cheng Bock and Mr Tan Jee Say, Mr Ng shared that this development reinforces the essential message that a presidential candidate should remain non-partisan.
Former presidential candidate Mohamed Salleh Marican, who is among Mr Ng’s supporters, released a statement on Sunday evening.
According to the Constitution, he highlighted, a presidential candidate must not hold membership in any political party, as the president’s duty is to ensure checks and balances on the Government.
Mr. Salleh also recalled his own intention to run for president in 2017, as the founder and CEO of Second Chance Properties, though he didn’t meet the qualification criteria.
“I urge Singaporeans to look beyond partisan politics and vote to strengthen the constitutional oversight of Singapore’s governance,” he said.
A spokesperson for Mr Tharman’s team issued a statement in response, stating: “Mr Tharman has consistently urged, with respect to all his fellow candidates, that we avoid politicising the presidential elections.
“The focus should be on each candidate’s individual character, breadth of experience and ability to contribute to Singapore’s future as head of state.”
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(extremely sickeninNG)
lyiNG/
bullshittiNG/
wayangiNG/
play-actiNG/
kelongiNG/
cookie jar-dippiNG/
reserves-raidiNG/
funds-grabbiNG/
Stinkypoora’s most shameless & aged, camwhoriNG/
boss-suckeriNG aka balls-suckiNG
tok KOK
sing SONG
Gutter politics are the hallmark of the pap regime, and I’m so glad ng had the courage to rebuke pap for their gutter politics. The opposition folks have neither the power, nor the government mouthpiece sph, nor the vast publicly funded resources such as the PA, to do any gutter politics
Only one TCB having kopi-o kosong with TKl, he already panicked saying there are opposition parties involve?
He is too quick to judge lah.
Dr Tan was Rob by Nasi Lemak .
We don’t have the chance to vote .
You keep quiet .
Yes,I agree with what *hougang* said.Wake up! Those who do not benefit much and still slogging away,please wake up before your blood dried up!Tell me who can or will check on them?Only way is by voting in large number of opposition mp.
.Please CPIB,be impartial as you are well known of, disclose everything,even double checking other ministers salary so that you can verify Iswaran salary was properly done.So as not to put blame on the innocent.
Vote 🍍 & 😺 ,if bloodsuckers suck your blood,enjoy their celestial life but you get something back.
Vote Tan kin Lian if bloodsuckers suck your blood and you get nothing back ,only waking up 5am ,work till 11pm and earning 30 to 60 times less than a cabinet ministers.If based on salary of aunties pushing cart at hawker centres,is even more obnoxious!
Old fool NKS has serious onset of dementia. He forgot who have earlier endorsed him.
Wake up. Go back to meditation and your sweet young thing, ok?
Please go to youtube…
A lot of pappy stoogers endorsing kopi o song…
These are some of my thoughts and questions afther gutter man makes comments about TCB :
Can a ex GIC man allowed to check on our reserves?
Can it be considered conflict of interests
Can it be another ” ownself check ownself” again?
What do you think? Any comments
Some islanders still can’t decide who to vote for. That is ok.
If in the end there is no decision, then try thinking this way.
Who do you wanna vote against? Eliminate 1 by 1.
But don’t spoil your vote!
Not everyone in the world gets to vote, not even in a unfair system.
Kosong getting worried nobody endorsing him or at least a reputable figure.
Hahaha, when AWARE came out with their crap on TKL, he remained silent. When the media misinterpreted TKL reaching out to his granddaughter, he remained silent. Now he is talking about gutter politics. Did he borrow the words from TCB? He himself should step down because of his ties with TH.Is the $3b of the reserves still in his company accounts? TKL does not belong to any political party. The support from Opposition members are in personal capacity just as TK and KM’s support for Tharman. NKS, please don’t be a mouth piece for the PAP. The $500m criteria was… Read more »
Let me show you how:
If you want the same with your lives and have not enough of PAP, vote Tharman.
If you want someone cannot offend the PAP, because his business depends heavily on PAP, vote for Ng.
If you have had enough and want change, vote for Tan.
Now decide.
It’s ironic that NKS did not criticise when people like George Yeo, Kishore, HC all lend their voice to the establishment candidates. Particularly for HC, who first praised NKS repeatedly and then in her last FB post, try to elicit Singaporeans to vote minority to signify Singapore and her people have “grown”. Let’s not forget whose bed HC shares nightly and that person is from which party. No prize for guessing which party she supports even if she is not a member. NKS is put to good use by the establishment in expressing the establishments’ thoughts and words. He is… Read more »
Ng depends largely on Temasek and other GIC for his living, so can he be independent of the establishment?
If Ng can get back his deposit, he can consider himself win! No one is foolish enough to support him, except Ho Jinx.