I can understand the
unhappiness expressed by some Singaporeans with the Presidential Election, as
they felt that they had been deprived of a choice (Hundreds protest against
reserved Presidential Election; Sept 16, online).
A contest would have been
good, as it would have given Singaporeans the opportunity to vote for someone
they believe in, who can represent them on the world stage.
With the decision made,
however, perhaps we can now give Mdm Halimah Yacob a chance to prove herself.
A dynamic politician or leader
is one who shows empathy and is willing to speak out on an issue, no matter how
thorny it is. To the best of my knowledge, Mdm Halimah is one such person.
During her tenure as a union
leader, Minister of State and Member of Parliament, she often spoke up for
workers’ welfare and supported the marginalised in our society.
While I was a volunteer for six months with Club
Heal, a voluntary welfare organisation helping Muslims and other Singaporeans
with mental health issues, I could see that she felt for those facing
adversities in life.
Despite her busy schedule, she
found time to attend Club Heal’s events and mingle with patients and their
family members.
She is a people person, as she
is humble and mixes with Singaporeans from all walks of life.
I am confident that with her
positive energy, she will also become the people’s President.
The two other applicants had
mentioned that they wanted to serve all Singaporeans, but were disappointed not
to have been able to contest the election. They can still serve Singapore by
considering setting up a charity each to help the needy.
RAYMOND ANTHONY FERNANDO
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