Presidential candidates Ng Kok Song and Tharman Shanmugaratnam answered six questions from young Singaporeans in The Straits Times’ Ask The Next President Anything show. In this quick-fire question-and-answer show, which premiered on The Straits Times’ YouTube channel...
I want to be known as a compassionate president. I want to be known as the meditating president because meditation has helped me become peaceful, more energetic, more sympathetic to the interests of all Singaporeans, especially the younger generation and low-income Singaporeans. So I feel that as president, I would like the people of Singapore to know I will be their friend, a friend at the Istana.
Clara Loh, 33: Some people say that the president is just a figurehead – what are your views on that?The whole system is designed so that the president has executive powers on some issues. In other words, the president can decide on some issues, and the president has to follow the advice of the Cabinet on other issues. The president has to represent Singapore in ways that don’t just reflect his or her own views, but reflect the interests of Singapore.
Benjamin Choo, 21: How have your experiences in your youth helped shape you into the leader you are today?I grew up as a very poor boy in a family of five brothers and five sisters. I know what it was like to be poor. When I was 18, my father lost his job and I had to work part-time when I was studying in university to support my family. So from a very young age, I learnt responsibility. And leadership is about taking responsibility, it is not just an exercise of power.
Lim Jeng Yeu, 22: With the rising mental health issues among the youth, what can the future president do to address those issues?Well, this is in fact a serious issue. It’s a serious issue, by the way, all over the world, and it’s a serious issue in Singapore. I think the first thing we have to do, both for parents and kids, is don’t be so stressed when the kids are young. Don’t stress the kids out. Give them time to play, give them free time.
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