Photo from Mdm Halimah Yacob’s Facebook page.

Despite having virtually zero political power, the office of the President is still an office that is imbued with prestige in Singapore. The President is after all, still the official head of state in Singapore and that position in itself carries an air of dignity. With that in mind, I query if it is appropriate for our current President to be seen endorsing a particular product over another. Will the President’s endorsement of Milo Kosong provide Milo with an unfair edge over its competitors? Also, does it cheapen the office of the President?

I appreciate that Madam Halimah may well have decided to support Milo Kosong because they had taken up her suggestion of creating a sugar free version of the beloved drink. However, given that she is now the Head of State, she ought to have realised that she no longer has a private capacity. Everything that she does in public will be done and seen to be done as in her capacity as the President of the Republic of Singapore. With that in mind, can the President’s endorsement of a particular product be seen as providing an unfair advantage to Milo? Shouldn’t the office of the President be seen at all times as neutral, above petty commercialism and politics?

Besides, Milo is not the only company that produces sugar free beverages. How do its competitors feel about our President openly favouring Milo? Can this endorsement be deemed anti-competition?

The President’s office is an official position of state. The sitting President is therefore not some sort of influencer or celebrity. In some ways, her public endorsement of Milo does cheapen the dignity of the office. What are the official guidelines that govern the President’s conduct while in office?

I am also unsure as to the appropriateness of the President performing at the President’s Star Charity While it is for a good cause, the office of the President has to take precedence over Madam Halimah as an individual. Should the office be seen as entertainment for public consumption? By all means, the President should say a few words. It is after all a charitable event organised in the name of her office. Singing on stage, however, might be a step too far. There is, after all, a difference between making a speech and performing a public jig.

Some may feel that I am being unduly harsh and perhaps I am. But from my standpoint, the position of the President is an official role funded by the public purse. There should, therefore, be certain codes of conduct that comes with the office. Dignity, Impartiality and respect are part of the office and providing advertising for products, or performing singing acts do not gel with the sanctity of that office.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

SRX figures: Condo units sold fell 27% as resale prices mildly increased by 1.7%

According to the flash data from real estate portal SRX Property on…

If anyone is pretending that there is no pandemic, it is the PAP. Not the alternative parties!

Secretary-General of the Peoples’ Action Party (PAP), Lee Hsien Loong has accused…

新航工程合资公司两裁员被指“激进” 老员工爆当场被裁需立即离开

服务之鹰亚洲公司今日传出裁员风波,两轮裁员中不少服务多年,但健康不如从前的老员工,被指裁员手段激进。许多员工在是到了公司后才得知自己出现在裁员名单上,并且需要立即收拾东西离开。 据《联合早报》报道,日前收到匿名读者爆料,该公司于7月22日突然宣布裁员,当日一共有31名员工被裁,部分员工到了当日早上10点才赫然得知自己被裁消息。 服务之鹰亚洲公司(Eagle Services Asia)是飞机引擎制造商普拉特·惠特尼公司(Pratt & Whitney)和新航工程(SIA Engineering)的合资公司。 该名读者表示,尽管并非在裁员名单内,但目前公司仍未对裁员行动作出任何解释,也不清楚会涉及多少人,因此员工人心惶惶。 未向员工说明裁员理由,并要求员工立即离开 随后全国职工总会介入,与公司进行协商,却在24日又发出另一波裁员通知,此次共对113名员工进行裁员。 早前,圣淘沙名胜世界(RWS)也宣布大幅裁员。职总此前称,考虑到未来几个月,裁员人数增加无可避免,为此建议设立新的公平裁员框架,,以引导企业负责任地处理裁员事宜。…

总理称医疗开支每年逾90亿元“难持续” 然国人是否“看得起病”?

据报导,日前我国总理李显龙称,我国政府医疗开支增长速度快过国内生产总值,未来还会持续攀升,过去四年,每年都要耗费90亿元。 他认为,这种情况是“不可持续”的,认为需要找新方法应付开支,改善医疗体系。 根据财政部数据,2019财政年的卫生开支估计为逾117亿元,比上一财年的逾106亿元高一成。而早在2015财年,卫生开支已激增近三成,至逾92亿元。 总理也重提社会老龄化的论述,指出每七名国人预计有一人可活到95岁,而慢性疾病案例增加、家庭单位缩小使能照顾老人的家庭成员也减少,都是使医院病患人数增加的因素。 对此, 他认为“必须作出艰难抉择,并希望作出抉择时能得到国人的支持。” 照总理言下之意,乃是呼吁国人要有心理准备,因为医疗开支还会继续攀升,所以政府预料将对医疗体系作出调整。 他也指出,在医疗津贴高或免费的国家,人们因为不用担心医疗费,所以医生往往做更多无谓、昂贵的治疗,致使过度消耗医疗资源。 总理呼吁人们需对自己的健康负责,如果照顾好身体,保持健康,就不用到医院去。 总理称要国人“为自己健康负责”,但有谁喜欢生病? 当然,亲爱的总理,没有国人想生病,有谁不想一直都健健康康无病无痛?这种建议如同隔靴搔痒,好像女朋友来月经感不适,男朋友只会一味劝他多喝水,却没办法解决实质问题。 根据怡安2017/18年保健趋势调查报告,新加坡的2018年的医疗通膨预计达10.9巴仙,在东南亚的怡安医疗通膨指数,得分95.1(得分最高的国家为越南:164.5)。…