My anger boileth over. When he was in Bahrain sometime ago, Mr Nathan said that he will reflect on his 12 years in office and the feedback he has received,in a book that he is writing. One of the items in the book will be his thoughts on how the presidency should be redefined. The book will be coming out in September.
The more I think abt it, the angrier I get. Not only was he hawking a book, but he was telling us (the taxpayers) to pay him for a book that will tell us what he did when president.
Regular readers of this blog will know that I have never grumbled abt the president’s salary relative to his duties of security guard. It was his gd fortune and that’s that.
But asking me to pay him to tell me what he was doing at my expense (I pay tax) shows that he is a greedy, gasping man.
I hope he proves me wrong by making the book available on-line for free. For those who want a hardcopy, donate the proceeds (less printing and marketing costs) to charity. He did that on a previous book.
Thoughts of a Cynical Investor 
I know, I know, I know!
He is getting ready to be a consultant to advise Singaporeans on “how to re-define the Presidency”
I would never pay a cent for it (charity or not). He’s been living on charity by the taxpayers money for the last 12 years, and mind you is NOT a small sum = 30-40m!!) And he has the gall to ask people to spend more money to get his report card! Only in Singapore does a PResident gets away from accountability to its people because he’s NOT elected, but selected by PAP party. He refused to budge despite calls for him to speak out and address any imbalance or share some insights now, fueling more anger and disappointment. He will go down in Singapore History the most hated President ever. His book content will mean nothing or make him any more redeemable AFTER the fact. If he gets all the BOOs from the people at the NDP this year, I won’t be surprised. Moral of the lesson = Choose an Independent candidate, not the one anointed by the ruling govt.
President Nathan and his book reminds me a little of what our Prime Minister said a few months ago, on high ministerial salaries:
“Retired US presidents go on book tours. They write books. They are paid $10 million in advance, they get somebody to help them write at home and they make a lecture tour. Every lecture … their book tour, they make money … That’s the system. I think that’s not a good system for us. We don’t want ministers to retire and go on lecture tours.”
Well, our highly-paid Presidents retire and still get to sell us their books! A win-win situation indeed.
This exactly the reason why I completely lost respect for him. While I never liked him, this book thingy just got on my nerves big time. This is just so wrong, so immoral. For 12 years as president without a single vote, earning the highest pay in public office, he has never account to the public on what he did. Now he wants people to pay him to read his report card? This guy is simply a disgrace.
“One of the items in the book will be his thoughts on how the presidency should be redefined.”
If he has something USEFUL to say, do it BEFORE the election!
HE was quick to say that we snipe at him without taking responsibilities!
Does he even reflect and realize that he didn’t even snipe, clearly takes no responsibility of his unique position to do good, and all that while taking millions! At least we didn’t sit in that damn office and take millions..another out of touch PAPies fella.
I am not trying to degrade the position of the previous President’s job, but it cannot be denied, any working Singaporean is able to perform this job as most people sees it, which is why most citizens are not satisfied about the over paid and under performed for that kind of salary. Any comments from the pay review committee to justify for very expensive hand shakes.
Was the release of 150 and 4.6 billion his own decision or other people’s decison ? I would never, never approve of the 150 billion if I were him. I will ask very simlpe questions, like what will be the returns from this 150 billion and when is the the repayment. Can the one who requested for this 150 billion, please tell us HOW MANY COMPANIES IN SINGAPORE HAVE A CASH VALUE OF $15,000,000,000.00. Secondly, with this kind of huge cash injection any tom, dick and harry how ever mudbrain he is, is able to run a company with this huge some of money with profit. Thirdly, why MUST we release 15 billion to bail out a company without knowing the conditions of what other amount of money is owed to other creditors. Any comments please ?