When Singaporeans cast their votes to elect their next president, at some point before mid-September, the result appears to be a foregone conclusion.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the former senior minister and deputy prime minister in the ruling People's Action Party government and one of the most popular politicians in the country (even the opposition like him), is expected to win the largely ceremonial position of head of state very comfortably.
Capping his 22-year career as an MP and minister with the presidency may well be an honour. But it raises one question for many. Why couldn’t Mr Tharman have succeeded the current prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, when he decides to step down?
The man himself has long batted away such suggestions, telling the media “I’m good at policymaking, I’m good at advising my younger colleagues, and at supporting the PM – not at being the PM. That’s not me.”
Mr Tharman was speaking in 2016, when the subject was a hot topic because a Yahoo poll had put support for him to be premier at 55 per cent – with the next contender on 17 per cent.
His popularity hasn’t waned. In the 2020 general election Mr Tharman led his team in his multi-member constituency to victory with an impressive 75 per cent of the vote. So why shouldn’t he be a candidate for the premiership? The incumbent, Mr Lee, gave the answer in 2019.
“I think that ethnic considerations are never absent when voters vote,” he told an interviewer. Asked specifically whether Singapore – whose main ethnic groups are Chinese at 74 per cent, Malays at 13 per cent and Indians at 9 per cent – was ready for a non-Chinese leader, he said: “If you ask whether it will happen tomorrow, I do not think so.”
In neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia, on the other hand, it is inconceivable that an ethnic Chinese person or any non-Muslim could become the country’s leader. The percentage of minorities is different in the two countries – Chinese make up 23 per cent of the population in Malaysia, with Indians at seven per cent, whereas in Indonesia the Chinese are only reckoned to constitute just over one per cent, albeit of a much larger population of 282 million, as opposed to 33 million in Malaysia.
This view, that only a member of the country’s majority ethnic group and religion should be the leader, goes further. When an ethnic Chinese was appointed Malaysia’s finance minister and an ethnic Indian attorney general in 2018, it was highly controversial.
And having been President Joko Widodo’s deputy when he was governor of Jakarta didn’t protect Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, an ethnic Chinese Christian who had succeeded his former boss as governor, from what many thought were dubious blasphemy charges in 2017, when he was sentenced to two years in jail.
There might also be some who say that throughout history, it has been the natural order of things for a leader to be from a majority or dominant ethnic group
But outsiders who view all this over-simplistically should take a pause. They should remember that it is only very recently that people of colour have attained the highest office in Europe and North America. The nonchalance with which Britons greeted Rishi Sunak as their first non-white prime minister was remarkable, but relatively new. There might also be some who say that throughout history, it has been the natural order of things for a leader to be from a majority or dominant ethnic group.
But there are other reasons for South-East Asian countries to take such a view. The history of communal tensions spilling over into rioting is so seared into the national consciousnesses that anything that could possibly upset inter-ethnic relations is ultra-sensitive, if not to be avoided at all costs.
Having been ruled by the British and the Dutch for centuries, local populations may have a degree of paranoia about post-colonial interference. Certainly, in Malaysia there was a fear among the majority Malays of “not being masters in the only country they can call their own”.
It may not be justified today, but it was in 1970 when Malays and other indigenous peoples owned a mere four per cent of the country’s wealth.
What may look like rigidity about race relations to some is particularly strictly followed in Singapore, where housing is deliberately mixed so one-racial enclaves don’t develop, and where the Home Affairs minister K Shanmugam has recently said the government is "publicly committed to keeping our percentages [of race] more or less constant".
But it is all done in the pursuit of harmony. And in countries where, first, the community comes before the individual, and second, history has shown them that care needs to be taken, it has, to a large degree succeeded. There may be a glass ceiling in politics, but in other areas of life, particularly in business, ethnic minorities have excelled.
Comparing this to France, where the frustration and anger of youths of North African and Arab descent was one of the main causes of the recent riots, a Malaysian friend returning from Europe said to me: “Thank goodness we live in Kuala Lumpur!” Such scenes are unthinkable here (as are activists gluing themselves to whatever immovable objects they can find, which she also mentioned).
It would be fair to acknowledge that race-based stereotyping is common in South-East Asia. Sometimes that is harmless.
Every time I’ve gone to a stand-up comedy set in Kuala Lumpur, there have been jokes based on caricatures – which everyone laughs at, regardless of ethnicity. Sometimes less so, as in former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s bizarre and divisive claim this week that promoting a multi-ethnic country was against the Malaysian constitution.
But understandable though it may be for historical reasons, if the idea that only members of one ethnicity or religion can occupy the highest office prevents the greatest talents from realising their potential, that is only going to hinder those countries. Future generations will benefit if they can be open to any of their countrymen and women becoming their leaders. On this, I concur with Singapore’s Mr Lee. “It is not impossible,” he has said, “and I hope one day it will happen."
THE BIG MATCH
Arsenal v Manchester City,
Sunday, Emirates Stadium, 6.30pm
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
RESULTS
2.15pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner Shawall, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Majed Al Jahouri (trainer)
2.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Anna Bella Aa, Fabrice Veron, Abdelkhir Adam
3.15pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
3.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner Taajer, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
4.15pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri
4.45pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner Maqaadeer, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
ENGLAND%20SQUAD
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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1.
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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7.
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Singapore
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8.
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Australia
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9.
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Saudi Arabia
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10.
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South Korea
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The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
Awar Qalb
Director: Jamal Salem
Starring: Abdulla Zaid, Joma Ali, Neven Madi and Khadija Sleiman
Two stars
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Results:
5pm: Baynunah Conditions (UAE bred) Dh80,000 1,400m.
Winner: Al Tiryaq, Dane O’Neill (jockey), Abdullah Al Hammadi (trainer).
5.30pm: Al Zahra Handicap (rated 0-45) Dh 80,000 1,400m:
Winner: Fahadd, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi.
6pm: Al Ras Al Akhdar Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m.
Winner: Jaahiz, Jesus Rosales, Eric Lemartinel.
6.30pm: Al Reem Island Handicap Dh90,000 1,600m.
Winner: AF Al Jahed, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel.
7pm: Al Khubairah Handicap (TB) 100,000 2,200m.
Winner: Empoli, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap Dh80,000 2,200m.
Winner: Shivan OA, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi.
