HALIMAH YACOB IKON WANITA
It is one of the worst kept secrets this year, where she decided not to say yes until everything has been sorted out (she had to talk to her family, residents, consider her existing duties etc etc).
It’s not like she can suka suka drop everything and go for the presidency, and if she loses, it’s not like she can just say “Can put me back as Speaker?” right?
So what other worst-er kept secrets did Halimah Yacob have that maybe you already knew (or can just pretend you did)?
- Halimah Yacob’s a Malay (no, you don’t say!)
- She was a lawyer who took companies to court over workers’ rights
- She started working at 8 years old at an illegal pushcart
- She studied at Singapore Chinese Girls’ School
- She lives in a 5 room HDB flat in Yishun
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A doctor’s prescription on ‘who is a Malay’ could settle Halimah’s Malay credentials
Who is a Malay? The debate is still raging in Singapore with many disputing the Malay credentials of the PAP’s Presidential election’s candidate.
But a doctor’s prescription on who is a Malay in Malaysia could save Halimah Yacob the day in the court of the social-media haranguers.
The book A Doctor In The House could eventually settle the issue of ‘who is a Malay’ and could endorse Halimah’s Malay credentials
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Reserved presidency a 'political minus' but right thing to do: PM Lee
The move gives minority ethnic groups an assurance that their place in society will always be safeguarded, he said, just like how the group representation constituency system - which guarantees at least one candidate per constituency is from a minority race - ensures there will always be MPs from minority races in Parliament
The PAP secretary-general was referring to public unhappiness over the Constitutional amendments passed in November 2016, to reserve the elected presidency for candidates of a particular racial group if there had not been a president from the group for the five most recent presidential terms.
Critics said the decision went against Singapore's meritocratic values, and hundreds protested in Hong Lim Park days after the first election, reserved for Malays, saw Madam Halimah Yacob sworn in as President on Sept 14, 2017.
Mr Lee cited the issue as an example of how Singapore is proactively strengthening the institutions that support its multiracial and multi-religious society.
related: President Halimah's inauguration:Don’t overlook this key moment in Spore’s history
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PAP must never be afraid to do what is right for Singapore: PM Lee
The reserved Presidential Election in 2017 saw Madam Halimah Yacob elected unopposed
The People’s Action Party (PAP) must never be afraid to do what is right for Singapore, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Nov 10), noting that not all Singaporeans agreed with the need for a reserved Presidential Election to ensure minority races in the Republic’s highest office.
“If you ask me, overall from a short-term perspective, this issue is probably a political minus for the Government, for the PAP. But this is part of governing. I am convinced that we did the right thing. We must never, ever be afraid to do what is right for Singapore,” said Mr Lee to around 2,500 party activists at the PAP65 Awards and Convention at the Singapore Expo. The conference was held to mark the 65th anniversary of the PAP’s founding on Nov 21, 1954.
The reserved Presidential Election in 2017 saw Madam Halimah Yacob elected unopposed, and Mr Lee also said then that he recognised the move was unpopular and could cause the ruling party to lose votes.
related:
Halimah’s election lauded as ‘true sign of S’pore’s meritocracy’ in region
Support package to ‘cushion impact’ of impending GST hike to be announced
PAP must be prepared for a tough fight in the coming GE, says PM Lee
When could General Election be held?Analysts,opposition parties give their take
Who’s on Electoral Boundaries Review Committee,how it draws up GE battle lines
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Istana Wants To Hire A Chef, But Forgets President Halimah Is A Woman
Turns out 2 other job listings also forgot
As far as government jobs are concerned, nothing beats the prestige of working in the Istana. Coincidentally, one of our team members was checking out an official government job portal when he chanced upon a rather intriguing job listing — Istana is hiring a chef.
So being the inquisitive fella he is, our colleague clicked on the advert to find out what being an Istana Chef entails. Everything appears fine at first. The successful candidate gets to plan the daily menu, and even cook up a feast for “various events” — sounds like every aspiring chef’s dream job.
But all of a sudden, he spotted something on the listing that raised more than a few eyebrows. We won’t spoil it for you just yet, but we’ll give you a clue.
Istana Advertises For Chef Job, Keeps Repeating President Halimah As A He
The Istana is presently looking for a chef to join its staff, and has placed an advert on the government job portal, Careers@GOV. Istana, is of course, the official residence of the President of Singapore, Halimah Yacob. Unfortunately, the advertisement keeps referring to the President as a male.
President Halimah if of course no stranger to confusion in her presidency. She was elected as the reserved Malay president, when at one time in her political career, she was referred to as an Indian Muslim. Indian Muslims are definitely not Malay, but for Halimah's case, she is deemed Malay enough to be a Malay. So what to make of this latest confusion?
The Istana itself is not able to tell that they have been hosting a female president most recently? In the ad, the Istana has referred to President Halimah Yacob as a “he”. The first line of the chef job indicated in its description "to support the President in the execution of HIS presidential duties" Interestingly, the chef position is not the only one advertised by the Istana. There were another to jobs advertised, that of a Gallery Officer and another one as a Assistant Senior Butler / Butler. And both job description also describes the President as a "he".
Careers@GOV
To support the President in the execution of his presidential duties, which include constitutional, ceremonial and community roles, and to uphold and maintain the dignity of the office of the President.
Responsibilities:
- Plan daily menus, purchase ingredients and prepare excellent cuisines for various events.
- Ensure high standard of hygiene in food preparation and cleanliness of the kitchen.
- Collaborate with Butler Teams as well as external caterers to ensure F & B is delivered efficiently at functions.
- Handle administrative work such as preparing claims for purchases and costing for menus.
Requirements:
- Singapore Citizen
- Able to prepare Western and Local cuisines.
- At least 2 years working experience in a similar position
- Positive attitude, good team player.
Gross Monthly Salary Range: $2,000 to $2,500:
- Selected candidates will be offered a contract of 1 or 2 years in the first instance.
- Shortlisted candidates will be notified within 4 weeks after the closing date.
- For enquiries, please email to: istana_recruitment@istana.gov.sg
Former NS man raises question toward SAF pledge
Photo of Mdm Halimah Yacob's swearing in (ST Photo)
I take strong issue with the part that says, “We will bear true faith and allegiance to the President.”
The reality in Singapore today, very, very unfortunately, is that our President is a controversial President, whether we as a people are honest and courageous enough to admit it or not. I stress, firstly, the President is not a Malay President even though the Elected Presidency (EP) criteria for that election clearly stated that the EP was Reserved for the Malays only.
Next, it was a walked-over and nobody, absolutely nobody cast a vote for her even though that was supposed to be an Elected President. In other words, she was engineered and manoeuvred into the Office of the President of the Republic of Singapore by this People’s Action Party (PAP) government.
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Singapore's 8th and first female President
Inauguration ceremony for President-elect Halimah Yacob
Singapore make history as it inaugurates its first female President on Thursday (Sep 14)
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Halimah Yacob
Her father was a watchman who died due to a heart attack when she was eight years old, leaving her and four siblings to be brought up by her mother. Her family was in poverty at the time of her father's death, and she helped her mother to sell nasi padang outside the former Singapore Polytechnic (now Bestway Building) along Prince Edward Road.
She attended Singapore Chinese Girls' School and Tanjong Katong Girls' School before graduating from the University of Singapore (now National University of Singapore) in 1978 with a Bachelor of Laws degree and was called to the Singapore Bar in 1981. She subsequently went on to complete a Master of Laws degree at the National University of Singapore in 2001.
Yusof Ishak (Appointed) Term of Office: 9 Aug 1965 - 23 Nov 1970
Benjamin Sheares (Appointed) Term of Office (3 Terms): 2 Jan 1971 - 12 May 1981
Devan Nair (Appointed) Term of Office: 23 Oct 1981 - 28 March 1985
Wee Kim Wee (Appointed) Term of Office: 2 Sep 1985 - 1 Sep 1993
Ong Teng Cheong (Elected) Term of Office: 1 Sept 1993 - 1 Sep 1999
S R Nathan (Elected Unopposed) Term of Office (2 Terms): 1 Sept 1999 - 1 Sep 2011
Tony Tan Keng Yam (Elected) Term of Office: 1 Sep 2011 - 31 Aug 2017
Halimah Yacob (Elected Unopposed) Term of Office: 14 Sep 2017 - 1 Sep 2023
Tharman Shanmugaratnam (Elected) 1 Sep 2023
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