mrbrown: 35 burning questions for the PE2011 candidates
When the four presidential candidates were deemed eligible by the Presidential Elections Committee (PEC) to run for the 2011 Presidential Elections, Singaporeans were abuzz with the fact that: a) they all had the last name "Tan" and b) there was actually going to be a contest.
You have to forgive us. We went through two walkovers for the last president and after a 12-year dry spell, to have four guys to choose from is a big deal, even if the role is largely ceremonial.
- More on CNNGo: Presidential hopeful Tan Jee Say: I'm not a 'yes man'
Hey, the salary is S$4,267,500 (US$3,535,997) a year, so you bet we care about who we vote in.
The Straits Times started a hashtag called #AskSGPresident to, ahem, "crowdsource" questions from the Twitter community. Their top-ranked #AskSGPresident question so far is: "What would you do if you disagreed strongly with the Cabinet?"
Talk about a yawn fest.
So my partner-in-crime, Mr Miyagi (@miyagi), and I came up with our own hashtag for followers to ask the presidential candidates the real burning questions:
"Do you have a burning question to ask the #SGPresident candidates? Give a shout-out to #YoSGPresident!"
Here are some of the gems from #YoSGPresident (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23YoSGPresident):
1. @mrbrown: #YoSGPresident, Wazzuuuuuuuuuuuuup!
2. @mrbrown: #YoSGPresident, Where exactly is the G-spot? Does it really exist?
3. @miyagi: #YoSGPresident, You gonna do your own stunts at next year's President's Star Charity?
4. @miyagi: #YoSGPresident, When's the next Istana garden party? Can I bring my foreigner friends?
5. @TommyWee: #YoSGPresident, Should we marry for love, money or looks? Or just adopt cute puppies?
6. @mrbrown: #YoSGPresident, Can I defer National Service for 12 years? I want to study hairdressing and return to be a Unit Barber.
7. @mrbrown: #YoSGPresident, How do you tell when a woman fakes an orgasm?
8. @davechua: #YoSGPresident, Fabio or original #OldSpice guy?
9. @kazitoshi: #YoSGPresident, Who let the dogs out? Who, who, who, who, who?
10. @mrbrown: #YoSGPresident, Does this dress make me look fat?
11. @mrbrown: #YoSGPresident, Is it right to spawn camp in a game of Team Fortress 2?
12. @#YoSGPresident, SNSD > 2NE1?
13. @ShunfuMart: #YoSGPresident, Is it true you don't want your pic on all Singapore postage stamps because you can't stand people who lick your backside?
14. @spiderpigsays: #YoSGPresident, In a heartbeat, will you be there for me? (This year's National Day song, played ad nauseam on TV.)
15. @miyagi: #YoSGPresident, Would you stay in a hotel without a presidential suite?
16. @Ethan_Lou: #YoSGPresident, Do you ever feel like a plastic bag, drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?
17. @contrabandkarma: #YoSGPresident, Why U So Like Dat? Why U So Like Dat Ah? Why U So Like Dat? #sivachoyforpresident (a Singapore classic)
18. @miyagi: #YoSGPresident, If PM and Cabinet are drivers of the nation, then are you the handbrake?
19. #YoSGPresident, Nikon or Canon better? (Religious flame war!)
20. @Fake_PMLee: #YoSGPresident, Who's your daddy? Right! I am your daddy. (You gotta love the fake PM.)
21. @clementchio: #YoSGPresident, Can one of you give yourself the English name "Rockson"? (Singapore's favorite foul-mouth blogger and Twitterer: @rocksontan at http://rockson.blogspot.com)
22. @miyagi: #YoSGPresident, Which #tag is more fun? http://yfrog.com/kgfuxkp
23. @BB_See: #YoSGPresident, Is Mos Burger really as overpriced and overrated as many say they are? (I really do need to eat at least two of their tiny burgers to be full.)
24. @gurms: #YoSGPresident, Black or white carrot cake? (Oh my, racial question!)
25. @mrbrown: #YoSGPresident, Team Edward or Team Jacob?
26. @BB_See: #YoSGPresident, How much do you put in the angbaos (red packets) that you give your children's friends during CNY (Chinese New Year)?
27. @ellcrius: #YoSGPresident Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon? Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
28. @zackchua: #YoSGPresident, How come Ang Mo Kio got no Ang Mo?
29. @mrbrown: #YoSGPresident Brylcreem, Code 10 or Vitalis better? (If you are going to be the Hair of the Nation, your choice of hair product is very important.)
30. @rubberquackduck: #YoSGPresident, When there's something strange, in the neighborhood, who ya gonna call?! (This is question is very apt, since it is also the month of the hungry ghosts.)
31. @grilledMouse: #YoSGPresident, Wed go Butter ai mai? (Translation, Hokkien: "Do you wanna hang at The Butter Factory club on Wednesday?"
32. @mrbrown: #YoSGPresident, Kickin’ in the front seat, sittin’ in the back seat, gotta make my mind up, which seat can I take?
33. @mrbrown: #YoSGPresident, Manchester United kicks the pants off Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea any day. Discuss.
34. @BB_See: #YoSGPresident, If you liked it would you put a ring on it?
35. @mrbrown: #YoSGPresident, Sam's speed was 6 kph slower than Raju. When Raju completed in two hours, Sam had only cycled four-fifths of the race. What was Raju's speed?
I have a funny feeling many people actually tried to do the Raju question. And, yes, there is an answer. It was a real math question for 12-year-olds in the Primary School Leaving Examination 2009.
Hey, the president is the watchdog of our nation's reserves. He'd better have the math skills to know what Raju's speed was.
