the unbearable lightness of coe

price of cat A certificate of entitlement: $48,801 (3 Aug 11)
deposit required to file nomination papers at presidential elections: $48,000

wow i'm not even sure which is worse: that it is cheaper to run for the elected presidency than to buy the right to buy a 1.6l car, or the fact that in singapore, anything and everything is for sale, if the price is right.

but wait. in rare occasions, its not only about the money. in singapore, before you can run for president you must even prove to the presidential elections council that you are worthy of doing so, by meeting some really stringent criteria. if you really do meet those requirements, the council will then issue you a certificate of eligibility, thus rendering you "eligible" for the presidential race.

i think in the future, they might do it king arthur style, where only the person who can carry the most babies / smile and wave simultaneously for the longest / make the most insipid of speeches is deserving to be our president.

if i were on the council, i would only award the certificate of eligibility to the great man who invented the certificate of entitlement. who better to lead singapore, than the one who displayed such great foresight to turn a simple vehicle ownership limiting system into a great revenue generator for the government over the years? when the government exhorts us to be more innovative and productive, i always have this person in mind: 100% returns for almost zero outlay, twice a month 24 times a year; even mbs and rws cannot lay claim to such ridiculous profit margins!

cos vs coe. uniquely singapore.