For many years, PAP's policy of selecting paper-Generals from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), has attracted criticisms from political-watchers and the public.
More often than not, these paper-Generals, are scholarship holders. They are perceived to be the elites in the country, from a very young age.
With its recent introductions of new candidates who may contest the elctions under its banner, it is clear that PAP has not abandoned this approach.
Former Army Colonel, Fahmi Aliman, and former Airforce Lt. General, Gan Siow Huang, were pictured with PAP heavyweights, Goh Chok Tong and Ng Eng Hen.
Online, there has been plenty of discussions among netizens on where they will be contesting.
The question that need to be asked is if they are even worthy of contesting. Both are career civil-servants. They served in the Armed forces where the regimentation and rules organises one's behaviour. Such a regimented environment is also, arguably, more predisposed to group think.
In the real world, no one cares about their former ranks. Their mental capacity and their ability to connect will count.
Can they perform without their ranks? Can they connect with their citizens?
PAP's persistence with these policy is perhaps symptomatic of the PAP's own inability to attract and recruit credible talent from outside of the civil service. In the longer-term, the PAP will surely be weakened, to the benefit of the opposition parties in Singapore.
