On Sunday (27 Aug), former presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock caused a stir when he publicly endorsed current candidate Tan Kin Lian.
The duo were seen at a walkabout in Chinatown with another 2011 presidential candidate, Mr Tan Jee Say.
Dr Tan Cheng Bock has since explained his reasoning for his unlikely endorsement: He wants a “truly independent President”.
In a Facebook post on Sunday (27 Aug) night, Dr Tan shared the contents of his speech at a press conference that day.
Source: Dr Tan Cheng Bock on Facebook
He acknowledged that Mr Tan Kin Lian and Mr Tan Jee Say were his rivals in the 2011 Presidential Election, but he is now standing with them.
That’s because they have a “common vision”, he said.
That vision is for Singapore to have a truly independent President.
Source: Dr Tan Cheng Bock on Facebook
Dr Tan pointed out that a president has to review the use of our reserves and appoint key public appointment holders.
Thus, the person “must be independent from the Government”, he added.
To that end, Singaporeans want transparency and accountability, but he maintained,
Having another establishment-endorsed candidate as President will not provide this.
“Only a truly independent president can,” Dr Tan noted.
Source: Tan Kin Lian on Facebook
However, Dr Tan said he was sad that Mr George Goh was ruled not eligible, calling him “highly qualified”.
He had said during the press conference earlier that he would’ve endorsed Mr Goh if he had been eligible.
The doctor took issue with Mr Goh’s rejection, saying that the eligibility bar was “raised for private candidates”.
The Presidential Elections Committee (PEC) had judged that Mr Goh’s experience in five different companies wasn’t equivalent to a single private-sector organisation with at least S$500 million in shareholders’ equity.
Dr Tan pointed out that no equivalent conditions are required for public-sector candidates, meaning that all past elected presidents were “endorsed by the establishment”.
“This is not a healthy trend for Singapore,” he added.
Thus, Dr Tan has come out in his personal capacity to plead with Singaporeans to “stand for what is right”.
He called for the Government to give the people the choice to vote in a President who is independent, urging,
Love your country by supporting the cause for an independent president. Your one vote counts make it worth it.
Mr Tan Kin Lian, on his part, said even though the President will not be able to effect policies, he can, as an independent, relay the people’s thoughts to the Government.
The former NTUC Income CEO also shared a cute video of the three Tans singing with Dr Tan strumming the ukelele.
Source: Tan Kin Lian on Facebook
Will the combined forces of the three Tans make beautiful music together? All will be revealed when Singapore goes to the polls on Friday (1 Sep).
Mr Tan Kin Lian’s opponents are former Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and former GIC Chief Investment Officer Ng Kok Song.
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Featured image by Dr Tan Cheng Bock on Facebook.
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