Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian held his final media stop today (30 Aug) outside Hougang Mall.
Mr Tan highlighted key issues such as family values and apologised for previous social media posts.
He said he never meant disrespect to the people he encountered.
Additionally, Mr Tan asked the media and other “political analysts” to stop framing the election as “party politics”.
This was in response to Tan Cheng Bock and Tan Jee Say officially endorsing Mr Tan in his presidential bid.
Mr Tan Kin Lian was all smiles as he stood in front of a semicircle of curious journalists, outstretched phones, and film cameras.
Image by MS News
It was the Presidential hopeful’s final media stop on the last day for campaigning before Cooling-off Day on Thursday (31 Aug).
Mr Tan began by highlighting two key issues.
The first was ‘family issues’, which Mr Tan deemed as a “cornerstone of any society”.
He encouraged young people to get married early, but also recognised the financial struggles the youth faced. Mr Tan promised to address key concerns such as job insecurity and housing costs should he be elected President.
In addition, the Presidential candidate alleged that members of the Christian and Muslim communities felt family values faced recent erosion. Thus, he wished to emphasise this issue for them.
Mr Tan’s second key point was an official apology to anyone he upset with his social media posts. He claimed that disrespect was never the intention and that he was simply sharing his everyday observations.
He pledged to be more mindful of his comments in the future.
When questioned by a member of the media on the change of attitude, considering that he had previously dismissed the controversy as a vocal minority, Mr Tan explained that he had “been advised” that it was “better to apologise”.
Image by MS News
The Presidential candidate also highlighted recent media articles criticising his campaign as supported by opposition parties.
Mr Tan firmly emphasised that the support from Dr Tan Cheng Bock and Mr Tan Jee Say was entirely personal, and that they share the common vision to have a President independent from the ruling government.
Dr Tan is the chairman of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP).
His media team had previously stated the same on Facebook on Monday (28 Aug).
He claimed that neither Dr Tan nor Tan Jee Say are acting as representatives of their associated parties.
As such, Mr Tan respectfully asked the media to stop framing the Presidential election as “party politics”.
Furthermore, he vowed to exercise his Presidential duties “with an independent mind” if elected and act “in the interest of the people”.
Image by MS News
PSP also sent a memo on 29 Aug stating it does not endorse any presidential candidates.
“Individuals, however, are free to support any candidate they wish in their personal capacities,” the party noted.
Mr Tan expressed firm confidence in his chances in the Presidential Election, as he purportedly received feedback praising his Presidential Forum performance.
He then enthusiastically showcased his ‘micro-posters’, small A6-sized flyers which his volunteers would distribute to the public. They were small replicas of his campaign posters, proudly proclaiming him as the “People’s President”.
Image by MS News
He also showed his A5-sized autographed ‘mini-posters’, which he claimed would become “valuable” were he to win the election.
Mr Tan considered these micro-posters to be more effective than the walkabouts he’d originally planned.
“I hope [people] find [the flyers] so attractive that they will keep it as a souvenir,” he said. “The micro-posters have been our key strategy.”
Image by MS News
When asked to comment on why he asked counting agents to collect voting data, he declined to answer.
Following the end of the media stop, Mr Tan Kin Lian walked around the square. He took pictures with supporters, shook many hands, and spoke to interested bystanders.
He and his supporters were zealous in handing out his micro-posters.
One particular supporter gave him a small banana, purportedly “home-grown.” Mr Tan proceeded to peel and eat it, giving it a positive review.
Image by MS News
“Better than pineapple,” he joked, perhaps referring to Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s election symbol of a pineapple.
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All images by MS News. Photography by Jonathan Yee.
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