Tan Jee Say
Tan Jee Say is a Singaporean politician and former civil servant. He was a principal private secretary to former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong but contested the 2011 general election under the opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). Tan then resigned from the SDP to stand as a candidate in the 2011 presidential election.
Civil service and private sector
Tan was a senior civil servant, serving as former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong's principal private secretary.[1][2] He left the civil service and joined AIB Govett Asia, an assets management company, as regional managing director from 1997 to 2001.[3]
Political career
2011 general election
Tan joined the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) in 2011 due to his "dismay" at Singapore's society and economy.[4] In the 2011 Singaporean general election, Tan contested the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.[2] During the campaign, Senior Minister Goh claimed that Tan left the civil service because Goh "did not think he could make it as a permanent secretary."[2] Tan's group lost to the People's Action Party (PAP) team led by then-Minister of Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan, which won 60.1% of the vote.[5]
2011 presidential election
In July 2011, Tan resigned from the SDP and announced his candidacy for the 2011 presidential election.[6] He campaigned on a platform of being a candidate who is "clear[ly]" independent from the ruling PAP and declared that he would be the "conscience of the nation."[6][7] Tan cited the country's new casino industry as an example of PAP "[losing] its moral compass."[7]
However, doubts were raised over his eligibility as a presidential candidate as he did not meet the criterion of being the chief executive officer of a Singapore company with a paid-up capital of S$100 million.[1][8] Tan said he was CEO with the title of regional managing director of AIB Govett Asia which managed total assets in excess of S$100 million which, in his view, would make it equivalent to managing a company with a paid-up capital of S$100 million.[6] He also pointed out that he had met the alternate criterion, in which the candidate must have served for not less than three years in "any other similar or comparable position of seniority and responsibility in any other organisation or department of equivalent size or complexity in the public or private sector."[8] He submitted his Certificate of Eligibility to the Election Department on 4 August under the latter criterion.[8]
References
- ^ a b Li, Xueying (4 August 2011). "A Look Into Singapore's Presidential Election". Jakarta Globe. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ a b c Chew, Cassandra (30 April 2011). "Loss of Aljunied team will dent quality of Govt: SM Goh". The Straits Times. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ Hoe, Pei Shan (3 August 2011). "Tan Jee Say submits forms for presidential eligibility". The Straits Times. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ Zakir Hussain (22 April 2011). "Former senior Govt officer in SDP camp". The Straits Times. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ "PAP wins Holland-Bukit Timah GRC". The Straits Times. 8 May 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ a b c "Tan Jee Say to contest Presidential Election". Channel NewsAsia. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ a b Quek, Caroline (16 July 2011). "Tan Jee Say joins the fray". Today. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ a b c Ng, Jing Yng (4 August 2011). "Tan Jee Say submits application forms". Today. Retrieved 6 August 2011.