Tan Chuan-Jin has proven to be adept at handling the press, and has been praised by many former subordinates
By Cheryl Chan
Political Correspondent
Brigadier-General (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin is what some might call a ‘blue-eyed boy’ – he was a recipient of the prestigious SAF Overseas Scholarship, has two Master’s Degrees (one from King’s College London and another from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy) and enjoyed a stellar career in the Singapore Armed Forces before retiring to don the white of the PAP.
During his 24 years of military service, BG Tan led the SAF’s relief efforts in Meulaboh, Aceh after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, an experience he has described in vivid detail in numerous interviews with the press. He was also the Chairman of the NDP Exco in 2009, where he pioneered the unique ‘Pledge Moment’ concept (where all Singaporeans said the pledge in unison at 8.22 pm no matter where they were). He recalls the Pledge Moment as one of the most poignant memories of his long and decorated military career.
More than that, however, BG Tan has a track record of earning the respect of those serving under him, as many of his former subordinates in the SAF will readily attest.
One of them, Daniel Lim, posted his well-wishes on BG Tan’s Facebook page.
Captain Tan, this is Ban Chew here. Not sure if you remember me, but I was your guardsman at 3rd Guards eons ago.
You were most supportive and understanding when my mum was seriously ill when I was doing my national service. We were financially strapped and it was an extremely difficult time for me coming from a single-parent family, and with a younger brother who was still studying then. You gave me time off to tend to my mum and issues at home so I could return stronger and more focused.
Your genuine concern and compassion had meant alot to me, and still brings a warm glow to my heart till this date. It really made all the difference cos back then, I had the impression that in the army, nobody listens.
I strongly believe that we will be in good hands with leaders like you. All the best with your new endeavours. Will be rooting for you. Thanks once again. |
Mr Lim’s glowing testimonial is just one of many. BG Tan has publicly stated his views with regards to leadership, commenting upon his resignation from the SAF that “it has got nothing to do with rank”.
Instead, he believes that “one’s authority comes only when others look up to you, and only then can you lead men into battle”.
Indeed, BG Tan has been practising what he preaches. He has been pounding the campaign trail in Marine Parade GRC, where he has been introduced as a new PAP candidate. He has been sharing his reflections and thoughts following his conversations with residents during block visits on his blog.
Expressing his aspirations, BG Tan posted:
“I believe that as we begin to reach out to care for others, we begin to build something special in this place we call home.”
“There is much to learn about and reflect in this area of outreach. When we step forward to help, the beneficiary is not just those in need, but I believe those who are helping as well. I think the Government along with other partners are already doing good work. Let’s see what can be replicated, what good practices that can be shared and proliferated, and how best to involve our community.”
So far, BG Tan has been received well by the public, with many people praising his humility, civic-mindedness and passion for public service.
“He looks like he is a good man, a good candidate, very intelligent but also very warm,” shared Mdm Lim Gim Hua, a 69-year-old housewife who lives in Kaki Bukit, which falls under Marine Parade GRC.
BG Tan is one of five new PAP candidates who are thought to be of "minister material" by the party's leaders
Even voters who have reservations about some of BG Tan’s potential GRC team mates have come out to voice their support. Mr Gerald Heng, a Marine Parade resident, posted the following message on BG Tan’s Facebook wall:
“Assuming that there is a contest in the GRC, and there is an upset, I will be very unhappy for the GRC to lose a fine man like you because of her (Ms Tin Pei Ling).”
It is understood that BG Tan is already rated very highly by the PAP leadership. He is one of five new PAP candidates who are thought to be of “minister calibre” by the party. The other candidates are Major-General (NS) Chan Chun Sing, Heng Swee Keat, Ong Ye Kung and Lawrence Wong. However, it would appear that of the five names mentioned, BG Tan has proven to be most popular with the general public.
If BG Tan manages to build on his high approval rating thus far, he could potentially inject fresh impetus into the PAP and help to win over some of the party’s detractors. He could be the candidate to reinvigorate the party’s image and help it connect with a younger generation of voters which has been variously described as apathetic, cynical and spoilt.
And if he can succeed in doing this, he will be able to command the respect of the public – which would stand him in very good stead to become Singapore’s next Prime Minister.
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The writer is a political science graduate from the National University of Singapore. She is currently working as an analyst at a leading research firm.
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Dear BG (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin,
I have always supported PAPand I wish to thank you and your team to hear me out when you visited my residence yesterday Wednesday, 27 April 2010 at Blk 415 Eunos Road 5, #15-56, and once of your Officers promised to attend to my immediate problems because of Filipinas taking over our Secretarial jobs and my daughter Reema, who has dreamt of being a SIA Flight Attendent since the age of four, has been to SIA interviews, met up with MP’s who wrote to SIA Chairman and I personally wrote to the CEO’s, three in all and received a letter that just because she is 2 cm short, for safety reasons, she does not qualify, it is possible to tailor her heals by 2cm because she says that is her dream and way of serving the nation? Sadly your Officer in your presence promised to handle my case and problems but he has not! Why? Kindly give him to fulfil his promise, otherwise is it just an empty promise to get us to vote but promises are not kept! Kindly get him to honour his promise please. Have a heart and help us please.
Here is what I wrote on the blog about Foreigners fearing the General Elections. I have all documents to verify my case and my daughters case.
Remy : http//sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/foreigners-anxiously-eying-ge-results-034541501.htm/ and this one too:
Remy
I said that I like to remind the Government of Singapore of our Pledge “We the Citizens of Singapore PLEDGE OURSELVES (SINGAPOREANS) as ONE United People regardless of race, language or religion to build democratic society based on JUSTICE, EQUALITY SO AS TO ACHIEVE HAPPINESS, PROSPERITY AND PROGRESS FOR OUR NATION!
Is this Pledge of all Singaporeans still valid, I doubt so, Race is a Problem, if you are a non-chinese, language is also a problem is you cannot speak Mandarin! (Thank God, the Government respects all religion, the only reason why NO DISASTER has befallen Singapore!) where is the Justice for its own people, we Singaporeans having to compete with Filipinas for even Secretarial work!!! We dont need them to do clerical or secretarial duties, to remain in the job, I have witness them being the ‘tai tai’s’ of the bosses where we are given training on “Sexual Harrasment at Work” but I reckon it does not apply after officice hours, no need to men to go to Batam anymore, ferries fare are costlier too these days, Filipinas are beautiful and they are here to make money in the first place and that is what they are doing!! My forefathers were here and led a hard life and so did my living father who can hardly walk now worked as a Jaga, we ate onions and chapatis as we were four siblings then, just so to put us to school so we can have a better life but are we??? but no concession is given to him in anyway, my mum stayed home and brought the children up and instilled good values in us! Where is EQUALITY???? I walked into an office today for an interview and there were all Chinese. HAPPINESS??? No I did not get the job!!! PROSPERITY, just pray you dont fall ill, as the medical bills keeps rising too!!! Teachers today expect us to have tutors who charge unlike those days when we did not have tuitors at all, teachers used to stay behind to coach the weak ones like me!!!
My younger sister recently passed away due to dvt, SIA never mentiones about having to exercise your legs on long haul flights, not in economy class at least!!! leaving behind two young children, 8 years old son and a 6 months daughter where my parents insists on bringing them up, hence a maid is essential too, not a luxury! I am solely earning for my aged parents welfare and the little needs of my family, my husband has his mother’s well being similar to mine to take care of and I am out of a job, I welcome any PAP Member to my residence to see how religiously I send out my resume but no luck or dont want a non-chinese. Dear PAP, does humanity exists? Go door to door and see the helplessness we SINGAPOREANS are facing without jobs. I INSIST ON BEING EMPLOYED, FOR THE SAKE OF MY PARENTS, last drawn salary S$5,500.00 and FOR MY CHILDREN WHOM THE GOVERNMENT WANTED US TO HAVE!!!! I AM REMY RAMJIT KAUR, PLEASE I GO DOWN ON MY KNEES AS I NEED A JOB, KINDLY CALL ME PLEASE….. 90077891 Available immediately!!!! OR GET ME RE-INSTATED WITH MY PREVIOUS COMPANY and SEND THOSE FILIPINAS HOME!!!!! Call employment agencies, if you want the names of the employment agencies and they are run by FILIPINOS!!!! TOO. THIS IS SICK!!!!!!
With all due respect to you, help me with a job and Reema to live her dream, I am a proud Singaporeans and I will stand for Singapore if you representing PAP help us too. I go down on my knees for my aged parents, my immediate family and my younger sister who died within 3 weeks due to dvt and left two young children for us to look after her demise. Give me a job please and allow me to fulfil my responsibilities as a true Citizen, Daughter, Wife, Mother and Aunty please, I beg of you.
All the best, I mean well and I thank you in advance with all the best in the Elections, please also remind your volunteered Officer who had promised to handle my case please, otherwise I will loose all faith in our Government that make false promises!
Remy Ramjit Kaur
I am contactable at 66336377 (residence) and 90077891 (mobile)
@asphaltjoker – If you read his credentials, you know that he KNOWS more than just ‘chiong-suaing’.
If you are not comfortable with SAF/Police (Police?) personnel entering politics, then would you suggest a better candidate? In the first place, how many people are willing and capable enough like those we already have to lead our country.
Lets count our blessings. While I acknowledge the problems, issues, and I know there are a lot of problems unresolved, we should realise that not all problems can be resolved so fast, if at all. If SG got no problem, then why do we even need to have a govt?
And as for all those who speak ill or doubt BG(NS) Tan abilities, when the time comes, when he proves himself, I think you all need to re read what you guys have typed here.
I am a fan of BG(NS) Tan,and you can quote me as being biased, but I also understand that when there is insufficient knowledge about a person, one tends to jump to the wrong conclusions too often. I believe he will do a good job.
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When his father and his uncle were sitting around lamenting cost of living etc, this guy told the old folks off for not “seeing the big picture”. The father was real upset, since the uncle (his brother) had helped out with the brat’s educational expenses.
BG Tan is alot more likeable than MG Chan. That guy should be done and dusted by the voters. He was very successful in putting me off (might I say alot of us all) 200% with his arrogance and siege fear tactics. The days of Command-n_Control is over dude!
Too bad for the price to get BG Tan, one has to put up with another bad apple. Or as my father say, Buy a big fish, and they’ll throw in a cheap bad prawn. Is it worth it?
If he is good, he has to go through the baptism of fire, talk the talk and walk the walk. No backdoor entry pls…
Army has many many cans of worms opened but not made known to the public. I guess I need not go more in details; everybody knows
I have known Chuan-Jin since he was a Captain in the SAF. He was an exemplary officer who is always unassuming, friendly and hardworking. He has not changed in all the years and I feel this man is someone I would stand by to lead us and Singapore.
Army guys in general, for all their good intentions, routinely end up screwing their country
If this BG Tan is a potential PM, then why field him in an easy GRC under Lau Goh?
Let him prove his worth by fighting in a single-seat ward. How can a potential PM be given a backdoor entry to Parliament??
It would indeed be sad if Marine Parade residents were to lose a man like BG Tan in the event that the voters vote out the PAP team due to their frustration with Tin Pei Ling
Why does PAP have so many SAF/ex-SAF members?
BG Lee Hsien Loong
RAdm Teo Chee Hean
RAdm Lui Tuck Yew
BG George Yeo
LTC Lim Hng Kiang
COL (Dr) Vivian Balakrishnan
BG Tan Chuan Jin
MG Chan Chun Sing
Enough or not??? Are we becoming Myanmar military junta??
BG (then LTC) Tan was my CO in 3rd Guards. He was an exemplary officer who was humble and genuinely caring towards the men. He would actually make the effort to talk to the men unlike most SAF officers. I am not surprised that he has received good feedback from the ground. I think that he will make a great PM.
I personally am not comfortable with so many people from SAF/police in Govt. This guy was in SAF for 24 years. He spent his time trying to ‘chiong sua’ and digging holes in the ground. I mean OK he helped out in Aceh which is impressive. But what does he know about economics? What does he know about education, housing, transport etc? Most importantly is he going to FIX the opposition? I rather have a civilian guy be the next PM.