SINGAPORE: The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP)
candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah, Mr Tan Jee Say, said he is
saddened by remarks made by his former boss, Senior Minister Goh
Chok Tong, about him.
At a People's Action Party (PAP) rally for the Marine Parade GRC on
Saturday night, Mr Goh pointed out that Mr Tan appeared to have
'benefited' from his previous appointment, and he wanted to make
known why Mr Tan left the civil service.
In response, Mr Tan, who served under Mr Goh as Principal Private
Secretary from 1985 to 1990, said he had already intended to leave
the civil service at the end of his government bond, but was
persuaded to stay on in his position.
Mr Tan told Channel NewsAsia during a Sunday morning walkabout at
Empress Road market that it was never his mission in life to remain
in public service and after five years, he resigned with Mr Goh's
blessing.
Mr Tan recalled: "I said, okay, I can help you. But for how long?
He said, three to five years. I said, well Mr Goh, you know my
intention is not to stay in the civil service. If it is three to
five years, if at the end of it, I want to go, will you let me go?
He said, yes.
"I have given five of my best years in my career to Mr Goh, and I
did not expect such comments from him. I wish he had not gone down
to the personal level. I met a young lady at this market, and she
said after reading this morning's report on his personal attack on
me, she is more determined to vote for me."
He added that he was surprised as Mr Goh had earlier stated he
would not comment on any candidate outside of Marine Parade
GRC.
Mr Tan is contesting in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC on the SDP
ticket.
His economic proposals have also drawn some attention. Minister
Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has criticised Mr Tan's proposal to shift the
Singapore economy away from manufacturing and said he was not
'qualified' to speak on manufacturing.
Mr Tan pointed to his background in economics and policymaking
experience accumulated over six years at the Ministry of Trade and
Industry.
"Not only am I qualified to talk about the economy, but my views
have been endorsed by somebody who has presided over the
transformation of a major first world economy, from a manufacturing
economy to a knowledge-based economy. How more qualified can
anybody be?"
Mr Tan was referring to Lord Butler, former Cabinet Secretary to
three British Prime Ministers - Margaret Thatcher, John Major and
Tony Blair.
Mr Tan said inefficient factories would be phased out under his
plan, and added that this process was already taking place in
Singapore.
He believes a services and knowledge economy will attract more
Singaporeans to take up jobs.
"We should give the jobs to what the people want, and what they are
trained and educated for, and they're happy to work in. Not force
them into factories that they are not happy to work in."
Under his plan, S$10 billion will be given over five years to
nurture young entrepreneurs, notably in the creative
industries.
"Most of them will fail, but at least we give them a chance to be
leaders of the industries of the future. We may have a future
Facebook, future Google, future Baidu from Singapore," he
said.
He also disagreed that the SDP's S$60 billion economic proposal
amounted to a raid on reserves, saying it is an investment in
Singapore's future.
Other areas for investment include education, healthcare and
community support.
-CNA/ck/fa