Tan Peng Ann: Why I joined opposition politics

I am the product of the colonial legacy and the PAP generation. I have grown up to believe in the goodness of the PAP. My parents told me so and I experienced the efficiency and effectiveness under the one party system. In fact, I was a strong supporter even defending its approach and policies when I was in the SAF and as a community leader.

However, in the early years of the new millennium, I felt that things did not seem to be so right. My exposure in civilian life after my retirement exposed me to situations that I did not see while I was in the service.

I was still supportive and constantly reminded myself that there will never be perfect situations. There will be approaches and policies that will be best under certain circumstances and the political leadership will respond appropriately in the interest of Singaporeans. Meanwhile, I reflected on what I have learnt while in the SAF and in the political science lessons in university. I was still tilted towards the ruling party.

But my belief in the system was shattered one fine morning when I read the Minister Mentor saying that the voters of Aljunied will have to “repent” if they were to vote in the opposition. He had taken such a strong arrogant, condescending approach and handling of the opposition. Then there is the issue of opposition wards not getting the upgrading even though their constituents pay taxes like all other Singaporeans. And what if this approach of control continued and hardened over time? What will happen to my grandchildren’s future? Will they be living in a condition as in George Orwell’s “1984”?

This was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. Hence, I started to explore the views of the opposition. I decided to follow where my heart takes me.

Principal Considerations

I start on the premise that there is nothing wrong with joining opposition politics. My loyalty and love for Singapore has not changed. In fact, it is for the love of Singapore that I am prepared to sacrifice time and effort to help build a better Singapore for my children and grandchildren. This has not been easy. The self censorship, the fear of reprisals and other considerations could have put many off. The current thinking that if you are not for the PAP, you are against Singapore is not healthy. The PAP treats the opposition like enemies to be destroyed. Why?

One major reason I joined is I feel that the government of the day is NOT listening to the people. I have learned that I should not be a bystander and let the situation go by. I must be an active person in the universe and make the difference.

The opportunity came when friends Ang Yong Guan and Tan Jee Say asked if I am keen to join them. I took the opportunity to realize my role to make a difference in the lives of the future generations. The new party Singaporeans First will not have any ‘baggage’, ie experience linked negatively with the party in power. As I thought that it is important for CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE VIEWS AND IDEAS, this fresh start as a broad based party with a few scholars, a few ex-PAP members and ex-civil servants would be this CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE.

A tough choice

The choice at this age of 66 years is whether I should stay as a retiree doing my part for society in Cambodia or to be involved with something new – Opposition Politics – and giving up my privacy and time to pursue my idea of a CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE VIEW for the community. I feel that I would be extremely happy to play my part for the betterment of the future society at large and for the future of our grandchildren’s generation.

I got support from my family and took the plunge when my family wrote (written by my daughter Michelle Tan):

https://singfirst99.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/tpa.jpg

Former SAF Col Tan Peng Ann joins opposition party

Tan Peng Ann: Why I joined opposition politics


November 22nd, 2014





Tan Peng Ann





Background

I am the product of the colonial legacy and the PAP generation. I have grown up to believe in the goodness of the PAP. My parents told me so and I experienced the efficiency and effectiveness under the one party system. In fact, I was a strong supporter even defending its approach and policies when I was in the SAF and as a community leader.

However, in the early years of the new millennium, I felt that things did not seem to be so right. My exposure in civilian life after my retirement exposed me to situations that I did not see while I was in the service.

I was still supportive and constantly reminded myself that there will never be perfect situations. There will be approaches and policies that will be best under certain circumstances and the political leadership will respond appropriately in the interest of Singaporeans. Meanwhile, I reflected on what I have learnt while in the SAF and in the political science lessons in university. I was still tilted towards the ruling party.

But my belief in the system was shattered one fine morning when I read the Minister Mentor saying that the voters of Aljunied will have to “repent” if they were to vote in the opposition. He had taken such a strong arrogant, condescending approach and handling of the opposition. Then there is the issue of opposition wards not getting the upgrading even though their constituents pay taxes like all other Singaporeans. And what if this approach of control continued and hardened over time? What will happen to my grandchildren’s future? Will they be living in a condition as in George Orwell’s “1984”?

This was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. Hence, I started to explore the views of the opposition. I decided to follow where my heart takes me.

Principal considerations

I start on the premise that there is nothing wrong with joining opposition politics. My loyalty and love for Singapore has not changed. In fact, it is for the love of Singapore that I am prepared to sacrifice time and effort to help build a better Singapore for my children and grandchildren. This has not been easy.

The self censorship, the fear of reprisals and other considerations could have put many off. The current thinking that if you are not for the PAP, you are against Singapore is not healthy. The PAP treats the opposition like enemies to be destroyed. Why?

One major reason I joined is I feel that the government of the day is NOT listening to the people. I have learned that I should not be a bystander and let the situation go by. I must be an active person in the universe and make the difference.

The opportunity came when friends Ang Yong Guan and Tan Jee Say asked if I am keen to join them. I took the opportunity to realize my role to make a difference in the lives of the future generations. The new party Singaporeans First will not have any ‘baggage’, ie experience linked negatively with the party in power. As I thought that it is important for CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE VIEWS AND IDEAS, this fresh start as a broad based party with a few scholars, a few ex-PAP members and ex-civil servants would be this CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE.

A tough choice

The choice at this age of 66 years is whether I should stay as a retiree doing my part for society in Cambodia or to be involved with something new – Opposition Politics – and giving up my privacy and time to pursue my idea of a CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE VIEW for the community. I feel that I would be extremely happy to play my part for the betterment of the future society at large and for the future of our grandchildren’s generation.

I got support from my family and took the plunge when my family wrote (written by my daughter Michelle Tan):


I believe that I am speaking on behalf of all our family members when I say that indeed you are very brave and courageous to make a stand about your beliefs in a meaningful way. Few would do so. And even less would even take this route of opposition politics. And probably only you, at your age. And for this, we are very proud of you. However, please please take extra care of yourself health-wise, and placing yourself out there means vulnerability, so please ensure that you are safe and covered at all times.


Some of my friends encouraged and said things like “You take care of yourself” in Teochew and Cantonese.

So the final choice is to be a loyal Singaporean and to play a role in building a better Singapore for tomorrow, by providing the CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE NARRATIVE.

My contributions in the past – understanding vulnerability and loyalty

I have contributed 30 years of my life in uniform. I have learned the vulnerability of Singapore as a small physical nation. I have defended the concept while explaining this to soldiers and to international military audiences. I have defended this as Commander, CMPB (Central Manpower Base) when I had to explain to parents and employers of the need for National Service. And as the Commanding Officer taking care of the then Reserves and Reserve Policies, I had to explain to employers and reservists. I take pride that I have done this well. I hence think that I have a good nation to protect and defend.

Why I’m looking for the alternatives

Like all, I thought and I still believe that the PAP has done lots for Singapore, in the early years. I was prepared to accept some shortcomings of the PAP controlled government. YET, I have come to the conclusion that I have to be a party member to express the CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVES. These reasons are:

•Arrogance: The way PAP ministers portray themselves in words and in deeds gave me the impression that they are the know-it-alls and need-to-be-believed-in; that the way to go is just to agree with them. If we do not agree, then we are either making “noises” or are anti-establishment and therefore need to be fixed. This has to change. Repent, bigots etc are names and words used on Singaporeans. I do not agree with putting opposition wards last in HDB upgrading etc. We are all Singaporeans. Arrogance made them lose sight of the purpose why they are there in the first place. When they lost Aljunied, even the Ministers’ levels say they are not aware of the ground. Why? They have considered feedback as noises, as something that should not bother them. The feedback they get are also not right, as they only want to hear the good news, and their people give them good news. The average views are not taken seriously and dismissed as not important. Apology before an election is an effort to please the angry electorate, but the nasty words continued after the election.

•Policies: There are limited consultations, if at all. The consultation is with people who support them. The population white paper, its assumptions and its impact were passed with lightning speed. The inequality widened. The social problems created, eg. bad social behavior like littering, cycling along pedestrian paths, speaking loudly in buses and being inconsiderate etc have all not been considered important. The strong government with little opposition in Parliament challenge the few opposition members calling them flip-flopping. But aren’t policies like emphasis on graduates being flipped

•Ministerial Salaries: I am not against high salaries, but paying themselves excessively brings to mind the whole concept of “serving the country”. The people are asked to volunteer, to sacrifice, and contribute. These are the average Singaporeans who turn up dutifully to volunteer in community work, run activities, spend time as well as money on transport etc. They are committed and give off their best as volunteers. But the leaders get paid for what they do. And for those in such financial advantage, would they do anything that will affect their income? The probability of “agreeing and group think” is high.

•Social problems: During the Inquiry into the Little India Riots, the Commissioner of Police had to say that Manpower is not sufficient. Why did he wait till the event had happened? Has this been studied? The policy on hiring people: When we are old we are sidelined. Even in community work, there is an age limit for people in community appointments, the reason being that we must give way to the young for rejuvenation. But what about life-long experience? How does this affect the management of the aged and ageing population? How can we the seniors gain our dignity and self esteem? Now we are beginning to say that the older folks are important. Now many seniors have to be employed as cleaners and security guards or work as taxi drivers to earn the income for the family’s survival.

The following are some policies that I think may not be so right:

1. The deployment of many young scholars into positions when I feel that the scholars are not ready. In the name of meritocracy, some of these young scholars in positions like school principals try to excel by showmanship.

2. The mindset of many civil servants who seem to adopt a ‘just do’ attitude, without thinking through.

3. The large influx of foreigners as ‘FTs’ who come in as if this place belongs to them. They do not understand the culture and the multi racial and religious community here. They are employed cheaply at the expense of Singaporeans.

4. The government’s sway in policies to try to gain position after the GE2011. They apologized, but continue with the mindless pursuit of economic wealth.

5. The education system that seems to produce students who are self-centred. The pressure in schools without much change to the class size is like a pressure cooker that tend towards just achieving grades. And if the school system is so great, why do we have a parallel tuition industry that is so huge?

6. The arrogance of the leaders calling Singaporeans names and who think that their high salaried positions are reserved only for those in the party.

7. The lack of care for the seniors, yet encouraging them to take on the low paying jobs like cleaners is of great concern.

8. Not enough is done for seniors who will form almost 30% of our population by 2030.

9. The over emphasis on economic growth and success and the influx of the large numbers of foreign workers and new citizens. The lack of emphasis (until recently) on the pioneer citizens and many other policies have to be reviewed.

10. The increase in national level lapses such as Mas Selamat’s escape, Little India riot, MRT breakdowns, vandalisms, high suicide rates and high divorce rates are of concern too.

11. And yet many more….

These issues highlighted whether the policies are done with the interest of the people in mind or with the survival of the ruling party and its members. Having been involved in community service, I also saw how the people supported the ruling party without much deep thinking. Many incidents brought to mind that if I should be involved in community work in Singapore, it will be to help change Singapore to be something better, a society with greater fairness, higher personal values and ethics.

Conclusion

One needs to view things from the outside, to be able to make changes. Being in it, one is always ‘running’ and does not see the flaws and poor practices in the people and system.

Tan Peng Ann

* Peng Ann is a retired colonel from the SAF. He previously served in the grassroots in Fengshan.


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I salute Col Tan for coming forward to help oust the Leegime and hope many others who fear reprisals will follow suit.

Re: Former SAF Col Tan Peng Ann joins opposition party

At least he earned his Colonel's "crabs" on his own merit and not having "connections", like a very powerful daddy.....

Re: Former SAF Col Tan Peng Ann joins opposition party

probably another jiak liao bee saf colonial burger who was denied to be star general and refuse entry to GLC. been taken care all his life and been a pappy dog now says that his master lky is arrogant. forced to retire at age 45 say so lah...:p

but his other points are good for the opposition to whack pap...hurray!

Re: Former SAF Col Tan Peng Ann joins opposition party

krafty said:

probably another jiak liao bee saf colonial burger who was denied to be star general and refuse entry to GLC. been taken care all his life and been a pappy dog now says that his master lky is arrogant. forced to retire at age 45 say so lah...:p

but his other points are good for the opposition to whack pap...hurray!

Click to expand...

You sound like a black negative force.

Re: Former SAF Col Tan Peng Ann joins opposition party

Force 136 said:

At least he earned his Colonel's "crabs" on his own merit and not having "connections", like a very powerful daddy.....

Click to expand...

This is what another senior citizen has got to say about the elitist Leegime who legally plunders from the top of the table:



@76:

November 22, 2014 at 2:00 pm @76(Quote)



Kudos to you Mr. Tan Peng Ann for stepping forward at this time of your life where you should be retired and enjoying the company of your children and grandchildren.

Like you I am also a product of the Pioneer Generation, ten years older than you. We belong to an era that toiled with an earlier generation of abled, dedicated and self-sacrificial PAP leadership and together we carried Singapore through a golden era of social and economic advances.

Like you, I became disillusioned when the current generation of PAP Leadership took helm a decade ago.

They enriched themselves with enormous salaries, bonuses and pension scheme oblivious to the hardships suffered on the ground. In the last lap of our lives, we are forced to toil further collecting discarded cardboard boxes & empty drink cans, work as cleaners, security guards, taxi drivers etc to earn a meagre living that bordered on deprivation.

The uncontrolled rise in cost of living has robbed us of our savings and our homes, we downgraded to pigeon holes HDB studio apartments on a 30 years lease to wait for the final moments when our miseries will cease.

Our off springs hardly able to lend us any support, they themselves saddled with hefty HDB mortgage and heavy family financial commitments.

We paid handsomely in taxes and dues in our economically active years only to be forsaken by the current PAP Leadership in our twilight years. The recent PGP is actually nothing to crow about with it’s many limitations and encumbrances, more a deceitful attempt to buy our votes. We are all the wiser for it now.

What you have so eloquently written resonates with the hearts and the minds of the pioneer generation. It brings about a realization of the hard truths about lives as seniors.

I wish you well and will certainly help spread a message of hope with Tan Jee Say, you and SFP getting into parliament and for that matter even SDP, WP and NSP to bring us and our off springs a better tomorrow.



Continue reading:

Re: Former SAF Col Tan Peng Ann joins opposition party

please allow me to back myself, i am pro-opposition. but i dislike pple who have been a pappy dog all his life now turn around and say his master is not good enough.
they failed the criteria of a real principled man in being 饮水思源 and this speak a lot about them as a person, their character to be exact. that's why i think singfirst political party never will carry weight with me. politicians in SDP, WP, NSP and goh meng seng are the ones that are worth supporting for a cause, to change s'pore to be a better place. i observed that pap is in place cos' they are the authoritarians and pple fear them, the civil force, the finance and engineering industry are all made up of their cronies. it will be a up hill task to defeat pap, however, i foresee SDP, NSP and WP winning some seats in the parliament in 2016.

parrardee said:

You sound like a black negative force.

Click to expand...

krafty said:

please allow me to back myself, i am pro-opposition. but i dislike pple who have been a pappy dog all his life now turn around and say his master is not good enough.
they failed the criteria of a real principled man in being 饮水思源 and this speak a lot about them as a person, their character to be exact. that's why i think singfirst political party never will carry weight with me. politicians in SDP, WP, NSP and goh meng seng are the ones that are worth supporting for a cause, to change s'pore to be a better place. i observed that pap is in place cos' they are the authoritarians and pple fear them, the civil force, the finance and engineering industry are all made up of their cronies. it will be a up hill task to defeat pap, however, i foresee SDP, NSP and WP winning some seats in the parliament in 2016.

Click to expand...

I agree with you on the guy. What is don't undeestand is that even if he was in SAF, why can't he see the problems Singaporeans are facing and only realised when he is out? There are issues starring in his face like consistent fare hikes while the company is making significant profits, PAP wanting to fix the oppositions, all the countless corruption cases, unfair legal sentencing between foreigners and locals, over crowding, etc...

He does not need to be out of military to be aware of these issues. Its eiyher cowardice or fear for his rice bowl, and now, after so many came out, he is coming around thumping his chest

Always felt Singapore First Party is a red herring

that's why i say...lky has been arrogant all along, if he really got solid iron balls, he should have shot his mouth on this and not wait till now. it's SAF, it's filled with pap por lumpars, many years ago, when i was serving my reservist, i shot my mouth on lky and got tekaned very badly by my occifers, the insult, never will forget.:oIo:

Cerebral said:

I agree with you on the guy. What is don't undeestand is that even if he was in SAF, why can't he see the problems Singaporeans are facing and only realised when he is out? There are issues starring in his face like consistent fare hikes while the company is making significant profits, PAP wanting to fix the oppositions, all the countless corruption cases, unfair legal sentencing between foreigners and locals, over crowding, etc...

He does not need to be out of military to be aware of these issues. Its eiyher cowardice or fear for his rice bowl, and now, after so many came out, he is coming around thumping his chest

Click to expand...

Indeed, these are the PAP cronies that made up 50 years of destruction to Singapore, they are the one carry out all the evil deeds LKY want them to do.

Obviously he is one of the ivory tower office holders in PAP organization and only feed with good news. Don't think he ever ventured out of his comfort zone to mixed with the locals. All SAF colonels got chauffeured everywhere in brand new Merz.

But it is good to see that these PAP insiders are coming out to re-group to take on PAP. Only these insiders can crack open PAP wider and bigger and more ex-civil servants like them would really give PAP a good GE fight.

Taking one step at a time, it would be benefit to vote them to crack open PAP wider to open more cans of worms.

As I have said before only the PAP insiders can crack PAP wider. Very hard for outsiders to penetrate PAP if there are no cracks in PAP tightly controlled system.

Cerebral said:

I agree with you on the guy. What is don't undeestand is that even if he was in SAF, why can't he see the problems Singaporeans are facing and only realised when he is out? There are issues starring in his face like consistent fare hikes while the company is making significant profits, PAP wanting to fix the oppositions, all the countless corruption cases, unfair legal sentencing between foreigners and locals, over crowding, etc...

He does not need to be out of military to be aware of these issues. Its eiyher cowardice or fear for his rice bowl, and now, after so many came out, he is coming around thumping his chest

Click to expand...

forget to add RP too, the feeling on the ground is that he taking revenge for his late father. mean no offence, i shoot what i know.

second thought, the colonial burger from army, may be another secret squirrel, army produce many of these kind of pple.

Re: Former SAF Col Tan Peng Ann joins opposition party

krafty said:

please allow me to back myself, i am pro-opposition. but i dislike pple who have been a pappy dog all his life now turn around and say his master is not good enough.
they failed the criteria of a real principled man in being 饮水思源 and this speak a lot about them as a person, their character to be exact. that's why i think singfirst political party never will carry weight with me. politicians in SDP, WP, NSP and goh meng seng are the ones that are worth supporting for a cause, to change s'pore to be a better place. i observed that pap is in place cos' they are the authoritarians and pple fear them, the civil force, the finance and engineering industry are all made up of their cronies. it will be a up hill task to defeat pap, however, i foresee SDP, NSP and WP winning some seats in the parliament in 2016.

Click to expand...

U obviously don't know anything about him. he comes from the old timers SAF, long before they were infiltrated by the PAP and policitized by them. he was one of
the pioneers that help set up the NS system with the Israelis and was as far as I know a professional soldier. All these guys were eased out of the SAF to be replaced by PAP selected scholar generals. In those days, you do not need to be a card carrying PAP member to get to Colonel rank. I would say if anything he is not a PAP dog. Winston Choo is a PAP dog.

Re: Former SAF Col Tan Peng Ann joins opposition party

jiak lak, another old guard... i am prejudiced against lao peng who will refuse to listen from younger pple. i can bet 1 crate of heineken on it.

Papsmearer said:

U obviously don't know anything about him. he comes from the old timers SAF, long before they were infiltrated by the PAP and policitized by them. he was one of
the pioneers that help set up the NS system with the Israelis and was as far as I know a professional soldier. All these guys were eased out of the SAF to be replaced by PAP selected scholar generals. In those days, you do not need to be a card carrying PAP member to get to Colonel rank. I would say if anything he is not a PAP dog. Winston Choo is a PAP dog.

Click to expand...

Re: Former SAF Col Tan Peng Ann joins opposition party

krafty said:

please allow me to back myself, i am pro-opposition. but i dislike pple who have been a pappy dog all his life now turn around and say his master is not good enough.
they failed the criteria of a real principled man in being 饮水思源 and this speak a lot about them as a person, their character to be exact. that's why i think singfirst political party never will carry weight with me. politicians in SDP, WP, NSP and goh meng seng are the ones that are worth supporting for a cause, to change s'pore to be a better place. i observed that pap is in place cos' they are the authoritarians and pple fear them, the civil force, the finance and engineering industry are all made up of their cronies. it will be a up hill task to defeat pap, however, i foresee SDP, NSP and WP winning some seats in the parliament in 2016.

Click to expand...

You have to realize the PAP was once a pretty good party, who despite harsh treatment of their opponents, cared for the people who backed them. The new PAP only takes care of the elites and rich ( " I want another 5 billionaires to comes to SG") comforting themselves in the belief that trickle down economics will take care of the lower strata. I think people like Tan Peng An are entitled to change their allegiance. It is people who used belong to the establishment who might sway the minds of diehard PAP supporters. They might even compel a reform of the PAP but I doubt it.

Re: Former SAF Col Tan Peng Ann joins opposition party

Papsmearer said:

I would say if anything he is not a PAP dog. Winston Choo is a PAP dog.

Click to expand...

Winston Choo is a horny old dog lah :p

Re: Former SAF Col Tan Peng Ann joins opposition party

Papsmearer said:

U obviously don't know anything about him. he comes from the old timers SAF, long before they were infiltrated by the PAP and policitized by them. he was one of
the pioneers that help set up the NS system with the Israelis and was as far as I know a professional soldier. All these guys were eased out of the SAF to be replaced by PAP selected scholar generals. In those days, you do not need to be a card carrying PAP member to get to Colonel rank. I would say if anything he is not a PAP dog. Winston Choo is a PAP dog.

Click to expand...

Those who criticize him are not being fair at all.

At his senior age and living comfortably in a landed property, he does not need to come forward if not for his concern for the future of his children and grandchildren.

How many of us who are so anti PAP in this forum would have the balls like Col Tan Peng Ang to come forward to stand against the PAP?

Re: Former SAF Col Tan Peng Ann joins opposition party

you guys won't realise about these old guards, when there is problem, they will tai chi to you. the younger occifers are better. the old guards brain washed with pap mentality, you die your own biz. i was told and i was a victim.:o

Papsmearer said:

U obviously don't know anything about him. he comes from the old timers SAF, long before they were infiltrated by the PAP and policitized by them. he was one of
the pioneers that help set up the NS system with the Israelis and was as far as I know a professional soldier. All these guys were eased out of the SAF to be replaced by PAP selected scholar generals. In those days, you do not need to be a card carrying PAP member to get to Colonel rank. I would say if anything he is not a PAP dog. Winston Choo is a PAP dog.

Click to expand...

Re: Former SAF Col Tan Peng Ann joins opposition party

krafty said:

you guys won't realise about these old guards, when there is problem, they will tai chi to you. the younger occifers are better. the old guards brain washed with pap mentality, you die your own biz. i was told and i was a victim.:o

Click to expand...

U obviously dont know anything.
come in like a mad dog n bark.