Tan Jee Say submits forms for presidential eligibility

[ThePlen]

FORMER senior civil servant Tan Jee Say arrived at the Elections Department to submit his application forms for a certificate of eligibility to contest the coming Presidential election.

The 57-year-old, the fourth presidential hopeful to apply for a certificate, was accompanied by his wife Patricia, 50, and a group of supporters.

Mr Tan, an ex-principal private secretary to former prime minister Goh Chok Tong, stood as an opposition candidate in the May 7 General Election. He was part of the four-man Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) team that lost to the PAP in the contest for the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.

He has since resigned from SDP to run for president and said previously that he believes he will meet the eligibility requirements. A person can qualify to be a presidential candidate in several ways, including if he had been the chairman or chief executive of a Singapore company with a paid-up capital of at least $100 million.

Mr Tan was regional managing director of AIB Govett Asia, a Singapore-registered asset company, from 1997 to 2001. During this period, the company's paid-up capital was less than $100 million but he said that it managed 'several hundred million dollars' in invested funds.

The other presidential hopefuls are: former deputy prime minister Tony Tan, 71, and ex-NTUC Income chief executive Tan Kin Lian, 63, both of whom submitted their application forms on July 7; former PAP MP Tan Cheng Bock, 71, who handed in his forms on July 22; and former JTC Corporation group chief financial officer Andrew Kuan, 57, who has yet to apply for a certificate of eligibility.

 

[DoctorEvil]

This TJS is wasting our time. He will not qualify because managing several hundred millions is not the same as 100 million in paid up capital. I feel sorry for his supporters whose hopes will be dashed. He should have known better.

 

[tanwahtiu]

This showed that EP is about safe mending the reserves. Paid up captial is useless if the company is not doing any business. I can have paid up capital of $2 and yet run a $100M profitbale company. All these dodgy conditions for EP will soon be bull dozed down by the Singaporean peoples' power after 2016.

This TJS is wasting our time. He will not qualify because managing several hundred millions is not the same as 100 million in paid up capital. I feel sorry for his supporters whose hopes will be dashed. He should have known better.

 

[DoctorEvil]

It doesn't matter. The constitution is quite clear on who qualifies and who doesn't. Any reasonable interpretation leads to the conclusion that TJS will not qualify. The qualifications may be over stringent but that is not the issue here.

This showed that EP is about safe mending the reserves. Paid up captial is useless if the company is not doing any business. I can have paid up capital of $2 and yet run a $100M profitbale company. All these dodgy conditions for EP will soon be bull dozed down by the Singaporean peoples' power after 2016.

 

[Zombie]

I guess his purpose is to draw a line between TKL and TT/TCB..

TJS managed assets > 100M, in a company but not amount in capital
TKL managed assets > 100M, amount in capital but not in a company

 

[annexa]

TJS got SDP support so got volunteer base. TKL got GMS etc volunteer and ask for public help. TCB also asked for public volunteer. TT is the only one campaign all plan and volunteer all got already. How to believe he is not party candidate?

 

[streetsmart73]

This showed that EP is about safe mending the reserves. Paid up captial is useless if the company is not doing any business. I can have paid up capital of $2 and yet run a $100M profitbale company. All these dodgy conditions for EP will soon be bull dozed down by the Singaporean peoples' power after 2016.

hi there


1. bro, bingo!

 

[depeche]

Well, he can't qualify already by PM standard!

 

[Confuseous]

This TJS is wasting our time. He will not qualify because managing several hundred millions is not the same as 100 million in paid up capital. I feel sorry for his supporters whose hopes will be dashed. He should have known better.

On the contrary, I think the 5 candidates are helping to establish exactly what the OB lines are.
Whatever the case, gahmen is in a difficult position, their key consideration being TT MUST win - it then becomes a matter of issuing COEs to the "expected losers" in the contest. And who ever they eliminate, public outcry of foul play will be heard. And if TT wins, somehow, the aura of the office would have lost its gloss - not after reading all the descriptions of him and his son.

Respect and authority-wise, it is a lost cause. For the PAP, I mean.

 

[Sperminator]

I hope Tan Jee Say can be a President of Singapore

A person who would challenge the status quo, and give problems to pinkie!

on hindsight, since when a non PAP supporter can be president... realistically, my hopes are not very high... however I do hope... someone will say hope simi lan jeow, it is the hope that make life interesting...

I will vote for you (If I am allowed) Mr. Tan Jee Say! Make Singaporean proud, make Singapore and Singaporean Singapore... make it greater... give pinkie a hard time!

 

[jw5]

TJS could be trying to help out TCB.
If he doesn't qualify because of the $100M issued capital criteria, TCB should qualify.
If both don't qualify, there may be an uproar.
TJS can also encourage his supporters to rally behind TCB if he doesn't qualify.

Did anyone notice a news report that said Chris Neo of the NSP was supporting TCB in his personal capacity?
Found it unusual that an opposition politician would support TCB, instead of TJS or TKL or no one.

 

[steffychun]

The only one with no wikipedia entry

 

[sirus]

The only one with no wikipedia entry

Was that a criteria to be eligible?

 

[hillary888]

Sadly, he is the only one who dare to speak the truth about our Country's direction.

“These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates" Zechariah 8:16.

 

[hurley]

Tan Jee Say has SDP and NSP support.

 

[DoctorEvil]

On the contrary, I think the 5 candidates are helping to establish exactly what the OB lines are.
Whatever the case, gahmen is in a difficult position, their key consideration being TT MUST win - it then becomes a matter of issuing COEs to the "expected losers" in the contest. And who ever they eliminate, public outcry of foul play will be heard. And if TT wins, somehow, the aura of the office would have lost its gloss - not after reading all the descriptions of him and his son.

Respect and authority-wise, it is a lost cause. For the PAP, I mean.

Actually, issuing TJS a COE will help to dilute the pro-opposition vote. Realistically speaking, only TT and TCB, being seasoned politicians, know how to play the game and can win. TCB has a reasonably good chance of winning if it were a 2-horse race. Both PAP and non-PAP supporters will vote for TCB if it were down to him vs. TT. Unfortunately, we have TKL who is raw and untested. He is going to take away a chunk of votes that might have otherwise gone to TCB. If you add TJS to the mix, TT is almost certainly guaranteed to win. TKL and TJS are being unrealistic in their expectations and helping TT to win.

To make the best of a bad situation, TKL and TJS should withdraw from the contest or else TT would win.

 

[methink]

My take is that Tan Jee Say will qualify.

1. anyone could see he has what it takes to be president
2. the spirit, rather than the letter of the law should be observed
3. he is as qualified in letters as in experience
4. PEC(meaning PAP) is playing with fire if they disqualified him
5. if Tan Jee Say is allowed to stand and win, he can be neutralised as president
6. if TJS is disqualified, he will be a bigger threat as an MP
7. TJS will be a greater thorn in GE2016 and a catalyst for change in all future elections
8. GE2016 is the bigger prize not the presidency
9. PAP will continue to lose the plot and its grip on citizens by sheer stupidity
10. the populace are eagerly watching and restless

 

[depeche]

Whether TJS would qualify depend solely on Pinkie decision...Will he allowed?

 

[leetahbah]

8. GE2016 is the bigger prize not the presidency

Monetary wise, the Presidency is a bigger prize, what is that $15K compared to millions?

Politically, ok lah GE2016 is a bigger prize.

Impressive of SDP to attract people like Professor Paul Tambyah, Dr Leong Yan Hoi, Tan Jee Say and many others highly qualified professionals.​

 

[leetahbah]

Whether TJS would qualify depend solely on Pinkie decision...Will he allowed?

Please let me be the kopitiam's assistant.

Should be Will he allow? and not Will he allowed?