These are 7 reasons why I vote for him:
1) He is not a PAP man: I am surprised that the online community viewed him with suspicion. If they had done a bit of research on his past & what he said in parliament, they would realize that he has spoken up against Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Dr Goh Keng Swee and many others. When Dr Tan Cheng Bock asked the government to tone down the call for foreign talent, Mr Lee Kuan Yew said, “So,when I heard Dr Tan Cheng Bock,I decided I would stand up and tell him he’s wrong… you have to decide whether you think he knows more or I know more. You have to decide whether he will give you the answer to Singapore’s future — or that I am likely to give you the better road to the future.” This is a clear indication that he is no "Yes" man.
2) He is not an opposition man either: Now who is to say that if one day the opposition parties form the majority in government - they will not end up like PAP? This is normal in politics. So, this is where the President cannot be supporting one side. Then, how can he be objective? We must choose someone who is independent - then he has no political agenda so that if the government propose to use the reserves, he has a clear mind on whether it is right or wrong. We're not here to choose an MP who can dictate policies. This is PE, not GE.
3) He has a heart: It's difficult to be convinced if you do not know him, but he has helped many from all walks of life. He actually mentioned the concerns of the people in Parliament everytime when the government discussed the year's Budget. Now, this is also the reason he is so popular with Ayer Rajah residents. He helps them, and he hears them out. NSP's Steve Chia, before he endorsed another PE candidate, said this about Dr Tan, ""He is more independent minded than any other MPs or Ministers I have interacted with, and more concerned about the people too." Now, Steve Chia should know better because they were both in parliament and knows what Dr Tan Cheng Bock said behind closed doors.
4) He always stands up for what he believes in: This is one thing I realize about Dr Tan. He is one of those people who has a conscience and simply cannot keep quiet if he sees a wrong. It's almost like a disease. He can be obstinate when he's fighting a cause. You can see this when you see how he voted against the NCMP scheme. He was cut off several times in Parliament but he did not give up.
5) He has gained respect from both Opposition & PAP leaders: This was posted on his website - a quote from Mr Chiam See Tong, ""I am heartened to hear the two Tans who spoke before me. I would like to commend them. At least, now I know that there are PAP Members in the PAP Backbench who do care for the common man in the street." Mr Chiam See Tong was praising Dr Tan for raising the concerns of the citizens about the rising cost of living in parliament. Positive comments from PAP leaders? Well, there are various but of course, none was said recently. ;) Most of the positive comments came many years back when he was still a PAP MP, but none now that he is running against Tony Tan. Lol.
6) He is wise: No point making many promises now which you cannot fulfill. No point being loud and arguing loudly. We need a President who is wise in his ways. Before he became an MP, he was quite reluctant to join PAP. In fact, he rejected it the first time. But he accepted it only because he wanted to help the people of Ayer Rajah. It's really not about the party you choose, but about whether you can actually HELP PEOPLE once you enter the parliament. And help them, he did. So, I expect him to practice the wisdom in dealing with the government. I know he will comment if he thinks the government churns out policies which affects the people. But he may choose to do it quietly and behind the scenes without getting the media involved. This is better than being a loudspeaker but not delivering results.
7) He has the experience: He had corporate experience, but he does not boast about it. He has been an independent Director of a bank & Chairman of a multi-million dollar company, among other things. But who wants to know these boring details & "track records" - these are just additional reasons.
You decide whether this is enough. I'm just sharing my experience in knowing Doc. He is not a fake - he is for real.
