Here is the handout for the FISCA talk on financial planning. Feel free to download and print the handout. You can attend the talk organised by FISCA by registering in www.easysearch.sg/fisca (click on Events).
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
FISCA Talk - Get value from your life insurance
This is the handout of the talk given by FISCA on life insurance. Attend the talk and get a better understanding of how to select the right life insurance policy. Feel free to download the PDF for your reading. If you wish to attend the talk, go to www.easysearch.sg/fisca and click on "Events".
Let elected MPs do their duty
This letter was not published in the Straits Times.
31 August 2011
Editor
Forum Page
Straits Times
Forum Page
Straits Times
I refer to the letter from the director of corporate and marketing communication of the People's Association "Why opposition MPs cannot be grass-roots advisers". She said, "Besides connecting people to people, grassroots advisers are required to help the Government connect with people and help promote government policies and programs such as anti-dengue and active ageing........
I am disappointed with this partisan position taken publicly by a senior civil servant. I would request her to take a more objective look at the mission of the People's Association, which is to build and bridge communities and promote racial harmony and social cohesion in Singapore. I could not detect any reference to the need to link up with the people ONLY through the ruling party which forms the Government.
Members of Parliament from all political parties were elected to represent the people in their constituency. It can be argued that they are part and parcel of the government process of community engagement and representation. They should be entrusted with the role. All MPs, regardless of their political party affiliation, are paid out of public funds and should be required to perform the duties for which they are paid - otherwise, the public funds would be wasted.
I would suspect that the defeated candidates from the ruling party would have to struggle with the indignity of being advisers to grassroots organizations which have to connect with people who have rejected them. It does make a mockery of our democratic system.
After the last general elections, the Prime Minister had sincerely pledged to engage the people of Singapore and to respond objectively. I respect him for that and urge him to take a closer look at this aberration of our democratic process and let the opposition MPs do the job that they have been entrusted with by the people.
If they still do a good job, they deserve to be given the chance to be chosen again by the people. If they do not, despite the level playing field, the decision of the people will be swift and sure.
I would also call on the professionals in the publicly funded statutory bodies to perform their duty in a neutral and non-partisan manner. Singapore has matured and there's no need to perpetuate the political baggage of a different era.
Tan Kin Lian
Voice of the People website
Should Tan Kin Lian take the next step to organize discussions under :"the voice of the people"? Please take part in this survey.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Statement from Tan Kin Lian on the Presidential Election
31 August 2011
The outcome of the Presidential elections was obviously a shock to me. I expected a much better result and the prospect of polling less than the 12.5% of the votes (and losing the deposit) was felt to be remote.
Some commentators said that I should have known the ground feel on nomination day and withdrawn my candidacy then. This would have given the other "non-establishment" candidates the vital additional votes needed to win the elections and save me from the dismal disappointment of receiving only 4.9 per cent of the votes as well as a substantial financial loss.
As always, the wisdom of hindsight never fails but the truth was that on nomination day, the voters were still largely undecided on whom they would be voting, if at all.
My private surveys as well as information from a third party survey pointed to a credible level of support for me. I had also expected strong support from the heartlanders and the over 1 million policyholders of NTUC Income (where I had served for 30 years) as well as many people who remembered my advocacy of public causes and the plight of those who suffered investment losses during the last financial crisis.
Stacked against these positive indications was an on-line poll on Yahoo which showed a low level of support for me. However, I felt that the online poll was not representative of the entire voting population, as proven in the recent general election, and there were indications that this particular poll had been manipulated.
Anyway, it would have been difficult for me to drop out of the contest at nomination date. I would have disappointed the people who wanted to vote for me and also my supporters, who had put in a lot of work during the previous six weeks and my donors.
There was also the risk that I would be considered a coward or a quitter or someone who was never serious about the election. Most importantly, I felt that I could offer a choice of a different platform for Singaporeans to decide,
Some people asked if I would have withdrawn if I had reliable information that my support was less than 10%. The answer is that this is a moot point as we did not have that information. As already shared, we believed that on nomination day, the voters were still largely uncommitted.
I decided to contest the election on my platform to be the voice of the people, to use the influence of the President to make life better for Singaporeans and to be a truly non-partisan candidate. I worked hard to bring this message across in the TV broadcasts and the forums among the four candidates. Regrettably, I failed to convince the voters and became the candidate with the least votes.
I also suffered considerable damage from some mis-reporting by the mainstream media. My proposal on giving better recognition to male citizens who served national service was wrongly reported as advocating that females should also serve national service. Although the media reported my correction on this point, the damage had already been done and was irreparable. I also suffered from negative slant in the reporting on some other issues – which I shall not dwell on.
My post mortem showed that there were a few weaknesses in my campaign strategy, my image and messaging. I shall not go into them in detail.
The clear and positive message, sent in by many people after the results including those who did not vote for me, was that I was seen to be “sincere, courageous and spoke for Singaporeans”. I like to thank them for their support, understanding and encouraging words.
I was accused by my detractors of being the person responsible for letting Dr. Tony Tan become elected as President. They argued that I should have withdrawn, so that a “non-establishment” candidate could have been voted in. I had already explained why I could not take this approach.
I would also make the point that it was really up to the last candidate to withdraw as his platform was similar to mine in several respects. In the arena of natural justice, it is really only fair that the last one in should bear the responsibility for the outcome of the changed situation
My approach was to let the people of Singapore decide on the best person to be President. I do not have any preference for any particular candidate – not even for myself. I had congratulated Dr. Tony Tan for winning a hard fought contest. Time will tell if he can deliver the promise that he will act independently of the Government and protect the interest of Singaporeans. I feel that we should give him that chance.
The election had cost me and my donors a total of $120,000, including the loss of the deposit and also a dent to my reputation. However, I have already managed the disappointment and will take a positive attitude towards this outcome. I did receive slightly more than 100,000 votes from people who believed in my platform and looked positively towards me. Their trust and regard are worth the price that I have to pay.
I had also given a choice to the people of Singapore of a truly non-partisan platform. I respect their decision at this time but hope that the non-partisan concept embodied in my platform will find their support in the future.
I am willing to continue the work of being “the voice of the people”. If there is sufficient interest and support from other interested people, I will create a new website and mechanism to implement this role. If not, I will try to play this role in a smaller way.
I would like to thank the small team of about 50 people that had worked hard with me throughout the campaign and to the generous donors. They had put in time, dedication, support and care. I thank them very much for sharing the passion with me. My thanks also go to the 100,000 over people who voted for me.
What are my plans for the future? Will I take part in a future general or presidential election? I will keep an open mind on this question. It will be decided at the right time in the future. In the meantime, I will continue to serve the people of Singapore by communicating with them through the social media and also assist them to the best of my limited ability.
To conclude, I would like to leave everyone with the following quote from Marilyn Vos Savant -
“Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.”
I have not given up.
Tan Kin Lian
Candidate for the Presidential Election, 2011
Candidate for the Presidential Election, 2011
TKL Facebook (www.facebook.com/kinlian)
I will be using Facebook more often from now. I invite my blog readers to go to www.facebook.com/kinlian and like my Facebook page. You can login regularly to get my views there.
Beware of investment scams
Singapore has a pro-business environment and adopts a "buyer beware" approach towards business dealings. Under this lax regulatory environment, several investment scams have surfaced in Singapore. I became aware of these scams after the victims had written to me for my assistance.
I wish to share some of these shady investments or scams with you.
a) Gold bar. This investment product pays an attractive interest rate, say 2% every 3 months, and promises to return the full capital at the end of the period of 6 or 12 months. There is also a certificate to allow you to collect the gold bar from a trusted third party, if the buy back guarantee is not honored. The risk is that the promoter will not honor the buyback contract, citing cash flow problems and other reasons. When you get the gold bar, you will find that you had paid a higher price than the real market value of the gold . I know of a specific case where the investor had paid a price, quoted in SGD per gram, which was 30% higher than the market price of the gold (expressed in USD per ounce). Although the price of gold had appreciated, the investor has recover the 30% in inflated price, before seeing any real gain.
b) Wine investment. This promoter sells you a portfolio of wine and convinces you that you can earn an attractive return, say 50%, when the wines are auctioned off in three years time. Several investors waited patiently for the stipulated period and received excuses why the auction could not be carried, e.g. bad market conditions. They were then pressured to make additional purchases to make a sufficiently large portfolio for a future auction. In most cases, the investors were not aware that they were sold the wines at twice of their real market price. It would not be possible to auction off the wine at a profit, if the investor had paid an inflated price.
c) Land banks. The promoter sells land plots in foreign countries, usually under agricultural or green zoning, at a price that seemed incredibly low compared to land in Singapore. The promoter promised to apply for change of zoning within 5 to 8 years and allow the land to be sold at a large capital gain. Many investors waited patiently for the planning approval but it never happened. They were not aware that they had been sold the land at 10 to 15 times of the real market value. Under this situation, who would buy the land from them at a higher inflated price?
d) Spa packages. One promoter opened a chain of spas and sold spa packages giving discount on spa treatments to be carried out over the next 12 to 18 months. The promoter closed their operations and many customers were not able to get the treatment that they had paid for. Another spa operator took over the liability, but it is not clear if the customer had received the value for the money that they had paid.
Here is the lesson. Always avoid putting your money in investments that promise an attractive return offered by companies that are not regulated by the authority. Even if they are regulated, you have to read and understand the investment contract and be aware of the potential risk. Do not trust the assurance of the person who markets the investment to you, as the marketer might give you some wrong information due to the desire to close the sale and earn the commission. Even if the marketeer is your friend, be aware that he might have been ignorant of the real risk of the investment.
Tan Kin Lian
I wish to share some of these shady investments or scams with you.
a) Gold bar. This investment product pays an attractive interest rate, say 2% every 3 months, and promises to return the full capital at the end of the period of 6 or 12 months. There is also a certificate to allow you to collect the gold bar from a trusted third party, if the buy back guarantee is not honored. The risk is that the promoter will not honor the buyback contract, citing cash flow problems and other reasons. When you get the gold bar, you will find that you had paid a higher price than the real market value of the gold . I know of a specific case where the investor had paid a price, quoted in SGD per gram, which was 30% higher than the market price of the gold (expressed in USD per ounce). Although the price of gold had appreciated, the investor has recover the 30% in inflated price, before seeing any real gain.
b) Wine investment. This promoter sells you a portfolio of wine and convinces you that you can earn an attractive return, say 50%, when the wines are auctioned off in three years time. Several investors waited patiently for the stipulated period and received excuses why the auction could not be carried, e.g. bad market conditions. They were then pressured to make additional purchases to make a sufficiently large portfolio for a future auction. In most cases, the investors were not aware that they were sold the wines at twice of their real market price. It would not be possible to auction off the wine at a profit, if the investor had paid an inflated price.
c) Land banks. The promoter sells land plots in foreign countries, usually under agricultural or green zoning, at a price that seemed incredibly low compared to land in Singapore. The promoter promised to apply for change of zoning within 5 to 8 years and allow the land to be sold at a large capital gain. Many investors waited patiently for the planning approval but it never happened. They were not aware that they had been sold the land at 10 to 15 times of the real market value. Under this situation, who would buy the land from them at a higher inflated price?
d) Spa packages. One promoter opened a chain of spas and sold spa packages giving discount on spa treatments to be carried out over the next 12 to 18 months. The promoter closed their operations and many customers were not able to get the treatment that they had paid for. Another spa operator took over the liability, but it is not clear if the customer had received the value for the money that they had paid.
Here is the lesson. Always avoid putting your money in investments that promise an attractive return offered by companies that are not regulated by the authority. Even if they are regulated, you have to read and understand the investment contract and be aware of the potential risk. Do not trust the assurance of the person who markets the investment to you, as the marketer might give you some wrong information due to the desire to close the sale and earn the commission. Even if the marketeer is your friend, be aware that he might have been ignorant of the real risk of the investment.
Tan Kin Lian
Streaming of Financial Planning Talk
Here is your chance to learn about Financial Planning from the comfort of your home.
Presentation Video is at http://www.ustream.tv/
Monday, August 29, 2011
FISCA website - interesting articles
The FISCA website contains interesting articles on financial and consumer matters. A few articles will be posted each day. You can view them at www.easysearch.sg/fisca. Some articles will be available for the public (click on the information tab) and others will be available only to members (after login).
Visit the FISCA website a few times each week and keep abreast of these issues. The direct link is http://easyapps.sg/assn/Org/Information.aspx?id=5
Visit the FISCA website a few times each week and keep abreast of these issues. The direct link is http://easyapps.sg/assn/Org/Information.aspx?id=5
Be aware of investment risks
A few people have approached me for assistance regarding their investment losses. They entrusted large sums of money to the wealth managers working for the banks. The investors claimed that they were not aware about how their money were invested and trusted that the wealth manager would take care of their investments. They end up with large losses.
In some cases, the investors were not able to read the portfolio statements, so it is likely that they were quite ignorant about the investments.
Some of the investments were in linked investments or leveraged investments, which carried high risks. These types of investments are speculative, and depend on the skill of the wealth manager to make the right timing decisions. It is almost impossible to acquire this type of skill. Some timing decisions is similar to gambling in a casino - a lot depends on luck.
It is likely that the wealth managers who contributed to these bad investments are also inexperienced in this field.
The more experienced wealth managers are likely to give more prudent advice - such as diversification of risk and selecting the right asset mix. In these cases, the potential return is likely to be modest, after deducting the fee payable to the manager. The investor should accept the lower yield, that commensurate with the lower risk. If the investor wants a higher yield, the wealth manager is likely to be forced to take a more risky approach - which can lead to disaster.
It is important that the investor should be aware of the risk and should select the knowledgeable wealth manager. If the investor is not aware about the risk of investments, it is better for the wealth manager to decline to take the client - so as to avoid these potential problems.
My advice: never invest in any investment that you do not understand. Invest in your education by attending the financial planning workshop organised by FISCA (www.easysearch.sg/fisca).
Tan Kin Lian
In some cases, the investors were not able to read the portfolio statements, so it is likely that they were quite ignorant about the investments.
Some of the investments were in linked investments or leveraged investments, which carried high risks. These types of investments are speculative, and depend on the skill of the wealth manager to make the right timing decisions. It is almost impossible to acquire this type of skill. Some timing decisions is similar to gambling in a casino - a lot depends on luck.
It is likely that the wealth managers who contributed to these bad investments are also inexperienced in this field.
The more experienced wealth managers are likely to give more prudent advice - such as diversification of risk and selecting the right asset mix. In these cases, the potential return is likely to be modest, after deducting the fee payable to the manager. The investor should accept the lower yield, that commensurate with the lower risk. If the investor wants a higher yield, the wealth manager is likely to be forced to take a more risky approach - which can lead to disaster.
It is important that the investor should be aware of the risk and should select the knowledgeable wealth manager. If the investor is not aware about the risk of investments, it is better for the wealth manager to decline to take the client - so as to avoid these potential problems.
My advice: never invest in any investment that you do not understand. Invest in your education by attending the financial planning workshop organised by FISCA (www.easysearch.sg/fisca).
Tan Kin Lian
Understand the issues
Dear Mr. Tan,
Hang Lian
Well done on the recent Presidential Election.
I'm not a Singaporean and have no rights to vote, but I have been keeping myself updated on the events. I may be wrong, but all along, I think you will be somehow crippled in your ability to help ordinary Singaporeans if you become a statesman. So, although I'm not happy with the outcome, but I do think that it's not a bad outcome.
I admire your spirit and courage to step forward for the election, it must have been a hard and long 10 days for you and your family, but I believe it's a fruitful journey.
Having been in a position to see the differences between the policies in NZ and Spore, I see some of your points, eg. a minimum wage. Unfortunately, I think some issues are not appreciated by a certain portion of the population, for example the NS one, I suspect a significant number of the female population was put off as the perception is that it's going to "disadvantage" them. The misquoting by the media is not helping either.
Finally, a Hi5! to you, Sir.
Take care.
Help people in need
Dear Mr Tan,
I would like to thank you for standing up and contest in the Presidential Elections.
Despite your initial reluctance and the tough competition, you still went ahead with the attempt.
I was touched by your sincerity that could be seen in all your speeches and your voice.
I am only 19 and did not have the chance to vote, but I am here to give my 2 cents worth on what I have seen.
Although you have lost the deposit of S$48k and only garnered less than 5% of the votes, you have gained the appreciation of thousands of Singaporeans.
They may not have voted for you but they know your courage and enthusiasm in helping people in need.
You have mentioned many times in your speeches about your mini-bond campaign to help the people.
However, in my humble opinion, it was not enough to prove to the people how you can be a unifying figure who speaks for them.
Singaporeans want the growing divides to be lessened.
You also did not leverage the advantage of knowing 4 languages as you hardly spoke during the rally.
I think it was a huge mistake to let too many speakers talk in your rally.
The main person should be you as you are the candidate for Presidency.
The people want to hear what you have to say, not others.
I know that you sincerely have the commitment to be a voice of the people but the points you spoke of were not enough.
With utmost respect to you, I will take Dr Tan Cheng Bock as an example.
Dr Tan garnered just 0.34% less than the current President-Elect.
This was due to the way he campaigned and his methods of getting connected to the people.
He stayed away from bread and butter issues, and did not promise anything he could not do as a President.
The people could not see the reasons to vote for you, other than knowing that you are a really kind and good man.
It was a pity that they did not have the chance to listen to what you have to say.
I think you will do better as a man than a President.
As President, you can only control the national reserves and attempt to influence the ruling party in decision making.
However, you cannot take part in any of them.
As a man, you can do much more than that!
I hope you will continue to help people in need, like the poor and lower-income Singaporeans.
Help can come in the form of educating other Singaporeans on the issue and not necessarily money.
There is still many things to point out but I think it is pointless as the PE2011 is over.
I agree to the things you want to do for Singapore but as President, many of which you have said is not possible.
The important thing is you have experienced and learnt from this.
I wish you all the best in whatever you do.
Finally, I want to thank you for everything you have done.
Many people will misunderstand you on the basis of rumours and stories.
As long as you stay true to yourself, don't be discouraged and carry on!
Yours sincerely,
Terence Tan.
Why I voted for TKL
Dear Mr Tan,
My mother and I both voted for you. We marked a " Cross " on the last " Tan " box. There are 4 Tans. BUt we both VOTED for you.
We are touched by your generous offer to donate half your President's Pay to charity. I do NOT know why your message of the " Hi 5 " did NOT get across to Singaporeans.
I personally like your ideas of " Pension " for the elderly. My mother is old. A pension for the old would be good for her. CPF money have NOT be enough for retirement.
I don't know why you received only 4.91 % of the votes. I was praying for you to win the Presidential Election.
Do NOT lose hope. I feel sorry that you lost your SGD 48,000 deposit. I think Singaporeans should and ought to have given you a chance.
Milan Lee
My mother and I both voted for you. We marked a " Cross " on the last " Tan " box. There are 4 Tans. BUt we both VOTED for you.
We are touched by your generous offer to donate half your President's Pay to charity. I do NOT know why your message of the " Hi 5 " did NOT get across to Singaporeans.
I personally like your ideas of " Pension " for the elderly. My mother is old. A pension for the old would be good for her. CPF money have NOT be enough for retirement.
I don't know why you received only 4.91 % of the votes. I was praying for you to win the Presidential Election.
Do NOT lose hope. I feel sorry that you lost your SGD 48,000 deposit. I think Singaporeans should and ought to have given you a chance.
Milan Lee
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Books by Tan Kin Lian
The limited period offer for my books will end soon. To place your order now, go to www.tankinlian.com/ishop and enjoy discounts of up to 50% for my books on financial planning, life insurance and puzzles.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Appreciation from a supporter
Firstly, I would like to congratulate you for taking the courage to come forward to stand in the Presidential election, though you have not make it and lost your deposit etc.
Mr Tan, I know you are the people's people and I am definitely sure there is a purpose for the defeat. With your 'voices of the people' website I know moving forward singaporeans need an avenue for them to voice out. A good example, the result shows the high percentage of singaporeans still unhappy with even the current policies and that is why they vote others instead and want a active President with transparency and not a passive President just lay back and collect $m. Knowing how the current system works, probably any feedback given to the civil service will not be actioned. This is proven todate. With your website, at least other singaporeans will know what is going on
Mr Tan, though I was unable to assist you due to the demise of my father, my family would like to thank you for your presence during the wake despite your tight schedule You are really a people's person. Imagine during the wake period, no sight of the presence or a note of condolences from his MP. This is really sad. Compared to opposition wards I understand that their MPs make it a point to attend every wake in their ward. This is really complacency and such MPs should not even exist.
Once again, thank you, Mr Tan.
David Soh
Message from Tan Kin Lian
I congratulate Dr. Tony Tan for his success in this Presidential election.
I wish to thank the voters who have shown their confidence in me. The campaign has been a good experience for my campaign team and for me, and I was glad to meet many ordinary people in Singapore who has greeted me with warmth and friendship.
My family and I also thank all my campaign volunteers, supporters, donors and well wishers for their dedication, tireless energy and care throughout the campaign.
I will continue to demonstrate my care and concern for the people of Singapore and will strive to be the Voice of the People through other channels.
Tan Kin Lian
Candidate for Presidential Election, 2011
Candidate for Presidential Election, 2011
Perspective of Presidential Election 2011
I will write a note each day giving my personal perspective of the major events that have occurred during the my participation in the Presidentail Election 2011. I will start with the shocking results of polling only 5% of the votes among a field of 4 candidates.
www.facebook.com/kinlian
www.facebook.com/kinlian
Post mortem on Presidential campaign
I was disappointed with my low score in the Presidential campaign. Please share your feedback in this survey.
Note: I have received over 100 replies within 8 hours! As the survey has reached its limit, it is now closed. You can now post your comments. (You can read the survey results in my facebook, www.facebook.com/kinlian.
Note: I have received over 100 replies within 8 hours! As the survey has reached its limit, it is now closed. You can now post your comments. (You can read the survey results in my facebook, www.facebook.com/kinlian.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Cooling off Day for the Presidential Election
There will be no posting of articles and comments in this Blog for 26 August (Cooling Off Day) and 27 August (Presidential Election). Posting will resume at 8 pm on 27 August.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Full speech by Tan Su Ling
Video streaming by UstreamMy eldest daughter, Su Ling, had to cut short her speech at the rally last night as there was not enough time. Here, she gives her the full speech at a Press Conference today.
Tan Kin Lian Rally - a positive view
Dear Mr Tan
I would like to congratulate you for having held a very successful rally. The weather was good and the turnout was great. Thousands have turned up to support your rally and I noticed 99.9% of them stayed from 7.30 all the way to 10.30.
Your ability to speak in so many languages during the rally is simply amazing. "Some" candidate "claims" to be multiracial but can he speak as many languages as you are able to.
Most importantly, having listened to yourself and so many other speakers, I walked away convinced beyond any doubt that you are the best choice for Singaporeans as our next President. Just to name a few of the many reasons
1) Independence, we need an independent President to effectively check and monitor the government. Needless to name them, some candidates are just too Pro PAP for comfort.
2) Sense of Justice, years before 2011 Presidential election, you have spoken on behalf of ordinary Singaporeans for the minibond issue. I don't remember anyone else having the courage to speak up against major LISTED companies and the establishments for the sake of ordinary Singaporeans.
3) Financial knowledge, having served as the CEO of NTUC Income for so many years, you have the technical financial knowledge of how to properly monitor and manage the funds (National reserve of Singapore). If a doctor is elected as President, I wonder if he has sufficient financial knowledge to understand what the government is presenting to him in reports and if he is able to counter propose with other measures.
4) Walk the talk, a lot of people can talk, they talk great ideas, but can they effectively walk the talk. We have no need of a President who can talk and just that - TALK. We need one who has the courage to be the VOICE for the people. We need one who can stand up against the government if the need arises. From the minibond saga, we can clearly see you as one who practises what you preach. Beyond that, you have also pledged to donate half of your Preseidential salary to the charity. This is another proof that you walk the talk and follow up with actions and not just mere hollow words.
On this Saturday, for the sake of Singapore and the future of Singaporeans, I hope everyone can vote for Mr Tan Kin Lian, the only logical choice for President. Only then, can the voices of ordinary Singaporeans be heard loud and clear by the government. Only then can changes be effected and the lives of ordinary Singaporeans improved.
Gary
(On a side note, your daugher is really an excellent speaker, she should consider running for the next election, I am pretty sure she would do very well. She can rouse the audience with her fiery speech that is full of conviction and that strike a chord with the people.)
I would like to congratulate you for having held a very successful rally. The weather was good and the turnout was great. Thousands have turned up to support your rally and I noticed 99.9% of them stayed from 7.30 all the way to 10.30.
Your ability to speak in so many languages during the rally is simply amazing. "Some" candidate "claims" to be multiracial but can he speak as many languages as you are able to.
Most importantly, having listened to yourself and so many other speakers, I walked away convinced beyond any doubt that you are the best choice for Singaporeans as our next President. Just to name a few of the many reasons
1) Independence, we need an independent President to effectively check and monitor the government. Needless to name them, some candidates are just too Pro PAP for comfort.
2) Sense of Justice, years before 2011 Presidential election, you have spoken on behalf of ordinary Singaporeans for the minibond issue. I don't remember anyone else having the courage to speak up against major LISTED companies and the establishments for the sake of ordinary Singaporeans.
3) Financial knowledge, having served as the CEO of NTUC Income for so many years, you have the technical financial knowledge of how to properly monitor and manage the funds (National reserve of Singapore). If a doctor is elected as President, I wonder if he has sufficient financial knowledge to understand what the government is presenting to him in reports and if he is able to counter propose with other measures.
4) Walk the talk, a lot of people can talk, they talk great ideas, but can they effectively walk the talk. We have no need of a President who can talk and just that - TALK. We need one who has the courage to be the VOICE for the people. We need one who can stand up against the government if the need arises. From the minibond saga, we can clearly see you as one who practises what you preach. Beyond that, you have also pledged to donate half of your Preseidential salary to the charity. This is another proof that you walk the talk and follow up with actions and not just mere hollow words.
On this Saturday, for the sake of Singapore and the future of Singaporeans, I hope everyone can vote for Mr Tan Kin Lian, the only logical choice for President. Only then, can the voices of ordinary Singaporeans be heard loud and clear by the government. Only then can changes be effected and the lives of ordinary Singaporeans improved.
Gary
(On a side note, your daugher is really an excellent speaker, she should consider running for the next election, I am pretty sure she would do very well. She can rouse the audience with her fiery speech that is full of conviction and that strike a chord with the people.)
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
TV Forum - Introduce the Presidential Candidates
Please give your impression of the four candidates - their strong and weak points, and the memorable statements (or sound bites).
What is at stake - fight for the soul of Singapore
The writer is a retired journalist from Straits Times. Here is his views about the Presidential election.
What is at stake?
By Ismail Kassim
18 July 11
I regard next month’s presidential race as Round Two of the fight between the PAP and the people. The outcome will determine the character of the nation in the next decade or two.
By the people, I mean the average Ah Beng, Raju and Ali, whose welfare has been sidelined by the government’s current obsession with achieving fast economic growth at any price.They are the collateral damage that Singapore has to pay for its unabashed and embrace of globalization and western capitalism, with all their attendant evils.
By the PAP, I mean the ruling party and its many supporters from the bureaucratic and business elites and all those who have benefitted immensely from its rule. After the electoral setback in the May polls, the PAP promised to review its policies and be more attentive to the needs of the average Singaporean.
I am sure PM Lee means well, but the problem is that it is never easy to change a course that has been followed so zealously for so many years. So far, I can only hear PR grunts in the right direction, but nothing substantive has emerged.
Change and reforms can only come under relentless pressure. Just look around the region and you can see how difficult it is for any ruling party to pursue reforms because of entrenched interests.
Malaysia’s Umno only talks about reforms, but lacks the will to follow-up, while in the Philippines the modern-day feudal lords still hold sway over the people. In Thailand and Indonesia the traditional elites still call the tune, while the poor remain poor.
In Singapore, what is at stake is not just cutting ministerial salaries by 10 or 20 percent and relieving the terrific jams at bus stands and MRT stations during peak hours. What we also want include:
# Equitable growth that benefits all sectors and classes in Singapore ;
# Respect for human and civil rights of all citizens;
# Stop abuses of power especially against the opposition; and
# Meritocracy and equality of opportunities extended to all sectors and for all Singaporeans regardless of race, language or religion.
In short, the fight is over the soul of Singapore . What kind of Singapore do we want to see in a decade or two? Something like Mumbai, Moscow , or Los Angeles ?
I still remember years ago the callous manner in which LKY dismissed the widening income gap as a world-wide phenomenon, the inevitable consequence of globalization, and that there was nothing much that any government could do.
The question that I have often asked myself is: Why is the PAP so obsessed with high rates of growth to the extent that it was willing to open the flood gates to anyone with the money or the desired skill or the right ethnicity to come in?
My guess is that it arises from the almost pathological insecurities of the PAP inner circle to what they consider as geopolitical realities.
The fact is that not a single shot has been fired in anger in the last half century since independence. Over the same period, bilateral ties have remained steady despite occasional hiccups and regional cooperation in Asean has made tremendous strides.
Yet, the paranoia towards our neighbours remains undiluted, and of course, the Singapore Malay minority has been made to pay a price. Even having the strongest military force in the region (at least on paper) has apparently not mitigated the PAP anxieties.
Hence, the reckless decision to pump for faster and faster growth and to internationalize the island by getting as many foreigners as possible to come on board as citizens and PRs so that the whole wide world will rise up in defense of Singapore should any existential threat arises.
To the PAP, this is the only way to ensure that our little red dot will last over the next millennium. I suppose this is the equivalent of giving a farewell present to the founding father when he passes away from the scene.
In Round One, the score was 60% for the PAP and 40% for the people, who were represented by the various opposition political parties.
The results of the president’s race will underline how strongly the electorate wants the government to change its policy goals.
Ideally, we should elect the candidate who most sympathizes with the aspirations of the people.
From the current aspirants, it is not difficult to find out who among them has consistently struggled for the working class in his role as a PAP backbencher.
And we also know, despite all his protestations of independence, the candidate who is the proxy of the PAP. He might have been a good banker, but certainly not a good bangsawan (Malay opera) actor.
As a fallback measure, it does not matter how many candidates are taking part, who are they, and also who eventually wins the top post.
What is important is to ensure that the candidate who represents the PAP’s choice does not win more than 60% of the votes.
This will send a clear signal to the PAP leaders that Singaporeans want change and reform at all costs.
So friends and fellow Singaporeans, don’t forget to keep up the pressure.
Ismail Kassim
18 July2011
What is at stake?
By Ismail Kassim
18 July 11
I regard next month’s presidential race as Round Two of the fight between the PAP and the people. The outcome will determine the character of the nation in the next decade or two.
By the people, I mean the average Ah Beng, Raju and Ali, whose welfare has been sidelined by the government’s current obsession with achieving fast economic growth at any price.They are the collateral damage that Singapore has to pay for its unabashed and embrace of globalization and western capitalism, with all their attendant evils.
By the PAP, I mean the ruling party and its many supporters from the bureaucratic and business elites and all those who have benefitted immensely from its rule. After the electoral setback in the May polls, the PAP promised to review its policies and be more attentive to the needs of the average Singaporean.
I am sure PM Lee means well, but the problem is that it is never easy to change a course that has been followed so zealously for so many years. So far, I can only hear PR grunts in the right direction, but nothing substantive has emerged.
Change and reforms can only come under relentless pressure. Just look around the region and you can see how difficult it is for any ruling party to pursue reforms because of entrenched interests.
Malaysia’s Umno only talks about reforms, but lacks the will to follow-up, while in the Philippines the modern-day feudal lords still hold sway over the people. In Thailand and Indonesia the traditional elites still call the tune, while the poor remain poor.
In Singapore, what is at stake is not just cutting ministerial salaries by 10 or 20 percent and relieving the terrific jams at bus stands and MRT stations during peak hours. What we also want include:
# Equitable growth that benefits all sectors and classes in Singapore ;
# Respect for human and civil rights of all citizens;
# Stop abuses of power especially against the opposition; and
# Meritocracy and equality of opportunities extended to all sectors and for all Singaporeans regardless of race, language or religion.
In short, the fight is over the soul of Singapore . What kind of Singapore do we want to see in a decade or two? Something like Mumbai, Moscow , or Los Angeles ?
I still remember years ago the callous manner in which LKY dismissed the widening income gap as a world-wide phenomenon, the inevitable consequence of globalization, and that there was nothing much that any government could do.
The question that I have often asked myself is: Why is the PAP so obsessed with high rates of growth to the extent that it was willing to open the flood gates to anyone with the money or the desired skill or the right ethnicity to come in?
My guess is that it arises from the almost pathological insecurities of the PAP inner circle to what they consider as geopolitical realities.
The fact is that not a single shot has been fired in anger in the last half century since independence. Over the same period, bilateral ties have remained steady despite occasional hiccups and regional cooperation in Asean has made tremendous strides.
Yet, the paranoia towards our neighbours remains undiluted, and of course, the Singapore Malay minority has been made to pay a price. Even having the strongest military force in the region (at least on paper) has apparently not mitigated the PAP anxieties.
Hence, the reckless decision to pump for faster and faster growth and to internationalize the island by getting as many foreigners as possible to come on board as citizens and PRs so that the whole wide world will rise up in defense of Singapore should any existential threat arises.
To the PAP, this is the only way to ensure that our little red dot will last over the next millennium. I suppose this is the equivalent of giving a farewell present to the founding father when he passes away from the scene.
In Round One, the score was 60% for the PAP and 40% for the people, who were represented by the various opposition political parties.
The results of the president’s race will underline how strongly the electorate wants the government to change its policy goals.
Ideally, we should elect the candidate who most sympathizes with the aspirations of the people.
From the current aspirants, it is not difficult to find out who among them has consistently struggled for the working class in his role as a PAP backbencher.
And we also know, despite all his protestations of independence, the candidate who is the proxy of the PAP. He might have been a good banker, but certainly not a good bangsawan (Malay opera) actor.
As a fallback measure, it does not matter how many candidates are taking part, who are they, and also who eventually wins the top post.
What is important is to ensure that the candidate who represents the PAP’s choice does not win more than 60% of the votes.
This will send a clear signal to the PAP leaders that Singaporeans want change and reform at all costs.
So friends and fellow Singaporeans, don’t forget to keep up the pressure.
Ismail Kassim
18 July2011
Convinced by Tan Kin Lian
Hello Mr Tan,
I have watched videos of you on Razor TV conducting your press conference and being interviewed at Tanjong Pagar. I am convinced by your message and what you intend to do as President. I have decided to give you my vote.
I suggest you put the links to the videos on your website and Facebook. Also, I note you don't have a biography page on your website. Perhaps, at this late juncture, you can put one under the Statements section, title on top.
Best regards
Chris
http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/archive/?channel=9084#/site/servlet/ajax/page?channel=contentbean%3a9084&view=asLargeVideoListBoxPage&page=1&year=2011&quarter=Jul+-+Sep&autoLoad=true@9084_largeListPage@1314094376439
http://thinkhappiness.
http://thinkhappiness.
http://yawningbread.wordpress.
CV of Tan Kin Lian
I have watched videos of you on Razor TV conducting your press conference and being interviewed at Tanjong Pagar. I am convinced by your message and what you intend to do as President. I have decided to give you my vote.
I suggest you put the links to the videos on your website and Facebook. Also, I note you don't have a biography page on your website. Perhaps, at this late juncture, you can put one under the Statements section, title on top.
Best regards
Chris
http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/archive/?channel=9084#/site/servlet/ajax/page?channel=contentbean%3a9084&view=asLargeVideoListBoxPage&page=1&year=2011&quarter=Jul+-+Sep&autoLoad=true@9084_largeListPage@1314094376439
http://thinkhappiness.
http://thinkhappiness.
http://yawningbread.wordpress.
CV of Tan Kin Lian
Insightful and inspiring
Dear Mr Tan,
I watched you speak on Face to Face 2 and found what you had said very insightful and very inspiring. Notwithstanding your lack of knowledge of Section 377, you come across as someone who is thoughtful and sincere in making a positive impact on the lives of Singaporeans.
I wish you all the best in your campaign and will really be proud to have a president like you should you be elected. You also have my husband, my father and my mother's vote.
Take care and good luck!
I watched you speak on Face to Face 2 and found what you had said very insightful and very inspiring. Notwithstanding your lack of knowledge of Section 377, you come across as someone who is thoughtful and sincere in making a positive impact on the lives of Singaporeans.
I wish you all the best in your campaign and will really be proud to have a president like you should you be elected. You also have my husband, my father and my mother's vote.
Take care and good luck!
Tan Kin Lian Rally - 24 August 7 pm
I like to ask my friends and blog readers to attend my rally as follows:
Date: Wed 24 August 2011
Time: 7 pm
Venue: Yio Chu Kang stadium
Please telephone your friend and ask them to come with you.
Meanwhile, do enjoy this self-composed song by visually handicapped Daniel.
Date: Wed 24 August 2011
Time: 7 pm
Venue: Yio Chu Kang stadium
Please telephone your friend and ask them to come with you.
Meanwhile, do enjoy this self-composed song by visually handicapped Daniel.
National Service can be made a privilege
There is a misunderstanding among readers of the Chinese newspapers that I am advocating mandatory National Service for girls. This is a wrong interpretation of my suggestion that the males should not have to carry an unfair burden in doing National Service, compared to girls and foreigners.
My suggestion is for the males doing National Service to be adequately paid and for the additional payment to go into their CPF account. Alternatively, the HDB housing grant should be differentiated between applicants who have done National Service and those who have not. The difference should reflect the value of the time that they spent in National Service.
If girls wish to perform national service, as they find it to be quite well paid, they should be given an option to serve in the nursing, community service or other suitable positions. This will have have to depend on the demand for these services.
I wish to see National Service be made into a privilege for citizens - and this can be done by paying them adequately for the time that they have to spend, and for this privilege to be made available to girls as well (but it is optional).
My suggestion is for the males doing National Service to be adequately paid and for the additional payment to go into their CPF account. Alternatively, the HDB housing grant should be differentiated between applicants who have done National Service and those who have not. The difference should reflect the value of the time that they spent in National Service.
If girls wish to perform national service, as they find it to be quite well paid, they should be given an option to serve in the nursing, community service or other suitable positions. This will have have to depend on the demand for these services.
I wish to see National Service be made into a privilege for citizens - and this can be done by paying them adequately for the time that they have to spend, and for this privilege to be made available to girls as well (but it is optional).
Monday, August 22, 2011
Tan Kin Lian Rally, 7 pm on Wed 24 August
I will hold my rally on Wed 24 August 7.00 pm to 9.30 pm at Yio Chu Kang Stadium (next to Yio Chu Kang MRT station). Please give me your support and encourage your friends to attend also. More details will be released later.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Use of veto power
Dear Mr. Tan,
I am referring to this article: http://www.straitstimes.com/
I think this suggestion is genius and can win you many points. It is completely lawful, and shows how you can think out of the box.
Straits Times posted the link on their Facebook page and it attracted a large number of negative comments, 90% of which from fake users (users who have no friends). These users are likely to be hired hands, and such large negative response means the establishment does not really like what you have said.
Please continue to press this. It will give you an edge over TJS.
REPLY
The media took my statements out of context and distorted it with a bad headline.
My use of the veto will be used as a last resort to make sure that the request for the use of the past reserves is more balanced and does not favor only a specific sector. A specific example was raised about the use of the past reserves to fund the job credit scheme. If a future request comes to me, I like to see some of the funds being used to benefit the people directly, rather than through the employer.
I do not intend to use the veto power to push social programmes that are not related to the specific request for the use of past reserves.
I had earlier suggested that the HDB housing grant could be modified to favour people who served full time National Service. This will not be an additional cost to the state, as the housing grant is now provided to all eligible people, including new citizens or permanent residents who did not serve National Service. The cost will increase if the housing grant is higher than the grant provided previously. Even so, the increased cost can be funded out of current surplus, so do not need to dip into the past reserves.
The payment of a modest pension to elderly poor above age 75 or 80 will not be a large burden on the state finances, and can be met out of current revenue.
I have no intention to paralyse the government or cause gridlock by the inappropriate use of the veto. There is no need for people to interpret my views in its worst possible form and create fear mongering. We have to get away from this bad habit and adopt a more constructive approach in looking at the issues.
Tan Kin Lian
I am referring to this article: http://www.straitstimes.com/
I think this suggestion is genius and can win you many points. It is completely lawful, and shows how you can think out of the box.
Straits Times posted the link on their Facebook page and it attracted a large number of negative comments, 90% of which from fake users (users who have no friends). These users are likely to be hired hands, and such large negative response means the establishment does not really like what you have said.
Please continue to press this. It will give you an edge over TJS.
REPLY
The media took my statements out of context and distorted it with a bad headline.
My use of the veto will be used as a last resort to make sure that the request for the use of the past reserves is more balanced and does not favor only a specific sector. A specific example was raised about the use of the past reserves to fund the job credit scheme. If a future request comes to me, I like to see some of the funds being used to benefit the people directly, rather than through the employer.
I do not intend to use the veto power to push social programmes that are not related to the specific request for the use of past reserves.
I had earlier suggested that the HDB housing grant could be modified to favour people who served full time National Service. This will not be an additional cost to the state, as the housing grant is now provided to all eligible people, including new citizens or permanent residents who did not serve National Service. The cost will increase if the housing grant is higher than the grant provided previously. Even so, the increased cost can be funded out of current surplus, so do not need to dip into the past reserves.
The payment of a modest pension to elderly poor above age 75 or 80 will not be a large burden on the state finances, and can be met out of current revenue.
I have no intention to paralyse the government or cause gridlock by the inappropriate use of the veto. There is no need for people to interpret my views in its worst possible form and create fear mongering. We have to get away from this bad habit and adopt a more constructive approach in looking at the issues.
Tan Kin Lian
Words from a young graduate
In fact, you may not remember, but I had a brief encounter, albeit only virtually, with you in year 2000. I was very impressed by your readiness to extend a helping hand, notwithstanding your busy schedule as the CEO of NTUC Income.
I was then an undergraduate in NUS doing my final year project in evaluating the value of adequacy annuities as a retirement planning tool in Singapore. I emailed to ask for your help to access some pricing data from NTUC Income. Not only you replied within an hour, you referred your managers to assist me. I was deeply touched. You were the only CEO among all the insurance companies I wrote to then who did that. I have, of course, long graduated; your kind deed, however, has been remembered till today. Incidentally, I graduated with a First Class Honours -- your act of kindness has certainly helped!
Now that you are running for the Elected President Office, I am again seeing in you the commitment and passion that impressed me so much a decade ago. Your Hi-5 resonates with me. I, too, believe that those 5 values are very important, may it be for someone assuming a high office or even a man in the street. Your background, too, has inspired me. I came from poor family as well. Education, hard work and character can make a difference.
I like what I see in you -- your character, your beliefs, your efforts and your deeds. I have asked my friends and family to support you, too.
Do push on in your beliefs. Many of us are behind you!!
Wei Peng
Straight Talk with Tan Kin Lian
Voice of the People
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/16768291
Independence from the PAP Government
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/16788409
Safeguard your CPF savings
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/16789271
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/16768291
Independence from the PAP Government
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/16788409
Safeguard your CPF savings
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/16789271
Time for remembering - NTUC Income policyholders
Dear Mr. Tan,
I wish to add my words to the posting on "Time for Remembering".
I have been a policyholder of NTUC for many years. I trusted you to manage my savings and to give me a good bonuses each year. You DID! You are honest and take care of the small people like me. I will remember what you have done for the small man like me, and will vote for you at the Presidential Election.
And, I also want to say that I enjoy receiving your Birthday card each year. And my family members too. It may be a small thing, but it showed that you really care for the policyholders. I hope that many of them will also remember your public service in NTUC.
Wish you all the best.
Salleh
I wish to add my words to the posting on "Time for Remembering".
I have been a policyholder of NTUC for many years. I trusted you to manage my savings and to give me a good bonuses each year. You DID! You are honest and take care of the small people like me. I will remember what you have done for the small man like me, and will vote for you at the Presidential Election.
And, I also want to say that I enjoy receiving your Birthday card each year. And my family members too. It may be a small thing, but it showed that you really care for the policyholders. I hope that many of them will also remember your public service in NTUC.
Wish you all the best.
Salleh
People's President
Dear Mr Tan Kin Lian,
I stay in Serangoon as part of Aljunied GRC and three months ago we were involved in the General Elections in which the workers' party won.
I am keenly following this presidential elections and i would like to give my brief take on the proceedings. I hope my perspective and general people's perspectives as onlookers from the outside would help in your campaign. These are some of the views of the four candidates as seen by the general public:
Tony Tan - is seen as part of the PAP establishment and would attract PAP and pro-establishment votes
Tan Cheng Bock- is seen as slighlty disconnected from the PAP but would still attract some pro-establishment votes and votes from people who want the middle ground
Tan Jee Say- is seen as an opposition in line with the statements he has made (checks and balances on govt) and would attract quite a bit of the opposition supporter's votes as well as the votes of the young who want change.
Tan Kin Lian-is seen as independent, a humble, public-spirited individual who wants the peoples' views and feelings to be heard by the government.
Mr Tan, generally non Tony tan supporters are quite confused in who to pick among Dr Tan Cheng Bock, Tan Jee Say and Tan Kin Lian. In reading about your family background and upbring in the newspapers, i hope that you will position and champion yourself as the PEOPLES' PRESIDENT in this election so that you can differentiate yourself from the other 2.
You are the PEOPLES' PRESIDENT as you strongly believe in public service (eg: donating your salary to worthy causes), caring about the views and feelings of the people and your personal values (Hi-5).
As a well-wisher you have my support!
PA
I stay in Serangoon as part of Aljunied GRC and three months ago we were involved in the General Elections in which the workers' party won.
I am keenly following this presidential elections and i would like to give my brief take on the proceedings. I hope my perspective and general people's perspectives as onlookers from the outside would help in your campaign. These are some of the views of the four candidates as seen by the general public:
Tony Tan - is seen as part of the PAP establishment and would attract PAP and pro-establishment votes
Tan Cheng Bock- is seen as slighlty disconnected from the PAP but would still attract some pro-establishment votes and votes from people who want the middle ground
Tan Jee Say- is seen as an opposition in line with the statements he has made (checks and balances on govt) and would attract quite a bit of the opposition supporter's votes as well as the votes of the young who want change.
Tan Kin Lian-is seen as independent, a humble, public-spirited individual who wants the peoples' views and feelings to be heard by the government.
Mr Tan, generally non Tony tan supporters are quite confused in who to pick among Dr Tan Cheng Bock, Tan Jee Say and Tan Kin Lian. In reading about your family background and upbring in the newspapers, i hope that you will position and champion yourself as the PEOPLES' PRESIDENT in this election so that you can differentiate yourself from the other 2.
You are the PEOPLES' PRESIDENT as you strongly believe in public service (eg: donating your salary to worthy causes), caring about the views and feelings of the people and your personal values (Hi-5).
As a well-wisher you have my support!
PA
Civil service should be non-partisan
We need a neutral and non-partisan approach to identify the issues that are important to Singaporeans and find solutions that are best for the people. I am contesting the Presidential election on this platform. My vision is a better life for all Singaporeans. I believe that a non-partisan and open approach is best to achieve this goal.
Our civil service and grassroots organisations should also be non-partisan. In carrying out their public duties, they should not favor any political party.
I am disappointed to learn in applying for the use of public spaces for an event, some civic or grassroots organisations were told that they were not allowed to invite their Member of Parliament as the Guest of Honor. I recall that in past years, it is usual for Members of Parliament to be invited in this capacity for these events. This is discriminatory and does not show respect for the Member of Parliament who has been duly elected by the voters in the constituency.
If this report is true, I wish to ask if there has been a recent change of policy in disallowing all elected Members of Parliament to be invited as guest of honors in similar functions that require the use of public spaces,, and if this new policy is being applied to all Members of Parliament, regardless of the political party that they are affiliated to?
I ask for the civil service to act in a non-partisan manner in discharging their public duty and to show respect for the Member of Parliament who has been duly elected by the voters in the constituency.
Tan Kin Lian
Our civil service and grassroots organisations should also be non-partisan. In carrying out their public duties, they should not favor any political party.
I am disappointed to learn in applying for the use of public spaces for an event, some civic or grassroots organisations were told that they were not allowed to invite their Member of Parliament as the Guest of Honor. I recall that in past years, it is usual for Members of Parliament to be invited in this capacity for these events. This is discriminatory and does not show respect for the Member of Parliament who has been duly elected by the voters in the constituency.
If this report is true, I wish to ask if there has been a recent change of policy in disallowing all elected Members of Parliament to be invited as guest of honors in similar functions that require the use of public spaces,, and if this new policy is being applied to all Members of Parliament, regardless of the political party that they are affiliated to?
I ask for the civil service to act in a non-partisan manner in discharging their public duty and to show respect for the Member of Parliament who has been duly elected by the voters in the constituency.
Tan Kin Lian
Endorsement by Chang Chiu-Cheng
Prof Chang Chiu-Cheng writes this endorsement of Tan Kin Lian.
Dear Singaporean Voters of the coming presidential election:
I decided to write this letter of endorsement in support of Mr. Tan Kin Lian’s candidacy for
Singapore’s presidency due mainly to the following reasons:
1. While I worked as an Associate Professor and Director of Healthcare Economics and Management, ACES, Nanyang Business School, NTU, in Singapore, I had the privilege and honor to also serve as a Consulting Actuary and/or Advisor to various institutions in Singapore; one of them is NTUC Income Insurance Cooperative headed by Mr. Tan.
2. I attended a conference “CFO INNOVATION ASIA” in June, 2011 at Swissotel in Singapore as an invited VIP. During my one week stay, I talked to numerous people from taxi drivers, my friends, former colleagues, all the way to many CFOs, professionals, CEOs, and speakers. It suffices to conclude that Singaporeans for the first time in its history have shown their great interest in politics because of Mr. Tan’s candidacy.
3. Since I have so far worked in seven countries (U.S.A., Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and China) in my long career as an Actuary in financial service industry, Professor at various universities, Consultant and Advisor for Watson Wyatt and my own firms, I consider my working experience in Singapore most favorably memorable. In other word, Singapore among all those seven countries is the one I liked and admired most. In fact, I felt proud of having been working in Singapore and I do want to see Singapore further its already excellent international reputation.
Let me start with a seemingly simple fact: at age 27 Mr. Tan, without attending a college, got his FIA (Fellow, Institute of Actuaries, U.K.). Being a Fellow of four international professional institutions, I am fully qualified to say that Mr. Tan is a genius! This is because so many actuarial candidates even with advanced degrees including Ph.D.s could not pass the rigorous and unusually long sequence of actuarial exams. As you may agree with me on my long-term observation, only geniuses without college education such as Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Michael Dell, Ted Turner, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison (who said repeatedly that diplomas are for the losers) etc. can revolutionize their industry for the good of the humanity. I am sure Mr. Tan if elected will make such a great country as Singapore an even greater one.
Before I got appointed as NTUC Income Insurance’s Consulting Actuary, one of my former colleagues at NTU who had previously served such a role told me that Mr. Tan is so sharp and tough that he could NOT work under him. With such a warning in my mind, I not only had to work harder but also observed more keenly how CEO Tan managed the cooperative. As a result of this observation and our working relationship, I found that Mr. Tan was the most hands-on executive, always well-prepared to ask sharp and penetrating questions, one of the most effective and efficient CEOs who put substance well ahead of form, and was direct and straight forward.
In addition to Mr. Tan’s FIA and CEO position, I also found that he has been leading a very healthy lifestyle. As an example when we happened to be on the same panel speaking to 4th Asian Healthcare Insurance Conference in Mumbai, India. As usual I’d run outside in the early morning but because of poor air quality and too many homeless people sleeping around, I turned back to our hotel to jog on treadmill and there Mr. Tan was jogging alone on a treadmill. During the conference I found that Mr. Tan was very creative and innovative and full of endless ideas and thoughts. It was my impression that even the most productive academician may have hard time to match his creativity and originality. This should not be surprising if you just recall his FIA without attending a college and his most hands-on working style. I always give my graduating class the quotation I created “The Best Approach to an Ageless Body and Timeless Mind is to constantly Exercise both in an Integrated Way.” In my opinion Mr. Tan is the best real life pursuer of the quotation.
While working as a hands-on CEO primarily Mr. Tan has managed to be very active in many professional societies and business organizations by holding important positions and also many directorships. Along the way he has received many professional and service awards. Putting Mr. Tan on a global scale he is really a great professional and public servant based on my seven- country working experience. And so when I read his personal values of honesty, fairness, positive attitudes,
courage and public service, I not only totally and completely trust in him but also believe that he will anxiously act and realize them just as those geniuses without a college degree revolutionize their industries. I also believe him entirely that he will be a voice of the people and act by the views of the people: Just look at this every time I called him it is he himself who answered the phone!
One of Mr. Tan’s missions is to safeguard CPF and he is fully qualified for doing that. As a beneficiary of CPF I have published a number of papers around it and some of them even received international prizes. It suffices to say that CPF is a great social security system (SSS), especially if you compare it to many SSS of Western countries. I am sure that with Mr. Tan’s ingenuity and hands-on working style CPF will be continuously enhanced if he is elected. In fact, I keep thinking of Germany when a former Vietnamese orphan got elected to become Germany’s Deputy Chancellor, the second most powerful position in Germany. This fact greatly enhances Germany’s reputation. Likewise if Mr. Tan gets elected, Singapore’s great international reputation will be further enhanced. I am so envious of you Singaporean that I can not help but rephrase the slogans of
two large American insurers as follows: “Like a good neighbor, Mr. Tan is there.” “You are in good hands with Mr. Tan.”
In my long career as a university professor, consultant and advisor, senior executive of insurance companies, I have attended numerous conferences, seminars, forums, workshops, etc. but I have never seen a participant who has so UNSELFISHLY made so many contributions to the meetings as Mr. Tan has. This is consistent to Mr. Tan’s pledge that if elected he will be donating at least one half of his salary for charity purpose. I am sure that having served as CEO of NTUC Income Insurance Cooperative for so many years, Mr. Tan must have developed unusually strong compassion and sympathy with those who are less well off.
During the recent global financial crisis of 2008-9, hundreds of thousands of investors lost all their money due to the collapse of well-known financial institutions such as Lehman Brothers, Bear Sterns, etc. Many people told me that in Singapore it is Mr. Tan who helped those victims to recover their losses. This is possible because Mr. Tan, having mastered the pricing structure of these financial products, was able to persuade institutions selling these products to return at least part of the selling prices. Based on my international experience I tend to believe that Singapore is the only country in the world where such a modern day Don Quixote’s rescuing mission is accomplished!!! And who is the Don Quixote? I am NOT surprised at all that Mr. Tan can do this: Simply recall the following----Mr. Tan’s hands-on working style, compassion and sympathy, FIA, and being a genius.
Combining and integrating all the above points together, I hope that a picture has emerged showing clearly that Singapore itself has produced an unusual genius who can greatly elevate Singapore to another higher level of greatness. By all means vote for Mr. Tan for your own benefit and your country’s better future. Thanks.
Written by
Professor Dr. Chiu-Cheng Chang, Ph.D.
FSA, FCIA, FAIRC, FSII, CLU, ChFC
Former Associate Professor and Director,
Healthcare Economics and Management,
ACES, Nanyang Technological
University (1993-96)
Former Chairman, Department of
Business Administration,
College of Management and Director,
MBA program, Chang Gung University
Full Professor, Chang Gung University
(1996-2005)
Chair Professor in Risk Management,
College of Management, Asia University
(2005-2011)
Senior Advisor, Watson Wyatt
(2001-now)
Managing Director, East West
Consultancy, Inc. (1998-now)
Chairman and CEO, General Advisory
Services, Inc. (2006-now)
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