45 Times ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE
Dr Tan was first elected into parliament under the People’s Action Party ( PAP ) banner in 1980 for what was then Ayer Rajah Single Member Constituency ( SMC). He served at the district for 26 years before stepping down in 2006.
He finally ran for the 2011 Political Election, but just lost to former Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan.
He declared his intention to run for the presidency again in 2016, but the eligibility criteria for the election was revised that year to ensure it was a “reserved election ” for a Malay candidate, preventing him from contesting.
He launched PSP in 2019 and competed under the group for West Coast GRC in the 2020 General Election but lost. It was the closest competition of that vote, with the PSP gaining 48. 32 per cent of the voting.
Looking up at his time in politics, Dr Tan told CNA that it has been a rewarding one.
“It was a rewarding journey for me, rewarding in the sense that at every general election, you learn new things, you learn new ways of managing things, meeting people, new people … it ’s a very enriching experience, ” he said.
He added that he has never regretted any decisions he made regarding PSP, but said that “a lot more can be done ” with how the group is managed.
“I’m getting people who join us from different walks of life, different ideas, different ways of doing things, so as a leader, I got to understand … it ’s a lot of management, ” he said.
He added that he is also looking at registration, not only starting from Mr Leong and Ms Poa, but from others who are with the group but have not yet put their names out in people.
“They are staying at the back, learning, and I told them, at the end of the day, when you come into the social area, the judgment aspect is very strong, ” he said.
“You must become thoroughly convinced that you’re coming around to provide, not to gain titles or honors here and there. ”