| Revision as of 13:56, 12 August 2011 editDanS76 (talk | contribs)196 edits Undid revision 444440422 by Centralcitymarc (talk) Removed POV language and one whole chunk of OR and opinion← Previous edit | Revision as of 13:59, 12 August 2011 edit undoCentralcitymarc (talk | contribs)599 edits →2011 Presidential electionNext edit → | ||
| Line 80: | Line 80: | ||
| On 23 June 2011, Tan announced that he would step down from his government-linked positions at GIC and SPH in order to run for the office of ].<ref></ref> Tan's campaign stressed his independence and his divergent views from the PAP government in specific policies, citing a remark made by ] MP Tan Soo Khoon in 2005: “It is probably the first time that I have heard Cabinet Ministers, starting with no less than the Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Tony Tan, expressing divergent views .”<ref></ref></ref><ref>{{cite news|title=President must act independently: Dr Tony Tan|url=http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20110715-289402.html|accessdate=10 August 2011|newspaper=AsiaOne|date=15 July 2011}}</ref> </ref> However, competing presidential election candidates Tan Kin Lian (an ex-PAP Branch Secretary for Marine Parade <ref>http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5017789</ref>) and Tan Cheng Bock (an ex-PAP MP for 26 years) questioned Tan's independence from the People's Action Party.<ref>http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110624-0000250/Tan-Cheng-Bock-and-Tan-Kin-Lian-question-Tony-Tans-independence</ref> On 7 July, Tony Tan submitted his presidential eligibility forms.<ref name="form1">{{cite news|last=Han|first=WeiChou|title=Presidential hopefuls Tony Tan and Tan Kin Lian submit papers|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1139430/1/.html|accessdate=7 July 2011|newspaper=]|date=7 July 2011}}</ref> | On 23 June 2011, Tan announced that he would step down from his government-linked positions at GIC and SPH in order to run for the office of ].<ref></ref> Tan's campaign stressed his independence and his divergent views from the PAP government in specific policies, citing a remark made by ] MP Tan Soo Khoon in 2005: “It is probably the first time that I have heard Cabinet Ministers, starting with no less than the Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Tony Tan, expressing divergent views .”<ref></ref></ref><ref>{{cite news|title=President must act independently: Dr Tony Tan|url=http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20110715-289402.html|accessdate=10 August 2011|newspaper=AsiaOne|date=15 July 2011}}</ref> </ref> However, competing presidential election candidates Tan Kin Lian (an ex-PAP Branch Secretary for Marine Parade <ref>http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5017789</ref>) and Tan Cheng Bock (an ex-PAP MP for 26 years) questioned Tan's independence from the People's Action Party.<ref>http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110624-0000250/Tan-Cheng-Bock-and-Tan-Kin-Lian-question-Tony-Tans-independence</ref> On 7 July, Tony Tan submitted his presidential eligibility forms.<ref name="form1">{{cite news|last=Han|first=WeiChou|title=Presidential hopefuls Tony Tan and Tan Kin Lian submit papers|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1139430/1/.html|accessdate=7 July 2011|newspaper=]|date=7 July 2011}}</ref> | ||
| In the period leading to the presidential elections, Tan refuted online allegations that one of his sons, Patrick Tan, received preferential treatment during ]. "My sons all completed their National Service obligations fully and I have never intervened in their postings," he said.<ref name=refute>{{cite news|last=Leong|first=Wee Keat|title=Tony Tan refutes allegations of preferential treatment for son|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1143950/1/.html|accessdate=11 August 2011|newspaper=Today|date=30 July 2011}}</ref> Tony Tan argued that preferential treatment would not have occurred because of his influence, noting that Patrick was permitted by MINDEF to suspend his NS obligations for ]ical studies in ] under a ]ship and Loke Cheng-Kim Foundation Scholarship in 1988 whereas he only served Defence Minister seven years later. <ref>http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5101455</ref> After Patrick returned to Singapore in 2000, he was deployed by MINDEF to the Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute as an NSF under NS pay to apply his learning to study ], which had been affecting soldiers in the field. According to Patrick Tan's facebook, his |
In the period leading to the presidential elections, Tan refuted online allegations that one of his sons, Patrick Tan, received preferential treatment during ]. "My sons all completed their National Service obligations fully and I have never intervened in their postings," he said.<ref name=refute>{{cite news|last=Leong|first=Wee Keat|title=Tony Tan refutes allegations of preferential treatment for son|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1143950/1/.html|accessdate=11 August 2011|newspaper=Today|date=30 July 2011}}</ref> Tony Tan argued that preferential treatment would not have occurred because of his influence, noting that Patrick was permitted by MINDEF to suspend his NS obligations for ]ical studies in ] under a ]ship and Loke Cheng-Kim Foundation Scholarship in 1988 whereas he only served Defence Minister seven years later. <ref>http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5101455</ref> After Patrick returned to Singapore in 2000, he was deployed by MINDEF to the Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute as an NSF under NS pay to apply his learning to study ], which had been affecting soldiers in the field. According to Patrick Tan's facebook entry, his National Service stint allowed him to bring ] technology -- now commonplace in most research labs doing work on genetics; but revolutionary in 1997 -- to Singapore, and using ] as a model organism, made Singapore "a major global center of melioidosis research".<ref>{{cite web|last=Tan|first=Tony|title=STATEMENT BY PATRICK TAN – 29 July 2011|url=http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=242709609083900|publisher=facebook|accessdate=29 July 2011}}</ref> | ||
| MINDEF clarified<ref>http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_698669.html</ref> that prior to 1992, 86 disruptions were granted for full-time National Servicemen to obtain medical degrees in approved overseas universities. Upon their return to the SAF, medical graduates were deployed according to the needs of the SAF and the qualifications of the NSF. From 1992, Mindef stopped disruption for overseas medical studies as the SAF's needs for doctors could be fully met by local graduates. | |||
| Tan's Presidential bid was endorsed by the 10,000-strong Federation of Tan Clan Associations on 7 August 2011,<ref> | Tan's Presidential bid was endorsed by the 10,000-strong Federation of Tan Clan Associations on 7 August 2011,<ref> | ||
Revision as of 13:59, 12 August 2011
| Tony Tan Keng Yam | |
|---|---|
 Candidate for Singapore Presidential Election 2011 | |
| Member of the Singapore Parliament for Sembawang GRC (Sembawang ward) | |
| In office 4 September 1988 - 6 May 2006 | |
| Preceded by | himself (Sembawang SMC) |
| Succeeded by | Khaw Boon Wan |
| Member of the Singapore Parliament for Sembawang SMC | |
| In office 11 February 1979 - 3 September 1988 | |
| Preceded by | Teong Eng Siong |
| Succeeded by | himself (Sembawang GRC: Sembawang ward) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1940-02-07)7 February 1940 Singapore |
| Political party | none (formerly People's Action Party until June 2011) |
| Spouse | Mary Chee Bee Kiang |
| Relations | Tan Chin Tuan (Uncle) |
| Children | 3 Sons and 1 Daughter |
| Alma mater | National University of Singapore |
| Occupation | Banker |
| Profession | Mathematician |
| Website | TonyTan.sg |
Tony Tan Keng Yam (Chinese: 陈庆炎; pinyin: Chén Qìngyán; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tân Khèng-iām, born 7 February 1940, in Singapore) is a Singaporean mathematician, banker, and politician. Until 1 July 2011, he was Executive Director and Deputy Chairman of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) and Chairman of Singapore Press Holdings Limited (SPH). He also serves as Chairman of Singapore’s National Research Foundation and Deputy Chairman of the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council. In the late 1980s, Tan was Lee Kuan Yew's first choice to succeed him as Prime Minister of Singapore, but he declined. He later returned to Cabinet and served from 1995 to 2005 as Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister.
Tan is currently a candidate in the 2011 Singaporean presidential election, with nomination day on 17 August, and polling day on 27 August if there is a contest.
Education and early career
Tony Tan was educated at St Patrick's School and St Joseph's Institution. As a Singapore Government State Scholar, he earned First Class Honours Degree in Physics from the University of Singapore, topping his class. As an Asia Foundation scholar, he attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he completed a Master of Science (Operations Research). He later earned a PhD in Applied Mathematics at the University of Adelaide, and went on to lecture in Mathematics at the National University of Singapore.
In 1969, Tan left the University to begin a career in banking with Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC), where he rose to become General Manager, before leaving the bank to pursue a career in politics in 1979. From 1980 to 1981, Tan was the first Vice Chancellor of the new National University of Singapore (NUS).
In 2005, Tan was presented by NUS the Eminent Alumni Award in recognition of his role as a visionary architect of Singapore’s university sector. In 2010, he was presented the inaugural Distinguished Australian Alumnus Award by the Australian Alumni Singapore (AAS) at its 55th anniversary dinner in recognition of his distinguished career, significant contribution to society and the Australian alumni community.
Cabinet member
A member of the People's Action Party (PAP) until June 2011, Tan became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1979. He was appointed as a Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Education in 1979. He joined the Cabinet in 1980, serving as Minister for Education (MOE, 1980–81 & 1985–91), Minister for Trade & Industry (1981–86), Minister for Finance (1983–85), and Minister for Health (1985–86).
In December 1991, Tan stepped down from the Cabinet to return to the private sector, and rejoined the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from 1992–95, while retaining his seat in Parliament as a representative for the Sembawang Group Representation Constituency.
After Ong Teng Cheong and Lee Hsien Loong were diagnosed with cancer in 1992, and 1993 Tan was asked to return to Cabinet in August 1995 as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence. It was reported that he declined an offer of make-up pay, which compensated ministers for a loss in salary when they leave the private sector.
Tan was known to have disagreed with his cabinet colleagues and then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew over specific government's policies, such as various eugenics campaigns now known as the "Graduate Mothers Scheme". When he was appointed as Minister for Education, Tan took over implementation of the controversial scheme that assigned children of degreeless mothers lower priority when registering for primary school. Tan advocated abandoning the policy, which was ultimately scrapped. He also took the lead in espousing a cut in CPF in the 1980s, which Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew had said would not be allowed except “in an economic crisis”.
In August 2003, he relinquished the defence portfolio and became the Co-ordinating Minister for Security and Defence, while retaining the post of Deputy Prime Minister. He later persuaded the Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan to abandon plans to demolish an old mosque in his constituency of Sembawang. Dubbed the “Last Kampung Mosque in Singapore”, it was later designated a heritage site.
Tan joined other dissenting colleagues such as George Yeo in opposing the implementation of “integrated resorts” with their attached casinos to Singapore. Commenting on an MCYS survey of gambling habits, Tan had said he was “appalled” that a newspaper headline dismissed the number of likely problem gamblers (55,000) as insignificant: “I don't think it's insignificant. Every Singaporean is important. Every Singaporean that gets into trouble means one family that is destroyed. It cannot be a matter of small concern to the Government.”
Retirement from the Cabinet
Tan stepped down as Deputy Prime Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for Security and Defence on 1 September 2005. After his retirement from the Cabinet, Tan became the chairman of the National Research Foundation, and deputy chairman of the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council. He was also the Executive Director of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC), and Chairman of Singapore Press Holdings Limited (SPH).
Tan's tenure at GIC coincided with significant moves towards transparency in the investment fund’s activities. In September 2008 GIC issued the first of a series of annual reports on GIC’s portfolio management, governance, and people.
Tan has served as patron of many organizations, including the Singapore Dance Theatre, the Singapore Computer Society, SJI International, the Duke-NUS Medical School, and the MIT Club of Singapore. Most recently, in May 2011, he was named as the first patron of Dover Park Hospice.
Personal life
Tan married Mary Chee Bee Kiang in 1964. They have four children (three sons and one daughter).
2011 Presidential election
On 23 June 2011, Tan announced that he would step down from his government-linked positions at GIC and SPH in order to run for the office of President of Singapore. Tan's campaign stressed his independence and his divergent views from the PAP government in specific policies, citing a remark made by East Coast GRC MP Tan Soo Khoon in 2005: “It is probably the first time that I have heard Cabinet Ministers, starting with no less than the Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Tony Tan, expressing divergent views .”</ref> </ref> However, competing presidential election candidates Tan Kin Lian (an ex-PAP Branch Secretary for Marine Parade ) and Tan Cheng Bock (an ex-PAP MP for 26 years) questioned Tan's independence from the People's Action Party. On 7 July, Tony Tan submitted his presidential eligibility forms.
In the period leading to the presidential elections, Tan refuted online allegations that one of his sons, Patrick Tan, received preferential treatment during National Service. "My sons all completed their National Service obligations fully and I have never intervened in their postings," he said. Tony Tan argued that preferential treatment would not have occurred because of his influence, noting that Patrick was permitted by MINDEF to suspend his NS obligations for premedical studies in Harvard University under a President’s Scholarship and Loke Cheng-Kim Foundation Scholarship in 1988 whereas he only served Defence Minister seven years later. After Patrick returned to Singapore in 2000, he was deployed by MINDEF to the Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute as an NSF under NS pay to apply his learning to study melioidosis, which had been affecting soldiers in the field. According to Patrick Tan's facebook entry, his National Service stint allowed him to bring DNA microarray technology -- now commonplace in most research labs doing work on genetics; but revolutionary in 1997 -- to Singapore, and using C. elegans as a model organism, made Singapore "a major global center of melioidosis research".
MINDEF clarified that prior to 1992, 86 disruptions were granted for full-time National Servicemen to obtain medical degrees in approved overseas universities. Upon their return to the SAF, medical graduates were deployed according to the needs of the SAF and the qualifications of the NSF. From 1992, Mindef stopped disruption for overseas medical studies as the SAF's needs for doctors could be fully met by local graduates.
Tan's Presidential bid was endorsed by the 10,000-strong Federation of Tan Clan Associations on 7 August 2011, and 7 NTUC-affiliated unions representing 38,000 members on 11 August 2011.
References
- Sarah Ng (22 January 2006). "Mr Rock solid: New book on banking pioneer Tan Chin Tuan documents his illustrious career" (pdf). The Sunday Times. p. 10.
- ^ National Research Foundation (Singapore), Board, GIC Board of Directors, SPH Annual Report, 2009.
- Stuart Drummond, “Malaysia and Singapore: The Looming Succession”, World Today, vol 47, no 3 (Mar. 1991); “Lee Steps Down But Holds Reins”, Herald Sun, 27 November 1990.
- http://www.tnp.sg/content/tony-tan-run-president “Tony Tan to Run for President”, The New Paper, 23 June 2011.
- ^ "Dr Tony TAN Keng Yam". National University of Singapore. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
- SPH Annual Report, 2009.
- "Tony Tan receives Aussie alumni award". Straits Times.
- http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_161__2008-11-24.html
- http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/dream/lifeline/lee1.html
- http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110624-0000542/Profile-of-Dr-Tony-Tan
- Chua Mui Hoong, “Tony Tan to rejoin Govt”, Straits Times, 29 June 1995.
- “So few places are taken up by grads' children...”, Straits Times, 14 May 1984.
- John W. Langford and K. Lorne Brownsey, The Changing Shape of Government in the Asia-Pacific Region (IRRP, 1988), p. 136.
- Kernial Singh Sandhu and Paul Wheatley, Management of Success: The Moulding of Modern Singapore (Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 1989), pp. 69.
- “Saved for a Year, Village Mosque May Be Made National Heritage”, Straits Times, 15 November 2004.
- “Sembawang Beyond the Slumber”, The Long and Winding Road, 29 March 2011.
- Sandra Davie, “Gaming Minuses Worry DPM Tan; ‘55,000 Potential Gambling Addicts’ Is No Small Matter, He Says of Findings”, Straits Times, 15 April 2005
- “Singapore sovereign wealth fund promises greater transparency”, Financial Times, 28 January 2008.
- Report on the Management of the Government's Portfolio for the Year 2007/08 (September 2008).
- Singapore Dance Theatre.
- Singapore Computer Society.
- SJI International.
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Address by Mrs Mavis Khoo, 22 July 2008.
- MIT Club of Singapore.
- Channel NewsAsia, 26 May 2011.
- “GIC's Tan to Run for President of Singapore”, Wall Street Journal Asia, 23 June 2011.
- Singapore Parliamentary Hansard, 19 April 2005.
- "President must act independently: Dr Tony Tan". AsiaOne. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5017789
- http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110624-0000250/Tan-Cheng-Bock-and-Tan-Kin-Lian-question-Tony-Tans-independence
- Han, WeiChou (7 July 2011). "Presidential hopefuls Tony Tan and Tan Kin Lian submit papers". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
- Leong, Wee Keat (30 July 2011). "Tony Tan refutes allegations of preferential treatment for son". Today. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
- http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5101455
- Tan, Tony. "STATEMENT BY PATRICK TAN – 29 July 2011". facebook. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
- http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_698669.html
- http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_699694.html
- http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1146382/1/.html
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byOng Teng Cheong | Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore 1995–2005 |
Succeeded byWong Kan Seng |
| New ministerial post | Co-ordinating Minister for Security and Defence 2001–2005 |
Succeeded byS. Jayakumar |
| Preceded byLee Boon Yang | Minister for Defence 1995–2003 |
Succeeded byTeo Chee Hean |
| Preceded byGoh Keng Swee | Minister for Education 1985–1991 |
Succeeded byLee Yock Suan |
| Preceded byHowe Yoon Chong | Minister for Health 1985–1986 |
Succeeded by? |
| Preceded by? | Minister for Trade and Industry 1981–1986 |
Succeeded byLee Hsien Loong |
| Preceded byHon Sui Sen | Minister for Finance 1983–1985 |
Succeeded byHu Tsu Tau Richard |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded byToh Chin Chye | Vice Chancellor of the National University of Singapore 1980–1981 |
Succeeded byLim Pin |
- Members of the Cabinet of Singapore
- Members of the Parliament of Singapore
- People's Action Party politicians
- National University of Singapore faculty
- University of Adelaide alumni
- Saint Joseph's Institution alumni
- Politicians of Chinese descent
- Singaporean people of Chinese descent
- Singaporean people of Hokkien descent
- Singaporean people of Peranakan descent
- 1940 births
- Living people