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Tony Tan Keng Yam (; born 7 February 1940) is a Singaporean former politician who served as the seventh
president of Singapore The president of Singapore is the head of state of the Singapore, Republic of Singapore. The role of the president is to safeguard the Reserves of the Government of Singapore, reserves and the integrity of the Singapore Civil Service, public serv ...
between 2011 and 2017. He did not seek for a second term as president in 2017 due to a constitutional amendment. Prior to entering politics, Tan was a general manager at
OCBC Bank Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, Limited (), often known as OCBC Bank (), is a Singaporean multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in OCBC Centre, Singapore. OCBC Bank was born out of the Great Depression thr ...
. He made his political debut in the 1979 by-elections as a PAP candidate contesting in Sembawang SMC and won. He went on to served as Minister for Education between 1980 and 1991,
Minister for Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", ...
between 1983 and 1985, and
Minister for Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
between 1985 and 1991,
Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, ...
between 1995 and 2005, and Coordinating Minister for National Security between 2003 and 2005. Tan resigned from the
Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filing ...
in 2005 and was appointed Deputy Chairman and Executive Director of GIC, the country's
sovereign wealth fund A sovereign wealth fund (SWF), sovereign investment fund, or social wealth fund is a state-owned investment fund that invests in real and financial assets such as stocks, bonds, real estate, precious metals, or in alternative investments such ...
, Chairman of the National Research Foundation and Chairman of SPH. He resigned from all of his positions in 2010 before contesting in the 2011 presidential election as an
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...
candidate. Tan won the 2011 presidential election in a four-cornered fight and served as the
president of Singapore The president of Singapore is the head of state of the Singapore, Republic of Singapore. The role of the president is to safeguard the Reserves of the Government of Singapore, reserves and the integrity of the Singapore Civil Service, public serv ...
until 2017. He did not seek for a second term in the 2017 presidential election, which was reserved for
Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...
candidates after a constitutional amendment. He is the only living former president.


Education

Tan was educated at St Patrick's School and St Joseph's Institution before topping his class and graduate from the University of Singapore (now the
National University of Singapore The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a national public research university in Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest autonomous university in the c ...
) with a
Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
with first class honours degree in
physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...
, under a scholarship conferred by the Singapore Government. He subsequently went on to complete a
Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...
degree in operations research at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...
, under the Asia Foundation Scholarship. He also completed a
Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common Academic degree, degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields ...
in
applied mathematics Applied mathematics is the application of mathematical methods by different fields such as physics, engineering, medicine, biology, finance, business, computer science, and industry. Thus, applied mathematics is a combination of mathematical s ...
at the
University of Adelaide The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...
, and went on to teach mathematics at the University of Singapore.


Career

In 1969, Tan left the University of Singapore and joined
OCBC Bank Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, Limited (), often known as OCBC Bank (), is a Singaporean multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in OCBC Centre, Singapore. OCBC Bank was born out of the Great Depression thr ...
, where he became the general manager, before leaving the bank in 1979 to enter politics. In December 1991, Tan stepped down from the
Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filing ...
to return to the private sector, where he rejoined OCBC Bank as the chairman and chief executive officer from 1992 to 1995, while retaining his seat in the Parliament as the Member of Parliament for
Sembawang GRC The Sembawang Group Representation Constituency is a five-member Group Representation Constituency (GRC) located in the northern area of Singapore. The GRC consists: Sembawang Central, Sembawang West, Woodlands, Admiralty and Canberra divisions. ...
. Tan was appointed as Deputy Chairman and Executive Director of GIC, the country's
sovereign wealth fund A sovereign wealth fund (SWF), sovereign investment fund, or social wealth fund is a state-owned investment fund that invests in real and financial assets such as stocks, bonds, real estate, precious metals, or in alternative investments such ...
, following his second retirement from Cabinet in 2005.National Research Foundation (Singapore), Board

GIC Board of Directors

SPH Annual Report, 2009
.
He was also appointed as Chairman of the National Research Foundation, Deputy Chairman of the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council, and Chairman of
Singapore Press Holdings Singapore Press Holdings Limited (SPHL) was an organisation with businesses in property and aged care in Singapore. Since its takeover by Cuscaden Peak in 2022, it has been renamed Cuscaden Peak Investments. Prior to 1 December 2021, SPHL was i ...
concurrently. Tan's tenure at GIC coincided with moves toward greater disclosure in the investment fund's activities amid mounting concerns about the secretive fund's influence after high-profile investments in
UBS UBS Group AG is a multinational Investment banking, investment bank and financial services company founded and based in Switzerland. Co-headquartered in the cities of Zürich and Basel, it maintains a presence in all major financial centres ...
and
Citigroup Citigroup Inc. or Citi (Style (visual arts), stylized as citi) is an American multinational investment banking, investment bank and financial services corporation headquartered in New York City. The company was formed by the merger of banking ...
.


Political career

A former member of the governing
People's Action Party The People's Action Party (abbreviation: PAP) is a major conservative centre-right political party in Singapore and is one of the three contemporary political parties represented in Parliament, alongside the opposition Workers' Party (WP) and ...
(PAP), Tan was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for
Sembawang GRC The Sembawang Group Representation Constituency is a five-member Group Representation Constituency (GRC) located in the northern area of Singapore. The GRC consists: Sembawang Central, Sembawang West, Woodlands, Admiralty and Canberra divisions. ...
after his electoral victory in the 1979 by-elections. He was subsequently appointed as Senior Minister of State for Education in 1979.


Minister for Education (1980–1981, 1985–1991)

He joined the
Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filing ...
in 1980, serving as Minister for Education. As the Minister for Education, Tan scrapped a
policy Policy is a deliberate system of guidelines to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent and is implemented as a procedure or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by a governance body within an organ ...
that favoured children of more well-educated mothers ahead of children of less-educated mothers in primary school placement in response to popular discontent and public criticism of the policy which saw PAP receiving the lowest votes since independence during the 1984 general election. He also introduced the
independent school An independent school is independent in its finances and governance. Also known as private schools, non-governmental, privately funded, or non-state schools, they are not administered by local, state or national governments. In British Eng ...
s system, allowing established educational institutions in Singapore to charge its own fees and have control over their governance and teaching staff, though this was criticised by parents as being "elitist" and made top-ranked schools increasingly out of reach to poorer families due to subsequent fee hikes.


Minister for Trade and Industry (1981–1986)

Tan took on the role of Minister for Trade and Industry from 1981 to 1986. He was also appointed as
Minister for Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", ...
from 1983 to 1985, and
Minister for Health A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare and other social security services. Some governments have separate ministers for mental health. Coun ...
from 1985 to 1986. Tan espoused a cut in the
Central Provident Fund The Central Provident Fund Board (CPFB), commonly known as the CPF Board or simply the Central Provident Fund (CPF), is a compulsory comprehensive savings and pension plan for working Singaporeans and permanent residents primarily to fund thei ...
(CPF) in the 1980s, which Prime Minister
Lee Kuan Yew Lee Kuan Yew (16 September 1923 – 23 March 2015), born Harry Lee Kuan Yew, often referred to by his initials LKY, was a Singaporean lawyer and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1990, and Secretary-General o ...
had said would not be allowed except "in an economic crisis". Tan was also known to have opposed the shipping industry strike in January 1986, the first for about a decade in Singapore, which was sanctioned by fellow Cabinet minister,
Ong Teng Cheong Ong Teng Cheong ( zh, c=王鼎昌, p=Wáng Dǐngchāng; 22 January 1936 – 8 February 2002) was a Singaporean politician who served as the fifth president of Singapore between 1993 and 1999. He was also the first elected president in Singapor ...
, who is also Secretary-General of the
National Trades Union Congress The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), also known as the Singapore National Trades Union Congress (SNTUC) internationally, is the sole national trade union centre in Singapore. NTUC is at the heart of the Labour Movement which comprises 5 ...
, felt the strike was necessary. As Minister for Trade and Industry, Tan was concerned about investors' reactions to a perceived deterioration of labour relations and the impact on foreign direct investment. In his analysis, historian Michael Barr explains that older rassrootsunion leaders bore "increasing disquiet" at their exclusion from consultation in NTUC's policies, which were effectively managed by "technocrats" in the government. Unlike the previous NTUC secretary-general Lim Chee Onn,
Lee Kuan Yew Lee Kuan Yew (16 September 1923 – 23 March 2015), born Harry Lee Kuan Yew, often referred to by his initials LKY, was a Singaporean lawyer and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1990, and Secretary-General o ...
's
protégé Mentorship is the influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In an organizational setting, a mentor influences the personal and p ...
Ong Teng Cheong in 1983 had an "implicit pact" with the trade unions—involving grassroots leaders in top decisions and "working actively and forcefully" in the interests of the unions "in a way Lim had never seen to do"—in exchange for the unions' continued "cooperation on the government's core industrial relations strategies". (In 1969, the NTUC had adopted "a cooperative, rather than a confrontational policy towards employers".) Although striking was prohibited and trade unions were barred from negotiating such matters as promotion, transfer, employment, dismissal, retrenchment, and reinstatement, issues that "accounted for most earlier labour disputes", the government provided measures for workers' safety and welfare, and serious union disputes with employers were almost always handled through the Industrial Arbitration Court, which had powers of both
binding arbitration Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that resolves disputes outside the judiciary courts. The dispute will be decided by one or more persons (the 'arbitrators', 'arbiters' or 'arbitral tribunal'), which renders the ...
and voluntary mediation. However, Ong felt these measures did not prevent "management
rom Rom, or ROM may refer to: Biomechanics and medicine * Risk of mortality, a medical classification to estimate the likelihood of death for a patient * Rupture of membranes, a term used during pregnancy to describe a rupture of the amniotic sac * ...
taking advantage of the workers", recalling in a 2000 interview in ''
Asiaweek ''Asiaweek'' was an English-language news magazine focusing on Asia, published weekly by Asiaweek Limited, a subsidiary of Time Inc. Based in Hong Kong, it was established in 1975, and ceased publication with its 7 December 2001 issue due to a ...
'': "Some of them were angry with me about that... the minister for trade and industry anwas very angry, his officers were upset. They had calls from America, asking what happened to Singapore?" However the fact that the strike only lasted two days before "all the issues were settled" was cited by Ong in a 2000 interview with ''
Asiaweek ''Asiaweek'' was an English-language news magazine focusing on Asia, published weekly by Asiaweek Limited, a subsidiary of Time Inc. Based in Hong Kong, it was established in 1975, and ceased publication with its 7 December 2001 issue due to a ...
'' as proof that "management was just trying to pull a fast one". Tan initially opposed the timing of building the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) in 1981 when it was raised by Ong. Tan held the view that the local construction industry was overheated at the time, and
public housing Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is usually owned by a government authority, either central or local. Although the common goal of public housing is to provide affordable housing, the details, terminology, def ...
should take priority.


Deputy Prime Minister (1995–2005)

After
Ong Teng Cheong Ong Teng Cheong ( zh, c=王鼎昌, p=Wáng Dǐngchāng; 22 January 1936 – 8 February 2002) was a Singaporean politician who served as the fifth president of Singapore between 1993 and 1999. He was also the first elected president in Singapor ...
and
Lee Hsien Loong Lee Hsien Loong (; born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former brigadier-general who has been serving as Prime Minister of Singapore and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party since 2004. He has been the Member of Par ...
were diagnosed with cancer in 1992 and 1993 respectively, 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 compensate ministers for a loss in salary when they leave the private sector. Tan declared that "the interests of Singapore must take precedence over that of a bank and my own personal considerations". In August 2003, he relinquished the portfolio of Minister for Defence and became Coordinating Minister for Security and Defence, while retaining the portfolio of Deputy Prime Minister. He later persuaded Minister for National Development
Mah Bow Tan Mah Bow Tan ( zh, s=马宝山, p=Mǎ Bǎoshān; born 12 September 1948) is a Singaporean former politician who served as Leader of the House between 2007 and 2011, Minister for National Development between 1999 and 2011, Minister for the Envir ...
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 in opposing the implementation of
Integrated Resort An integrated resort (IR) is a major resort property that includes a hotel with a casino, together with convention facilities, entertainment shows, theme parks, luxury retail and fine dining. The term is largely Singaporean. Earlier IR lic ...
s (IRs) with their attached
casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...
s to Singapore. Commenting on an survey of gambling habits conducted by the
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) was a ministry of the Government of Singapore tasked with building a "cohesive and resilient" society in Singapore. On 1 November 2012, the MCYS was restructured and became the Min ...
, 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."'' Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew picked Tan to succeed him as Prime Minister, but Tan declined. Prime Minister Lee once praised Tan for his quick mind and decisiveness. "He would say 'yes or no' and he would stick to it," said Prime Minister Lee. As Deputy Prime Minister, Tan was instrumental in the establishment of the
Singapore Management University The Singapore Management University (SMU) is a public autonomous university in Singapore. The university is the only city campus in Singapore. It ranks third in Asia as a specialist university, behind Hong Kong University of Science and Techn ...
(SMU) and shaped its direction and early history. In 1997, the Singapore Government raised the idea of a third university for Singapore. Tan believed that the new university should differentiate itself from the two established institutions—the
National University of Singapore The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a national public research university in Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest autonomous university in the c ...
(NUS) and the
Nanyang Technological University The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is a national research university in Singapore. It is the second oldest autonomous university in the country and is considered as one of the most prestigious universities in the world by various inte ...
(NTU), as the government wanted SMU to be an experiment in diversity. Tan believed that the third university should follow the American example which concentrated on management, business and economics. He made trips to universities in the United States to know more about them and search for potential partnerships. He helped to make the third university happen, reaching out to veteran businessman and current Chairman of the SMU Board of Trustees Ho Kwon Ping to help in its establishment. Tan, having begun to look after the university education in the 1990s, was the driving force behind SMU, which in 2000 was set up as the country's first publicly-funded autonomous university. Tan stepped down as Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Security and Defence on 1 September 2005.


2011 presidential election

On 22 December 2010, Tan announced that he would step down from his government-linked positions at GIC and SPH to run for the office of
President of Singapore The president of Singapore is the head of state of the Singapore, Republic of Singapore. The role of the president is to safeguard the Reserves of the Government of Singapore, reserves and the integrity of the Singapore Civil Service, public serv ...
. 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 Tan Soo Khoon ( zh, c=陈树群, p=Chén Shùqún; born 1 September 1949) is a Singaporean former politician who served as Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore between 1989 and 2001. Education Tan attended the Anglo-Chinese School before gr ...
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 n the Integrated Resorts question"'' However, competing presidential candidates and former PAP members Tan Kin Lian and
Tan Cheng Bock Adrian Tan Cheng Bock ( zh, s=陈清木, p=Chén Qīngmù; born 26 April 1940) is a Singaporean politician and medical practitioner. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayer Rajah SMC between 1980 and 2001. He served as Secretary-General o ...
questioned Tan's independence from the party. On 7 July 2011, Tony Tan submitted his presidential eligibility forms. In July 2011, Tony Tan stepped down from his positions at GIC and SPH to contest in the presidential election. Tan subsequently won 35.2% of the vote. On 29 July 2011, Tan responded to online allegations that his son Patrick Tan had received preferential treatment during his
National Service National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939. The l ...
(NS). ''"My sons all completed their National Service obligations fully and I have never intervened in their postings,"'' he said. Tan also noted that he had served as Minister for Defence from 1995 to 2003, while Patrick Tan said that it was in 1988 that he been permitted by the
Ministry of Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
(MINDEF) to disrupt his NS for premedical studies in
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
, where he graduated with a
Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
degree in biology and chemistry, and an MD-PhD program at
Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
under the
President's Scholar A President's Scholar is a recipient of the academic scholarship awarded by the Government of Singapore annually, to pursue undergraduate education at a university, usually abroad. The scholarship is considered to be the most prestigious public ...
ship and Loke Cheng Kim Scholarship. MINDEF clarified that, prior to 1992, disruptions were allowed for overseas medical studies, and longer periods of disruption were granted for those admitted to universities in the United States, where medicine is a graduate course. American medical students are required to complete a "pre-medical component for a general undergraduate degree" before applying to medical school. In response to a question in Parliament on the subject of deferments, Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen stated on 20 October 2011 that Patrick Tan had not been given any special treatment.


Campaign platform

Describing himself as "Tested, Trusted, True", Tan said his past experiences will help him steer Singapore through the financial uncertainty lying ahead. During the Nomination Day on 17 August 2011, Tan unveiled his election symbol—a pair of black glasses which resembles the trademark spectacles he has steadfastly worn for years. His campaign materials, which included caps, postcards and fridge magnets also carried the symbol. About 9,400 posters and 200 banners were printed.


Campaign endorsements

Tan's presidential bid was endorsed by the 10,000-strong Federation of Tan Clan Associations on 7 August 2011. By 13 August 2011, the leaders of 19 NTUC-affiliated unions—which have 128,000 members, had endorsed his bid. On 14 August, the leadership of the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA) and the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCCI) also endorsed his bid. The leadership of another four unions from the construction and real estate sector, which represent more than 50,000 members, endorsed Tan's bid on 16 August. Nine Teochew clan associations also supported Tan. Union leaders in three sectors—Transport and Logistics, Marine and Machinery-engineering, and Infocomm and Media—endorsed Tan on 17 August. They together represent 112,000 workers. Tan received The Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SMCCI) endorsed Tan's presidential candidacy on 18 August 2011. It is also was the first Malay organisation to do so.


Campaign proceedings

After a closed door meeting with the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry on 11 August 2011, Tan remarked that it is "not too early" for the government to have contingency plans in case an economic crisis hits Singapore, noting that "with his background and knowledge", he added that he was in a position to provide "a steady hand". Speaking to reporters after a dialogue with the Singapore Manufacturers' Federation the following day, Tan remarked that it would be a "grave mistake" to phase out manufacturing in Singapore, which has been transitioning to a
service economy Service economy can refer to one or both of two recent economic developments: * The increased importance of the service sector in industrialized economies. The current list of Fortune 500 companies contains more service companies and fewer ma ...
and an
information economy Information economy is an economy with an increased emphasis on informational activities and information industry, where information is valued as a capital good. The term was coined by Marc Porat, a graduate student at Stanford University, who ...
since the 1980s. He then went on to describe manufacturing as a "key pillar of Singapore's economy". Without the sector, he feels Singapore's economy will be "less resilient, less diversified" and there will be "fewer options for our young people and Singapore will lose." On 15 August 2011, following the National Day Rally speech by Prime Minister
Lee Hsien Loong Lee Hsien Loong (; born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former brigadier-general who has been serving as Prime Minister of Singapore and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party since 2004. He has been the Member of Par ...
, Tan said that one point he found particularly interesting in Lee's address was whether Singapore would remain pragmatic in its policy making, or if it would turn populist. He added that the temptation to make populist decisions was affecting the presidential election, "with some candidates appealing to the public in ways that could go beyond the parameters of the Singapore's Constitution". On 17 August 2011, crowds booed at Tan and his son as he delivered his two-minute Nomination Day speech. According to ''
The Straits Times ''The Straits Times'' is an English-language daily broadsheet newspaper based in Singapore and currently owned by SPH Media Trust (previously Singapore Press Holdings). ''The Sunday Times'' is its Sunday edition. The newspaper was established ...
'', the jeers came from a vocal group of people who mostly supported another presidential candidate Tan Jee Say. At a press conference later that day, Tony Tan said that while different points of view were to be expected in a campaign, it was disappointing to have people who would not even listen, and hoped that Singaporeans would listen to the views of all the candidates. He said, "I don't think that jeering or heckling is the right way to go about the campaign, particularly in a campaign for the president, which has to be conducted with decorum and dignity." During the first presidential candidate broadcast on 18 August 2011, while other candidates made promises in their first presidential candidate broadcasts on Thursday night, Tan refrained from making promises during the broadcast and focused on the role of the president instead. Speaking in English, Chinese and Malay, Tan said, ''"Some people argue that the president must take a public stand on current issues. I hear and share the concerns of Singaporeans. But policies are debated in Parliament and implemented by the government. Others have said that the president must oppose the government. That is a job for the opposition. People interested in such roles should run for Parliament in the next general election."


Presidency (2011–2017)

Tan sought to distinguish his presidency by promoting a more active civil society, believing that Singapore needed to build up its "
social reserves Social Reserves refer to the intangible ties that bind a country together. As a resource, they may be contrasted to a country's financial reserves. The term bears some similarity to the Bhutanese concept of Gross national happiness, in that it atte ...
" to complement the substantial financial reserves the city state had accumulated over time. An example of this, he said, was the way that he had expanded Singapore's
President's Challenge President's Challenge is an annual campaign supported by the kindness and generosity of people from all walks of life, regardless of culture, religion or family background, to help those less fortunate — specifically for the beneficiaries that a ...
charity event to go beyond fund-raising to promote volunteerism and social entrepreneurship. On 8 November 2016, Tan announced that he would not be standing in 2017 presidential election, which was reserved for Malay candidates after a constitutional amendment on 9 November 2016. Tan left office on 31 August 2017. He was succeeded by
Halimah Yacob Halimah Yacob (Jawi script: ; born 23 August 1954) is a Singaporean politician and former lawyer who has been serving as the eighth president of Singapore since 2017. Prior to her presidency, she was the country's Speaker of the Parliament of S ...
who became president after a
walkover John_Carpenter_was_disqualified,_prompting_his_teammates_John_Taylor_(athlete).html" ;"title="John_Carpenter_(athlete).html" "title="Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres">men's 400 metres running in a walkover. Americ ...
of the presidential elections, as no other candidates were deemed eligible.


Other appointments

From 1980 to 1981, Tan served as Vice-Chancellor of the
National University of Singapore The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a national public research university in Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest autonomous university in the c ...
. Tan was subsequently ''
ex officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...
'' appointed
Chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
of the National University of Singapore and the
Nanyang Technological University The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is a national research university in Singapore. It is the second oldest autonomous university in the country and is considered as one of the most prestigious universities in the world by various inte ...
when he was elected as the
president of Singapore The president of Singapore is the head of state of the Singapore, Republic of Singapore. The role of the president is to safeguard the Reserves of the Government of Singapore, reserves and the integrity of the Singapore Civil Service, public serv ...
in 2017. Tan had served as
patron Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...
of many organisations, including the Singapore Dance Theatre, Singapore Computer Society, SJI International, Duke–NUS Medical School, and the MIT Club of Singapore. He was also named as the first patron of Dover Park Hospice in May 2011. On 21 November 2017, GIC, the country's
sovereign wealth fund A sovereign wealth fund (SWF), sovereign investment fund, or social wealth fund is a state-owned investment fund that invests in real and financial assets such as stocks, bonds, real estate, precious metals, or in alternative investments such ...
, announced that Tan will be appointed Director and Special Advisor from 1 January 2018.


Personal life

Tan's paternal grandfather was Tan Cheng Siong, the former general manager of
OCBC Bank Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, Limited (), often known as OCBC Bank (), is a Singaporean multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in OCBC Centre, Singapore. OCBC Bank was born out of the Great Depression thr ...
. His uncle was former Chairman of OCBC Bank,
Tan Chin Tuan Tan Chin Tuan (; 21 November 1908 – 13 November 2005) was a Peranakan banker and philanthropist often credited with helping to establish the OCBC Bank. Biography Early life Born in 1908, he was the son of prominent Hokkien businessman, Ta ...
. Through his maternal grandmother Annie Tan Sun Neo, he is also a great-great-great grandson of philanthropist
Tan Kim Seng Tan Kim Seng (18 November 1805 – 14 March 1864), was a prominent Straits-born Chinese merchant and philanthropist in Singapore in the 19th century. Biography Born in Malacca in 1806 to Tan Swee Poh (), he was the grandson of Tan Sin Liew (), ...
. When Tan was a first year physics student in 1959 at the University of Malaya—the predecessor of the National University of Singapore—at Bukit Timah campus, he met an arts undergraduate whom he fell in love and would marry five years later. Tan married Mary Chee Bee Kiang in 1964 and they have four children together.


Honours

In 2005, Tan was presented the NUS 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, and his significant contribution to society and to the Australian alumni community. Tan was awarded a medal from the
Foreign Policy Association The Foreign Policy Association (formerly known as the League of Free Nations Association) is a non-profit organization founded in 1918 dedicated to inspiring the American public to learn more about the world. The Foreign Policy Association aims to ...
in 2011 for "outstanding leadership and service". In 2014, Tan was conferred an honorary doctorate by his alma mater, the
University of Adelaide The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...
, for his "long record of outstanding achievements both as a leader in the Singapore government and in the business sectors. He was also made a
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved bathing (as a symbol of purification) as one ...
. In 2018, Tan received the top honour of the
Order of Temasek The Darjah Utama Temasek ( en, Order of Temasek) is Singapore's second most prestigious national honour and was instituted in 1962. It is an Order conferred by the President of Singapore only to citizens of Singapore. It may be awarded to non- ...
(First Class) during Singapore's National Day Awards.


References

, - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Tan, Tony 1940 births Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Independent politicians in Singapore Living people MIT School of Engineering alumni Deputy Prime Ministers of Singapore Ministers for Defence of Singapore Finance ministers of Singapore Members of the Parliament of Singapore National University of Singapore faculty People's Action Party politicians Presidents of Singapore Saint Joseph's Institution, Singapore alumni Singaporean Anglicans Singaporean mathematicians Singaporean people of Hokkien descent Singaporean politicians of Chinese descent University of Adelaide alumni University of Singapore alumni Recipients of the Darjah Utama Temasek Ministers for Education of Singapore Ministers for Trade and Industry of Singapore