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    SDP’s Tan vs SM Goh: War of words heats up

    SDP candidate Tan Jee Say reveals why he resigned from the civil service. (Yahoo! photo/ Faris Mokhtar)SDP candidate Tan Jee Say reveals why he resigned from the civil service. (Yahoo! photo/ Faris Mokhtar)Singapore Democratic Party's (SDP) Holland-Bukit Timah GRC candidate Tan Jee Say says he was "surprised" by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong's remarks that he was not capable of being a Permanent Secretary.

    Speaking to an estimated 7,000-strong crowd at the SDP rally on Sunday evening at Clementi, Tan responded to SM Goh's comments, revealing why he resigned from the civil service.

    "I want to respond to remarks by a few ministers. In the past few days I've been the target of a lot of criticisms and I think it's only fair that I tell you what my position is."

    "I am surprised that he (SM Goh) made such a remark because he had earlier said he would not comment on candidates outside Marine Parade GRC," said Tan.

    Tan shared that he had wanted to resign from the civil service after his scholarship bond ended in 1984 but was asked by SM Goh, who was then Deputy Prime Minister, to be his principal private secretary.

    He added that his appointment was to assist in the leadership transition from Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who was the Prime Minister, to the second generation of leaders.

    "I told him I had no intention of staying in the civil service; he said he needed me for only 3 to 5 years, after which I could leave the civil service if I still wanted to do so."

    "At the end of five years, I again expressed my desire to leave the service. He replied that since this was the second time I told him I wanted to leave, he would not hold me back but would give me his blessings to leave the civil service," said the 57-year-old investment adviser.

    SM Goh had earlier said at a People's Action Party rally for Marine Parade GRC on Saturday  that although Tan was "hardworking", he did not think that he "could make it" as a Permanent Secretary.

    As a result, Tan resigned from the public service and entered the private sector to advance his career.

    But Tan replied, "It was not my mission in life to be a permanent secretary. I wanted to be a more complete person with life experiences in both the public and private sectors."

    Tan expressed his disappointment at his former boss' comments.

    "I have given five of my best years in my career life to Mr Goh. He asked me to be his PPS, I did not ask for the job. I do not expect such comments from him after five years of loyal service," he said.

    Tan and his fellow SDP teammates were speaking to a estimated crowd of 7000 people. (Yahoo! photo/ Aeron) Tan and his fellow SDP teammates were speaking to a estimated crowd of 7000 people. (Yahoo! photo/ Aeron)

    Tan also responded to MM Lee's comments on his proposal to transform the economy, where he suggested that Singapore should divert from the manufacturing sector and progress towards the services sector.

    Said MM Lee on Sunday, "He has no qualifications to say that and he is wrong. If you don't have manufacturing, you're going to have trouble with jobs."

    In his response, Tan said he was qualified to propose alternative economic proposals, highlighting his educational background and policy-making experiences in the administrative service as supporting testimonials.

    "I am surprised; I studied economics at Oxford University and for six years, I worked in the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) where I headed economic and manpower planning.

    "So I have knowledge of both economic theory and development economics. In addition, my proposals have been endorsed by Lord Butler who served three British Prime Ministers."

    Lord Robin Butler was a Cabinet Secretary to three British Prime Ministers - Margaret Thatcher, John Major and Tony Blair.

    On MM Lee's statements that the manufacturing sector is "more steady" than the services sector, Tan argued that an economic study has proven otherwise.

    He was referring to a study by three economists from MTI which was published in the Economic Survey of Singapore in 2009, titled "Is Smoother Always Better? Understanding Singapore's Volatility Growth-Relationship".

    Tan explained that the study — conducted over a 30-year period from 1978 to 2008 — concluded that the services sector as a whole has a relatively low volatility. And that a large part of the increased in volatility in Singapore has stemmed from the manufacturing sector.

    "It is these conclusions and the experiences of other countries that led me to propose that Singapore be developed as an integrated services hub for the region."

    At the rally on Sunday evening, a total of 10 SDP candidates delivered their speeches, focusing on the rising costs of living where they spoke out against the lack of government assistance to help Singaporeans cope with the issue.

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    This article is published by Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd., 60 Anson Road #13-01 Mapletree Anson, Singapore, 079914.

     

    488 comments

    • Chua  •  1 year 0 months ago
      SM means sure Mati, and MM means Misti Mati.
      And just promoted, MM, after mati, promoted to God, he ask Aljunied ppl to Repent.
      So, after thie election, his title is God lee.
      Isn't it nice?
      • hermann 9 months ago
        @ chua the thumbs down means that they r going down .....not disagree ok....!!!bro...lol!!!!
    • Space Walker  •  1 year 0 months ago
      Since we have the chances to vote to bring down a corrucpted government. Better vote before no more chances to vote. Till then, we might need to shed blood to change the government. Look at Ivory coast, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, E----pt, Syria....etc The Arab countries have been under Authoritarian government too long...They could not take it anymore...Now internet provide transparent voices from all sectors, unless internets are blocked, you have a clear understandings of how real things are going on around you... Please vote wisely before it is too late....
    • am i right  •  1 year 0 months ago
      Dear Mr Goh chok tong sir, I had a very high respect on you when you were prime minister.You were such a gentlement who never talk about others badly.But recent statment by you about the
      opposition candidates saddened me alot. Sir, opposition members are not aliens or foreigners.They are Singaporean too, Just that they are fighting for the basic rights for Singaporean. Don`t treat them so lowly.If they are not going to fight for them, than who else are they going to fight for. When the time you were prime minister this same people supported you with good mandate.But why not now.That means there be some reason behind it. I think you should know. As a kind hearted person like you, you shouldn`t make any mistake sir.People has a high respect on you .You should not bring it down.I know you are fighting for the party so I don`t blame you.Since the last GE, prices of every thing went up.People are hurt, just help them.Thank you.
    • Phil Hak  •  1 year 0 months ago
      dont think can trust this goh so tong guy. first he says dont want to comment. then later did turnaround. perhaps senile. nevertheless still lost my trust. keep up the good work jee say.
    • Space Walker  •  1 year 0 months ago
      Vote all these rubbish people out : MBT,GCT,NEH, TMN,WKS. This people enjoyed too long big fat salaries until their brains are stuck with "Money rust", arrogant and talking rubbish...out, out, out.....
    • Don  •  1 year 0 months ago
      Tan Jee Say has taught us a very important lesson.

      Every second you spend thinking about someone else's dreams you take time away from your own.

      Your desire to join the opposition party has won our heart and support.
    • LCLY  •  1 year 0 months ago
      Mr Tan, thank you for speaking up. You are completely clueless about economy reform. I will not support you, neither your party this round. Please work harder for next round.
    • Lewis K  •  1 year 0 months ago
      GCT said the minister's high salary is not a concern for the majority of Singaporeans. I am the minority
    • Space Walker  •  1 year 0 months ago
      Today PM Lee had openly apologized for failures in many areas; such as High cost of livings, Packed MRT, Too many foreigners, Singapore being 2nd class citizens...etc. Their team has been getting S$ 300,000-400,000 per month and did a bad job. Now they are asking people to give them a 2nd chance. Do they give opposition a single chance at all??, Low thia Kiang did not even have a place to meet his people during " Meet the people session" The Singapore people should sack them and elect a new government and asked them to return the salaries...... Do we can still believe them anymore?? Come on, Singaporean, you are not a kid, please wake up...
    • WatAJoke  •  1 year 0 months ago
      So SM Goh, how does it feel to be d***-slapped in the face by ur ex employee, Mr Tan Jee Say? U deserved it!!!
    • Lk Chong  •  1 year 0 months ago
      To Mr Tan Jee Say,

      You claimed that PAP don't care for the people, you are also no better than them too.

      Your dammed idea of want to cut down the manufacturing jobs in Singapore and increase the service jobs in Singapore will definitely cause widespread unemployment and harms to our overall economy and hence our life and future.

      Do you know that growth of many other industries, like finance, telecommunication and even your service sectors, are closely connected to the manufacturing sector too??? Decrease of only 1 % manufacturing jobs will definitely decrease the overall Singapore employment by over 1% !!!

      Do you know that the manufacturing jobs in Singapore are going toward high tech, so the qualities of the work force in manufacturing sector are more higher qualities than that in service services, which employed even more foreigners, especially China people??? Increase of more service work force more than manufacturing work force will make Singaporean more dangerous to widespread retretchment and job losses when the recession come or there are massive restructure of Singapore economy !!!

      Do you know that the average salaries of the professionals and highly educated Singaporean working in the manufacturing sector are higher than those from service sector??? Decrease the jobs in manufacturing jobs will cause the overall income of the Singaporean to reduce !!!

      Do you know that service sector hire far more foreigners and of lower educational level on average as compare to the manufacturing sector??? Increase the jobs in service sector and reduce the jobs in manufacturing sector will likely to increase far more foreigners of lower skill levels into Singapore !!!

      Do you know that manufacturing sector are of important strategic survival to our nation because it generate far more wealth to us and taxes to the Singapore government as compare to service sector ? Decrease of the manufacturing jobs in manufacturing sector will definitely reduce our wealth and Singapore government tax.

      You do not seem to know how economy work in Singapore. Worst, you are talking about taking $60 billions from our country treasury to reduce the manufacturing jobs in Singapore and increase the service jobs in Singapore, this is throwing the $60 billions into the dustbin.

      You seem to try to want Singapore to convert into another Hong Kong, but Hong Kong has China to support them to be prosperous even if they have more service jobs than manufacturing jobs in Hong Kong. For Singapore, do we have Malaysia and Indonesia to give us that kind of back up supports, with a lot of guarantee money, political supports and markets ??? Stay in Hong Kong too long already, isn't it???

      Really scare of you, Mr Tan, if you are voted into office and force that kind of ideas. The $60 billions that you suggest to get from our country is definitely not your money, but that doesn't mean that you should throw them away like as though the money are rubbish.

      IS IT JUST BECAUSE THE $60 BILLIONS ARE NOT YOUR MONEY, SO YOU DON'T FEEL PAINFUL TO THIS $60 BILLIONS WHEN YOU THROW THIS MONEY AWAY LIKE RUBBLISH ???.......... HOPE THAT YOU GIVE US AN EXPLANATION TO IT, MR TAN.

      Even though I don't trust the PAP fully, but I even more don't trust the Opposition Parties. Even today, the Opposition Parties still have many messy lots and screw-up clowns.

      Any comments from you people out there ??? Make this a big issues and become a wake up call to all political parties, don't care whether they are PAP or Opposition Parties.....
      • hermann 9 months ago
        LK CHONG .AkA.....LK YEW!....must b related....no wonder PAP pro!!!
    • Peter Black  •  1 year 0 months ago
      Mr Tan before been elect in this coming 2011 Election.The people of Singapore believes what your words are saying in the rally are Truth. God Bless You.
    • Lk Chong  •  1 year 0 months ago
      Well, to me, politicians are all " mischievious", regardless of whether they are from PAP or Opposition Parties, except that those from Opposition Parties are more mischievious than PAP.

      Honestly, I don't really trust PAP, but I even more don't trust the Oppostion Parties can be better.

      What to do... Politics in this world are all dirty.... If don't agree with me, then just tell me is there any Politic in this world that are very clean, honest and just???

      Well, with the Opposition Parties are known to compete in all 82 out of 87 seats in Singapore and this make me worry that if the Opposition Parties win over half of the seats, then they can kick PAP out of the Singapore government and formed an Opposition run government, it 100% going to be a mess-up government.

      If this worst scenerio occur, well, I and the rest of you out there will worry of these consequences :

      (1). Oversea investors are less willing to come to Singapoe to invest, which defintely mean the loss of billions of dollars of oversea investment with a year.

      (2). Singapore economy can go down into recession and we are likely to lose our jobs.

      (3). Singapore stock market and Singapore property market will collapse and have very less chances of going up again, or worst go down until it hit zero.

      (4). More Singaporean, like you and all of you, will be later force to leave Singapore to look for works in oversea when Singapore economy is very bad, and wish us all the best that we will not end up in troubles in oversea and home sick.

      (5). Inflation will rise even more and more things will be expensive.

      (6). More highly educated people, professionals and talented people will emigrate to oversea and don't come back, leaving behind the olds, the weaks, the handicaps, the incompetents, the stupids and the poors behind because this people have no where to go. When this happen, who is going to run our Singapore economy???

      Opposition Parties can at best serve as watch dogs on the PAP in Singapore, but never as ruling parties... The Opposition Parties are still weak, incapable and lack the skills to run the country. Just look at their messy qualities and mess-up performance over this several weeks and you can see that, they look like a bunch of screw-ups and messy clown groups.

      So why want to try our luck to vote the Opposition Parties, we are taking a big gamble to do that and the Gambling Stakes are our job, our future, our families and our wealth??? When we lose all these, regardless of whether it is whose faults, the Opposition Parties faults, PAP faults or our faults, well the cruel fact is still that nobody is going to get them back for us.... Do you think the Opposition Party-run government can get all these back for us in several days time, well stop dreaming of it....

      It is still not so bad that if less than half the 87 seats are compete by Oppositions Parties in the General Election, and even if we put 10-15 Opposition Parties in the Parliament to serve as watch dogs for us, which is the best scenerio that I hope for, the PAP in still in power and able to run Singapore as it is and things can still be good all the way. (Try not to put too many Opposition MPs in Paliament because they will definitely create troubles, play dirty politics and cause damages so as to bring more benefits to themselves at the expenses of damaging the function of government and finally we Singaporean people... Remember, Poilitics are very dirty and power can corrupt people)

      Just make sure that PAP don't create another NKF like incidents or impose unpopular policies when they are in power, that all

      So any comments from you people out there??? Make it a very big issues to all the political parties that involved in the General Election.
      • Space Walker 1 year 0 months ago
        Why do you worried so much?? PAP will not lose this election. Count my words, It the most will only lost 2 GRC and 4 single seats, they are still majority and can form the next government. But I believe their percentage of votes will be down to between 51 % to 55%. This has enough shacking to make the old man go to hospital. If the PAP got less that 50%, they still can form the government with one or two smaller parties...But the old man might be in the coffin already....The possibility of winning is guaranteed becasue many old aunties still blindly vote PAP (Including mt sister inlaw - 60years old) regardless how calibre opposition today. The real danger may be next generation where many loyal aunties would have reported to the heavan and no more loyaty votes for PAP....understand.....
      • hermann 9 months ago
        CAN ALSO BURNT HAMPERS FOR THEM....mb also got another govt. in hell or heaven!.....so they can continue voting during7mths.
    • again kaypoh  •  1 year 0 months ago
      the tactics have changed , now PAP says sorry, very serious,
    • kestrel799  •  1 year 0 months ago
      Goh Chok Tong has got SERIOUS ATTITUDE PROBLEM!!!
      • Oh Tham Eng 1 year 0 months ago
        Agree with kestrel799---SM Goh CT got serious attitude problem. That is why the great "affective divide" that Dr Catherine Lim had published is still there.
    • Wong  •  1 year 0 months ago
      Dearest Mr Tan, I am very surprised as well and don't believe such awful remarks could proceed out of the mouths of the " great man" once with highest standing . Never mind, Singapore totally and definiately believe in your testimony. Wow !! You are also another great man I knew of. I respect you even more by standing up to the intergity of you heart. No to the opening of casinoes. Even my then 8 years old son from ACS protested with anger when he read the newspapers that PAP was planning for their opening. Sad to say what kind of impact it has on our next generation if we parents do not guide what is morally right. PAP is setting this" moral value" which is right in their own eyes.Mr Lim Boon Heng had also struggle over the arrival of CASINOS. Be of good courage Mr Tan, we can see that You are a righteous man in one way or another who do not compromise.You care about the next generation. You want to educate and groom our own, whereas somebody calling talentst from strange land. Now we want to Get our land back. You are a real Gentleman after all. We applaud you. Your children and family is proud of you for what you have done for our Nation..
    • A Yahoo! User  •  1 year 0 months ago
      SM Goh should not open his mouth..He is not a true politician {as admitted by him} during the debate with Late JBJ. Voters of Marine Parade GRC will reject him on 7 May. Thus Singapore will save plenty $$$$ as the govt won"t be paying him his big fat monthly salary about $80 k
    • A Yahoo! User  •  1 year 0 months ago
      GCT went to Aljunied GRC {K poing} to fish for votes. there He and his teams neglect Ubi/Kembangan ward which come under Marine Parade. GRC . We the residents here didn"t see any PAP candidates coming around here.Are rhey over confident . or big headed. Confirm I will bever vote for PAP
    • Darkest Knight  •  1 year 1 month ago
      for those who do not know, there have been a lot of walkovers in the past. this is probaby the first time in more than ten years that PAP has to campaign so hard. how's their performance like so far - F9 if u ask me. two possibilities, they feel that it does not matter what they do, people will still vote for them OR they are super rattled right now and that's why they are saying crazy things one minister after another.

      of all people, MM lee comes to threaten the good people of aljunied. mr lee, u r a dignified man, how did u end up behaving like gangster collecting protection money on the streets? will such threats ever work?

      vivian, who looked a refined gentlemen, questioned Dr Vincent's real political agenda with a dubious video. unless, that video contained any footage of Dr Vincent doing it, stop wasting our time on these frivolous accusations!

      of course, there is the law minister who till now still don't understand the analo---- of a co-driver. if there are some kind samaritan out there, please purchase bus tickets for our good minister and fill the bus with loyal PAP supporters. get him to go from singapore to bangkok with one driver. i think no need to waste money on a return ticket, their bodies will likely be flown back.

      and the last to join the list, chok tong! who in the right mind will want to be someone's secretary after spending 6 years at a top-notch, world-class university? firstly, it was awfully selfish of chok tong to be using Mr Tan as a secretary. to stay there for 5 years, showed Mr Tan's loyalty. as for chok tong, you were the PM, so there should be at least 1000 candidates for u to choose to be your secretary. if Mr Tan was really incompetent, will u have kept him for 5 LONG YEARS? i think u just dropped a rock on your own foot here.

      now, wether is it PAP has become so complacent that they don't need to care about votes from you and me, or they are rattled by the finds by the opposition party, all these go well for small citizens like us. for years, we are scared that opposition is not competent enough, so we dare not vote them into parliament. but this time round, they have shown that they are capable, if not more capable than what PAP has to offer. the decision to vote for who this time round cannot be made any simpler.
      • SG2030 1 year 0 months ago
        Tharman has been quiet.
      • titan 1 year 0 months ago
        Wow! I like your ' no need to waste money on the return tickets' stuff !!
        Well said !!
      • 丰光 1 year 0 months ago
        well said!!!!!
    • Blurcupid  •  1 year 1 month ago
      "He has no qualifications to say that and he is wrong"
      I don't get it...if talents like Mr Tan Jee Say aren't qualified, then what makes TPL?
      "I don't know what to say!?!" with feet stomping action??? That's a talent with qualification?
      Always say yes and she will never be wrong?
      My beloved MM Lee, you have lost it totally... my respect to you...

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