“Let him live his own life in private” – Tan Chuan-Jin receives some sympathy as he joins philanthropic group as consultant

SINGAPORE: Amid the usual tongue-in-cheek jests and sarcastic comments in response to his return to the public eye, some Singaporeans have extended sympathy and denounced the continued criticism former ruling party politician Tan Chuan-Jin keeps receiving for a personal indiscretion that spilled into the public domain more than a year ago.

A fresh wave of brickbats was triggered after philanthropic organisation, the Tan Chin Tuan Foundation, revealed that the former Speaker of Parliament has joined its team as a consultant. The group shared on LinkedIn that Mr Tan co-hosted a roundtable discussion last week, as part of his duties.

The organisation shared on LinkedIn that Mr Tan had co-hosted a roundtable discussion last Wednesday (26 June). The event was geared to “identify potential gaps and hopefully foster collaborations amongst agencies from the public, private and people sectors serving the elderly in Singapore”.

While many responding to Mr Tan’s latest role were quick to have a go at him on online forums and messaging platforms, some welcomed his new position and quipped that it was “better optics” than the $1,000 leadership masterclass he was featured in, earlier this year.

Other Singaporeans have asserted that the man should be able to live his own life and that critics should stop judging him, now that he is out of office.

The controversy has sparked broader discussions about forgiveness, redemption, and the extent to which individuals should be held accountable for their actions, even after facing consequences. Despite the mixed reactions, the ethics of continuing to judge him for past indiscretions, particularly considering the fact that he has “paid the price” by exiting politics, continue to be debated online.

TISG/