SINGAPORE: The People’s Voice Party (PV) chief, Lim Tean, has come out strongly against what he claims is a smear campaign targeting presidential election candidate Tan Kin Lian, calling Mr Tan Singapore’s best hope for a truly independent President.
In a Facebook post yesterday evening (21 Aug), Mr Lim accused the mainstream media and pro-People’s Action Party (PAP) social media of launching a smear campaign against Mr Tan Kin Lian, suggesting that this indicates worry within the establishment about Mr Tan’s candidacy.
Mr Lim added that MrTan Kin Lian‘s campaign is gaining momentum, evident by the enthusiastic support he received during recent walkabouts in Kampong Admiralty and Chong Pang. He said that the ex-NTUC Income chief had been embraced as the “People’s President” by diverse sections of society.
He said, “Over the weekend, I accompanied him on his walkabouts in Kampong Admiralty and Chong Pang. He was swarmed by Singaporeans from all walks of life who have taken to him as the People’s President. Rarely have I seen such enthusiastic crowds greeting a candidate for National Office.
So, what do MSM and the PAP-friendly Alternative Media do when they realize that the supposedly impossible might happen and that the PAP-linked Tharman might lose? They go on a smearing campaign to bring down Tan Kin Lian.”
Calling Mr Tan Kin Lian a Singaporean hero who overcame challenges, Mr Lim pointed out that Mr Tan left school at the age of 14 due to financial constraints, but through hard work and determination, he became a prominent actuary.
As the CEO of NTUC Income, Mr Tan reportedly managed to exponentially grow the organization’s assets from $28 million to $17 billion over a span of three decades. Mr Lim contrasted this with ex-Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s regulatory background, claiming that Mr Tharman lacks the experience of running and growing a business.
He said, “Has Tharman started a business? No. Throughout his working life,Tharman has been a regulator.Tharman has no experience or idea of how to run a business,let alone grow one.”
Mr Lim also praised Mr Tan’s family, describing them as a quintessential Singaporean family that all citizens can be proud of. He portrayed Tan Kin Lian’s wife as a potential “fantastic First Lady” and celebrated his three children and five grandchildren.
To counter the smear campaign, Mr Lim directed attention to the letter issued by the Presidential Election Committee to Mr Lim on August 14, 2023. The letter stated: “Based on the information available to the Committee, it is satisfied that you are a man of integrity, good character and reputation.”
Mr Lim said, “Now let us get on with the task of electing Tan Kin Lian as the People’s President because only he can Bring back TRUST, Give us HOPE!”
Although Mr Tan Kin Lian is not a member of any political party, having given up his 30-year-long PAP membership in 2008 due to disagreement with the governing party’s value system, a number of opposition parties have endorsed Mr Tan as the only “true independent” in the three-horse 2023 presidential race.
Former Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and SingFirst politician Tan Jee Say is Mr Tan Kin Lian’s proposer, while Mr Lim is Mr Tan’s seconder. Another SDP member, Prabu Ramachandran, is another assentor on Mr Tan’s team.
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