“Your one vote is not enough. If you don’t put in the effort, we will never see any change.” – Tan Kin Lian

After telling voters that he does not “owe any duty to anyone to carry out my “promise” to stand for election,” ex-presidential election candidate Tan Kin Lian has cautioned voters that their vote is “not enough” and that they need to get into the trenches if they want to effect change.

In a Facebook post published yesterday (11 Apr), Tan wrote: “Some people think that their one vote is everything. They are over-demanding of the non PAP candidate and expect a lot of that candidate to win that vote.

“They do not realize that there are 2.5 million voters, each as demanding as they are. 

“If they want change, they have to come out and help to make the change. Their one vote is not enough. They need to put in much, much, much more.

“If they don’t put in the effort, we will never see any change. They should just happily live with the PAP and not condemn the non PAP parties.”

Just a day before this latest post, Tan wrote that he will only be contesting in the general election if other like-minded people join him to achieve a change in government.

Revealing that he will be measuring the commitment of these like-minded folks through a series of “tests” he will be putting out in the coming days, he warned: “If I do not see enough of them coming forward, I will change my mind – and not stand for election. I do not owe any duty to anyone to carry out my “promise” to stand for election.”

Tan explained that he wants to measure the commitment of his supporters because he and his family face the risk of being targeted, and discriminated against if he puts himself out there once more, but does not receive significant support.

Indicating that putting one’s self out there and speaking out in an effort to change the government is a “sacrifice” that people like him undertake, Mr Tan said that he needs to know if he can rely on the people’s support before he makes this sacrifice:

“Why do I want to measure the commitment of the supporters? This is my reason.

“Many people dare not come forward to speak against the government because they are afraid of being targeted. They are also worried that their family members may be targeted or discriminated in the workplace.

“I want to tell these people – I also have family members, who might face the same risk.

“So, I want these people to understand the sacrifice that the people willing to speak out (not just me, but others) have to make. We need to know how many people are willing to give their support, and if we can rely on their support.”

https://theindependent.sg.sg/i-do-not-owe-any-duty-to-anyone-to-carry-out-my-promise-to-stand-for-election-tan-kin-lian/