Tan Cheng Bock, the chairman of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), announced his decision to contest in the upcoming General Election (GE).
Tan was speaking to Lianhe Zaobao during his walkabout at the West Coast Market on 22 July, sharing that he will likely be contesting in the West Coast GRC like his previous running during the GE2020.
At 83 years old, Tan remains as determined as ever to contribute to the political discourse and represent his constituents.
Tan Cheng Bock
In 2020, he led the PSP team in the West Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC) during the General Election and secured an impressive 48.31 per cent of the vote share against the PAP’s team that was led by Transport Minister S. Iswaran, who has recently been arrested by the Corrupt Practices and Investigation Bureau (CPIB) and is assisting them with investigations.
Despite narrowly losing out and not clinching an elected seat, the party’s secretary-general, Leong Mun Wai, and vice-chairman, Hazel Poa, became Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs), a significant achievement for the PSP.
Emphasizing the significance of the General Election, Tan Cheng Bock asserted that it is the ultimate goal for politicians. He expressed his party’s readiness, irrespective of when the next GE is held.
He also announced that he will personally screen potential new candidates for the PSP., saying that he wants to know their attitude and determination before recruiting.
Recent scandals
Beyond discussing his party’s strategies, Tan Cheng Bock addressed recent high-profile incidents involving members of the People’s Action Party (PAP) and the Workers’ Party (WP).
He expressed concern over the impact of these scandals on public trust in the political system. Incidents such as transport minister S Iswaran’s involvement with the Corruptive Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) and the extramarital affair of several high profile politicians, including now-former speaker of parliament Tan Chuan Jin’s affair with fellow PAP MP Cheng Li Hui, and the WP’s Leon Perera’s affair with senior member Nicole Seah.
He said that he felt sad about the scandals which he says has tarnished the Singapore political system and image and that it could result in the public losing trust.