Tan Jee Say

Tan Jee Say (陈如斯), born 12 February 1954, is a Singaporean investment adviser, politician and former civil servant. He was a principal private secretary to former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and contested the 2011 general election under the opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), but failed to win a seat. Tan stood as a candidate in the 2011 presidential election and finished in third place with 25% of the national vote.

Education, civil service and the private sector
Tan attended University College, Oxford, on a Government Overseas Merit Scholarship. He graduated with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

Tan was a member of the civil service for 11 years, including six years in the Ministry of Trade and Industry from 1979 to 1985. He rose to become Deputy Director for Economic and Manpower Planning. During that period, he served concurrently as secretary to Albert Winsemius, the government's economic adviser.

He went on to serve as then-Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong's principal private secretary from 1985 to 1990.

He left the civil service in 1990 and entered the finance industry, where he has worked for more than a decade.

Entry to electoral politics
Tan joined the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) in April 2011 due to his "dismay" at Singapore's society and economy. In the 7 May 2011 Singaporean general election, Tan contested the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.

On the economy, Tan proposed $60 billion to be set aside for a National Regeneration Plan. He called the sum "small change" compared to the government's supposed surpluses and losses in investments. The "small change" label was criticised by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan, who said that the $60 billion set aside could put 500,000 jobs at risk.

Tan proposed that Singapore shift its focus away from manufacturing to the services sector. He argued that "we should not promote manufacturing because it requires a lot of land and labour. But Singapore is short of land and labour... We want to promote, we want to use our land, limited tax incentives... promoting services sector such as medical, health sectors, education, creative industries." Tan's suggestion was rebuked by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who questioned his qualifications. Lee said the manufacturing sector is more "steady" compared to the "volatile" services sector. In response, Tan pointed out that his proposals were endorsed by Lord Butler of Brockwell, the British Cabinet Secretary from 1988 to 1998. He disputed Lee's assertion that the manufacturing sector is more steady by citing a 2009 study by Ministry of Trade and Industry economists which concluded that the services sector as a whole has a relatively low volatility.

Tan's team, comprising of Vincent Wijeysingha, Ang Yong Guan and Michelle Lee lost to the People's Action Party (PAP) team led by Vivian Balakrishnan, which won 60.1% of the vote.

Post-presidential bid
Immediately after losing his bid to become president, Tan declined to join any political party, and announced that he would focus on forming a coalition of opposition parties to contest the next general election. His proposal was welcomed by the Singapore People's Party, National Solidarity Party, and Reform Party.