Leong Sze Hian /
I refer to the articles “GE: “I didn’t propose closing factories   “, says Tan Jee Say” (Channel News Asia, Apr 28) and   ”SM: Ex- aide’s proposals easier said than done” (ST, Apr 25).
Looking at the onslaught that is being thrown at my Rafflesian schoolmate Tan Jee Say, from no less than more than half a dozen or so Ministers – Goh Chok Tong, Lim Boon Heng, Lim Hng Kiang, Grace Fu, Lee Yi Shyan, etc, I think it may be an understatement to say that to my living memory, I don’t think any opposition candidate has ever garnered such a rare honour of attention by the ruling Government.
Why?
Because I think Jee Say is arguably the most qualified and experienced candidate ever fielded by the opposition in the history of Singapore.
In particular, his experience as Principal Private Secretary to former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, heading economic strategy at the Economic Development Board and Secretary to Dr Albert Winsemius, the Dutch economist who has been credited with being the architect of Singapore’s economic development in our early years following independance, in my view, throws to the wind what the ruling
Government has always been saying – that the opposition do not have the experience to form the Government.
The ruling Government has also always said that the opposition is abundant in rhetoric, but lacking in concrete policy solutions and detailed plans.
Well, Jee Say has published a 45-page plan for the future of Singapore, with a focus on the urgent need to change our economic strategies and policies.
Has any ruling Government candidate ever come out with even a 20-page paper?
The fact of the matter is that the ruling Government’s new batch of candidates pales in comparison to the likes of Tan Jee Say and Chen Show Mao.
Jee Say is also perhaps uniquely qualified in diversity, as he has been in Government as well as the private sector, something which few of the ruling Government’s new candidates can boast of.
More significantly, Jee Say is one of their own – a ‘member of the club’, so to speak.