Progress Singapore Party Secretary-General Tan Cheng Bock responded to questions about his party's candidates on Friday (Jul 26) at a press conference. He added that the brother of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is "free" to join PSP if he wants.
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PSP would welcome Lee Hsien Yang as long as he sticks to party's terms: Tan Cheng Bock
The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) would welcome Mr Lee Hsien Yang, should the brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong decide to join its ranks, its Secretary General Tan Cheng Bock said on Friday (Jul 26).
But, Mr Tan added, Mr Lee would have to “adhere” to the party’s terms.
“Lee Hsien Yang and I, we’re good friends,” said Mr Tan at a press conference held at Swissotel Merchant Court, where he was outlining the reasons for setting up his party.
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Lee Hsien Yang: Today’s PAP is no longer the PAP of my father. It has lost its way
Mr Lee Hsien Yang (LHY), son of late founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and brother to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, expressed his support for the newly formed Progress Singapore Party headed by former PAP MP, Dr Tan Cheng Bock.
In a Facebook post on Sunday evening, Lee backed Dr Tan’s party and echoed his sentiments that the ruling party has “lost its way”.
“I wholeheartedly support the principles and values of the Progress Singapore Party. Today’s PAP is no longer the PAP of my father. It has lost its way.”
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Lee Hsien Yang July 28 at 7:01 PM
I wholeheartedly support the principles and values of the Progress Singapore Party.
Today’s PAP is no longer the PAP of my father. It has lost its way.
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‘PAP has lost its way’: Estranged brother of Singapore’s PM Lee Hsien Loong backs new opposition party
Lee Hsien Yang, the brother of Singapore’s prime minister Lee Hsien Loong. Photo: Agence France-Presse
Lee Hsien Yang, the estranged brother of Singapore’s prime minister has backed a new opposition party, the latest incident in a bitter feud in the city state’s first family.
The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) was formed by Tan Cheng Bock, a former stalwart of the ruling party, to contest elections due by 2021. Tan has been seen in recent months with the prime minister’s younger sibling, Lee Hsien Yang, local media reported, sparking talk of an alliance.
On Sunday, Lee wrote on Facebook: “I wholeheartedly support the principles and values of the Progress Singapore Party. Today’s PAP is no longer the PAP of my father. It has lost its way.”
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Lee Hsien Yang says he ‘wholeheartedly’ supports principles, values of new Progress Singapore Party
The younger brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Jul 28) said he “wholeheartedly” supports the principles and values of the new Progress Singapore Party (PSP).
In a Facebook post, Lee Hsien Yang added that the People’s Action Party (PAP) had “lost its way”.
“I wholeheartedly support the principles and values of the Progress Singapore Party,” wrote Mr Lee. “Today’s PAP is no longer the PAP of my father. It has lost its way,” he said, referring to Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
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Lee Hsien Yang declares support for Tan Cheng Bock’s party, says PAP has ‘lost its way’
Mr Lee Hsien Yang on Sunday (July 28) said on Facebook that he supports “the principles and values” of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) led by Dr Tan Cheng Bock — two days after Dr Tan was asked at the party's inaugural press conference if Mr Lee could potentially contest the next General Election (GE) under its banner.
On Friday, Dr Tan said he would be prepared to take Mr Lee, whom he described as a good friend, provided that Mr Lee’s “philosophy is the same as mine, and he does not allow his personal agenda to come into my PSP”.
In his brief remarks on Facebook, Mr Lee did not comment on Dr Tan's invitation but echoed the former People’s Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament’s criticism of the ruling party. “Today’s PAP is no longer the PAP of my father. It has lost its way,” said Mr Lee, who is the brother of Prime Minister and PAP secretary-general Lee Hsien Loong.
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I 'wholeheartedly' support the Progress Singapore Party: Lee Hsien Yang
Lee Hsien Yang, the youngest child of Singapore’s late first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, has given the fledgling Progress Singapore Party (PSP) his full backing.
In a post on his Facebook page on Sunday evening (28 July), the 62-year-old said, “I wholeheartedly support the principles and values of the Progress Singapore Party.”
Echoing PSP chief Tan Cheng Bock’s claim that the foundations of good governance in the People’s Action Party (PAP) have been eroded, he added, “Today’s PAP is no longer the PAP of my father. It has lost its way.”
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Singapore PM's brother backs new opposition party
The estranged brother of the Singaporean prime minister has backed a new opposition party, the latest incident in a bitter feud in the city-state’s first family.
The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) was formed by Tan Cheng Bock, a former stalwart of the ruling party, to contest elections due by 2021. Tan has been seen in recent months with the premier’s sibling, Lee Hsien Yang, local media reported, sparking talk of an alliance.
On Sunday Lee posted on Facebook: “I wholeheartedly support the principles and values of the Progress Singapore Party.”
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Lee Hsien Yang voices full-throated support for Progress Singapore Party, says PAP “has lost its way”
Ending months of speculation as to whether or not Lee Hsien Yang, the second son of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and younger brother of current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, would openly support the opposition to the party of his father, the People’s Action Party (PAP), Lee Hsien Yang has released full-throated and unequivocal support for Progress Singapore Party (PSP).
This newly-registered party was founded by Dr Tan Cheng Bock, a former PAP MP, as well as several other former PAP members. Lee Hsien Yang wrote in his Facebook account in the early evening hours of Sunday, July 26,
“I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THE PRINCIPLES AND VALUES OF THE PROGRESS SINGAPORE PARTY. TODAY’S PAP IS NO LONGER THE PAP OF MY FATHER. IT HAS LOST ITS WAY.”read more
Singapore PM's brother backs opposition party in election twist
The Singapore prime minister's estranged brother has thrown his support behind a newly-formed opposition party in an intriguing twist ahead of elections expected to be held as soon as this year.
In Facebook comments made late Sunday, Lee Hsien Yang said the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) - led by his brother Lee Hsien Loong and founded by his father Lee Kuan Yew - had "lost its way".
His comments come amid a bitter feud with his brother over what to do with their late father's house, and an election which some analysts say could be months away and must be held by early 2021 at the latest.
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PSP: Let Lee Hsien Yang stand in Tanjong Pagar
Just one week before he launches his Progress Singapore Party on 3 Aug, Dr Adrian Tan Cheng Bock held a press conference on 26 July where he offered some preliminary comments on why he is re-entering politics at the age of 79. Even as voters note his reasons, they would naturally ask themselves what exactly can the former MP for Ayer Rajah and nearly-elected President do to strengthen or shake up the local political system.
Everything can be reduced to three expectations coming out of his press conference. The first is, not impossible, but tough – Dr Tan is entering the fray to help persuade voters to put enough Opposition MPs in Parliament to deny the ruling People’s Action Party a two-third majority power to change the Constitution without support from other parties.
We have 89 elected MPs in the present Parliament. To gain more than one-third of the seats, the Opposition has to win around 30 seats. How would the Opposition do that? I give one plausible scenario, by no means the only one. Of course, others will come up with other possibilities, including regarding the National Solidarity Party and the Singapore First Party as strong contenders.
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Tan Cheng Bock and the Lee Hsien Yang factor
In what is likely to be his last shot at active politics, former presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock went for the jugular.
Aiming his gun at Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the 79-year-old retired doctor known for his cautious, considerate and considered style of politics said at a press conference to launch his Progress Singapore Party (PSP) last Friday (26 July), “As you all know, Temasek is part of our reserves. We want to know how that selection process was made…There must be many of you who were wondering why, for example, the wife of our Prime Minister has been appointed to be the CEO of Temasek.”
It was that rare occasion when he tackled the man rather than the ball. In the process, the good old doctor drew a decisive political marker by kicking the ball into the court of PM Lee and his wife, Ho Ching, and putting the disquiet about her controversial appointment right back onto the political stage.
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Dr Tan Cheng Bock - I’m entering Parliament to hold PAP Govt accountable
A recent video of a short speech by Dr Tan Cheng Bock has been circulating on social media
In the video, he had expressed his wish to re-enter parliament because he wants to seek accountability and transparency over the reserves and the Central Provident Fund (CPF) from the government.
"I go in because I want accountability. I want transparency. What’s happening to our reserves? Are our reserves all gone? Don’t know. What happened to our CPF?" Dr Tan asked.
"Now these things, we all can shout until the cows come home [but it's] no use, if you’re not in the House."
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Dr Tan Cheng Bock, Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Ting Choon Meng meet at Teck Ghee Market, Ang Mo Kio GRC
Dr Tan Cheng Bock is seen visiting Teck Ghee Market on Saturday morning and having his breakfast there. While that is hardly anything usual in anyway but he is having his breakfast with Mr Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Ting Choon Meng.
Furthermore, Teck Ghee Market is situated at Ang Mo Kio GRC where Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is based at.
Earlier in Nov last year, the former PAP Member of Parliament and Presidential Candidate in GE2011, also had breakfast with Mr Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Ting at West Coast Food Centre.
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Lee Hsien Yang vouchers "Cheng Bock is the leader Singapore deserves
In a message of congratulations to Dr. Tan Cheng Bock, who announced on Friday, January 19, that he is returning to the political sphere with the Progress Singapore Party, Lee Hsien Yang called Dr. Tan “the leader Singapore deserves.”
This latest salvo seems particularly pointed, given that Lee is the younger brother of Singapore’s current Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong.
His post reads:
- “Congratulations to Tan Cheng Bock and the Progress Singapore Party. I have known Cheng Bock for many years and he has consistently put the interests of the people first. We are fortunate that he has stepped forward to serve Singapore.
- I only recently learned that Cheng Bock had his first clinic at Ama Keng at the far end of Lim Chu Kang Road, a remote and poor area. I didn’t know it at the time, but this was very close to where I used to serve as a young armour officer at Sungei Gedong.
- Today, Cheng Bock will groom future Parliamentarians who will serve our country and people before party or self. This is good for the future of Singapore. Cheng Bock is the leader Singapore deserves.”
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Possible for next GE to be brought forward: PM Lee
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has left the door open to calling a general election next year, as Singapore celebrates the 200th year since Sir Stamford Raffles' arrival.
He was asked by Bloomberg News editor-in-chief John Micklethwait last night if the bicentennial might be a reason to bring forward the general election, which must be held by January 2021.
"It's always possible," Mr Lee replied. "There are many reasons to bring elections forward for a party, so we'll see."
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Mothership’s head honcho throws shade at Lee Hsien Yang-Tan Cheng Bock meeting
While the meeting seemed to be an informal, casual meetup, one local publication claims that “there was every intention” to make the meeting publicly known. Covering the meeting on its website, Mothership.sg shared “three observations on how we can make sense of this breakfast meeting”.
The article, which throws shade at Dr Tan and his intentions in meeting Lee, is written by Martino Tan. Presently serving as managing editor and deputy managing director at Mothership, Tan has been leading the editorial team since the website’s inception in 2013.
Before his work with Mothership, Tan served as a Senior Manager (Online Communications) in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for nearly a year and a half, between 2012-2013. Tan has been credited by mainstream media for helping to start Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s Facebook page. PM Lee joined Facebook a few months after Tan started working at the PMO. Before his stint at the PMO, Tan worked for over two years at the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts.
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Hundreds of Singaporeans urge Lee Hsien Yang and Tan Cheng Bock to join forces
Yesterday’s breakfast meeting between Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Tan Cheng Bock has received widespread attention from Singaporeans, many of whom are urging the pair to join forces and lead the opposition in Singapore against the ruling party in the next election.
Lee is founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s youngest son and current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s younger brother. Calls for Lee Hsien Yang to go against his brother, the head of Government, in politics also resounded last year when Lee and his elder sister, Lee Wei Ling, accused their elder brother of trying to preserve their home at 38 Oxley Road against their father’s last wishes, after his death.
Arguing that the late Lee Kuan Yew wished to have the house demolished, the younger Lee siblings alleged that PM Lee was trying to use the house to solidify his grip on power and that he used state organs to silence them.
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LHY and Tan Cheng Bock publicly meeting has great political significance
I am deeply heartened that Dr. Tan Cheng Bock (Tan) is apparently still active in maintaining his public profile, recently posting on his public Facebook (FB) page that he had had a breakfast catch up with son of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew (LKY), Mr Lee Hsien Yang (LHY) in a West Coast hawker centre. I applaud his actions which have great political significance.
Firstly, Tan chose to eat in a hawker centre in the heartlands. The hawker centre culture is currently in the spotlight with the government going all out to pursue UNESCO heritage status for our hawker culture in the face of controversy surrounding how NTUC (an entity affiliated with the Singapore government) has been increasing the operating costs of hawkers while proffering to be attempting to keep the costs of food affordable.
Secondly, Tan is making it clear that he intends very much to remain in the public spotlight. Given his past candidacy in the presidential elections and his court challenge in relation to the change in the presidential candidacy rules, he is signaling his continued interest in political life. Looking at the discouraging court case that is now plaguing the Workers' Party (WP), Tan's courage is welcomed news in the midst of this dismal situation.
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Tan Cheng Bock & Lee Hsien Yang had a well-publicised breakfast bromance
Having been with the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) for more than 30 years until 2011, it appears presidential election aspirant and runner-up Tan Cheng Bock is looking for new friends shopping around for a new party to start or join.
As long as those new peers are not from the PAP.
Here are three observations on how we can make sense of this breakfast meeting:
- There was every intention to make the casual breakfast meeting publicly known
- The choice of location indicates a love for hawker food West Coast GRC
- The hope and change (ubah) slogan may work better with a fresh face leader with no political baggage
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Lee Hsien Yang returns to Singapore, meet Tan Cheng Bock
The persecuted brother of corrupted Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has returned to Singapore, and sent his brother a signal that he may be getting his hands into politics for the first time. PAP-turned-Opposition politician Tan Cheng Bock posted a photo on Facebook of himself and Lee Hsien Yang having breakfast at a hawker centre in West Coast.
It is uncharacteristic of Lee Hsien Yang to take a photo with an opposition politician, as he used to avoid getting involved politically. By going to the media in public, there is a high chance that Lee Hsien Yang may contest in the coming General Elections against his corrupted brother Lee Hsien Loong.
Tan Cheng Bock, a former PAP MP, renegaded against dictator Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong by contesting in the presidential elections in 2011. The PAP-appointed puppet Tony Tan won only by a narrow margin of 0.34%, against Tan Cheng Bock.
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Tan Cheng Bock & Lee Hsien Yang had breakfast & talked about ‘current state of politics’ in S’pore
This meeting of minds was swiftly reported by The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao.
Here are the reasons he cited for having some hawker fare:
- Catch up with Lee, who he hadn’t met for quite a while.
- Lee missed hawker fare.
- They discussed world affairs and current state of politics in Singapore.
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Dr Tan Cheng Bock added 4 new photos 3 November at 20:34
*Breakfast With Lee Hsien Yang*
This morning I had breakfast with Lee Hsien Yang. We wanted to catch up with each other as we have not met for quite a while. Instead of some fancy restaurant, I suggested we go to West Coast Food Centre at Block 726 Clementi West. Hsien Yang was all for it. He missed our local hawker fare in the heartlands. We had porridge & coffee with yu tiao. It was a good breakfast, not only the food, but the sharing we had on world affairs and the current state of politics in Singapore.
As it was a Sunday morning, the place was crowded with families out for their Sunday breakfast fix. Many greeted us warmly and some whipped out their handphones to take photos with us. We were touched by their warmth and encouragement. I will be having more breakfasts & lunches with friends regularly in the heartlands.
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Gilbert Goh is with Ting Choon Meng 3 November at 21:38
Probably the best news so far since WP won in Aljunied GRC!
A dream team indeed if Lee Hsein Yang and Tan Cheng Bock can team up.
There is now hope for Singapore!
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Roy Yi Ling Ngerng shared Dr Tan Cheng Bock's post 3 November at 21:09
Tan Cheng Bock: "It was a good breakfast, not only the food, but the sharing we had on world affairs and the current state of politics in Singapore.
Many greeted us warmly and some whipped out their handphones to take photos with us. We were touched by their warmth and encouragement. I will be having more breakfasts & lunches with friends regularly in the heartlands."
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Tan Cheng Bock has breakfast with Lee Hsien Yang at West Coast hawker centre
Residents interviewed were mixed on the idea of Dr Tan returning to politics. The next general election is due by January 2021:
- Technician Keith Chua, 27, said his choice of MP will be based on policies rather than personality.
- Business owner Nora Tan, 60, said she had no complaints about the current MPs in West Coast GRC, which absorbed the former Ayer Rajah SMC in 2006. The West Coast GRC MPs are Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran, Mr Lim Hng Kiang, Ms Foo Mee Har and Mr Patrick Tay. She added that should Dr Tan return to the area, his team would have to show that they have something different and better to offer.
- Housewife Goh Hui Suan, 49, said she had supported Dr Tan for president and would have voted for him if he had run for that office last year. “If he runs for MP, I would be happy to vote for him,” she said, adding that he comes across as someone who cares sincerely about Singapore.
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Tan Cheng Bock has breakfast with Lee Hsien Yang at West Coast hawker centre
Former presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock was seen having breakfast with Mr Lee Hsien Yang at a hawker centre in West Coast on Sunday morning (Nov 4).
They were at the West Coast Market and Food Centre at Block 726 Clementi West, which is in Dr Tan’s former Ayer Rajah constituency when he was an MP with the People’s Action Party from 1980 to 2006.
When approached by The Straits Times, Mr Lee, the younger brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, said: “We were just here to have breakfast.”
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陈清木医生和李显扬共进早餐
陈清木医生和建国总理李光耀的次子李显扬，今天（11月4日）上午一同出现在位于金文泰西二街的西海岸小贩中心。
《联合晚报》探知，陈清木医生和建国总理李光耀的次子李显扬，与几名助手今天上午9时出现在位于金文泰西二街的西海岸小贩中心。
陈李一行人在那里共进早餐，一个小时后才离去。
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Comments on Dr Tan Cheng Bock 3 November at 20:34
“Please save our country”
Yesterday, social media was abuzz as Lee Hsien Yang met Dr Tan at the famous hawker centre at Blk 726 West Coast Market.
While Lee told the national broadsheet, “We were just here to have breakfast,” when approached for comment, Dr Tan revealed on his Facebook page that they spoke about the “current state of politics in Singapore.”
While some were derisive and said that they prefer the ruling parrty’s leadership, hundreds of Singaporeans appealed to Lee and Dr Tan to come together and “save our country” and “help Singaporeans”
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It saddens me to see how Tan Cheng Bock has lost his way
Dawn of a new era in Singapore politics
Launch of Tan Cheng Bock's Progress Singapore Party
Tan Cheng Bock's new party will be 'unifying alternative' for Singapore
A 'Tan Cheng Bock & Lee Hsien Yang' Collaboration?
An Opposition alliance under Tan Cheng Bock
Goh Chok Tong & Tan Cheng Bock ‘do a Mahathir’?
Is the ground sour?
