S’poreans must be at forefront of govt policies, says lawyer

SINGAPORE — The Government has focused “a little too much” on short-term economic gains without sufficiently considering the long-term implications for Singaporeans, said lawyer Terence Tan yesterday, as he was introduced by the Workers’ Party (WP) as a candidate for the coming elections.

Public policies should benefit Singaporeans over the medium and long-term period and if policies are only meant to boost economic growth, this will result in “many Singaporeans (left) behind struggling and unable to meet ends-meet”, he said. The 44-year-old said long-term planning and calibration of the Singapore’s economy is needed to help citizens stay valuable in the workforce.

“We are a developed country with third-world labour solutions,” said Mr Tan, who stressed the importance of building up the value of Singaporean workers. He expressed his hopes for a brighter future for Singaporean children, “who are not seen merely as economic digits and can be allowed to think out of the box”.

And as Singapore progresses into the next 50 years, “rational and sensible” opposition voices will not detract but complement the Government’s efforts. “The PAP said they are their own check, and an elected opposition is not necessary,” said Mr Tan. “You can give PAP a blank cheque in 2015 or you can support the WP to empower your future.”

He cited his wide-ranging work experiences — spanning the legal field to F&B business ventures — as well as time spent working overseas in Thailand and Malaysia, which have shaped him into a well-rounded individual.

Having grown up in the 1980s and 1990s, Mr Tan witnessed the “spirit of optimism” then, but said Singaporeans were not as optimistic as before. “We need to have reasonable debate in Parliament, so perhaps the Government can reconsider their policies and recalibrate them and put Singaporeans in the focus and at the forefront (of their policies).”

Terence Tan Li-Chern, 44

Lawyer at Peter Low LLC

FACT FILE:

• Studied at Anglo-Chinese Primary School and Raffles Institution before leaving Singapore to study in England at age 13

• Obtained law degree from the University of Kent in 1994 and was called to the Singapore Bar in 1997

• Volunteers with The Law Society’s criminal legal aid programme and Hougang’s community legal clinic

• Started volunteering with the WP in end-2011, has walked the ground in Joo Chiat and surrounding areas with NCMP Yee Jenn Jong since 2013

• Single

HE SAID: “I want to see a bright future for Singaporean children who are not seen merely as economic digits, and can be allowed to think out of the box.”