As most of us know by now, 2011 presidential runner-up Tan Cheng Bock on Friday declared his interest to stand as a candidate for Singapore's next presidential election, due to be held by next August.
Tan Cheng Bock about to announce his intention to run. Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg
Here are five things we observed from the press conference he held that morning:
1. Reunion of the political otakus
The crowd who attended Tan's press conference was made up of journalists, political observers, political activists and veteran grassroots leaders in need of some post-GE2015 action.
With the media landscape becoming more vibrant in Singapore, Tan had to handle questions from both the mainstream media and online platforms (like Yahoo Singapore, Mothership.sg and SIX-SIX News).
Two former opposition candidates — SPP GE2015 candidate for Mountbatten SMC Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss, and NSP GE 2011 candidate for Marine Parade GRC Abdul Salim Harun — were also seen at the press conference.
2. Is the Tan Cheng Bock of 2016/2017 the same as the Tan Cheng Bock of 2011?
This is Tan and his wife in July 2011:
Photo from Tan Cheng Bock's Facebook page
At the press conference, Tan said that "it is important that I should reach out to all", and that the President "must not be combative". He added that he "must try to win those people who are government, and those who are being governed".
He also hoped to reach out to Singaporeans of various political affiliations:
"As the President, I must try to make sure that even all the political parties now in Singapore, I would love to see one day when they can all sit together when there is no politicking and enjoy a simple discussion."
In 2011, Tan was perceived by many as occupying the centre-left of the presidential electoral spectrum in 2011, with President Tony Tan on the right and SingFirst Secretary-General Tan Jee Say on the left.
Just like the rehabilitation of Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan’s public image from the most idealistic left-wing politician in Singapore to an elder opposition statesman, there is a perception that his image has changed somewhat. He has perhaps appeared to be more pro-opposition.
Just check out his Facebook posts during the 2015 General Election. He didn't post any photos with the People's Action Party (PAP) Ministers and MP-candidates.
Contrast this with his participation at the opposition rallies:
a) With Reform Party (RP) Sec-Gen Kenneth Jeyaretnam:
In what could be seen as a hint of an anti-establishment tilt for his PE campaign, he mentioned his friendship with former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who had united some of his former Barisan Nasional colleagues and most of the opposition to call for the resignation of the Prime Minister Najib Razak.
He even quipped that he will ask Mahathir for advice (wink wink) ... on health.
"So (with regard to) ageism, I think, I don't think it's a problem. Look at my colleague Dr Mahathir, he's 90. I think he's older than you... He's still trying to improve the country. We are friends; I better go up and ask him for advice. How to live older and active."
3. He could jolly well be over-qualified for the presidency
Tan mentioned during the press conference that the role of the presidency has shifted from a ceremonial to a custodial one, where the president will be charged with taking care of Singaporeans' finances.
However, from the looks of how the presidency seat was occupied since PE2011, not much appears to be required from the man at the top — or it could be a lack of disclosure about what the president does that caused this perception that he doesn't do much.
But check out Tan Cheng Bock's achievements and credentials:
How are all these qualifications going to serve him well? Is the presidency going to require so much of him? Is he better off somewhere else that is non-presidential where he can apply himself better?
Either way, these are either trolling questions or a critique of our current president.
4. Tan mentioned something interesting about the independence of the President.
We noticed, when asked about how he plans to present himself as a unifying figure for all Singaporeans, regardless of race, language or religion, he said the following:
"If I want to be a unifying factor, I cannot be beholden to any political party. I cannot be a proxy to any political party. I've got to be my own, I've got to be independent. I've got to get all of you together as a team. And for that to happen, the president cannot be combative from the beginning. If I go into the House and I start being combative, the whole system cracks.
We are actually in Singapore having this political system which I think will be the model for the world to see. We have Parliament... they work together, I think it'll be wonderful and I think that's what every president should aspire to.
I'm not a PAP, WP, NSP, whatever; I am myself, I represent — if I become president — everybody, all Singaporeans. Rich, poor, political differences, no harm. All. But I must reach out to all, then I can be a unifying factor.
It's not easy, I know it's not easy. But that shouldn't be an excuse not to try. And I will try hard. And one day we will have a president — independent president — who will look after your money and make sure they're in order, make sure that the people that are going to look after your money (are) also very capable people, then we will succeed as a nation.
But if we, if I go into the House, into the presidential seat and start being (combative)... this country will collapse and we don't want that. We have so many of you, our children and grandchildren, so we must always stay united but that requires strength. that requires this... We've got to be fearless in what we want to do. I will be fearless in what I want to do and I will make sure that what I think is good for you people I will bring it up. That is the role of the president, okay?" (emphasis ours)
Eh... is he trying to say the current president isn't independent....? Pretty brave of him to say that, either way, we think.
5. We're not entirely sold on his reasons for announcing his plans for candidacy so early.
Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg
On Thursday, we predicted he was declaring his interest now, ahead of the Constitutional Commission on the Elected Presidency's review findings, to perhaps add a little pressure on them.
How so? If, for instance, they recommended any criteria for presidential candidacy that precluded his standing for election (for instance, requiring a minority candidate or putting a limit on a candidate's age), it wouldn't look too great on them in the public eye.
Plus, as we pointed out on Thursday, the deadline for public feedback is March 21 — Tan speaking now will encourage people who support him to speak out and provide feedback that would still qualify him for candidacy.
More importantly, though, speculation aside, he was asked "Why now?" This was his answer:
"I think that (the constitutional commission) I put aside because today I want to let you know that I intend to contest, and I'm not trying to say that I'm pre-empting what they want to do. No, that's not my intention. Because I owe an answer to the 783,000 Singaporeans who have been asking me whether I want to stand. And you may wonder why it's so long, 17 months away and I'm making this announcement. Well, I would say that I've been in politics for 26 years. I fought 6 general elections and I think I want to say that every general election I did pretty well. And how did I do pretty well is I do with a lot of preparations. I never take my voters for granted. I earn my votes. And for that reason I have to prepare. And preparation is not easy.
This time we are covering the whole of Singapore. In 2011 I was a little bit lost because I suddenly realised that from a tiny constituency in Ayer Rajah I had to comb the whole of Singapore. But now as you see my team now, it's a different team. We are very prepared. But even having said that I still have to work hard because nobody who doesn't work hard ever achieves success in any election.
So I decided that I must call this election early; 17 months is not too long. When I was contesting the other elections, I spent years. So 17 months is a good time. And I want to as I said, I want to do well."
We followed up, asking him on the back of an AFP reporter's question, if he was concerned that the constitutional commission's eventual recommended criteria would preclude his candidacy.
Here's what he said:
"I think we leave it to the Commission. We don't speculate. I think they have a reason for why, I think the PM must have a good reason for why they want to have this commission called. But I don't think I'm so great as to have a commission set up to eliminate me right? I will take it step by step."
Either way, we reckon this is a pretty shrewd move on Tan's part to act now, early on — one would only hope that Singaporeans will still have him in mind when the commission emerges with its recommendations, and the next election comes round, of course.
March 11, 06:40 PM 
514 Chai Chee Lane 03-16, Singapore 469029 
Tan Cheng Bock about to announce his intention to run. Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg
Photo from Tan Cheng Bock's Facebook page
Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg