Tan Chuan-Jin 'accidentally' deletes public Instagram account, says losing it felt 'significant'

Former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin has deleted his Instagram account.

In a LinkedIn post on Feb. 19, Tan said he had "accidentally deleted [his] public Instagram page".

"Just like that. Gone," he wrote.

A check on Instagram shows that his account is no longer accessible.

Tan previously resigned as Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament (MP) on Jul. 17, 2023, after acknowledging to then PM Lee Hsien Loong regarding his "inappropriate relationship" with former MP Cheng Li Hui.

"It wasn’t just a page."

In his post, Tan said both his Instagram and Facebook pages had been inactive since he resigned from public office.

"There was no longer a need for a public platform," he wrote. "I suppose I had already moved on in some ways."

Despite the inactivity, he described losing the account as "significant".

"I’m still trying to understand what it is I’m feeling. It wasn’t just a page."

Referring to it as "almost 12 years of life", Tan reflected on the exchanges and experiences documented on the platform.

They were "conversations, disagreements, encouragement, banter, runs, fund-raising efforts", as well as celebrations of "everyday heroes".

"And yes, plenty of wuliao, whimsical nonsense along the way," he added.

Tan also said he personally managed his social media accounts, describing them as a space for "connection" rather than just "communication".

He added that the interactions shaped how he thought, listened, and made decisions.

"It made me a better public servant, and I hope, a better person; though I remain deeply flawed," he wrote.

While acknowledging a "sense of loss", Tan said it also served as "a quiet reminder" that "not everything is meant to be kept".

"These are moments in time. But memories for a lifetime," he wrote.

He concluded his post by describing public service as a "privilege that [he has] never taken lightly", and thanked those who had crossed paths with him over the years.

He added that he would be keeping his LinkedIn account "for now", as he needed to remain professionally connected.

Full post

I accidentally deleted my public Instagram page. 🥺

Just like that. Gone.

It had been dormant for a while, along with my Facebook page since I stepped down. There was no longer a need for a public platform. I suppose I had already moved on in some ways.

But losing it still felt… significant. I’m still trying to understand what it is I’m feeling.

It wasn’t just a page.

It was almost 12 years of life. Conversations, disagreements, encouragement, banter, runs, fund-raising efforts, and celebrating so many everyday heroes.

And yes, plenty of wuliao, whimsical nonsense along the way! 🤣

I ran those platforms myself. It was never just communication. It was connection.

Those interactions shaped how I thought, how I listened, and how I made decisions, big and small. It made me a better public servant, and I hope, a better person; though I remain deeply flawed.

So yes, there is a sense of loss.

But also something else.

A quiet reminder, perhaps, of how little we really hold on to.

Seasons change. Roles end. Much of what we build, even what we treasure, does not stay.

And perhaps that is part of the point.

Not everything is meant to be kept.

These are moments in time.

But memories for a lifetime.

What remains are the people, the conversations, and the shared journey.

Being a public leader was a privilege that I have never taken lightly. Thank you to those who had shared a part of your lives with me as our paths criss-crossed in the miracle that is life.

(LinkedIn stays for now, because I suppose I still need to remain connected professionally 😊.)

Top photos from Tan Chuan Jin's Facebook and LinkedIn