8 Facts About Tan Chuan-Jin, the High-Flying Former Speaker Who’s Now Being Remembered for the Wrong Things

On 17 July 2023, Speaker of Parliament Mr Tan Chuan-Jin made a shocking exit from politics after being found out for having an affair with a fellow party member Cheng Li Hui.

Once a high flying politician, here are 8 facts about Mr Tan Chuan-Jin who is now being remembered for the wrong things.

Tan Chuan-Jin: A Successful Career Before Politics

Before his successful political career, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin had an equally successful career in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

He enlisted back in 1987 and was commissioned as an officer.

His appointments in the SAF included being the commander of the 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade, the commander of the 3rd Division and commander of the Army Training and Doctrine Command.

One of his notable achievements in the SAF was leading relief efforts to Aceh, Indonesia after the 2004 tsunami, one of the largest SAF military operations in history.

Before leaving the SAF for a career in politics, he attained the rank of Brigadier-General.

A Fast-Track Minister

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin left the SAF in March 2011. He ran as a PAP candidate in the Marine Parade GRC alongside then Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

In May 2011, he was elected into parliament as part of the Marine Parade GRC team and was put in charge of the Kembangan-Chai Chee ward, where he remained since then.

Two weeks after the GE, Mr Tan was appointed a Minister of State at the Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of National Development.

In 2012, he became Acting Minister.

In 2014, he was made a full minister.

And in 2015, he was appointed as the Minister for Social and Family Development (MSF).

Was Speculated to be One of the Core Members of the 4G Leadership

Given the speed of Mr Tan Chuan-Jin’s advancement in politics, you wouldn’t be wrong to say he’s likely to be one of the biggest movers in the PAP.

He was one of the three new faces appointed to PAP’s highest decision-making body within six months after GE2011.

The other two are Mr Chan Chun Sing and Mr Heng Swee Keat.

Appointment to Speaker

In 2017, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin was nominated by the prime minister to be the 10th speaker of parliament, taking over from Madam Halimah Yacob.

Analysts took this to mean that Mr Tan was no longer feature as prominently in the 4G leadership succession plan.

“While he can always return to Cabinet, his role as Speaker does take him away from the main action.”

Nonetheless, some felt that he was the right person for the job due to his experience in MSF and MOM.

The prime minister said that it was a necessary move even though this means they are “losing an effective and activist minister at MSF”.

Tan Chuan-Jin’s ‘Hot Mic’ Incident

In case you missed it, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin was also involved in a “hot mic” incident during parliament.

This incident occurred on 17 Apr 2023 when WP MP Jamus Lim was speaking about establishing a poverty line in parliament.

In an apology post, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin expressed that his remarks were private opinions meant for himself and no one else, though he admitted that he should not have said them out loud.

He has apologised to Jamus Lim and it was apparently accepted even though two opposition parties had more to say.

Parliament discipline mistress Ms Indranee Rajah was supposed to address the issue in parliament in August but that’s a moot point now, probably.

Cardboard Collectors: “A Form of Exercise”

Apparently, this wasn’t the first time Mr Tan Chuan-Jin got into trouble for his words, mic non-withstanding.

Back in 2015, Mr Tan faced massive backlash for his comments on cardboard collectors in Singapore.

He described how he visited cardboard collectors in Jalan Besar and found out that not all of them did it to make a living.

Some of them were doing it to as “a form of exercise, rather than staying cooped up at home”.

When speaking to ST, Mr Tan said the response was expected. He merely wanted people to not generalise things they see outside.

For those who really need help, the MSF will offer all the assistance it can.

Tan Chuan-Jin: A Popular Politician in Singapore

Despite these moments, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin is a popular politician in Singapore.

How popular? Enough to feature in a fan-made (?) F4 music video remake with fellow politicians Ong Ye Kung, Lawrence Wong and Chan Chun Sing.

He could also be seen frequently on social media doing various things, including sparring with Health Minister Ong Ye Kung in Muay Thai.

@ongyekung When your good friend jios you for Muay Thai, you do Muay Thai. #HealthierSG ♬ original sound – Tiktoker

He is also known for being humourous and candid about his mistakes, choosing to point them out instead of hiding them away.

Resignation

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin is married with two children.

According to PM Lee, Mr Tan had admitted to the affair and offered his resignation.

PM Lee had accepted his resignation but told him to stay on to ensure succession is done properly.

He wanted Mr Tan to ensure that residents in his Kembangan-Chai Chee ward and Marine Parade GRC were taken care of. Meanwhile, Mr Tan’s relationship with Ms Cheng had to end.

Unfortunately, PM Lee came across new information that suggests the relationship has continued, and decided Mr Tan has to go.

In his resignation letter to the prime minister, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin mentioned that he has hurt his family and “let them down”.

He has discussed with his wife and agreed to step away from politics to focus on his family and help them heal.