SINGAPORE: Presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock said he was disappointed that some of his former People’s Action Party fellow members and those working in the government or government—linked companies were afraid to support him in his presidential bid.

Dr Tan said this during his campaign trail at Raffles City, where he met the lunchtime crowd of working professionals on Wednesday.

He was responding to questions on his comment that there was a " fear of the consequences of standing up for one’s beliefs" in the online edition of a Channel NewsAsia programme, " Meet the Candidates" , which was aired on Tuesday.

Dr Tan replied that some had expressed fears that they could lose their jobs if they supported him. He stressed that they should not be afraid as the Presidential Election is apolitical, unlike the General Election where candidates had party affiliations.

He said: " I found that many of them said, ’Doc, I really want to support you but I dare not’, because they’re afraid they’ll lose their jobs (or) they will be penalised. ... I was very sad when I heard this, because why should you be afraid?"

Dr Tan has been given a police permit to hold his indoor rally on Thursday at Hall 8 of the Singapore Expo from 7.00pm to 10.00pm. He is the last candidate to hold a rally as the other three have had their rallies on Tuesday and Wednesday.

He said speakers will have to stay within the boundaries of the Constitution. This means they should not engage in day—to—day politics or raise bread—and—butter issues.

Dr Tan noted that some issues raised by another candidate, Mr Tan Jee Say, at a rally on Tuesday were " out of bounds" .

He added that he was " disturbed" by Mr Tan’s point about checking and challenging the government.

However, Dr Tan said while he does not want to create dissent between the president and the government, it does not mean he will be " weak and just toe the government line" .

Dr Tan said the speakers at his rally would consist of " ordinary people and some professionals" who are not from any political party, including taxi drivers and some of his former patients.

He added that he even had to reject requests from members of both the ruling party as well as the opposition — because of their political affiliations — to speak at his rally.

" I want to be neutral. I do not want to appear proxy to any political party," Dr Tan said. " If I were to start and give Singaporeans the impression that I am affiliated to any political party, I think [the campaign’s] finished, I cannot function as the President."

Responding to media enquiries about Dr Tan Cheng Bock’s comments about those afraid to support him, presidential candidate Dr Tony Tan said " this kind of fear—mongering is very mischievous" .

Dr Tony Tan said " the last General Election has shown that Singaporeans are confident enough to express their own views."

As such, he does not think that " any Singaporean could seriously believe that they will suffer for supporting another candidate" .

— CNA/ac/al