Tony Tan's book gives insight into S'pore's nation-building journey

PM Lee hopes memoir will inspire more to follow in ex-president’s steps

- Goh Yan Han

Singapore has been fortunate that Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam chose to serve the country on many occasions, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the launch of the former president and deputy prime minister's memoir on his political journey.

Speaking at the event on March 12, PM Lee said he hoped the book would inspire more to follow in Dr Tan's footsteps to come forward and lead Singapore into a better future.

PM Lee recalled the times he worked closely with Dr Tan, adding that he always valued his views.

Dr Tan was first convinced by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew to join politics in 1979, despite being initially determined to stay in the banking sector.

After retiring from Mr Lee's Cabinet as education minister, he was persuaded to come back as deputy prime minister and defence minister in 1995 to help shore up then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong's Cabinet.

And despite wanting to retire during PM Lee Hsien Loong's time at the helm, he agreed to PM Lee's request to stay on a while longer, and volunteered to helm research and development policy.

The book titled Tony Tan Keng Yam: My Political Journey is published by Straits Times Press and co-authored by Dr Tan and former Straits Times journalist Leslie Koh.

PM Lee was guest of honour at the book launch, held at the Singapore Management University's Administration Building function room.

Dr Tan's book covers his personal perspective of national policymaking and decision-making, and reflects on difficult decisions made during his political career, such as scrapping the graduate mothers' priority scheme and the 1986 Central Provident Fund rate cut.

PM Lee said the memoir was readable and insightful. In particular, younger readers will benefit from an inside view of Singapore's nation-building journey from someone who was intimately involved in getting Singapore to where it is today and who had contributed so much to the nation's success, he added.