Dr Tan take up new job
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This is the serious version......
Tony Tan taking up positions in GIC and SPH
Retiring from the Cabinet today, he will help manage country's reserves
By By Lydia Lim
Sept 1, 2005
The Straits Times
NEW roles to help manage Singapore's reserves and its largest media company await Dr Tony Tan, who retires from Cabinet today.
He is taking on these tasks in addition to his work at two high-level panels which will steer research and development (R&D) efforts here.
Dr Tan, 65, steps down from Cabinet today after 26 years in office, the last 10 as Deputy Prime Minister.
From today, he will hold a newly-created post of executive director at the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) and also be its co-deputy chairman.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is the other deputy chairman and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew is chairman.
A board member since the investment firm was set up in 1981, Dr Tan said his retirement from public office means he can now spend more time helping Singapore build up its reserves.
He will also join the Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) board as an independent and non-executive director, once the regulators approve his appointment.
He will be the second former minister to do so. The first was Mr Lim Kim San, 88, who was executive chairman for 14 years and is now senior advisor.
Yesterday, SPH chairman Lim Chin Beng said the wealth of expertise Dr Tan brings with him will greatly benefit the company.
On his part, Dr Tan hopes to contribute to SPH's management and its 13 newspapers' coverage of local and international news.
During a farewell press conference at his Defence Ministry office in Bukit Gombak yesterday morning, he was relaxed and friendly.
He later invited reporters to pose for photographs with him before he went to lunch with the governing board of the National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School.
Looking back on his years in government, his eyes lit up when he recalled his tours out on the field to meet national servicemen during training.
To the man who led the Defence Ministry for eight years from 1995 to 2003, those visits were the high points of his ministerial career and what he would miss most.
'It is a heartening sight to see our NSmen, young men, 19, 20 years old, barely out of school, being transformed into real soldiers.'
After entering politics in 1979, he also headed the finance, trade and industry and education ministries.
Over the past year, he led a review of R&D policies and canvassed for spending to be more than doubled to $12 billion over the next five years.
He is confident Singapore can transform its economy into one that is knowledge-intensive and driven by innovation and enterprise.
He chairs the National Research Foundation from today and is PM Lee's deputy on the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council.
Having overseen the development of universities for the last 25 years, he will continue to be involved as chairman of the Education Ministry's International Academic Advisory Panel.
What about his role as an MP of Sembawang GRC? He's keeping it, he said.
But will he contest the next election? 'We'll cross that bridge when we come to it,' he said with a smile.
Yesterday afternoon, Dr Tan capped a long career as minister with one final Cabinet meeting in the Istana.
It was, he said, his last official function. -
This is the talking cock version :
DPM Tony Tan to Become President of Hair Product Company
Posted on Sunday, July 03, 2005
Topic: Politics
by Nyonya Kway
When Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan retires in August, he will not run for the Presidency of Singapore as is widely rumoured. Rather, he will become President of the Board of Tancho Hair Products (S) Pte Ltd.
“We have been courting DPM Tan for the longest time,” said Tancho spokesman Liam Tao Mor. “Aside from being a capable administrator, he truly represents our brand – why, he must put half a bottle of Tancho into his hair every morning!”
DPM Tan was a natural, Mr. Liam explained, also because of his name. “Tan, and Tancho,” he said. “They go together like hair and oil. A slick combination.”
It is believed that the longstanding rumours about DPM Tan running for President originated from TanchoÂ’s bid to woo him from office upon retirement.
“We will be launching a new line in his honour,” said Mr. Liam. “Tony by Tancho: For Men of Distinction.”
DPM TanÂ’s move has stirred controversy in the hair care world.
Apparently, rival hair cream producer Code 10 had also been making overtures to DPM Tan to join their ranks. Said Code 10 spokesman Bill Kreem, “We too wanted to start a line in honour of DPM Tan: Code Tan by Code 10. But the deal sadly fell through and we’re now tearing our hair out.”
According to a source in DPM TanÂ’s office, one of the first things he will do when he enters Tancho, is to go over their business practices with a fine toothed comb.
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