SINGAPORE — Tan Chuan-Jin, who resigned as the Speaker of Parliament yesterday (17 Jul), also stepped down from his position as the president of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC).
In a statement released on Tuesday, SNOC confirmed the acceptance of Mr Tan’s resignation and expressed gratitude for his years of service and contributions.
Having served as the president of SNOC since 2014 and re-elected for a third term in September last year with unanimous support.
According to the SNOC constitution, in the event of the president’s resignation, the most senior vice president currently in office, Mrs Jessie Phua, will assume the role of acting president.
The acting president will fulfill the remaining term of the resigned president, as outlined in the SNOC constitution.
On Monday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong confirmed the resignation of Mr Tan and fellow People’s Action Party (PAP) MP Cheng Li Hui, in the wake of the revelations of their affair.
PM Lee also revealed that the two had persisted with the affair, which occurred before the General Election 2020, despite continued advice against it.
The announcement shocked the public and prompted significant questions about the Speaker’s impartiality.
Mr Tan, aged 54, is a married individual with two children. He commenced his political career in 2011 as a member of a five-member People’s Action Party (PAP) team contesting Marine Parade GRC.
Before assuming the role of Speaker of Parliament in 2017, he served as the Minister for Manpower from 2014 to 2014 and as the Minister for Social and Family Development from 2015 to 2017.
On the other hand, Ms Cheng, aged 47, is an unmarried individual who has been the MP for Tampines GRC since 2015, when she first entered the political arena.
Soh Rui Yong extends olive branch amidst controversy with former SNOC president
Local long-distance runner, Soh Rui Yong, shared two photos on his Facebook page, reflecting on the time he won his first SEA Games gold medal in June 2015, and Mr Tan, then SNOC president, presented the medal to him.
Mr. Soh credited Mr Tan’s camera skills for capturing the iconic finish line photo.
“The iconic photo of me crossing the finish line was taken thanks to his camera competence. ”
Expressing a lasting connection to his first SEA Games experience through those memories and pictures, Mr Soh expressed his desire for reconciliation before either of them leaves the sports or office.
In a compassionate gesture, Mr Soh extended his best wishes to Mr. Tan and his family during what must be a challenging time, encouraging everyone to exercise grace and understanding.
Soh excluded from Asian Games due to social media comments regarding past controversies with Tan Chuan-Jin
Previously, a controversial decision was reported, with the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) under then-president Mr Tan excluding Mr Soh from the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, scheduled for 23 September to 8 October.
Soh Rui Yong, a two-time SEA Games marathon champion, returned to international competition at the Cambodia SEA Games in May this year, where he won a silver medal in the 10,000m race.
Despite meeting the Asian Games qualifying mark for the same distance, his name was conspicuously absent from SNOC’s latest list of successful appeals.
According to a spokesman, Mr Soh was accused of not honoring his commitments to the SNOC, including those made following his participation in the Cambodia 2023 SEA Games.
SNOC provided a 30-page document detailing the problematic posts from March to May 2023, and a six-page document on Mr Soh’s comments made on a podcast by Shasi Kumar, a former professional footballer, as the Straits Times has reported.
He has also previously accused Mr Tan, also a former Army General, of blocking him on various social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, hindering communication and exacerbating their disagreements.
In a Facebook post on his non-selection in 2019, Mr Soh criticized the SNOC and its president, saying, “I’m disappointed that SNOC president Tan Chuan-Jin and his team have chosen to behave in such a petty manner. This is akin to primary school playground politics where kids go, ‘I don’t friend you already!’ just because you say something they don’t like.”
