Tan Jee Say

On 25 May 2014, Tan launched a new political party, Singaporeans First, which pledges to put "Singaporeans at the heart of the nation". He is now advocating abolishing GST. When Tan being asked by Chris of the TR Emeritus that Singaporeans saw him as an opportunist, he responded that in Singapore there are very few platforms for alternative views to be expressed as the public media is dominated by the government. and that Singaporeans heard nothing but the views of the government on issues as though there is only one view in the world. He added that because of this the General Election and the Presidential Election are important opportunities and important forums to tell Singaporeans what alternative views there are and what alternative solutions there are.

Tan called for a minimum wage in Singapore, saying that not having one would be "unconscionable." He also said the government's "hard-nosed approach" had left some Singaporeans behind: "Whoever wants a job will get a job, whoever works enough will have a good living – that's not true. There are people who, despite all that they do, cannot make it in life here."

Tan joined the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) in April 2011 due to his "dismay" at Singapore's society and economy. In the 7 May 2011 Singaporean general election, Tan contested the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.

In July 2011, Tan resigned from the SDP and announced his candidacy for the 2011 presidential election.

He left the civil service in 1990 and entered the finance industry, where he has worked for more than a decade. Tan became director of corporate finance of Deutsche Morgan Grenfell in 1990. He then became head of Peregrine Capital Singapore in 1994. He was regional managing director for AIB Govett, an asset management company, from 1997 to 2001. Tan was subsequently appointed as a Regional Director for ACCA in the Asia Pacific region in 2006.

Tan proposed that Singapore shift its focus away from manufacturing to the services sector. He argued that "we should not promote manufacturing because it requires a lot of land and labour. But Singapore is short of land and labour... We want to promote, we want to use our land, limited tax incentives... promoting services sector such as medical, health sectors, education, creative industries." Tan's suggestion was rebuked by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who questioned his qualifications. Lee said the manufacturing sector is more "steady" compared to the "volatile" services sector. In response, Tan pointed out that his proposals were endorsed by Lord Butler of Brockwell, British Cabinet Secretary from 1988 to 1998. He disputed Lee's assertion that the manufacturing sector is more steady by citing a 2009 study by Ministry of Trade and Industry economists which concluded that the services sector as a whole has a relatively low volatility.

He went on to serve as then-Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong's principal private secretary from 1985 to 1990.

During the campaign, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong claimed that Tan left the civil service because Goh "did not think he could make it as a permanent secretary." Tan refuted Goh's claims and explained that he had intended to leave the civil service in 1984 after his scholarship bond ended, but was persuaded instead by Goh to become the latter's principal private secretary (PPS). After five years as Goh's PPS, Tan said he stated his intent to leave again, which Goh accepted.

Tan was a member of the civil service for 11 years, including six years in the Ministry of Trade and Industry from 1979 to 1985. He rose to become Deputy Director for Economic and Manpower Planning. During that period, he served concurrently as secretary to Albert Winsemius, the government's economic adviser.

Tan Jee Say (born 12 February 1954) is a Singaporean investment adviser, politician and former civil servant. Tan is currently the Secretary-General of the Singaporeans First & the founder of Singaporeans First.