Monday, June 27, 2011

False and malicious smears

There is a person who has posted several malicious statements about me in several websites under a pen name. He had accused me of many inappropriate behavior, including mishandling a case of a long serving employee who was traumatized by a "TKL favored manager". Several of his statements were false and I had rebutted them in the website.

I found out later the real name of a person who was making similar accusations against me in Tan Cheng Bock's facebook.

From the statements, I guessed the identity of the "TKL favored manager". I asked him if he knew about the case and gave him the name of the accuser. He recognized the name immediately as the boy friend of an employee who had worked under him, and who had accused him of mistreating his girl friend, who was transferred to his department and had performed badly. He could not remember what had happened to that case, but confirmed that the complaint was handled by the general manager of the division.

This was a case that I did not deal with personally - as there are people in the line of authority who were responsible to deal with the matter. The accuser must have felt very angry over this matter and is now spreading malicious smears against my character in several websites and circulating the smears widely by e-mail. He was not even an employee of NTUC Income, but he made many detailed statements that appeared to the public to be the grievances of a former employee.

A few people told me that their friends had received the e-mail and had a bad impression of me through the accusations. One person said, "there is no smoke without fire". This is the damage that can be caused by malicious lies.

When Tang Lian Hong said that some people were "liars", he was sued so extensively that he had to flee Singapore. I do not object if someone called me a liar (which is just an opinion), but the smears against me by this person (and I know his identity now) is many times more serious and malicious. I have to consider taking legal action against him when I find the time later on to gather the appropriate evidence.

Tan Kin Lian










12 comments:

Tan Kin Lian said...

My accuser posted a comment here,under another pen name, that the complaint had been lodged with the MOM and the Minister of Manpower is privy to it.

I did not post his comment, but wished to advise him to let the complaint be sorted out by the MOM. there is no need for him to continue to smear me over a matter that I am not personally involved in and had happened five years ago.

rex said...

rex comments as follows,

i think this whole thing is more than meets the eye. i think it is being rigged.

this complain to the MOM will snowball and soon the Government will be super efficient and start issuing statements in the State Times propaganda machine. Then, govt will declare Tan Kin Lian ineligible because of him being under investigation for poor management practices during term of office. My prophecy sure to come through, believe ?

rex

Tan Kin Lian said...

Hi Rex
I am more positive that the Government and civil servant will act honestly and fairly. So, your prophecy will probably not happen.

yujuan said...

Agree with Rex, sounds suspicious, PAP may be behind, they have to find the excuse to disqualify TKL, just like the first official attack on Chen Show Mao, and subsequently on Vincent of SDP before GE. At least be innovative and come up with a different strategy, the same tactic is getting stale and boring.
On the other hand, after the heavy dose of propaganda unofficial endorsement on TT, their own kaki, TKL may be made eligible, just to split up the votes between him and TCB, so that TT may garner more votes. Many Singaporeans are like zombies, when PAP say vote their own men, they just close their eyes and vote exactly that.

C H Yak said...

Dear Mr Tan

I believe in all corporate setups there would be such personal-centric HR issues with a tinge of bias. It is predominantly an issue to be addressed by and for a HR manager.

I find it strange that it is turned against you, especially years later. If there were unfair employment issues, I believe our MOM would have acted on it long ago.

You are campaigning on with this encompassing "value system" - personal values of honesty, fairness, positive attitude, courage and public service (and by the views of the people).

I would believe during your tour as CEO of INCOME, the same value system must have been practised. The remote possibility would only be if it had not filtered down the ranks through the HR management roles effectively.

Redstar said...

Another Gimmick to oust TKL from the Presidential race? But who can stop the peoples' choice. Maybe disqualify him by some underhand tactics?
This guy should come out openly, make a statement of his maltreatment, and openly challenge TKL. Then, we will respect his motives, instead of hiding and shooting from cover.

Let us know this guy, may be we can help do some background check on his associations, and who is the mastermind behind this dirt digging.

TKL should take this as an opportunity to expose the evil forces, and win more support & free publicity. Challenge this guy to come out & discuss honestly or sue him for libel if he refuses to come out of hiding to clarify matters.

Why report to MOM after 5 years? My understanding is any labor dispute must be lodged within one year, or it will not be entertained by MOM. That is, there is no legal basis for mediation after one year.

Shigure said...

Yujuan

FYI, Vincent Wijaysingha was sabotaged by his party's (especially CSJ's) stance on the issues highlighted by the video, as well as his participation in the video. Why else did the "attack" on CSM die out so quickly?

If you claim conspiracy, you should read up a little on remarks and official statements made by the SDP before the elections. The current claims of not having a certain agenda is pure hypocrisy.

I loathe people who keep harping on government conspiracy theories without being able to substantiate their arguments. Can you yourself say that you are free of bias when accusing the government of wrongdoing but fail to see how certain people mire themselves in controversy by their own words and actions? You claim most Singaporeans are "zombies", but you are clearly in the opposition camp, and clearly their "zombie", so to speak.

If this was truely a PAP smear campaign, I truely balk, because in the manner of Mr. Tan Kin Lian's description, it's too sloppy; it's more like someone who supports TCB or TT who's waging a one man smear campaign.

So opposition supporters, please quit your whining about conspiracies because it only serves to be a divisive force for Singaporeans. If you've got nothing concrete or constructive to share with everyone else, please, go talk to a cow.

Soojenn said...

"I have to consider taking legal action against him when I find the time later on to gather the appropriate evidence."

You should not let the malicious slanderer off. I beleive that many people may have advised you otherwise than to stand for the EP, that you will be subjected to all forms rumours, etc... which seems to have now started. You have been too close to the oppositions for PAP comfort..

yujuan said...

Don't see anything wrong with Vincent participating in the video in support of gays. We went to attend the Pink Dot Event also, then the 10,000 attendees must be all gays, lesbians and bisexuals too, aren't we.
We strongly believe every one has the right to love in his own way, it's nobody's bloody business. We are persuading our eldest son, who is as redblooded as any straight man, to try surogacy for a son outside marriage to satisfy our urgency to carry a grandchild in our arms, don't find it unethical.
Come one, why pretend we are living in Victorian Times, so we find it exceptionally despicable to attack Vincent to gain political mileage.
Nothing wrong with being pro PAP.
Similarly nothing wrong with being pro Opposition, and particularly nothing wrong being pro TKL in this EP contest.
We just want to support the candidate that is furthest away from the Party men in white, and TKL, whom we have'nt met at all, happens to be the only exPAP that is the least white. We know this man has many faults, not that classy and refined, but we are not in a beauty contest, then so what? As long as we think he could represent us, so long as he is willing to challenge against all odds, that is good enough. If he fails, so what? Still a hero in our eyes.
If PAP is gentlemanly enough to endorse him, funds would flow in to support him. We tend to support the underdog since 2006. Previously we were die hard PAP supporters since Singapore's Independence, until 2006.
Now we want to fight for our lost democratic rights, so don't look down on us as mere whiners, we are dead serious, much more than you think..
By the way, look up the dictionary and check up the words "Most" and "Many", they are a world of difference. Surely the standard of English here has not deteriorated to such an extent.

Sureesh said...

I wonder why there are some people who are so pro PAP and then now become anti PAP. Couldn't they see from the start the importance of having opposition so that any gaps in the way the PAP run the country can be addressed and made tranparent.

Me said...

Mr Tan, I admire your courage to contest in the upcoming EP and so far you have my support.

With regard to smears, you have said your piece so I suggest you move on. Yes I do understand that some voters might be swayed by lies, but the more you try to openly play detective, the more you are alienating the intellectual class. You should very well know that this is the segment you want to win over from Tony and TCB's camp.

No doubt people want their president to be the people's president, but what people are not overtly saying is that even more so they want a president that look, behave and act like one. Doing, and seen to be doing, microscopic forensic work all by yourself gives people the impression of a lack of clout. And that severely works against you relative to the likes to Tony Tan.

Having observed the development so far with Tony Tan joining the fray, I suggest you start to frame the upcoming EP. Waiting till COE granted will be too late. So far the key agenda is independence, I think that is not enough. I suggest the following:

1) Create a simple slogan that encapsulates your EP "manifesto" rather than casually raise issues and comment on all kinds of stuff all over the place. The WP did a great job at that and have shown results. For example... "5I - Integrity, Impartiality, Independent, Insight, Integrate"

2) Explain to people how 5I matters to the areas under which the EP have custodial power, and why the system will fail without the 5Is. For example, Integrity for commitment to the people, Impartiality for appointment of key appointments, Independence for thoughts and non-partisan stance, Insight for clarity on our reserves, and Integrate for unifying Singaporeans toward a better tomorrow.

3) Once you have framed it in your own terms, begin to ask questions through the media on what your "opponents" think about each of the 'I's. Make them respond based on your terms. No need to debate, just stay with it through and through.

4) Hopefully by now you are approved to run for EP. This is the time that people remember only one thing and that is 5I. When they think of 5I, they think of you. Whether or not you have every answer to every problem is immaterial, because you have won significant mindshare already.

Singapore's 5 Minute Investment Diary said...

Another possible approach;

Sue for defamation to clear your name.

Claim only $1 for defamation PLUS reimbursement for your legal costs.

Message being that you want to clear your name NOT demolish your opponents.

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