Tan Cheng Bock

Adrian Tan Cheng Bock (born 26 April 1940) is a Singaporean politician and medical doctor.

Tan was born on 26 April 1940 in Singapore.

He came from a Hokkien-speaking family.

Tan attended Radin Mas Primary School and Raffles Institution (RI).

He graduated from the University of Singapore in 1968 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery.

Tan has been the medical director of Ama Keng Medical Clinic in Jurong since 1971.

He has served as the Chairman of the Society of Private Practice, as a Council Member of the College of General Practitioners, as Committee Member on the Council of the Singapore Medical Association (SMA), as Chairman of the SMA Trust Fund, as board member of SMA's Ethics Committee, as SMA's Representative on the Ministry of Health's Committee on the Regulation of Medical Clinics, and as a part-time clinical teacher in general practice at the National University of Singapore.

A former member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayer Rajah SMC between 1980 and 2006.

Tan entered politics during the 1980 general election under the People's Action Party's banner, and became the Member of Parliament-elect for the Ayer Rajah SMC with a vote of 83%.

In 1985, he made a speech in Parliament about "no more blank cheque" for the ruling party which he revisited on his blog in May 2011.

While in Parliament, he served as the Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committees (GPCs) for Education (1987–90), National Development (1991–95) and the Environment (1995–97), and was the Co-ordinating Chairman for all GPCs between 1987 and 1988.

From 1987 to 1996, he was an elected member of the PAP Central Executive Committee, the highest ruling committee within the PAP.

In 1988, Tan, as GPC Chairman for Education, led a team of MPs to argue for the use of the Central Provident Fund (CPF) for education, as an appreciable number of able students were not able to enter local universities due to limited places.

Tan felt that education was a form of investment and that all his GPC was asking for was an extra option for CPF members, to let them decide whether to put their investible savings in stocks and shares or in education.

Chief argument against the idea was that the use of such retirement savings may leave the account holder with an insufficient amount at the end of his or her working life.

Minister for Labour Lee Yock Suan said that there were alternatives available such as soft loan schemes which were interest-free.

In answer to Tan's claim that Lee had not clearly stated his position on the issue despite the idea being first mentioned years ago, Lee insisted that his position had always been plain, that he "was against it, but you have pressed me to study it and I shall".

The set of guidelines on the use of CPF for Education proposed by the GPC was eventually implemented, paving the way for the beginnings of a wave of Singaporean students studying at local tertiary institutions.

Tan also convinced the Ministry of National Development (MND) to allow Singaporeans to park their cars for free in Housing & Development Board (HDB) estates on Sundays and public holidays, to promote family togetherness.

He also served as Chairman of the Jurong East Town Council from 1989 to 1991, Chairman of the West Coast–Ayer Rajah Town Council from 2001 to 2004, Chairman of the Bukit Timah Community Development Council from 1997 to 2000, and Chairman of the Feedback Unit at the Ministry of Community Development from 1985 to 1989.

Tan was the Leader of the Singapore-European Parliamentary Group between 1991 and 1996 and Singapore-SEA Parliamentary Group between 1997 and 2006.

He was also a member of the GPCs for Communications (1997–2000) and Defence and Foreign Affairs (2001–06).

In 1999, when Singapore was recovering from the 1997 Asian financial crisis, and experiencing labour talent shortages in several key sectors, the PAP pushed for a stronger intake of foreign talent to fill the ranks.

Although not against this rationale, Tan argued that the Singapore government should tone down its calls for the recruitment of foreign talent and reassure Singaporeans that they came first, which earned him strong rebuttals, including one from George Yeo and a stern rebuke from Lee Kuan Yew.

Tan's subsequent election results with an average of 77% was perceived as one of the best-performing candidates in Singapore, with his best-ever score being his last election in 2001, with 88%.

Tan stepped down as a Member of Parliament at the 2006 general election.

He left politics ahead of the 2006 general election, while his constituency was redrawn to the nearby West Coast GRC (Ayer Rajah division has since held by S. Iswaran (which was absorbed alongside Iswaran's West Coast), and later Foo Mee Har since the 2011 general election).

In early 2010, Tan volunteered himself to help residents in Sentosa Cove to meet with Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) to seek a waiver of the gantry entry charge (S$2 to S$7 depending on the entry time) for visitors to their residences to the Sentosa island.

His efforts, however, did not bear immediate fruits.

Later in October 2010, the SDC offered to cap the entry charge at a concession rate of S$3.

Tan actually voted against his own party despite the Whip not having been lifted regarding the NMP scheme, on the grounds that MPs had to be elected by the people and be accountable to an electorate for their views.

He received a warning for his action.

After the 2011 general elections, Tan said in a speech at the 52nd Singapore Medical Association Annual Dinner that he had given advice to opposition candidates, including Tan Jee Say, on how to campaign in the elections when they approached him.

In May 2011, he resigned from the PAP to stand as a candidate in the 2011 presidential election.

In 2018, Tan led a gathering along with seven opposition parties (Singapore Democratic Party, Reform Party, Singaporeans First, People's Power Party, Democratic Progressive Party, National Solidarity Party, and a new party formed by former NSP chief Lim Tean, Peoples Voice) to plan a possible coalition for the upcoming election.

After leaving the PAP, Tan founded the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), serving as secretary-general between 2019 and 2021 and as chairman since 2021.

On 19 January 2019, Tan filed an application to form a new political party called the Progress Singapore Party, alongside 12 other applicants, to be an "added voice in parliament".

Progress Singapore Party was officially launched on 3 August 2019.

This launch was covered by mainstream local and foreign media, including alternative media.

The official launch was broadcast live to the public at 1.30pm.