A biography for Tan Cheng Bockhasn’t been written yet.
“This is politics. In politics, you only show the cake but not the ingredients. The time will come when I show you the cake and the ingredients.”
“The civil servants will always be there to look after this country. So don't worry... Any political party taking power will have to work with the civil servants who are very well acquainted with running this country.”
“I think it's quite good to spend some family time.”
“Never expect the votes to come.”
“I never forget a friend.”
“If we stand together as Singaporeans, there is not a force in this world that can tear us apart.”
“I want to be a president and I will not change my thinking.”
“We are not starting a revolution. We are starting an evolution of change.”
“I would love to work with the SDP, the Workers' Party and with all the other small parties.”
“If I convince myself that I'm going contest in West Coast, I will go. It doesn't matter who else comes because that's your belief.”
“I'm not sponsored by anybody but myself... I'm not sponsored by the PAP.”
“I am a hypebeast person.”
“I think those who have followed my political life would have known that I don't believe in just blind loyalty.”
“The President must not be such a distant person.”
“Timing is very important in politics.”
“We should not live in fear, we should all enjoy being able to express our views freely and openly, challenge each other on issues.”
“I want to work closely with the government but it doesn't mean I become so weak and just toe the government line.”
“To be a unifying person, I think first you must have acceptance.”
“You don't have to go and criticize your opponents, how bad they are and so on. It is a contest of ideas. I got my ideas, you got your ideas right. We will let Singaporeans decide.”
“The key message is I'm always trying to hope the Singaporeans will understand, is a question of every government must be... examined based on certain very fundamental principles to have a good government. You must have transparency.”