Tan Jee Say sets up Orchard Rd base for policy discussions

Former presidential candidate Tan Jee Say outside the conserved building at Dhoby Ghaut that has been rented from the Singapore Land Authority. He has taken over the second and third floors. He hopes to sign up 100 people by year-end for weekly policy discussions. The plan is for the group to research and brainstorm ideas, and draw up alternative policies which could be offered to opposition parties for their use in manifestos, or to the Government for its consideration. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Former presidential candidate Tan Jee Say is setting up a hub for policy discussion in Orchard Road.

A company owned by his wife Patricia and her businessman friend Ng Meng Khoon, Chanson F&B, has leased 38 Orchard Road from the Singapore Land Authority (SLA).

It is a three-storey conserved building at Dhoby Ghaut, next to Macdonald House and just down the road from the Istana. Mr Tan occupies the second and third floors. He has named the space Heart Beat and plans to host weekly policy discussions there.

He hopes to sign up 100 people for his policy discussion group by year-end. The plan is for the group to meet regularly to research and brainstorm ideas, and draw up a set of alternative policies by 2014. These will be offered to opposition parties for use in their manifestos in the next general election, or submitted to the Government for consideration.