After years of being a lawyer, Stephanie Tan became a stay-at-home mum to care for her two daughters. She has used her experience in law to help the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) with their parliamentary work over the last two years.

Now a first-time candidate contesting Pioneer SMC, Stephanie tells Otelli Edwards how party chairman Dr Tan Cheng Bock inspired her to join politics and how being a parent helps her connect better with residents.

Here is an excerpt from the conversation: 

Otelli Edwards, host:  So what do you say to people when you told them you wanted to join PSP (Progress Singapore Party), and I'm sure you probably get that, (say) wouldn't it be easier if you just joined PAP (People's Action Party) and try and change from within?    Stephanie Tan, PSP candidate for Pioneer SMC:  Yes, but I have my doubts about whether that would work out, to go in and change things from within ... So there are so many things I feel to go against if I were to do that.

In fact, I think this is what the Singapore Parliament needs right now.   Otelli:  So what about those people who perhaps say, then if you want to join the opposition, the biggest opposition party would be the Workers’ Party, for instance. Why not go that way?   Stephanie:  Dr Tan (Cheng Bock) featured in my decision to join PSP. So I've heard about him, and I've seen what he stands for, that he's somebody who's courageous enough to speak up.

Even when he was in the PAP he did speak up when he felt that certain decisions were not right and he disagreed with. So that to me is very important.

(Having) independent thinking, (an) independent mind is something that's very important to me. So I would like to be able to have that, and continue to have that, to always be able to make decisions based on my own research, the information that I gather and to form a viewpoint of my own.   Otelli:  So what is the biggest advice Dr Tan has given you?  

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