--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The President must not be such a distant…" description: "\"The President must not be such a distant person.\" — Tan Cheng Bock" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a84/tan-cheng-bock-8629_distant_the-president-must-not-be-such-a-distant_2588053.jpg" --- # The President must not be such a distant person. ![“The President must not be such a distant person.” quote by Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a84/tan-cheng-bock-8629_distant_the-president-must-not-be-such-a-distant_2588053.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a84/tan-cheng-bock-8629_distant_the-president-must-not-be-such-a-distant_2588053.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a84/tan-cheng-bock-8629_distant_the-president-must-not-be-such-a-distant_2588053.jpg) > “The President must not be such a distant person.” [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaders should remain relatable and not become detached from the people they serve. **In simple terms:** Presidents must stay connected to citizens. Key Takeaway Maintain approachability in leadership. Themes politics leadership relatability Mood prescriptive political Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - elections - policy making - community outreach - public trust Key Concepts governance public service Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders stay grounded? - What mechanisms ensure accountability? A Different Perspective Distance can erode trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distant/) [Distant Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distant-person-975535/) [Must](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/must/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-distant-1835850/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [Chiron is so distant from the person I am; it's important for me to distance myself from that so people can understand that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevante-rhodes/chiron-is-so-distant-from-the-person-i-am-it-s-important-for-me-to/) [Trevante Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevante-rhodes/) > [The day will come when the man at the telephone will be able to see the distant person to whom he is speaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-graham-bell/the-day-will-come-when-the-man-at-the-telephone-will-be-able-to-see/) [Alexander Graham Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-graham-bell/) > [If I have not the power to put myself in the place of other people, but must be continually burrowing inward, I shall never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/if-i-have-not-the-power-to-put-myself-in-the-place-of-other-people/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [To act is to act out of time. to act is to persuade time. to persuade is to act out of time. time is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-act-is-to-act-out-of-time-to-act-is-to-persuade-time-to-persuade/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We know about every massacre that has taken place close to the present, but the ones in the distant past are like trees falling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/we-know-about-every-massacre-that-has-taken-place-close-to-the/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Every year, I would spend weeks at a time in the hotels of distant cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amor-towles/every-year-i-would-spend-weeks-at-a-time-in-the-hotels-of-distant/) [Amor Towles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amor-towles/) > [“Tell him this one thing. Distant rivers always reach the sea. Being far is just like being near. Would I think of him if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annamayya/tell-him-this-one-thing-distant-rivers-always-reach-the-sea-being-far/) [Annamayya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annamayya/) > [Heaven and God are not high above us, far away; they are deep within us. Heaven is not a distant country where there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/heaven-and-god-are-not-high-above-us-far-away-they-are-deep-within-us/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [It seemed like most of the memories faded before they had time to form. And after a while, my life with my father seemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/it-seemed-like-most-of-the-memories-faded-before-they-had-time-to/) [Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/) > [We look at distant exploding stars called supernovae, and we've developed techniques to measure how far away they are and how fast they're moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-riess/we-look-at-distant-exploding-stars-called-supernovae-and-we-ve/) [Adam Riess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-riess/) > [“Do you know who your grand grand grand grand grand father is? Probably you don’t! If you want to know your very distant past,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-you-know-who-your-grand-grand-grand-grand-grand-father-is-probably/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The most difficult idea to reconcile in war is the notion that anything is going to be solved by killing a stranger, or in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/the-most-difficult-idea-to-reconcile-in-war-is-the-notion-that/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [ “\[Y\]ou have no happiness in your heart, no power, no will that does not live in us as a presentiment, a reflection, a distant… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/y-ou-have-no-happiness-in-your-heart-no-power-no-will-that-does-not/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The more we possess, the more distant we grow from God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yohji-yamamoto/the-more-we-possess-the-more-distant-we-grow-from-god/) [Yohji Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yohji-yamamoto/) > [“The rich eat life, the poor eat death; so what is the problem they ask?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/the-rich-eat-life-the-poor-eat-death-so-what-is-the-problem-they-ask/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) ## More by Tan Cheng Bock > [We should not live in fear, we should all enjoy being able to express our views freely and openly, challenge each other on issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/we-should-not-live-in-fear-we-should-all-enjoy-being-able-to-express/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [I was only a village doctor with a rebellious streak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/i-was-only-a-village-doctor-with-a-rebellious-streak/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [We are not starting a revolution. We are starting an evolution of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/we-are-not-starting-a-revolution-we-are-starting-an-evolution-of/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [I want to make sure my candidates have my support. We are a family, we always go together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/i-want-to-make-sure-my-candidates-have-my-support-we-are-a-family-we/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/the-key-message-is-i-m-always-trying-to-hope-the-singaporeans-will/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [At 18, they're old enough to drive. The girls enter university, and the boys enter into National Service. Since they have a duty to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/at-18-they-re-old-enough-to-drive-the-girls-enter-university-and-the/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [I think you can fool people once but you can't fool the people all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/i-think-you-can-fool-people-once-but-you-can-t-fool-the-people-all/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [Any of us who wants to go to Parliament must have that responsibility to represent the people who voted us in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/any-of-us-who-wants-to-go-to-parliament-must-have-that-responsibility/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [Timing is very important in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/timing-is-very-important-in-politics/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [If it's of help to my candidates, I would like to go anywhere to give my candidates a boost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/if-it-s-of-help-to-my-candidates-i-would-like-to-go-anywhere-to-give/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [If the PAP has a two-third majority, they will have the power to change important laws like the Constitution at will, whenever they wish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/if-the-pap-has-a-two-third-majority-they-will-have-the-power-to/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [Sometimes I do my walkabouts, all the young fellows will come and call me 'hypebeast Ah Gong.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/sometimes-i-do-my-walkabouts-all-the-young-fellows-will-come-and-call/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [Selling and telling are two different things. In politics, we sell ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/selling-and-telling-are-two-different-things-in-politics-we-sell-ideas/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [I was previously the chairman of the Jurong East Town Council and South West CDC.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/i-was-previously-the-chairman-of-the-jurong-east-town-council-and/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [I'm not sponsored by anybody but myself... I'm not sponsored by the PAP.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/i-m-not-sponsored-by-anybody-but-myself-i-m-not-sponsored-by-the-pap/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) [Explore all 79 Tan Cheng Bock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) ## More Distant quotes > [“The rich eat life, the poor eat death; so what is the problem they ask?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/the-rich-eat-life-the-poor-eat-death-so-what-is-the-problem-they-ask/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [The more we possess, the more distant we grow from God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yohji-yamamoto/the-more-we-possess-the-more-distant-we-grow-from-god/) [Yohji Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yohji-yamamoto/) > [ “\[Y\]ou have no happiness in your heart, no power, no will that does not live in us as a presentiment, a reflection, a distant… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/y-ou-have-no-happiness-in-your-heart-no-power-no-will-that-does-not/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The most difficult idea to reconcile in war is the notion that anything is going to be solved by killing a stranger, or in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/the-most-difficult-idea-to-reconcile-in-war-is-the-notion-that/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [“Do you know who your grand grand grand grand grand father is? Probably you don’t! If you want to know your very distant past,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-you-know-who-your-grand-grand-grand-grand-grand-father-is-probably/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [We look at distant exploding stars called supernovae, and we've developed techniques to measure how far away they are and how fast they're moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-riess/we-look-at-distant-exploding-stars-called-supernovae-and-we-ve/) [Adam Riess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-riess/) > [It seemed like most of the memories faded before they had time to form. And after a while, my life with my father seemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/it-seemed-like-most-of-the-memories-faded-before-they-had-time-to/) [Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/) > [Heaven and God are not high above us, far away; they are deep within us. Heaven is not a distant country where there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/heaven-and-god-are-not-high-above-us-far-away-they-are-deep-within-us/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [“Tell him this one thing. Distant rivers always reach the sea. Being far is just like being near. Would I think of him if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annamayya/tell-him-this-one-thing-distant-rivers-always-reach-the-sea-being-far/) [Annamayya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annamayya/) > [Every year, I would spend weeks at a time in the hotels of distant cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amor-towles/every-year-i-would-spend-weeks-at-a-time-in-the-hotels-of-distant/) [Amor Towles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amor-towles/) > [We know about every massacre that has taken place close to the present, but the ones in the distant past are like trees falling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/we-know-about-every-massacre-that-has-taken-place-close-to-the/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [To act is to act out of time. to act is to persuade time. to persuade is to act out of time. time is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-act-is-to-act-out-of-time-to-act-is-to-persuade-time-to-persuade/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometime in the not too distant future, denying gays the right to marry will be viewed as historically corrupt - as corrupt as denying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/sometime-in-the-not-too-distant-future-denying-gays-the-right-to/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [Even though you're so close to me, you're still so distant and I can't bring back. It's true the way I feel, was promised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linkin-park/even-though-you-re-so-close-to-me-you-re-still-so-distant-and-i-can-t/) [Linkin Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linkin-park/) > [“Not everyone is content with what they are,” she added with a distant look. “Some of us long for what we wish to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shae-ford/not-everyone-is-content-with-what-they-are-she-added-with-a-distant/) [Shae Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shae-ford/) [Browse all 204 Distant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The President must not be such a distant person.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tan Cheng Bock" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/the-president-must-not-be-such-a-distant-person/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Distant" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/the-president-must-not-be-such-a-distant-person/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a84/tan-cheng-bock-8629_distant_the-president-must-not-be-such-a-distant_2588053.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a84/tan-cheng-bock-8629_distant_the-president-must-not-be-such-a-distant_2588053.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a84/tan-cheng-bock-8629_distant_the-president-must-not-be-such-a-distant_2588053.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The President must not be such a distant person.” — Tan Cheng Bock", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tan Cheng Bock", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The President must not be such...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/the-president-must-not-be-such-a-distant-person/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/the-president-must-not-be-such-a-distant-person/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```