Tan Wah Piow

According to unverified government statements, Tan is supposed to have continued with his political activities even though he denies this. His plan is supposed to have been to achieve political power through infiltration of mainstream organisations such as schools and unions to mobilise workers and establish strong grassroots support.^[3] To achieve that, Tan allegedly established himself as the leader of the Federation of United Kingdom and Eire Malaysian and Singapore Students' Organisations (FUEMSSO), which was used to recruit supporters for his cause.^[4]

Through FUEMSSO, Tan succeeded in recruiting several activists for his plans.^{[citation needed]} Upon their return to Singapore, these students were supposed to join forces with a local group led by Vincent Cheng (one of those detained under Operation Spectrum) to penetrate lawful organisations and eventually dominate them, in preparation for Tan's seizure of political power, according to the Singapore government.^{[citation needed]}

Tan and his group also used FUEMSSO to launch a number of strident campaigns against the Singapore and Malaysian Governments.^{[citation needed]} Most significantly, Tan and his group actively campaigned under detention in Singapore and Malaysia, demanding for the abolishment of detention without trial and immediate release of those under detention.^{[citation needed]}

In his book, "Let the people judge – Confessions of the most wanted person in Singapore" published 10 June 1987, Tan Wah Piow related that, "Circumstances surrounding the call-up were most extraordinary and improper...The facts are simple. I was conscripted into the army to serve in the artillery unit on the very hour of my release from the one year sentence." He says, "I too was worried for my physical well-being since 'accidents' can easily happen in the army."^{[citation needed]}

Referring to the government's charges against him, Tan said, "I have stated in no uncertain terms that I am not involved in any conspiracy to overthrow the government. I have publicly expressed my opposition to any attempt, by anyone, to set up a communist state in Singapore." "As to how we bring about the implementation of the political programmes in Singapore, I stated in no uncertain terms in my writings, letters to friends and public speeches in the United Kingdom, that I sought to bring about political change in Singapore solely through the ballot box."^{[citation needed]}

On his one-year prison term, Tan alleged that the illegal assembly and riot which took place at the Pioneer Industries Employees Union (PIEU) headquarters in the Jurong Industrial Estate was a 'frame-up" involving Phey Yew Kok, who was then the general secretary of PIEU.^[5] He claimed that it was "union officers" themselves who smashed up their own premises at the PIEU and says that at the time of the incident, he was instead seen outside the PIEU office by a Straits Times reporter, among others.^{[citation needed]}

In 2016, after Phey's conviction for criminal breach of trust in 2016, Tan wrote to the Attorney-General V. K. Rajah to quash his 1975 criminal conviction for rioting.^[5] However, AGC stated that it is unable to quash Tan's conviction as it can only be done by the Court in Singapore. The AGC also stated that Mr Tan could have appealed his conviction in 1975, which he did not.^[6]