Latest news with #LeongMunWai
Malay Mail
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
‘We're not running away': Dr Tan Cheng Bock retires from Singapore's electoral politics at 85, says PSP to ‘regroup and return' after GE loss
SINGAPORE, May 11 – Progress Singapore Party (PSP) founder Dr Tan Cheng Bock announced yesterday that he will no longer contest in general elections (GE), although the party intends to continue participating in future polls. The Straits Times reported Dr Tan and party secretary-general Leong Mun Wai making the announcement at a walkabout at West Coast Market, a week after PSP failed to win any of the six seats it contested in the poll earlier this month. 'Today, it's just to come here and say thank you to those who voted for us, and also to show to those who didn't vote for us [that] we are not running away. We'll be back in maybe five years' time. By then, I hope a younger team will take over.' 'It's been a good journey for us, for the younger people. They know what it's like to fight in the direction [with] all the odds against you,' he was quoted saying, acknowledging the party's loss but urging members to remain optimistic. Dr Tan, who turned 85 on April 26, said he would stay on in the party to advise younger members and help groom them for future political challenges. Having spent 26 years in Parliament previously, the PSP chairman said he stood in this election to encourage younger candidates and hoped voters would eventually give them a chance. 'I told them, don't be discouraged. At least we were given the initial chance. But never mind, we will learn and come back,' he said, referring to PSP members. Leong echoed Dr Tan's sentiments, stating: 'PSP is not going to run away. We'll reflect, regroup and return,' and added that the party was currently reviewing its performance before announcing any plans. PSP's vice-chairman Hazel Poa also attended the walkabout, during which the party planned to visit four other locations, including Boon Lay Place and Jurong West. Leong and Poa, who served as Non-Constituency MPs, also lost their seats after the party's defeat in West Coast-Jurong West GRC, where they ran alongside Dr Tan. The People's Action Party (PAP) team led by Minister Desmond Lee secured 60.01 per cent of the vote in the GRC, compared to 51.68 per cent in 2020 when PSP had significantly narrowed the gap. The GRC had been renamed from West Coast to West Coast-Jurong West following boundary changes announced in March, with 158,581 voters allocated to the five-member constituency.
Malay Mail
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
PSP founder Dr Tan Cheng Bock retires from Singapore electoral politics, urges party to regroup after GE2025 loss
SINGAPORE, May 10 — Progress Singapore Party (PSP) founder and chairman Dr Tan Cheng Bock confirmed today that he will be stepping away from electoral politics, following the party's disappointing performance in the country's 2025 General Election last weekend. Speaking ahead of a thank-you walkabout at West Coast Market Square with about 20 PSP members and volunteers today, Channel News Asia (CNA) reported that Dr Tan said he would remain active within the party but will no longer contest elections. 'At the end of the day, we didn't do that well. I don't want to blame anybody now,' said Dr Tan, who turned 85 in April. The PSP failed to win any seats in Parliament and also lost its hold over the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) positions previously occupied by secretary-general Leong Mun Wai and first vice-chairman Hazel Poa. The party saw a dip in vote share across the constituencies it contested, including in West Coast-Jurong West GRC, where it had come closest to unseating the People's Action Party (PAP) in 2020. Despite the setback, Dr Tan remained defiant and optimistic about the party's future. 'And also to show to those who didn't vote for us, we are not running away. We'll be back soon. We'll be back in maybe five years' time,' he was quoted as saying. 'By then, I hope a younger team will take over and we hope the people will look at us in a different way.' Dr Tan said he had contested this election not for personal political ambition — having previously served as an MP — but in the hopes of ushering a new generation of leaders into Parliament. 'I tried my best. I think maybe they think we're not ready. But it's OK, because if Workers' Party took about 60 years to just gain 10 seats, I told them, don't be discouraged,' he said. The party, he added, is focused on preparing its younger members for leadership. 'We are looking forward to seeing how we can train them to understand what politics is and what it is like to represent the people.' PSP secretary-general Leong Mun Wai echoed Dr Tan's sentiment. 'PSP is not going to run away. We will reflect, regroup and return,' he said. 'At this moment, we cannot share much because we are still doing our internal deliberation. When we are ready, we promise that we'll give a full presentation to all of you as to what PSP is going to do.' According to CNA, party representatives did not take further questions from the media, citing a tight schedule for the rest of the day.
CNA
10-05-2025
- Politics
- CNA
PSP founder Tan Cheng Bock to retire from electoral politics, not leaving party
SINGAPORE: Progress Singapore Party (PSP) founder and chairman Tan Cheng Bock confirmed on Saturday (May 10) that he will retire from electoral politics. He will, however, remain in the party, he told journalists before a walkabout at West Coast Market Square with about 20 PSP members and volunteers, including those who contested in West Coast-Jurong West GRC and Pioneer SMC. "At the end of the day, we didn't do that well. I don't want to blame anybody now," Dr Tan added. The PSP will not have a parliamentary presence following the General Election, as the results meant that the party loses its five-year hold over the Non-Constituency MP seats occupied by secretary-general Leong Mun Wai and first vice-chairperson Hazel Poa. The party lost in all the constituencies it was contesting. It also received a smaller vote share in the ones it was re-contesting, including West Coast-Jurong West GRC, which saw the closest contest between PSP and the ruling People's Action Party in the 2020 General Election. PSP went on a series of walkabouts on Saturday to thank Singaporeans who voted for them, said Dr Tan, who turned 85 in April. "And also to show to those who didn't vote for us, we are not running away. We'll be back soon. We'll be back in maybe five years time," he added. "By then, I hope a younger team will take over and we hope the people will look at us in a different way." The party is looking forward to seeing how it can train its younger members to understand what politics is and "what is it like to represent the people", Dr Tan added. He stood as a candidate in the 2025 General Election because he hoped to bring more young people into parliament, he said, noting that he had already been a Member of Parliament before. "I tried my best. I think maybe they think we're not ready. But it's ok, because if Workers' Party took about 60 years to just gain 10 seats, I told them, don't be discouraged," Dr Tan said.
CNA
07-05-2025
- Politics
- CNA
GE2025: Results ‘disappointing' but not the end for PSP, says Leong Mun Wai
SINGAPORE: Progress Singapore Party (PSP) chief Leong Mun Wai said that while its General Election results were disappointing, it respects voters' decision, and it is not the end for the opposition party. In a Facebook post on Wednesday (May 7), Mr Leong said it has taken him a few days to recover from the 'shock result' of the May 3 election. 'The results of this GE2025 are not what we at PSP had hoped for. We accept the decision of the people with humility and respect,' Mr Leong wrote. 'Democracy speaks through the ballot box. We honour that voice, even though it brings disappointment.' The outcome of GE2025 resulted in PSP's exit from parliament, ending the party's five-year hold over the Non-Constituency MP seats occupied by Mr Leong and PSP vice-chairperson Hazel Poa. The party lost in all the constituencies it was contesting. It also received a smaller vote share in the ones it was re-contesting, including West Coast-Jurong West GRC, which saw the closest contest between PSP and the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) in the 2020 General Election. In his Facebook post, Mr Leong promised that the party would regroup after the 'disappointing' results. 'To fellow Singaporeans, though this result is disappointing for us, it is not the end,' Mr Leong wrote. 'Our call for checks and balances, an inclusive society and fairer opportunities for all remains unshaken. We will regroup, reflect, and return stronger.' He also thanked the residents of West Coast-Jurong West GRC, the party's volunteers, campaign team and supporters. 'We may have fallen short this time, but this journey has only strengthened our commitment to you and to the future of this nation,' he added. PAP scored a landslide victory in this General Election, winning 65.57 per cent of votes and securing 87 out of 97 seats. In West Coast-Jurong West GRC, the PSP received 39.99 per cent of the vote, down from the 48.3 per cent the party secured in 2020. It fielded its flagship team, comprising party founder Tan Cheng Bock, Mr Leong, Ms Poa and newcomers Sumarleki Amjah and Sani Ismail. They were up against the PAP team led by National Development Minister Desmond Lee, alongside incumbents Shawn Huang and Ang Wei Neng, as well as new candidates Cassandra Lee and Hamid Razak. Congratulating the PAP on its victory, Mr Leong described Mr Lee as a "worthy opponent'. 'We have learnt a lot from the way PAP has executed this campaign,' Mr Leong said. 'We urge them to continue listening to the residents and to deliver on their promises.' Mr Leong promised to continue to speak up, serve and uphold the values of the party. 'Thank you for walking with us,' he wrote. 'Our journey continues.'
Straits Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
GE2025: After poor showing, PSP vows to regroup, but can it reinvent itself to be relevant?
PSP chief Leong Mun Wai speaking to the media outside the party's headquarters on May 3. ST PHOTO KELVIN CHNG News analysis GE2025: After poor showing, PSP vows to regroup, but can it reinvent itself to be relevant? Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE - From one election to the next, the PSP has gone from being a political upstart with two Non-Constituency MP seats in Parliament to an opposition party with an unclear future. The party fielded 13 candidates in six constituencies, and lost all of them – including West Coast-Jurong West GRC where it was said to have the best chances of winning. The PSP also contested Chua Chu Kang GRC, and the Pioneer, Bukit Gombak, Kebun Baru and Marymount SMCs. The outcome, with the PSP obtaining between 24.17 and 39.99 per cent of the vote share across the six constituencies, means that it will lose both its NCMP seats. Reserved for the election's best losers , the role seems likely to go to the WP's candidates from Jalan Kayu SMC and Tampines GRC, who lost narrowly to the PAP. PSP will lose its parliamentary presence. And what of its future, when it does not seem to have been able to attract younger candidates, or individuals who seem to stand out more, such as those fielded by the WP? In GE2020, the PSP was a newly-formed political party that made a mark because of its founder – former PAP stalwart Tan Cheng Bock. It also made headlines in the lead up to that election when it announced that Mr Lee Hsien Yang, the estranged brother of Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, had joined the party. That year, the PSP built its campaign on the need for a greater opposition presence in Parliament as a check on the PAP. It was a message that seemed to resonate with the electorate, and allowed the PSP, with a team comprising its three leaders Dr Tan, party chief Leong Mun Wai, and party first vice-chair Hazel Poa, to capture 48.32 per cent of the vote share in the then-West Coast GRC. But ahead of GE2025, the boundaries for the constituency were redrawn, with about 41,000 voters from Jurong GRC – mainly from Jurong Spring and Taman Jurong, both considered PAP strongholds – added to the renamed West Coast–Jurong West GRC. The changes in electoral boundaries could be a reason for the outcome in GE2025, but it is unlikely to be the only one. During the 2025 hustings, the PSP's five new faces - Mr Lawrence Pek, Ms Stephanie Tan, Mr Sumarleki Amjah, Mr Sani Ismail and Mr Tony Tan - did not seem able to capture the public's attention in the same way that political newcomers from other opposition parties had managed to. For example, the WP fielded a slew of candidates with notable backgrounds, such as senior counsel Harpreet Singh, 59, and ex-MFA diplomat Eileen Chong, 33, who drew the crowds at rallies. The PSP had fielded as part of its slate for Chua Chu Kang GRC the former secretary-general of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation Lawrence Pek – a candidate who was touted as the party's 'star catch'. But he and his team were unable to best their opponents, a team led by Manpower Minister and Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng. The party also relied on the strong branding of its founder, which some political analysts dubbed the 'Tan Cheng Bock' effect. In GE2025, as the results have borne out, it is no longer enough. Given that this could be the final general election Dr Tan, 85, is contesting, it is vital that the party develops a reputation that grows on that of its founder, if it wants to remain relevant going forward. Observers have pointed out that the PSP seems to struggle to attract young talent. Of its five new faces this election, only one is under 40 – the party's candidate for Pioneer SMC, Ms Stephanie Tan, a 37-year-old homemaker with a law degree. In an interview on The Straits Times' current affairs podcast The Usual Place, Ms Poa said that the party has been trying to recruit younger candidates. 'But the problem that we have been facing is that they're usually more hesitant. A lot of them actually worry about their career prospects if they are seen to be opposition candidates,' she said. Winning a constituency during the election would help the party overcome this hurdle and persuade more people to come forward, she added. Given the latest results, the party's strategy of recruiting fresh talent will have to be relooked. The PSP's lacklustre performance this GE was surprising, since it had time to build up a track record in Parliament with its NCMPs. Over the past five years, Mr Leong and Ms Poa had gone up against the PAP in Parliamentary debates, sparring on national issues such as the GST hike, public housing and foreign workers. The PSP had highlighted this track record during the campaign, and issued invitations to opponents in the various constituencies to debate on national issues. None of the PAP teams in those wards took them up on their offer, with Mr Desmond Lee, the anchor minister for the PAP team contesting West Coast-Jurong West GRC, asking voters to instead scrutinise contesting parties' plans for the area. In response, Mr Leong had said the main role of an elected MP was not to manage estates, but to debate national policies. The PSP went on to raise various issues on the campaign trail, including on a universal minimum wage and reversal of the GST increase. But PSP may have misread the desire for debate on national policies, especially given the geopolitical headwinds resulting from US President Donald Trump's new tariffs worldwide. The PSP had called the government's response to the tariff situation 'overblown'. But the PAP's outstanding performance this GE with 65.57 p er cent of the vote share is a signal that Singaporeans have less desire to rock the political boat, given the choppy seas ahead. Finally, the PSP had experienced a change of leadership right before the hustings, with Mr Leong re-elected as party chief on March 26. He is the party's fifth leader since it was founded in 2019, after first becoming secretary-general in April 2023. He had stepped down as secretary-general in February 2024, to take responsibility for a correction direction he received under Singapore's fake news law for a social media post. Ms Poa had taken over the role then, only to relinquish it to Mr Leong just before the election was called. This change would undeniably have had an impact on the party's campaign strategy. When the results were revealed, Mr Leong said they were shocking, but thanked voters who had supported his party. It will study the results seriously and humbly, and reconsider how it can gain further trust from Singaporeans, he told reporters. The PSP's performance in GE2025 is undoubtedly a setback. How it does in the next election hinges on whether it is able to pick itself up and shape a clear identity before then. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
