Teething issues for PSP, netizens confident that new leadership will overcome it

Major changes in the Progress Singapore Party’s (PSP) Central Executive Committee (CEC) has divided netizens into two camps – those sceptical of the party’s changes, and those accepting it as the norm.

Former assistant secretary-general Lee Yung Hwee stepped down as ASG needing to take care of his young daughter and citing reasons of family. Similarly, the vice-chairman of the PSP founded by Dr Tan Cheng Bock has left the party, about six weeks after taking over the senior post.

Ms Michelle Lee, who was also in the party’s CEC since its founding last year, quit to spend more time with her family, the party said in a statement on Thursday (March 5). When it came to the official statement of her resignation, it too read similarly to that of Mr Lee’s – she needed to “take care of family”.

However, there were many other reasons cited amongst netizens as to Ms Lee’s departure. According to zaobao.com, she was asked to leave following a disagreement with Dr Tan over the nomination of some CEC members.

Because of the infighting and reshuffling, many have commented that PSP is trying to emulate the incumbent People’s Action Party (PAP), especially so because PSP Secretary-General Dr Tan Cheng Bock served as a PAP Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayer Rajah from 1980 to 2006.

Netizens were divided, with there being those who said that the party was not being truthful with its supporters, citing rather vaguely worded and carefully crafted statements as the reason. On the flip side, there were those who said that within political organisations, shuffling and infighting were commonplace.

People’s Power Party chief Goh Meng Seng said, “I think it is unfair to judge PSP as “Elitist” or TCB losing control of his own party right now. Building a party is a tough job and having differences among key players will always be the default state of affairs”.

/TISG