Tan Cheng Bock, Hazel Poa step down from PSP leadership; party launches ‘renewal plan’
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Progress Singapore Party founder and chairman Tan Cheng Bock (left) and vice-chair Hazel Poa have stepped down from the party’s leadership body.
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SINGAPORE – Progress Singapore Party (PSP) founder and chairman Tan Cheng Bock and one of its former Non-Constituency MPs (NCMP), vice-chair Hazel Poa, have stepped down from the party’s leadership body.
Party treasurer S. Nallakaruppan has also stepped down from the central executive committee (CEC), the party announced in a press release on July 5.
Dr Tan will be replaced as chairman by Mr A’bas Kasmani, who was previously second vice-chair, while Mr Anthony Neo, previously assistant treasurer, will replace Mr Nallakaruppan as treasurer.
Dr Tan, Ms Poa and Mr Nallakaruppan – who were unsuccessful candidates at the May general election – will remain members of the party, the PSP said. Dr Tan has been designated party adviser.
The CEC also co-opted three new members, all of whom also stood under the party banner in GE2025: Mr Sani Ismail, Mr Lawrence Pek and Ms Stephanie Tan.
Mr Sani, an in-house legal counsel, contested West Coast-Jurong West GRC, while Mr Pek, a former secretary-general of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, contested Chua Chu Kang GRC.
Ms Tan, a homemaker and former lawyer, ran in Pioneer – a single-seat constituency. All three lost their races to candidates from the ruling People’s Action Party.
The trio have not taken on any specific positions on the CEC, which is the party’s highest decision-making body.
The PSP’s Central Executive Committee co-opted three new members – (from left) Mr Sani Ismail, Ms Stephanie Tan and Mr Lawrence Pek.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
At a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Bukit Timah Shopping Centre on July 5, party chief Leong Mun Wai thanked those stepping down, and said this is a “big moment” for the PSP.
He said: “We are launching a renewed party today.”
The plan for renewal will involve four key areas, Mr Leong said.
These are nurturing new leaders, building a stronger trust with Singaporeans on the ground, helping Singaporeans to understand government policies better, and making its voice louder online.
He added that the result of GE2025 was a “loud wake-up call” for the PSP, but that it has heard Singaporeans.
“We will continue to listen to you and strive to serve you better,” he said.
At the PSP’s press conference on July 5 were (from left) party members Sani Ismail and Stephanie Tan, secretary-general Leong Mun Wai, outgoing chairman Tan Cheng Bock, incoming chairman A’bas Kasmani and member Lawrence Pek.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Ms Poa and Mr Nallakaruppan – who, along with Dr Tan, are founding members of the party – were not at the press conference.
Explaining their absence, Mr Leong said the press conference is focused on party renewal. Dr Tan added that Ms Poa has been “not that well” and has had problems with her vision.
Dr Tan said: “She felt that we have done quite enough for the party, and we want to leave it to the newer guys.
“So, we consulted with each other, we discussed, and we felt that, I think it is better that we just leave and let them take over. But we are still members, and we will always be around to help the party.”
Mr Leong added that the party leadership will miss Ms Poa “tremendously”, but respects her decision to step down.
When asked if the leadership shake-up is a result of the election results, where the party saw its vote share decline across the board and it failed to keep its parliamentary presence, Mr Leong said this is not the case.
He said renewal has always been part of the party’s plans, but before the elections, it was focused on the polls.
If it had won seats, its focus would be for its MPs to fulfil their responsibilities, he added.
He said: “Now, we have not gotten any seats in Parliament. So, our party focus now is to accelerate the renewal plan, because then we can devote all our energy into renewing the party.”
The changes follow Dr Tan’s announcement
Dr Tan, a former presidential candidate and PAP MP, founded the PSP in 2019 and is largely seen as the face of the party.
Dr Tan Cheng Bock founded the PSP in 2019 and is largely seen as the face of the party.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
At the press conference, Dr Tan said he has always believed that the purpose of leadership is to serve and not to hold on to power, and it is in that spirit he announced his stepping down.
He said: “I do so with peace in my heart, because I know that a party is now in good hands.”
He added that the announcement is not just a farewell but also a renewal, and said Mr Sani, Ms Tan and Mr Pek are “part of the new, of the next generation who will carry the PSP banner forward”.
All three were first-time candidates in GE2025.
Dr Tan, alongside Ms Poa, Mr Leong, Mr Sani and Mr Sumarleki Amjah, ran as part of PSP’s A-team in West Coast-Jurong West GRC. They lost to a team led by Education Minister Desmond Lee that eventually took 59.99 per cent of the vote.
The GRC, which was redrawn from the old West Coast GRC, contains Dr Tan’s old ward Ayer Rajah SMC and produced the closest fight in the 2020 General Election.
The result sent Ms Poa and Mr Leong into Parliament as NCMPs.
Mr A’bas said Dr Tan’s legacy as a compassionate, inclusive and responsible leader will continue to be the main guide in PSP. He added that his appointment is a “challenge to lead the PSP to a higher level”.
Dr Tan Cheng Bock (left) and incoming PSP chairman A’bas Kasmani speaking at the press conference on July 5.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
This is the second set of leadership changes the party has made in 2025. In March, a CEC election put in place the team that led the party into the general election.
Mr Leong was re-elected as party chief, taking over the role from Ms Poa.
Ms Poa had assumed leadership after Mr Leong stepped down in February 2024 to take responsibility for a correction direction he received under Singapore’s fake news law for a social media post.
