The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has announced its new Central Executive Committee (CEC) lineup. And guess what? Hazel Poa is no longer the Secretary-General. Instead, Leong Mun Wai, who previously resigned over a POFMA incident, has been reinstated to the role. From Secretary-General, Hazel Poa is now only First Vice-Chairman.
The party held its party conference last Thursday (March 20) to elect the new CEC. The 12 elected members held their first meeting on Wednesday (March 26) to confirm their roles. But hor, with this sudden leadership reshuffle, it feels like the party is a bit indecisive about who should be their leader ah haha.
Anyways, both Hazel Poa (54 years old) and Leong Mun Wai (65 years old) are Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs). The party’s key figure, Dr Tan Cheng Bock (84 years old), continues to serve as Chairman. The new CEC’s term will last for two years until March 2027.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Dr Tan Cheng Bock said: “There was no competition for the Secretary-General position. Hazel Poa wanted to pass the leadership back to Leong Mun Wai. We are a collective, and this is a decision we made together.”
Hazel Poa also said she’s happy with this arrangement because Leong Mun Wai is ready to take on the role again. Plus, she’s going to be a foster parent soon and will need more personal time, so this setup works well for everyone.
Why Leong Mun Wai Stepped Down in the First Place
Leong Mun Wai was elected as PSP’s Secretary-General in 2023 but resigned the following year after receiving a Correction Direction under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) Office. The order was issued because of his Facebook post falsely accusing the government of not providing sufficient financial aid to a struggling couple. Leong Mun Wai took responsibility and stepped down from his role as Secretary-General.
Leong Mun Wai: Own Up to Mistakes and Step Up When Needed
When asked if his return would cause negative public perception, Leong Mun Wai told Lianhe Zaobao: “As a politician, you must take responsibility when you make mistakes. But that doesn’t mean your political career is over. When the time is right and the situation calls for it, you should step up — and that’s what I am doing today.”
He added that while Hazel Poa was preparing the party’s organizational work over the past year, he had been focusing on building grassroots teams. Now, the CEC wants him to put everything together and lead PSP into the next General Election.
Dr Tan Cheng Bock said he is proud of Leong Mun Wai for owning up to his mistake and bouncing back, demonstrating resilience.
According to Dr Tan, this is the best team PSP could prepare for the upcoming General Election.
PSP’s New Leadership Lineup
The new CEC includes:
- Chairman: Tan Cheng Bock
- First Vice Chairperson: Hazel Poa
- Second Vice Chairperson: A’bas bin Kasmani
- Secretary-General: Leong Mun Wai
- Treasurer: S Nallakaruppan
- Assistant Treasurer: Jonathan Tee
- Organising Secretary: Phang Yew Huat
- Deputy Organising Secretary (Logistics): Soh Zheng Long
- Head of Women’s Wing: Wendy Low
- Head of Youth Wing: Samuel Lim
- Head of Membership: Anthony Neo
- Head of Special Projects: Joseph Wong
According to PSP’s Constitution, the CEC can have a maximum of 18 members. Of these, 12 are elected by party cadres, and the elected members can co-opt up to six more. This time, no additional members were co-opted.
