Progress Singapore Party appoints Leong Mun Wai as new secretary-general

SINGAPORE: The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has elected Mr Leong Mun Wai as its new secretary-general, the party announced in a press release on Tuesday (Apr 4). 

This comes after its former secretary-general Francis Yuen, 73, stepped down from his position in March after two years in the seat.

PSP was founded in 2019 by Dr Tan Cheng Bock, a former lawmaker with the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP). Dr Tan remains the party’s chairman in its new Central Elective Committee (CEC) announced on Tuesday. 

Ms Hazel Poa will be PSP’s new vice-chairman, taking over from Mr Wang Swee Chuang. 

Both Mr Leong, 64, and Ms Poa, 52, are currently sitting Non-Constitutency Members of Parliament. 

Together with Dr Tan, the two were on PSP’s West Coast GRC slate that lost to a PAP team led by current Minister for Transport S Iswaran in the 2020 General Election.

However, PSP’s team secured 48.31 per cent of the votes, emerging as the losing opposition candidates with the highest percentage of votes. 

Also in the new CEC are Mr Nadarajah Loganathan, Mr Jeffrey Khoo and Mr Abas Kasmini. Mr Nadarajan is also the party’s first assistant secretary-general. 

Ms Tan Chika, who was co-opted into the CEC in 2020 but missed out in 2021, was also elected this time.

The new CEC will serve for two years, until March 2025.

In a video posted on Facebook on Tuesday, Mr Leong said Mr Yuen had laid a “strong foundation” for the PSP in his two years as its chief. 

“Now that the baton has been passed to me, I strive to bring PSP to greater heights, and to realise a progressive, compassionate and inclusive Singapore.”