Michelle Lee leaves RDU, Terence Soon resigns from PSP
SINGAPORE — Two members of opposition parties in Singapore – Red Dot United (RDU) chairman Michelle Lee and the Progress Singapore Party's (PSP) youth wing leader Terence Soon – have resigned from their positions.
Lee was among an unspecified number of RDU members who have resigned even as the party's membership has "almost tripled", said the party in a post on its website on Wednesday (28 April). RDU's membership now stands at "about 30 members and 45 volunteers", the post added.
"We can understand that people are at different stations in their lives. Some need to pursue their careers, others need to provide close supervision of growing children who are still in schools, or provide care for their aging parents.
"So, it is understandable if they want to stand-down from political activities to concentrate on more important matters like their families and careers. They should indeed come first," said RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon in the post.
Meanwhile, local media outlets on Tuesday reported on Soon's departure, citing a draft letter sent to PSP's secretary-general Francis Yuen. In it, Soon said that he had been offered employment opportunities overseas and would thus have to leave PSP to "secure a brighter future for my very young family".
"I joined PSP to help make Singapore a better place, to create a better future for my daughter and her future generations. My duties and responsibilities as a husband and father, must always first and foremost, be to my family," said the 30-year-old in the letter. Soon added that he would serve a 30-day notice period until 26 May.
Soon's announcement comes a few weeks after PSP announced Yuen was appointed as the new PSP chief, as the party reshuffled its central executive committee (CEC). Six new members of the CEC were elected: Dr Ang Yong Guan, Kayla Low Shu Yu, Jess Chua, Wendy Low, Phang Yew Huat and Harish Pillay.
Both Lee and Soon stood as candidates in the 2020 General Election. Lee was part of a five-person team that contested in Jurong GRC, losing to the People's Action Party (PAP) team led by Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Soon was part of a five-person PSP team that contested Tanjong Pagar GRC, which they lost to the PAP's team led by Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing.
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