It was heartening to see opposition unity outside of the election period between the PSP and the SDP, even if it was just a walk in the park between PSP secretary-general Francis Yuen and SDP chairman Paul Thambyah.
Yet, this comes amidst the backdrop of the PSP “colonising” other opposition parties’ territories, as the Reform Party would remind you.
The PSP is said to be attempting to pull a Workers’ Party move and expand in the West, just like the WP strategically chose to spread itself across the east of Singapore.
And, the SDP’s mainstay of Bukit Batok SMC appears to be coming under threat.
Bukit Batok, which has been SDP secretary-general and long-time opposition figurehead Chee Soon Juan’s battleground, could become fodder for the PSP if Dr Tan Cheng Bock has his way.
But it appears, according to some PSP stalwarts, that PSP founder Dr Tan does not “think highly” of Dr Chee, and considers him more of a “troublemaker” and a “hindrance to the opposition”.
The Bukit Batok concern was echoed by a group of SDP supporters, who recalled that the PSP “snatched” Yio Chu Kang SMC from the RP just before GE2020.
The move, despite an apparent “agreement” between the PSP and RP.
At the time, then RP chairman Andy Zhu accused the PSP, in partiular then PSP assistant secretary-general Leong of Mun Wai, of breaking a promise to leave the RP to Yio Chu Kang SMC since it was carved out from the RP’s contested area of Ang Mo Kio GRC.
The PSP went on to contest unsuccessfully in Yio Chu Kang.
Dr Tan has been labelled as an “emperor”, in a heated argument with key PSP members not too long ago.
Despite the steady stewardship of PSP leader Francis Yuen and noble efforts of NCMPs Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa, concerns abound that the constant factionalist infighting within the PSP might be pulling the party two steps back after taking just one step forward.
