People’s Power Party withdraws from opposition alliance due to ‘irreconcilable strategic differences’

SINGAPORE: The People’s Power Party (PPP) has withdrawn from the four-party opposition alliance, People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR). The announcement was made by the party’s secretary-general Mr Goh Meng Seng, on Saturday evening, Feb 22.

“In view of irreconcilable strategic differences for GE2025, we have reached a consensus that it would be a better option for PPP to withdraw from PAR,” said the party on its Facebook page.

“This is to ensure that PAR could continue to function as an effective political force in the upcoming GE without unnecessary disruptions that might arise from our fundamental strategic differences,” explained PPP in their statement withdrawing from the opposition alliance.

Although the PPP has left the opposition alliance, it is keeping the doors open for “future collaboration with PAR should the opportunities arise.”

The Peoples Voice, Reform Party, Democratic Progressive Party, and the PPP first announced in June 2023 that they would form an opposition alliance ahead of the 2025 general election.

Mr Goh was named the alliance’s organising secretary, while PV’s chief, Mr Lim Tean, would be the alliance’s secretary-general. Other office bearers in PAR’s central executive committee are RP’s Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam and PPP member Mr Peter Soh as chairman and vice-chairman, respectively.

On Feb 17, Senior District Judge Ong Hian Sun sentenced Mr Lim to six weeks in jail and a $1,000 fine for representing his clients and attending court hearings on 32 occasions without a valid practising certificate between Apr 1 and June 9, 2021.

PPP added that their party has been actively advocating for “greater unity among opposition parties” since its formation in 2015.

“In 2020, we were the only party making every effort to push for opposition unity with the aim of joining an alliance to contest in the General Election then. After GE2020, we resumed talks with various opposition parties hoping to form a political alliance to bring about concrete multi-party collaboration for Singapore.

However, we have come to a disheartening crossroads that we have to make a tough decision to withdraw from PAR,” added PPP.

The PPP has contested two general elections. In both elections, they only contested in one constituency. During the 2020 election, Mr Goh was their sole candidate in MacPherson SMC, and in 2015, PPP contested in Chua Chu Kang GRC.

Apart from the People’s Alliance for Reform, there are two more alliances within the opposition camp, the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) led by secretary-general Desmond Lim and The Coalition, an informal political partnership of four opposition parties.

The SDA was formed in 2011 with five component parties: Singapore Justice Party, Malay-based PKMS (Singapore Malay National Organization), Singapore People’s Party (SPP), National Solidarity Party (NSP) and Singapore National Front (SNF).

The SPP, formerly led by ex-Potong Pasir SMC member of parliament Chiam See Tong, left SDA prior to the 2011 general election. The National Solidarity Party withdrew from the alliance after the 2006 polls, while SNF has been a dormant political party and never contested in any general election.

In October 2023, NSP and SPP came together with two other opposition parties, Red Dot United and Singapore United Party, in an informal political pact, The Coalition.

During a press conference introducing The Coalition, the party leaders said they are committed to avoiding three-corner fights in the upcoming general election. Although the parties retained their own political branding, they will present a joint manifesto during the election and explore the feasibility of sharing candidates between the four parties in The Coalition.