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Ex-Reform Party members join NSP
At least 4 expected to be on NSP slate, which will be unveiled this week
By Kor Kian Beng
Mr Tan and his wife Ms Poa (above) have been wooed by several opposition parties since news broke last month of their resignation from the RP. Ms Poa declined to confirm if the former RP group, which includes Mr Jeisilan, has indeed joined the NSP. Last Wednesday, Mr Tan and Ms Poa were seen meeting Mr Chiam, his wife Lina, and SPP member Alex Tan at a cafe. -- ST FILE PHOTOS
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AT LEAST four former members of the Reform Party (RP) have joined the opposition National Solidarity Party (NSP) and are poised to stand as its candidates at the next polls.
The four include former government scholarship holders Tony Tan Lay Thiam and his wife Hazel Poa, both 41.
The couple, who run a chain of tuition centres, have been wooed by several other opposition parties since news broke last month of their resignation from the party led by Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam.
The other two former RP members who are likely to now contest under the NSP banner are Mr Jeisilan Sivalingam, 41, a productivity consultant in a multinational chemical company; and Ms Jeannette Aruldoss, 46, a lawyer.
The quartet are part of a group of some 20 people who quit the Reform Party late last month, citing difficulties in working with Mr Jeyaretnam, the party's secretary-general.
The NSP is set to unveil its slate of candidates this week but when contacted yesterday, Ms Poa declined to confirm if the former RP group has indeed joined the NSP.
An NSP source, however, confirmed that at least four of the RP group are in the party. He cited the NSP's 'open door policy' as a key factor in attracting them.
Said the source: 'We're willing to share this platform with anyone who is willing to work for public service. This is not a little kingdom belonging to any of us.'
The ex-Reform members look set to be thrown into early action for the NSP.
The Straits Times understands that the NSP has plans to field Mr Tan and Ms Poa in the four-member Moulmein-Kallang group representation constituency (GRC) - a strategic move to bolster its claims to contest there.
The NSP is now locked in a tussle with the Workers' Party (WP) for the right to contest in the newly created GRC, formed from parts of the former Jalan Besar GRC and the Tanjong Pagar GRC.
Two rounds of talks between opposition leaders last week failed to resolve the dispute.
The WP said it is keen on Moulmein-Kallang because of its proximity to the Aljunied GRC, where it contested in 2006 and won 43.9 per cent of valid votes. The NSP staked its claim based on its previous contest in Jalan Besar GRC in 2006.
The ex-Reform members' decision is also a coup for the NSP, which has been trying to assert itself as a big boy in the opposition after leaving the Singapore Democratic Alliance in January 2007.
Other parties including the WP, the Socialist Front and Mr Chiam See Tong's Singapore People's Party (SPP) were also reportedly courting the breakaway group.
The opposition veteran and his wife, Lina, were seen in talks with Mr Tan and Ms Poa at a cafe last Wednesday. Mr Chiam was said to be keen to team up with the couple to contest a GRC.
It is unclear how many of the breakaway Reform members, who had made a pact to stay together, have joined the NSP.
The group included five in RP's central executive committee: Mr James Teo, 51, treasurer; Mr Jeisilan, organising secretary; Mr Justin Ong, 25, youth wing chief; and members Ms Aruldoss and Mr Tan.
Others who have left since included freelance writer Samantha De Silva, 27; dentist Gan Theng Wei, 35; advertising executive Nicole Seah, 24; career counsellor Gilbert Goh, 48; assistant producer Praveen Velu, 31; freelance writer Adrianna Tan, 25; and chairman Tan Tee Seng, 52.
At least 4 expected to be on NSP slate, which will be unveiled this week
By Kor Kian Beng
Mr Tan and his wife Ms Poa (above) have been wooed by several opposition parties since news broke last month of their resignation from the RP. Ms Poa declined to confirm if the former RP group, which includes Mr Jeisilan, has indeed joined the NSP. Last Wednesday, Mr Tan and Ms Poa were seen meeting Mr Chiam, his wife Lina, and SPP member Alex Tan at a cafe. -- ST FILE PHOTOS
View more photos
AT LEAST four former members of the Reform Party (RP) have joined the opposition National Solidarity Party (NSP) and are poised to stand as its candidates at the next polls.
The four include former government scholarship holders Tony Tan Lay Thiam and his wife Hazel Poa, both 41.
The couple, who run a chain of tuition centres, have been wooed by several other opposition parties since news broke last month of their resignation from the party led by Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam.
The other two former RP members who are likely to now contest under the NSP banner are Mr Jeisilan Sivalingam, 41, a productivity consultant in a multinational chemical company; and Ms Jeannette Aruldoss, 46, a lawyer.
The quartet are part of a group of some 20 people who quit the Reform Party late last month, citing difficulties in working with Mr Jeyaretnam, the party's secretary-general.
The NSP is set to unveil its slate of candidates this week but when contacted yesterday, Ms Poa declined to confirm if the former RP group has indeed joined the NSP.
An NSP source, however, confirmed that at least four of the RP group are in the party. He cited the NSP's 'open door policy' as a key factor in attracting them.
Said the source: 'We're willing to share this platform with anyone who is willing to work for public service. This is not a little kingdom belonging to any of us.'
The ex-Reform members look set to be thrown into early action for the NSP.
The Straits Times understands that the NSP has plans to field Mr Tan and Ms Poa in the four-member Moulmein-Kallang group representation constituency (GRC) - a strategic move to bolster its claims to contest there.
The NSP is now locked in a tussle with the Workers' Party (WP) for the right to contest in the newly created GRC, formed from parts of the former Jalan Besar GRC and the Tanjong Pagar GRC.
Two rounds of talks between opposition leaders last week failed to resolve the dispute.
The WP said it is keen on Moulmein-Kallang because of its proximity to the Aljunied GRC, where it contested in 2006 and won 43.9 per cent of valid votes. The NSP staked its claim based on its previous contest in Jalan Besar GRC in 2006.
The ex-Reform members' decision is also a coup for the NSP, which has been trying to assert itself as a big boy in the opposition after leaving the Singapore Democratic Alliance in January 2007.
Other parties including the WP, the Socialist Front and Mr Chiam See Tong's Singapore People's Party (SPP) were also reportedly courting the breakaway group.
The opposition veteran and his wife, Lina, were seen in talks with Mr Tan and Ms Poa at a cafe last Wednesday. Mr Chiam was said to be keen to team up with the couple to contest a GRC.
It is unclear how many of the breakaway Reform members, who had made a pact to stay together, have joined the NSP.
The group included five in RP's central executive committee: Mr James Teo, 51, treasurer; Mr Jeisilan, organising secretary; Mr Justin Ong, 25, youth wing chief; and members Ms Aruldoss and Mr Tan.
Others who have left since included freelance writer Samantha De Silva, 27; dentist Gan Theng Wei, 35; advertising executive Nicole Seah, 24; career counsellor Gilbert Goh, 48; assistant producer Praveen Velu, 31; freelance writer Adrianna Tan, 25; and chairman Tan Tee Seng, 52.
