People’s Power Party withdraws from four-party opposition alliance, aims to contest in Tampines
The alliance’s secretary-general Lim Tean said the other parties were not agreeable to the PPP targeting Tampines as it could "potentially lead to a four-corner fight".
Secretary-general of the People's Power Party Goh Meng Seng speaking to the media in Tampines on Feb 23, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
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SINGAPORE: The People’s Power Party (PPP) has withdrawn from the People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR), a four-party alliance with the Peoples Voice (PV), the Reform Party (RP) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng announced on Saturday (Feb 22).
He also confirmed to reporters on Sunday that the PPP plans to contest in Tampines GRC.
Mr Goh said in a Facebook post that the decision was due to “irreconcilable strategic differences” ahead of the upcoming General Election.
“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,” he explained, adding that differences with other parties had started last year.
PV secretary-general Lim Tean said in a Facebook post on Sunday morning that the PPP had insisted on contesting Tampines GRC, to which PV, RP and DPP were not agreeable as it could "potentially lead to a four-corner fight".
"We also could not agree to PPP’s position on the COVID vaccine," Mr Lim added.
In May last year, the opposition party called for a suspension of COVID-19 vaccination, citing "studies and analyses by prominent medical experts". The "egregious and false claims" were rejected by the Ministry of Health.
Mr Goh said on Sunday he was “not anti-vaccine” but “pro-safe vax”.
He also spoke about the PPP's stance on the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) issues.
"We are pro-family, we are not against LGBTQ per se. We empathise with their difficulties (and) their struggles. However, we are against picking LGBTQ as a lifestyle."
A constitutional amendment to protect the definition of marriage against legal challenge was passed with a majority of 85 to two votes in Nov 2022.
Before the PPP was set up, Mr Goh was a Workers’ Party member who contested in Aljunied GRC in 2006. He then ran in Tampines under the National Solidarity Party in 2011.
In 2015, Mr Goh formed the PPP and contested in Chua Chu Kang GRC, followed by MacPherson SMC in 2020.
He told members of the media on Sunday that residents will be "willing to swing their votes" and "look at issues rather than party branding".
"No place is a good place for opposition, unless you want me to go to Aljunied or Sengkang. So the best option for us is in Tampines, although it is still a PAP stronghold."
