MacPherson SMC set for three-cornered fight after NSP U-turn
Members of the National Solidarity Party on a walkabout at Tampines GRC. TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — After announcing it would not contest in MacPherson single member constituency (SMC) in the interest of avoiding a three-way fight in the ward, the National Solidarity Party (NSP) has changed its mind, setting up a clash with the Workers’ Party (WP) and incumbent People’s Action Party.
As such, the party will lose its acting secretary-general Hazel Poa, who in a statement today (Aug 19) announced her resignation, saying the decision was one she “strongly disagreed with”.
“As the direction that the party has decided to pursue deviates greatly from my own, I see no choice other than to resign from the NSP,” said Ms Poa, adding “I will therefore not be contesting in the coming GE”. She also revealed that the NSP plans to field Mr Steve Chia in MacPherson.
In a statement to the media today issued by the NSP’s central executive committee (CEC), the party said it changed its stand to “keep faith with our supporters”.
“In recent weeks, NSP leaders have been receiving feedback and pledges of support from many residents in Marine Parade and Macpherson,” the party said, noting it had received about 43 per cent of the votes when it contested in Marine Parade GRC in the 2011 General Election (GE). MacPherson was carved out from Marine Parade GRC by the electoral boundaries review committee when it released its report last month.
Last week, the NSP said it would not contest in Marine Parade GRC and MacPherson, averting a fight with WP for opposition votes. Ms Poa had said then that the NSP was looking at the “bigger picture” and a three-cornered fight would make it less likely for an opposition party to win.
In its statement today, the party said its CEC has “deliberated on this at length”. “We have decided to give up contesting in Marine Parade on the merit that Joo Chiat has previously been contested by WP,” the party said today. “As for MacPherson, the CEC strongly supports the decision to proceed with contesting in the SMC where considerable outreach has been done prior to the 2011 General Election.”
The party also said this decision is “final”. “(It) reflects our view that maintaining Opposition unity requires mutual respect and a spirit of compromise on the part of all parties,” it added.
The party also reiterated that it had reached out to WP after talks to resolve conflicting election plans between opposition parties failed to yield a compromise between WP and NSP over Marine Parade GRC and MacPherson. WP, which did not attend the second round of talks, did not respond to NSP. Ms Poa, in her statement, noted that unlike other political parties, NSP is led by its president — currently Mr Sebastian Teo — and not its secretary-general. “The sec-gen plays the role of media spokesperson for the party,” she said. “Whilst I disagree with the decision that has been taken, I respect the right of the CEC as the decision making body of the party to make that call.”
Adding that she wished the party well, Ms Poa, who was part of the NSP team fielded in Chua Chu Kang GRC in 2011, also thanked her supporters. “I apologise to all whom I have disappointed. My own disappointment is no less. For me, the coming months will be a time for reflection.”
Including MacPherson, the NSP is set to battle for 12 seats in the coming GE. The other constituencies are Sembawang GRC (five seats), Tampines GRC (five seats) and Pioneer SMC.
Mr Chia, a member of NSP’s CEC, contested in Pioneer in the 2011 GE. He also served as Non-Constituency Member of Parliament from 2002 to 2006, after contesting in the 2001 GE as a member of the Singapore Democratic Alliance in the then-Chua Chu Kang SMC.
