Progress Singapore Party (PSP) member Terence Soon on Monday (26 Apr) announced his resignation from the party, simultaneously stepping down from his position as head of the party’s Youth Wing.
In a letter to PSP’s new chief Francis Yuen on Monday, Mr Soon cited having received employment opportunities abroad as the reason behind his decision.
“I joined PSP to help make Singapore a better place, to create a better future for my daughter and her future generations.
“My duties and responsibilities as a husband and father, must always first and foremost, be to my family.
“I feel that I would have no choice but to resign from PSP in order to secure a brighter future for my very young family,” said Mr Soon.
Expressing his gratitude to PSP and its senior leadership for granting him the “opportunity of a lifetime” to contest in last year’s General Election (GE), Mr Soon said that he has had a “truly incredible time” serving Singapore through the party.
Mr Soon was part of the PSP team fielded in Tanjong Pagar GRC in the last GE.
The PSP team — comprising Mr Soon, Michael Chua, Harish Pillay, Wendy Low, and Abas Kasmani — lost to the People’s Action Party (PAP) team, with 36.87 per cent of the votes.
The PAP team — with two ministers, Chan Chun Sing and Indranee Rajah, as well as Joan Pereira, Alvin Tan Sheng Hui, and Eric Chua Swee Leong in the lineup — gained 63.13 per cent of the votes.
A total of 78,079 votes went to PAP while 45,609 went to PSP.
In the interim period, Mr Soon said that he will strive to create a smooth transition for the Youth Wing leadership, and will “work closely” with whoever is to succeed him in the Youth Wing head role.
“I have full confidence in whoever is to replace me. I am sure that he or she would be more than competent to bring PSP and the Youth Wing to ever greater heights,” he said.
Mr Soon said that his last day as a PSP member would be on 26 May, adding that his resignation letter was submitted in accordance with the 30 days’ advance notice requirement.
On Tuesday evening, Mr Soon posted a statement on his resignation noting that the matter was a private and confidential matter. At the same time, thanking the Singapore Airlines (SIA) for its support in his employment.
TOC note that Mr Soon clarified that he has not been contacted by the publication and we confirm that is the case. We have instead sought confirmation from the PSP Central Executive Committee. We were initially told that the information is being embargoed and then told that no announcement will be made of the resignation. At no point, was there indication to the publication that the information should not be published due to it being a private and confidential party matter.
As for the matter with SIA, it was after PSP CEC’s confirmation on Monday (26 Apr) that Mr Soon had resigned and with no indication that this matter was private, where we tried to seek verification from the company and was told a day later that they could not comment on HR matters
Edit: Sources in PSP have clarified that it is untrue that Mr Soon is no longer with SIA.
Edit 2: Inclusion of Mr Soon’s Facebook post and response on Tuesday.