Progress Singapore Party vice-chairman Michelle Lee resigns from party 2 months after taking up post

SINGAPORE — Progress Singapore Party (PSP) vice-chairman Michelle Lee has resigned from the fledgling party, both Ms Lee and the PSP said in separate statements on Thursday (March 5). Both rejected rumours she had left over internal disagreements.

Ms Lee, 43, quit just two months after taking up the post at PSP, which is headed by veteran politician Dr Tan Cheng Bock. The party was launched in August last year.

Both the PSP and Ms Lee, 43, said she had resigned from the party to spend more time with her family.

“We understand that there have been rumours going around on Michelle’s departure, in particular, that she was asked to leave and there were disagreements on the appointment of the new CEC (Central Executive Committee) members,” the PSP said in its media statement.

“The PSP and Michelle would like to clarify that these rumours are false and that all official information regarding the party will be through the party's official online channels.”

When contacted by TODAY, Ms Lee concurred with the party’s statement.

She said that her involvement with the party over the past year had “taken quite a lot of time away from other things that I do, so my family has been asking me to spend more time with them”.

Ms Lee said that she had been heavily involved with the party since the get-go, and had worked hard on the communications team, as well as organising walkabouts in the West. She added that as she was leaving politics, she would focus more on her work as a private teacher counselling primary and secondary school children.

When asked why her departure had come so abruptly — two months after taking up the post and perhaps only months from the upcoming General Election due by April next year — Ms Lee said that being a candidate at the elections was never a priority.

“I believe PSP can be a valuable addition to the Singapore political landscape,” she said. “My work has always been for the party, rather than for me as a candidate.”

She added that she left the party knowing that it was “in good hands” and that the newer members will be able to “take it forward”.

In its statement, the party added that Ms Lee continues to “maintain a cordial relationship” with its party members, including its founder and secretary-general Dr Tan.

“The PSP is grateful for Michelle’s contributions and wish her and her family all the best for the future.”

Ms Lee said: “The relations (with the party members) are good, there are many people that I’ve met in the past year who are passionate and there to help the party, and I have nothing but best wishes for the party.”

A PSP spokesperson told TODAY that there were no plans yet to fill the vacant position.

Ms Lee was formerly a member of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), and had been an SDP candidate for the Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency during the 2011 General Election.

She was one of the founding members of the PSP, and had “played an important role in establishing the party during its humble beginnings”, the party said.

In January this year, Ms Lee replaced then-vice-chairman K S Singam, 82, who had stepped down from the role for health reasons but remained on the CEC.