The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has issued a formal statement on 29 August 2025 expressing disappointment with the lack of public transparency following the conclusion of an eight-month police investigation into a harassment incident involving its members during a walkabout at Bukit Gombak.
According to the statement, four PSP members and volunteers who had been involved in the incident were informed via telephone by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) that no charges would be filed.
The case included allegations from both sides — accusations of harassment by PSP members and volunteers, and counter-claims of assault and misconduct by People’s Action Party (PAP) volunteers.
The PSP acknowledged the outcome, thanking the SPF and the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) for their efforts.
However, the party criticised the authorities for choosing not to release a public report or explain the reasons behind their decision.
“A full report by the SPF, one of the most trusted institutions in Singapore, would have allowed the whole truth to become public,” PSP said in its statement.
The incident traces back to 4 January 2025, during a PSP outreach walkabout in Goodview Gardens, Bukit Gombak — part of Chua Chu Kang GRC —ahead of the General Election 2025.
PSP member S Nallakaruppan, a former general election candidate, described in a Facebook post that individuals believed to be PAP supporters had shadowed the PSP team throughout the engagement.
According to him, these individuals claimed the area was “their territory,” followed PSP members from block to block, and distributed flyers to residents the PSP team had already approached.
Nallakaruppan further alleged that the individuals took photographs and videos of PSP volunteers during their debrief at Block 386 and even followed them to the car park, possibly photographing vehicles.
He characterised the conduct as “unprofessional” and warned that such actions could amount to harassment. The following day, PSP volunteer Stella Stan Lee, who was present, filed a formal police report alleging that she had been harassed and intimidated during the walkabout.
She claimed she was followed and filmed at close range by individuals identified by their clothing — a man in black, a man in yellow, and a woman in white — who also took photographs of vehicle number plates.
She described the encounter as an invasion of privacy and called for stronger safeguards for female volunteers and political activists.
In the days that followed, the situation escalated into a public political dispute.
On 8 January 2025, PAP Member of Parliament Low Yen Ling responded to the incident in a Facebook post, alleging that a PAP volunteer had been slapped twice by a PSP member—once in a lift and again in a corridor—during the 4 January walkabout.
She further claimed that another PAP volunteer was physically grabbed by the shirt while filming the encounter.
Low asserted that PSP had misrepresented the incident and stated that some female PAP volunteers were later doxxed after photographs were posted online. While the PAP team had initially chosen not to file a police report, Low expressed hope for a full investigation and called for the “whole truth” to be made public.
The next day, PAP volunteer Azman Ibrahim identified himself as the alleged victim and released video footage claiming to support the allegation.
However, the footage was heavily edited and did not capture the alleged slapping. Critics pointed out that the videos lacked continuity and context.
In response, the PSP released unedited footage that it said showed Azman persistently filming and provoking their volunteers.
PSP leaders, including then-party chairman Dr Tan Cheng Bock and vice-chair Hazel Poa, firmly rejected the accusations.
In statements issued on 10 January, they defended their volunteers and called on PAP representatives to release full evidence if available.
Dr Tan emphasised the need for mutual respect in political engagement, stating, “I don’t like people to shout and fight with each other.”
Hazel Poa, who spoke on the matter during the General Election 2025 campaign, repeatedly urged for transparency.
At a rally on 1 May, she highlighted the fact that the police had concluded their investigations well before polling day but had not made any findings public. She described the delay as concerning, especially with unproven allegations still lingering against PSP members.
PSP’s latest statement reiterates these concerns, noting that closing the case without a public report “leaves many unanswered questions.”
The party questioned whether its volunteers had engaged in violence, and whether PAP volunteers had harassed and intimidated their members.
“A cloud is left hanging over all of the individuals involved if such questions are not fully dealt with,” PSP stated. “Unnecessary doubts are also cast on their reputations.”
The party also warned that the lack of closure may have broader implications for civic participation, suggesting that the incident could create a chilling effect on Singaporeans who wish to support the Opposition.
Although the case is now officially closed, the PSP expressed hope that such incidents do not recur in Singapore’s political landscape.
The party called for respectful and harassment-free political discourse, adding, “There is no room for political intimidation in Singapore.”
PSP confirmed that it would not pursue the matter further, citing the need to focus on national issues in a “more fragmented and changed world.”
The party concluded by expressing gratitude to its volunteers, affirming its continued support for Singaporeans who choose to engage in opposition politics.
In a personal statement dated 27 August 2025, PSP volunteer Stella Stan Lee confirmed that she had received a final update from the Singapore Police Force regarding the 4 January incident.
She was informed that the case would not proceed further, as it did not meet the threshold for a criminal matter. The police, she noted, did not dispute her account of the events.
Reflecting on the eight-month duration of the investigation, Stella described the process as a “slow and heavy burden” for an ordinary citizen. “It should not take eight months to reinforce such a basic value — that we must treat one another with civility,” she wrote.
Stella stressed that the incident raised broader concerns about harassment in public spaces, especially involving women.
“If any woman found herself in an HDB corridor or lift, being followed and filmed at close range without consent by two men, we would all understand the outrage,” she said, warning against allowing such conduct to be normalised.
She concluded by highlighting the impact of such experiences on civic participation. “Our national discourse should be driven by ideas — not sustained by intimidation,” she stated.
“The future of this country depends on ordinary people who are willing to stand up, speak up, and serve for purpose.”
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