Political comeback? Ex-WP MP Leon Perera spotted at PSP HQ after General Election date announced

Former Workers' Party (WP) Member of Parliament Leon Perera was seen with key members of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), just hours after the date of the general election was announced on Tuesday (April 15).

The 54-year-old was at the opposition party's headquarters in Bukit Timah Shopping Centre.

Lianhe Zaobao reported that several PSP members, including party chairman Dr Tan Cheng Bock and vice-chairperson Hazel Poa, were there to discuss about candidate lineups and strategies ahead of the coming election. Singapore will head to the polls on May 3.

While Perera did not comment to reporters outside PSP HQ, the party's secretary-general Leong Mun Wai said that his party's slate of candidates will be coming in the coming days.

Since early 2024, speculation has been rife that Perera would be fielded as a PSP election candidate after he was seen at several of the opposition party's events. He was also spotted at the party's National Day dinner in August 2024.

PSP previously said that he was assisting the party and was not a member.

On Jan 28, Perera announced that he will be based in New York City for work, a move that seemingly made it unlikely he will be contesting in the election.

But even then, he has frequently made several PSP-related social media posts — most recently on Tuesday when he praised the party for "putting forward sensible ideas for policy formation and holding the government to account".

"Imagine what could be done with fully elected PSP MPs and more PSP representatives in Parliament," he added.

PSP declined to comment on its relationship with Perera, and whether he will be fielded as a candidate. 

AsiaOne has reached out to Perera for comment. 

Perera first contested in the 2015 General Election with WP. He was a Non-Constituency MP for one term before becoming an elected MP of Aljunied GRC in 2020.

He resigned from WP in July 2023 after admitting to an extramarital affair with fellow party member Nicole Seah.

chingshijie@asiaone.com

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