Nicole Seah quits NSP, to 'move on'

SINGAPORE - Opposition figure Nicole Seah has resigned from the National Solidarity Party (NSP), a decision which she said was "extremely difficult and painful to make".

"There was nothing which might have happened to trigger this departure," she said in an e-mail statement yesterday.

"I started in politics as a fresh graduate wanting to make a difference, by bringing more political awareness and interest to young people," said the 28-year-old, who tendered her resignation on Monday.

"It's reached a point where I feel that my job is done (for now) and I have to move on and grow in other areas, before I can continue to give back to the communities I choose to place myself in."

Ms Seah was part of the five-man NSP team which contested in Marine Parade GRC at the 2011 General Election. She became the party's second assistant secretary-general last year.

Since March, she has been based in Thailand, working at advertising firm IPG Mediabrands' Bangkok office.

NSP secretary-general Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss said the party respected her decision.

"She has been away for some months, and has been quite quiet in that sense. We've been giving her the space to do her own thing," said Mrs Chong-Aruldoss. "We will miss her as a colleague."

Ms Seah has left the door open for a return to politics. She said: "This is not a complete departure from politics, as I continue to keep tabs on what is happening back home. I will just need to find a more suitable platform to contribute and give back."

waltsim@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Aug 30, 2014.
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