'I still live in the past of values': Goh Meng Seng says he 'bears full responsibility' for GE2025 loss, blames 'old-fashioned ways'

Shortly after the People's Power Party (PPP) announced its leadership transition plan on Jul. 6, former secretary-general Goh Meng Seng penned a Facebook post reflecting on the party's failure during the 2025 General Election.

He said he "bears the full responsibility" of the PPP's showing, and blamed his "attachment to long-held 'Old-Fashioned Values'".

"As Derrick has put it, I have become relatively 'Old-Fashioned' in today's era...

Upon deep reflection, I have put too much trust in others to hold on to such Old-Fashioned Values which have molded my political perspectives in my whole life."

The party had a lacklustre showing in GE2025, winning 11 per cent of the vote in a three-cornered fight in Ang Mo Kio, and 0.43 per cent in a four-cornered fight in Tampines.

Leadership renewal

The party had announced that upon completion of its Central Executive Committee (CEC) renewal plan, both Goh and former chairman Derrick Sim had decided to step down from their posts and from the CEC.

William Lim Lian Chin, one of the PPP's candidates for Ang Mo Kio in GE2025, was elected its new secretary-general.

In his Facebook post, Goh said that he and Sim had allowed the party to "reorganise and determine its new leadership and direction before we officially stepped down".

He added that he would give his full support to the party and its new leadership, while also continuing with his political activism through educational social media posts.

"This is despite the fact that we know most Singaporeans don't really bother about policies or political ideas when they vote."

Walkover anger

In reflecting about his loss, Goh pointed to two specific "failures" on his part.

On the first "failure", he reiterated a stance that he had first floated during GE2025, when the Workers' Party (WP) announced that it would field a team in Tampines GRC instead of Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.

This led to an unexpected walkover for the People's Action Party (PAP), a result Goh condemned.

He also called the WP a "last-minute spoiler party".

In his Jul. 7 post, Goh once again alluded to the event, saying that he had failed in his keeping to his "long-held First Principles of Opposition Politics".

"I am still too old-fashioned [and thought] that All Opposition will do anything and everything to deny PAP having a breezy WALKOVER," he wrote.

'Old-Fashioned Thinking'

He also criticised Singapore voters, whom he claimed value "emotional and visual appeals" more than "the true hearts of old-fashioned values".

"My second Failure... [was] to believe Singaporeans value Truth, Accountability and Values of a Conservative Society," he said.

"Singapore voters have transformed but I still [live] in the past of values...

For the better or the worse, I really hope such paradigm shift of the societal trend will work well for Singapore's Future."

He added that he still "quite stubbornly" holds true to these "Old Fashioned Values", but acknowledged that he is no longer a good fit for modern voters.

Goh nonetheless said he would continue to provide "Political Education on policy matters" on social media, alongside Sim.

"This will not be the end of my political activism... We just choose to do what we think is important for a better political development for Singapore," he wrote.