In an advertisement under "Notices" page C26 of the Classified section of the Straits Times (Friday 5 July 2002), Singapore's largest Malay-based opposition party Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura (PKMS) announced the removal of its Secretary General Rahizan bin Yacob from its business group.
The PKMS Executive Council stated that Mr Rahizan and another party member Mr Mohd Aziz bin Ibrahim were "no longer employed by the company or any of its subsidiaries and associates".
As Singapore's sole political party with business interests, PKMS is self-sustaining and resource-rich both in terms of financial and manpower capital.
45-year old Rahizan joined PKMS in 1984 and was elected into the Central Executive Committee the following year as Head of Information in PKMS Youth. In 1998, he was succesfully elected as Secretary-General of PKMS.
A key broker in the formation of the Singapore Democratic Alliance(SDA) in 2001, he was also elected as SDA Secretary General. Rahizan contested his maiden election in Jalan Besar GRC and lead the SDA team to poll 25.5% of valid votes.
It is unclear whether his removal from the PKMS business group means his resignation or termination as Secretary General of the party. If so, it will also mean the end of his tenure as SDA Secretary General. SDA has already lost its Treasurer in Christopher Neo Ting Wei when he resigned from the National Solidarity Party(NSP), another component party of SDA, last month.
PKMS, so far, has not issued any press release or called for any press conference on the matter.
