Hazel Poa

Hazel Poa Koon Koon (Chinese: 潘群勤; pinyin: Pān Qúnqín; born 27 August 1970) is a Singaporean politician from the Progress Singapore Party (PSP). She has been a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) in Singapore’s 14th Parliament since 2020. In February 2024, she was elected Secretary-General of PSP, succeeding Leong Mun Wai.

Previously, Poa was the Vice-Chairman of PSP from 2023 to 2024 and had earlier held leadership roles in other opposition parties, including the National Solidarity Party (NSP).

Education and Early Career Poa was awarded a Public Service Commission (PSC) scholarship and studied mathematics at the University of Cambridge, graduating with first-class honors in 1992. During her time at Cambridge, she met her future husband, Tony Tan Lay Thiam, who was also a PSC scholar.

After completing her degree, Poa returned to Singapore to serve in the civil service. She was appointed to the Administrative Service and worked at the Prime Minister’s Office, handling civil service personnel policies. She later moved to the Ministry of Finance, where she served as an Assistant Director overseeing indirect taxation.

After four years in the public sector, Poa transitioned to the finance industry. She worked as an investment analyst for an insurance company before taking on an assistant fund manager role. She eventually left the industry to start her own business, managing a private school and a network of education centers in Singapore and Indonesia alongside her husband.

Political Career Early Involvement in Politics Poa kicked off her political debut in 2009 when she and her husband joined the Reform Party (RP). However, in early 2011, they left the party due to differences with its leadership. Shortly after, they joined the National Solidarity Party (NSP).

2011 General Election and NSP Leadership In the 2011 general election, Poa contested Chua Chu Kang GRC as part of the NSP team alongside Sebastian Teo, Tony Tan, Nor Lella Mariah, and Mohamed Jeisilan Sivalingam. The team secured 38.8% of the vote, losing to the People’s Action Party (PAP).

Following the election, Poa was elected Secretary-General of NSP in June 2011, becoming the first woman to hold the position. However, she stepped down in September 2013 for health reasons but briefly returned as Acting Secretary-General in 2015.

Departure from NSP and Joining PSP In August 2015, Poa left NSP after a disagreement over the party’s decision to contest in MacPherson SMC, despite the Workers’ Party (WP) already planning to run there. She later assisted the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) in their campaign but did not officially join it.

In 2019, Poa became one of the founding members of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), formed by Tan Cheng Bock.

2020 General Election and NCMP Role During the 2020 general election, Poa was part of the PSP team contesting West Coast GRC alongside Tan Cheng Bock, Leong Mun Wai, Nadarajah Loganathan, and Jeffrey Khoo. The team lost narrowly to the PAP, securing 48.31% of the vote.

PSP was awarded two Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seats as the best-performing opposition team outside WP. Poa and Leong Mun Wai were selected to take up these seats, and they officially assumed their roles on 16 July 2020.

Leadership in PSP In July 2020, Poa stepped down as Vice-Chairman of PSP to focus on her NCMP duties but was re-elected to the position in 2023. In February 2024, she was elected as the Secretary-General of PSP, taking over from Leong Mun Wai.

Political Positions and Advocacy As an NCMP, Poa has been an active voice in Parliament, advocating for reforms in social welfare, public finance, and electoral policies.

CPF Reforms: In September 2020, Poa proposed allowing unemployed Central Provident Fund (CPF) members to temporarily withdraw funds to support themselves during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. She also called for CPF Life payouts to be indexed to inflation. Parental Leave Policy: In April 2022, she pushed the government to introduce a more equitable parental leave system, advocating for equal leave for fathers and mothers. Public Housing: In February 2023, Poa proposed allowing single Singaporeans aged 28 and above to purchase three-room HDB flats, arguing for greater housing accessibility. Corruption Investigation: Poa has raised several parliamentary questions regarding the investigation and prosecution of former Transport Minister S. Iswaran. In September 2023, she moved a motion to suspend Iswaran’s parliamentary duties and prevent him from receiving an MP allowance while under investigation. Electoral Reforms: In July 2023, Poa proposed a Private Member’s Bill to abolish Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs), advocating for a return to single-member constituencies. In August 2024, she proposed another electoral reform bill, calling for greater transparency in electoral boundary changes. The motion was defeated 10–76 but received support from WP MPs. Personal Life Poa is married to Tony Tan Lay Thiam, a fellow politician and business partner. The couple has two adopted sons.