The Progress Singapore Party (PSP), led by former presidential runner-up Tan Cheng Bock, has expelled its member Daniel Teo Weilong, a PSP spokesperson confirmed with Mothership.

Teo, 36, was a member of the PSP's communications team, a youth wing member and was seen on walkabouts in the Choa Chu Kang Group Representation Constituency.

Expelled after confessing about involvement in defamatory video

According to a Telegram message seen by Mothership, Teo has "confessed" to Tan that he was behind circulating a video which alleged PSP has been "infiltrated by foreign proxies".

In the video, a hacker from hacktivist group Anonymous then proceeded to read out the names of a few PSP members, accusing them as the "bad apples" in the party who have been working with Singapore People's Party (SPP) chairman Jose Raymond and historian PJ Thum.

Teo has "offered to resign" from the party but the PSP's central executive committee (CEC) has "decided unanimously" to expel Teo with "immediate effect", according to the message signed off by Tan.

In response to Mothership's query, the PSP spokesperson said that the party was informed by Teo about his involvement in the production of the video and the decision to expel Teo was made after "the completion of internal investigations".

"We are unable to comment any further on the matter until investigations are completed," the spokesperson added.

Police reports made against Teo

Some of those named in the video produced by Teo have made reports to the police.

They included Raymond, who is likely to contest in the Potong Pasir single member constituency (SMC), and PSP members Ravi Philemon and Kumaran Pillai.

Raymond's lawyer, Eugene Thuraisingam told Mothership that they "will be sending the video maker a demand to admit that the statements are made false, to apologise for his actions, to undertake not to repeat them and to pay damages".

Raymond has also informed the Election Department about the incident.

In a Facebook post on Saturday morning, Philemon categorically denied the allegations.

"I know the person who made the video and intend to pursue this matter legally to the fullest extent of the law to clear my name," Philemon said.

He added that he expressed is fullest confidence in Tan and the PSP.

Pillai categorically denied the allegations, as they are "baseless, without merit and false".

Pillai hoped the party and the police can get to the bottom of the issue.

He also questioned whether Teo was working alone or with others within or outside the PSP.

Pillai emphasised that politics in Singapore should remain the exclusive domain of Singaporeans.

Speaking to Todayonline, Teo said that he made the video "in good interest of the party" but recognised that his actions have "backfired".

Teo made a statement with the police on April 29, according to the report.

When approached by Mothership on May 2 after the news of his expulsion was known, Teo declined to comment due to police investigations.

Tan: No tolerance to any action that hurts party's credibility

The Telegram message sent by PSP's secretary-general said that the decisive action to expel Teo is to prevent any rumour or speculation that may be "detrimental to the party's reputation".

Teo's action is a "very serious breach of party discipline and potential breach of the law", Tan said.

"Any action that hurts the party's credibility cannot and will not be tolerated," Tan concluded the message in the internal members broadcast to over 500 subscribers.

The expulsion of Teo came few weeks after a recent expulsion of its ex-member Jan Chan who was involved in an offensive post put up by the NUS Atheist Society Facebook page in March.

Top photo via PSP/Facebook (Left) and by Rachel Ng (Right)