An 82-year-old lawyer who became the first opposition parliamentarian in Singapore 27 years ago has signalled his intention to again challenge the city-state's leaders by forming a new party.
J.B. Jeyaretnam, who told Reuters on Thursday he had officially applied to register "The Reform Party", has been sued several times for defamation by top officials of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).
Jeyaretnam was declared bankrupt in 2001 after failing to pay S$265,000 ($196,300) in defamation damages to plaintiffs that included then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. He was discharged from bankruptcy in May last year.
Jeyaretnam was barred from contesting elections while he was bankrupt.
Human-rights groups such as Amnesty International say the use of these lawsuits are designed to stifle dissent. The PAP says the lawsuits are necessary to protect their reputations.
The process of confirming the party may take two months, an official said.
The ruling PAP has dominated parliament since independence in 1965. It won 82 of 84 seats in May 2006 elections and has never lost more than four seats in any election. The next election is due by 2011.
Singapore's three main opposition parties hold little power and often complain of poor access to mainstream media.
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