SINGAPORE - Her "creative approach to truth" is why independent candidate for the Radin Mas single-member constituency Han Hui Hui was not fielded under the Reform Party's banner at the Sept 11 polls, said its party chief Kenneth Jeyaretnam.

He issued a statement on the party's Facebook page on Friday afternoon refuting Ms Han's rally speech on Thursday night that the RP's candidate for Radin Mas SMC, Mr Kumar Appavoo, had lacked assenters on Nomination Day on Tuesday.

Ms Han said: "If they didn't come what will happen? There won't be three corner fight. If I don't stand for election here what will happen? There won't be any fight at all, Sam Tan will just walkover."

Mr Jeyaretnam said her statement "was wholly fabricated from start to finish". He also said she was a "Socialist Front sponsored candidate" who tried to cast doubts on RP.

Socialist Front chairman Ng Teck Siong, a former RP chairman, spoke at Ms Han's Thursday rally and said Ms Han would join his party if she gets elected.

In his statement, Mr Jeyaretnam said Mr Kumar's paperwork on Nomination Day was in order and that he had arrived before 11am.

"There were two returning officers seated at the counters. Ms Han went to one and was observed by our candidate to be taking a very long time to put in her paperwork.

"This may well be because she was assisted by Socialist Front Chairman Mr Ng Teck Siong, who notoriously failed to get his nomination papers in on time for Tanjong Pagar in GE 2011... It is ironic that this team is now fabricating a story in order to take credit for preventing a hypothetical walkover in Radin Mas," said Mr Jeyaretnam.

Mr Ng had been a close ally of the late J B Jeyaretnam - the current RP secretary-general's father - and both had founded RP together in July 2008 shortly before the elder Jeyaretnam died. Mr Ng, who was the RP chairman, left the party seven months later.

Ms Han, a blogger, is known for organising "Return Our CPF" protests at the Hong Lim Park. Three other activists who are also regulars at the Speakers' Corner - lawyer M Ravi, blogger Roy Ngerng and career counsellor Gilbert Goh - are all standing as RP candidates for Ang Mo Kio GRC.

Mr Jeyaretnam said the RP believes Ms Han to be a brave young woman, and he has been very supportive of her.

"However, while her bravery, her age and how much she weighs and her need for funds is not in doubt, it was her creative approach to the truth that was a prominent factor in our decision not to field her," he added.

kxinghui@sph.com.sg