The stakes in Singapore’s next General Election are high, Lawrence Wong, Deputy Secretary-General of the People’s Action Party cautioned, as Singapore risks losing a good and stable government. He pledged the party would refresh itself and work hard to win the mandate to govern and serve Singaporeans.
“Given the desire for more opposition voices, the bigger risk we face is the loss of a stable and good government… And it does not require a large swing in votes,” he said on Sunday.
“We will end up with a much weaker government, with far less ability to solve the problems facing our people and our country at a time when the world is becoming more uncertain and troubled.”
Mr Wong, who is also the Prime Minister and Finance Minister, was addressing some 3,000 PAP cadres, activists and guests at the PAP’s biennial conference held at the Singapore Expo Convention and Exhibition Centre. The conference coincided with the Party’s 70th anniversary.
He pointed to how the opposition has warned of a “wipe-out” in the 2020 General Election. But there is no chance of that happening at all. The opposition in Singapore, he added, is here to stay.
There have been opposition MPs in Parliament since 1981, and the Non-Constituency MP scheme guarantees at least 12 opposition MPs in the House, noted PM Wong, who is set to take over as PAP secretary-general.
The opposition themselves admit they are far from ready to form the government, he told the audience.
“They say that partly because they know that Singaporeans will not support them if they openly declare their intention to govern.”
“So, they are very quick to assure Singaporeans: ‘Don’t worry, you can vote for us, we only want to oppose, we don’t want to form the government,’” he added.
But if more voters are persuaded by this argument and vote for the opposition, they would soon become the government, Deputy Sec-Gen Wong cautioned.
This outcome does not need a large swing in votes, he added, noting that some group representation constituencies (GRCs) and single-member constituencies (SMCs) were closely contested at the last election.
A “modest swing” in popular votes against the PAP can lead to very different electoral outcomes, possibly the loss of another three or four GRCs, he said.
This could also mean losing four or five ministers, which make up a quarter of the Cabinet, said Mr Wong.
“The stakes in the next elections are high. Please don’t think it is guaranteed the PAP will win and form a stable government. We have to work hard for every vote.”
This is why the PAP must refresh and update its approach to engaging Singaporeans, he explained. As the political landscape has become more contested, the Party can no longer afford to stay in the background.
“We must come out in front – to explain our policies, to mobilise citizens for the causes that we believe in, to engage Singaporeans on the issues they care about, and show them why they can trust and depend on the PAP to provide the leadership for Singapore,” he said.
The Party has taken steps to refresh itself. They include the formation of two new groups focused on climate action and mental health. Additionally, the Party launched a new PAP app at the conference to engage members and expand its network.
PM Wong’s priority is forming the best team for Singapore
The PAP won the mandate in the last 15 elections because each time, the party delivered on its promises, convincing Singaporeans that it fielded the best team, said the prime minister. Therefore, his priority is forming the best team for Singapore.
He shared that he has been spending a lot of time engaging potential candidates. More than half of the current 19 ministers is aged 60 and above, while he, at 52, is one of the youngest, he noted.
“I value the older ministers in the team,” he said. “However, can I wait until they retire before bringing in new blood? Surely not. I must start now to renew the team.”
Bringing in new candidates now is vital, so that they are given time to learn before taking on ministerial responsibilities.
This is why it is “so urgent” to find a fresh crop of younger candidates who can eventually form the next leadership team for Singapore, he added.
Deputy Sec-Gen Wong said he has made progress in recruiting potential office-holders but hoped to persuade a few more candidates to join the team. He called on party activists to support the candidates and persuade fellow Singaporeans to vote for them in the next GE.
“We cannot afford to leave this to chance,” he said. “Our future and our nation’s future depend critically on our ability to find good people to serve in politics.”
PM Wong calls on Singaporeans to remain united in ‘a far more dangerous world’
In his speech, Deputy Sec-Gen Wong also laid out the challenges in the global situation that Singapore would have to navigate as it embarked on its next phase. He called on Singaporeans to remain united in a far more dangerous world that is in flux, with more conflict and instability on the horizon.
“Then we can speak with one voice on the world stage. And we will be valued as a safe and secure, stable and reliable nation, even in a troubled and uncertain world.”
Noting that Singapore’s reputation and international standing is high, Mr Wong said: “What makes Singapore so exceptional? It’s because when we speak, others know that it is a Singaporean point of view, coherently articulated by the Government and supported by Singaporeans.”
“They know we mean business, and we do not waver.”
PAP and the govt will do all they can to help S’poreans cope with higher costs of living
On tackling Singaporeans’ immediate concerns like rising costs of living, Mr Wong said that opposition parties have tried to “exploit” frustrations over this issue to turn sentiments against the PAP – even though the Opposition themselves “do not have good solutions”.
“We hope Singaporeans understand that these are global inflation trends. They impact all countries. But here in Singapore, the government is doing its best to shield you, to shield all of us from the worst effects of global inflation,” he added, noting that major packages have been rolled out over the last few years.
“As a government and a party, we are doing all that we can. And we can truly say that, hand on heart, we are doing all that we can to help Singaporeans cope with higher costs of living.”
PAP elects its 38th CEC that would lead it into the next GE
At the biennial conference, party cadres elected its 38th Central Executive Committee (CEC), with Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat joining the party’s top decision-making body for the first time after being co-opted.
The 12 members re-elected to the CEC were: Mr Wong, Mr Lee, DPM Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan. Other than Mr Chee, Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng was also co-opted.
As the Sec-Gen of PAP, Mr Wong pledged to renew and strengthen the Party.
“We will fight to win the hearts and minds of our fellow citizens and earn their support and trust through our actions. For we are the People’s Action Party. We will always be a People’s Party; a Party of Action; a Party that builds a better Singapore, with Singaporeans, for all Singaporeans.”
