Senior Advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office Teo Chee Hean emphasised that Singapore must remain nimble, principled, attractive and united as it navigates today’s changing global landscape.
“For us, the key thing is to remain united and cohesive,” he said at the People’s Action Party Policy Forum (PPF) Insights on Nov 16. He added that there are always pressures that threaten to divide society, and small countries like Singapore must be especially vigilant about maintaining social cohesion.
Addressing more than 240 activists, including current and retired Members of Parliament, Mr Teo explained how the world is more uncertain and troubled today, with global conflicts in several parts of the world and the political centre breaking down in many countries. Such global developments affect Singapore and its path forward.
During this period of uncertainty, Mr Teo emphasised the importance of remaining nimble, “organising ourselves in a way in which we can steer very quickly” – leveraging the advantages of being small while staying true to our fundamentals.
This was why it was important to “understand our values and fundamentals and not discard them”, Mr Teo added, referencing Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s comments about making bold changes. “But we must be prepared to be nimble and change, especially in response to the new economic situation and new technologies.”
Mr Teo also highlighted the need to remain principled. This meant not choosing sides but adhering to “principles which are important to us as a small country and that have served us well”.
“Whichever country abides by those same principles, we will [work closely with] them. If actions taken go against these principles, we will state our position clearly,” he explained.
Singapore must remain attractive yet strong: Teo Chee Hean
Singapore must remain attractive yet strong, serving as a trusted global hub, Mr Teo stressed.
“We need to maintain our value so that other countries will be willing to work with us. We need to be strong so that we can secure and protect what belongs to us and hold our ground when challenged.”
PAP ensures groups with different interests have a voice in Parliament: Teo Chee Hean
During the question-and-answer session, Mr Teo addressed how Singapore can preserve common ground across communities and generations, when divisive issues like inequality, immigration, and global conflicts, have eroded the political centre in other countries.
In his response, Mr Teo highlighted that the PAP occupies the middle ground while ensuring that its MPs have a wide range of interests and can speak for different groups. The Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) scheme is another way for such voices to be heard.
“We have as broad a house as possible in the middle. We want to serve as many people as possible, bring the most benefit to the greatest number of people as possible,” he explained.
Mr Teo also stressed that Singapore must continue to be careful about identity-based politics. Mr Teo said, “…how we structure our politics is very important. The GRC system makes it very difficult for a party that campaigns on a single race or religion issue.”
Mr Teo summed it up this way – “By being clear about our principles and looking after everyone, we have a better way of moving forward together.”
