[HANOI] Much is at stake in the upcoming general election (GE) as Singapore will need to be strong and united in order to thrive and navigate a very challenging global environment, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday (Mar 26).
“It is not about the PAP (People’s Action Party) needing a strong mandate, but Singaporeans recognising that much is at stake in this new environment,” he said in an interview with Singapore media at the end of his two-day introductory visit to Vietnam’s capital.
His remarks come two weeks after the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee’s report – a sign that the GE is likely just a few months away.
When asked about the specific timing of the polls, PM Wong would only say: “The elections will come when they come.”
He said he feels the weight of responsibility – not just as prime minister, but as secretary-general of the PAP as he leads it into an election with Singapore needing to navigate the new environment for “our continued survival and our continued success”.
Addressing a question on the composition of his team, PM Wong reiterated that he has been “making a great effort” to renew both the leadership team and party over the last one to two years.
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This was even while he could have decided to do less on the renewal front and largely contest with the present team, he said.
“But if there is no renewal, I think we will feel the effects of it. Not immediately, not even for the next five years. But certainly in the next 10, 15 years, we will feel the effects,” said PM Wong. “And in the end, if that were to happen, it is not just the PAP, but Singapore and Singaporeans that will pay the price.”
PM Wong noted that “some public servants” have indicated they are prepared to “answer the call” to serve.
But in this renewal effort, the party has continued to recruit from all sectors, including academia and the private sector – though the latter remains difficult.
For someone who is very successful in the private sector, with the potential to move into a senior leadership position at a multinational corporation or large local company, for example, “the sacrifice is much greater”, he said.
Faces are “popping up on the ground”, he noted. But the party typically starts with a number of potential candidates, some of whom the PAP may decide are “not ready this round”, while others may decide to leave themselves.
“And then we eventually pin down the final slate of candidates, and that process is ongoing,” said the prime minister.
