Election is about Singaporeans recognising much is at stake in this new environment: PM Wong
PM Lawrence Wong said a strong and united Singapore is needed to survive a challenging global environment.
PHOTO: Lianhe Zaobao
PUBLISHED ONMarch 27, 2025 12:38 AMByAlyssa Woo
HANOI – The upcoming general election is not just about the PAP needing a strong mandate, but Singaporeans recognising that much is at stake for the country in this new environment, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on March 26.
“In order to survive, in order to thrive, in order for us to navigate a very challenging global environment, we will need a strong and united Singapore,” he said. “So there is much at stake in the elections.”
“And when the elections come, I will present my case for the PAP, for me and my team, and I hope Singaporeans will give me the chance to serve them and to serve Singapore,” he added.
PM Wong was speaking to Singapore reporters in Hanoi before flying home after a two-day visit to Vietnam, his first to the country since taking over as prime minister in May 2024.
He said his introductory visits to the various Asean countries – he has been to Brunei, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia and Thailand – have allowed him to strengthen his relationship with his counterparts, affirm Singapore’s partnership with these key neighbours, and identify new areas in which to strengthen cooperation.
“All of us in Asean can see the changes happening in the world,” he said. “There is a profound change in the global order – competition is intensifying, trade barriers are going up,” he added.
“Great power rivalry is increasing and, more and more, it feels like we are entering a world where it’s every country for itself, and stronger countries will use aggression or even coercion to get what they want at the expense of smaller countries,” he said.
“Even within Asean itself, the large countries on their own will feel that this is a very difficult, inhospitable global environment. But if we can combine together... as a collective, we are much stronger, and we can hold our own.”
In the interview with Singapore media, PM Wong was asked about his progress in recruiting new candidates for the PAP team.
He noted that he had, at the ruling party’s conference in November 2024, said he was making a great effort to renew the leadership team and the People’s Action Party, and leadership renewal has remained a key priority for him.
“I’ve been spending a lot of time doing that in the past one, two years. I could have just decided to do less on the renewal front and largely contest with the present team,” he said.
“Things will be okay in one term, in the next five years, 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 to 15 years,” he added.
“If that were to happen, it is not just the PAP, but Singapore and Singaporeans that will pay the price.”
PM Wong said he has been working hard to engage and persuade individuals to take the step forward to enter politics, and was glad that some had answered the call, including some public servants.
At the same time, the party has continued to recruit potential candidates from different sectors, including academia, before the final slate is chosen to be fielded, he added.
“Along the way, we expose them, we test them, and it’s a two-way street. Some we may feel are not ready this round, we may consider (them for the) next round. Individuals themselves may decide ‘this is not quite for me’, and they may decide perhaps they don’t want to continue, and that’s why there will inevitably be some who decide not to proceed,” he said.
“You will see faces popping up on the ground. I’m sure the media is closely monitoring who they are,” he added.
Pressed on how successful he had been in getting candidates from the private sector, PM Wong said some are prepared to step forward, but acknowledged the challenge they faced.
“For someone who is in the private sector, who is very successful, for example, in his 30s or 40s... potentially moving into a senior leadership position in a firm, MNC or large local company, the sacrifice is much greater,” he said.
“It’s not just a recent phenomenon. That has always been the case. It’s always been difficult,” he added.
“It remains that they must have the commitment to serve, the right values, and they are entering politics for the right reason, which is to serve their fellow Singaporeans, to give their all to make Singapore better for their fellow citizens.”
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
