'My background is what it is': Lawrence Wong says it is 'helpful' if his humble upbringing is 'more relatable to Singaporeans'

Growing up in a Marine Parade HDB estate with a school teacher mother and sales manager father, Lawrence Wong went to neighbourhood schools.

This "much more typical upbringing" of the deputy prime minister was brought up in an interview with The Economist on Monday (May 6). 

The 51-year-old, who will become Singapore's fourth prime minister on May 15, said: "My background is what it is. If it is helpful that it makes it more relatable to Singaporeans, so much the better."

Wong attended Haig Boys' Primary School, Tanjong Katong Secondary Technical  School and Victoria Junior College. He then headed to the United States for further studies on a government scholarship.

He had previously explained why he chose Tanjong Katong after his Primary School Leaving Examination, instead of the "elite" schools that many other government scholars go to.

"Everyone I knew from Haig Boys', family and friends, chose Tanjong Katong, so I didn't have any other school in mind. I just made the same choice," he said during a Mediacorp programme in 2022, adding that the school was also closer to home.

But regardless of background, Wong told The Economist that Singaporeans are "discerning and wise voters".

"At the end of the day, Singaporeans will expect me to deliver on the things that they care about — delivering a better life, delivering better standards of living for themselves and their children," he added.

And if he and his team come up short "and a better team arises, then Singaporeans will choose accordingly".

Will make tough decisions when they're called for 

When asked if he has "that iron in him" — a phrase uttered by founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1980 to describe the type of fortitude needed to govern Singapore — Wong said: "I believe when push comes to shove and the time comes to take hard decisions, I would do so, so long as the decision is in the interest of Singapore and Singaporeans."

Does he see himself being "more abrasive with the public" then?

"I am who I am. I listen carefully to everyone's views...," Wong replied. "I want to get people's insights [and] perspectives, eventually thinking about what makes for the best decisions and outcomes for Singapore."

Wong, who is also Finance Minister, cited the goods and services tax hike, and the Covid-19 pandemic, when social gathering restrictions were imposed, as decisions that "may not be the most popular", but are the "right ones to take".

"And when these decisions arise, Singaporeans can be assured that I will be able to take the decisions in the best interest of Singapore and Singaporeans and explain to them why these difficult decisions are necessary," he added.

A 'very valuable' Singapore tradition

Would Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong becoming Senior Minister after he steps down prevent the fourth-generation leaders from "finding [their] voice"?

Wong said this valuable "long-standing Singapore tradition" has never prevented a new prime minister from setting the tone of leadership and making his own decisions.

"The networks [PM Lee] has internationally will be very valuable and I will use him accordingly, in the best possible way because for me, as leader, I will have to find ways to harness the collective energies of all of my team and also every Singaporean," he added.

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chingshijie@asiaone.com