When the PAP threatens / scares the citizens

[True Believer]

SINGAPORE – Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said he has called a general election now as the world is undergoing profound changes, becoming more uncertain, unsettled and even unstable, and Singaporeans have to decide on the team that should lead the nation.
“The global conditions that enabled Singapore’s success over the past decades may no longer hold,” he said on his social media accounts on April 15.

Dear PM Wong, please take my advice, and fire your speech writer. You keep spewing phrases that have become overused to the point of being worn-out, predictable and lacking any originality.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Prudent, responsible approach is crucial in uncertain times: PM Wong​

PM Lawrence Wong said the Government will always support, stand with and go all out to secure a bright future for Singaporeans.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Michelle Ng
Apr 23, 2025

SINGAPORE – The prudent and responsible approach that the Government has taken to managing public finances and cost pressures is especially crucial in these uncertain times, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on April 22.

In a video posted on his social media channels the night before Nomination Day, PM Wong said: “I will not gamble with your lives or your future.”

He said the Government will always support, stand with and go all out to secure a bright future for Singaporeans.

Singapore goes to the polls on May 3. With Nomination Day on April 23, that gives candidates the minimum nine days of campaigning before Cooling-off Day on May 2.

PM Wong cautioned Singaporeans that they will hear “many tempting proposals” in this election that may sound appealing, although not all are sound.

“If they weaken our public finances, the burden will fall on our children. If we mismanage the economy, investors will lose confidence and our incomes will suffer,” he said.

Singapore would then not have the resources to sustain permanent support schemes or even to provide temporary relief, he added.


In recent Budgets, the Government has rolled out extensive support measures to allay concerns over inflation and job security, among other things. These include vouchers to ease cost-of-living pressures, and a scheme to help those who have lost their jobs but are making efforts to bounce back.

PM Wong said he knows cost-of-living pressures are a real concern. Other countries feel them too, as they are caused by hot wars in Europe and the Middle East, along with global supply chain disruptions, tariffs and trade wars, he added.

A comprehensive support package was announced in February during Budget 2025, as the Government had foreseen some of these challenges earlier in the year, he said.

For instance, a typical family of four with two young children can receive around $5,000 in support this financial year.

Measures will be rolled out in the coming months, he said, including CDC vouchers in May, SG60 vouchers in July, Child LifeSG credits from July onwards, and U-Save rebates in July and October.

“So nearly every month, you can expect something,” he said.

PM Wong said the Government is monitoring the situation closely and will step up support if conditions worsen.

Beyond this year, the Government will continue the help for as long as it is needed, he said.

This can be done because the PAP Government has long managed the economy well – and will continue to do so – and Singapore’s public finances are healthy and strong, he added.

The Prime Minister also touched on how Singapore handles its public finances. Many other countries borrow heavily and pay interest on their loans, but Singapore does not, he said.

Instead, the Republic has reserves that are invested, and all Singaporeans benefit from the investment income generated, he said.

PM Wong said: “So at a time when other governments are looking for ways to trim spending or to cut benefits, we are able to deliver more support and enhance social safety nets for everyone.”

For example, Workfare for lower-wage workers has been enhanced and seniors get extra support, especially the Merdeka and Pioneer generations, he added.

The bulk of Singapore’s social spending – which is rising and is now the largest item in the budget, having overtaken defence spending – is on such permanent schemes, said PM Wong.

“That is how we provide real, sustained support to help every Singaporean with the cost of living and at every stage of life,” he said.

Ultimately, he added, the best way to manage cost pressures is to keep incomes rising faster than inflation.

This has been happening in Singapore, as real incomes for Singaporean households have gone up steadily over the years, he said. For this to continue, Singapore’s economy must keep growing, and the Government must manage it prudently and responsibly.

In a separate video posted earlier in the evening, PM Wong said that amid the current global climate – where it feels like “more walls are going up” and “countries are pulling back” – Singapore will stay open, bold and ready to work with the world.

For Singapore, as a small nation, its greatest strength is not its size but the fact that “we show up, not just for ourselves, but also for the world”, he said.

 

[True Believer]

In recent Budgets, the Government has rolled out extensive support measures to allay concerns over inflation and job security, among other things. These include vouchers to ease cost-of-living pressures, and a scheme to help those who have lost their jobs but are making efforts to bounce back.
PM Wong said he knows cost-of-living pressures are a real concern. Other countries feel them too, as they are caused by hot wars in Europe and the Middle East, along with global supply chain disruptions, tariffs and trade wars, he added. Measures will be rolled out in the coming months, he said, including CDC vouchers in May, SG60 vouchers in July, Child LifeSG credits from July onwards, and U-Save rebates in July and October. “So nearly every month, you can expect something,” he said. PM Wong said the Government is monitoring the situation closely and will step up support if conditions worsen. Beyond this year, the Government will continue the help for as long as it is needed, he said. This can be done because the PAP Government has long managed the economy well – and will continue to do so – and Singapore’s public finances are healthy and strong, he added. The Prime Minister also touched on how Singapore handles its public finances. Many other countries borrow heavily and pay interest on their loans, but Singapore does not, he said. Instead, the Republic has reserves that are invested, and all Singaporeans benefit from the investment income generated, he said. “That is how we provide real, sustained support to help every Singaporean with the cost of living and at every stage of life,” he said. Ultimately, he added, the best way to manage cost pressures is to keep incomes rising faster than inflation.

PM Wong is really out of touch with the ground. He keeps harping on the CDC vouchers which are the skin and bones from the chicken that the PAP took from us taxpayers. S'pore is the most expensive city in the world because it is simply overcrowded with far too many people chasing after too few homes, cars, food and essential items. This is something of the Govt's own doing. S'poreans are facing stagnating wages because foreigners have been invited to compete with and even replace many of us at the workplace.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Don’t inflame sensitive issues or use domestic politics to divide S’pore: PM Wong at first PAP rally​

Whatever the differences, “we are all Singaporeans first and foremost”, said PM Lawrence Wong.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Goh Yan Han
Apr 24, 2025

SINGAPORE – Do not inflame sensitive issues or use domestic politics to divide Singaporeans, PM Wong said to opposition parties in his first rally speech as head of government.

Whatever the differences, “we are all Singaporeans first and foremost”, he said.

There will be many external forces that will pull the population in different directions – the war in Europe, the war in Gaza in the Middle East – and people will have different views about these global developments.

“Under normal circumstances, we can discuss them, and we can forge a national consensus, but in the heat of an election campaign, it is easy for issues to get stirred up.

“If we are not careful, this can be exploited, and we will end up pitting Singaporeans one against another, we will end up dividing and weakening us,” said PM Wong.

“Let’s make sure that in everything we do, we always uphold multiracial politics. Do not inflame sensitive issues... There must be unity,” he said on the second day of the hustings.


Make sure that politics stops at the water’s edge when it comes to national interests, Singapore’s sovereignty and security and its place in the world, he said.

PM Wong was speaking in his first ever physical rally as prime minister and secretary-general of the PAP, at Woodlands Stadium in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.

His fellow constituency running mate, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad, had made similar points earlier in the rally.

Mr Zaqy said that he had seen politics become a source of division across the world, including among those who are pro-LGBT and anti-LGBT, pro-abortion and pro-life, pro-Palestine and pro-Israel.

“We all have our belief systems, we all have our principles. We all also have our personal hurt and grievances as politicians, we too face personal conflicts when we have to put national interests first,” he said.

“But we must never, never allow politics to feed into this, to create division among our people,” he added.

Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad said that he had seen politics become a source of division across the world.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
PM Wong, who is incumbent and anchor minister in Marsiling-Yew Tee, was the last speaker in the line-up, drawing the loudest cheers from the crowd.

He called on Singaporeans to choose individuals of character, “whom you believe will serve you, your family, your constituency, and our nation well”.

“The opposition also says, don’t give a blank cheque for the PAP,” he said.

“Yes, look at the PAP candidates, and consider them carefully. But I would also say, don’t give the opposition a free pass.”

Apply the same standards to them as to the PAP – in terms of integrity, competence and readiness to serve, said PM Wong.

He reiterated the message of the changed world that Singapore faces.

“Remember, above all, when the election is over... it’s not the PAP versus the opposition. It is Singapore versus the world. It is our little red dot versus a dangerous and troubled world,” he said.

As he asked Singaporeans to vote for his party, PM Wong also said the opposition is here to stay, “and they are determined, they really want to grow”.

“You look at the Workers’ Party – most of their MPs are staying put in their wards to secure their seats in Parliament,” he said.

Their new candidates are fielded elsewhere to break new ground and hopefully increase their seats in Parliament, he added.

Red Dot United, which is contesting in its second election, is fielding 15 candidates, the second highest after the WP’s 26.

Other parties like the Progress Singapore Party, Singapore Democratic Party and National Solidarity Party “are all pushing hard”, contesting at least 10 seats each, said PM Wong.

“That’s why from the beginning I’ve said it will be a tough contest – I don’t assume the PAP will automatically win,” he said.

As he thanked the veteran PAP MPs who are stepping down this election, PM Wong said he would have liked them to stay – if he were to take a narrow perspective.

Those who are retiring include Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.

“But I cannot just focus on my needs today. I also have to think about your future, and Singapore’s future,” said PM Wong. That is why he has worked hard to bring in new blood and renew the party.

Some of the new candidates that the PAP is fielding are people PM Wong had worked closely with during the Covid-19 pandemic – former chief of army David Neo and former Agency for Integrated Care chief executive Dinesh Vasu Dash.

“David was the SAF commander who helped to oversee the Covid operations... he also ensured close coordination with the other government agencies,” said PM Wong.

“I saw him up close in action, and I know he’s someone who will serve with courage and honour.”

Mr Dinesh, who was previously with the Health Ministry, was in charge of Singapore’s vaccination operations.

“It was not an easy undertaking, but Dinesh worked out the plans, he briefed the Cabinet, got our approval, and then he implemented them effectively on the ground,” said PM Wong.

“Many other countries had the vaccines but they couldn’t get the vaccinations done on time. In Singapore, we could, and it’s because of his leadership.”

PM Wong described Mr Neo and Mr Dinesh as “two very good men” with the potential to be more than backbenchers.

Both will face fierce contests – Mr Neo, in Tampines GRC, and Mr Dinesh, in East Coast GRC – and PM Wong said he hoped Singaporeans will support them, “because they will add significantly to the team that will serve you and take our country forward”.

“I didn’t just talent-scout from the public service or from people I worked with,” added PM Wong, who said he had done his best to recruit candidates from all sectors with diverse professional experiences.

These include Sengkang GRC candidate Bernadette Giam, a director at a local food and beverage company, and Nee Soon GRC candidate Syed Harun Alhabsyi, a psychiatrist and Malay/Muslim community leader.

They are among the 32 new faces fielded by the PAP, which is the most in recent general elections, the Prime Minister added.

“With these new additions, we will have a more effective team in the PAP to weather the storm ahead,” he said.

In addition to the new faces, PM Wong said he needs a good team in government to continue to manage the economy well.

“I have a good team in my Cabinet today. They say that government is about teamwork and it is, but the individuals in the team matter greatly,” he said.

He highlighted several key members of his current team – Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng – who had all played a part in Singapore’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

DPM Gan was his co-chair in the Covid-19 task force, said PM Wong. “He was experienced, he was steady, I could always depend on him for good advice and counsel. And now he’s my deputy and he is my right-hand man.”

He added that he is now depending on DPM Gan for many other things, such as chairing the Economic Resilience Taskforce that deals with the uncertainty of the US tariffs, and helming the PAP’s campaign at the new Punggol GRC.

DPM Gan had been a surprise switch on Nomination Day, moving from the slate in Chua Chu Kang GRC to anchor in Punggol.

Mr Chan, who was trade and industry minister during the pandemic, focused on supply chains and ensured access to medical supplies and other essential items, said PM Wong.

Mr Ong, “my good friend and former colleague in the civil service”, was transport minister then, with a difficult job of staying connected to the world while being concerned about new strains.

Dr Tan, who joined the Government after his debut in the 2020 General Election, brought his private-sector expertise and hands-on mindset to the virus fight.

“Without individuals like them, my team would not be what it is today,” said PM Wong.

Concluding his speech, PM Wong acknowledged that the PAP did not get everything right in the 60 years of nation-building.

“But we did get most things right, and we always walked with you, hand in hand every step of the way, to build this nation together,” he said.

“Now, like then, there will be sceptics and cynics who say we can’t make it. I say, let’s prove them wrong again!

“With your support and working together, we will work with you to keep our Singapore miracle going for as long as possible.”

 

[True Believer]

It is truly ironic that PM Wong warned us not to inflame sensitive issues or use domestic politics to divide S'poreans, in his first rally speech as head of govt. The sensitive issues and domestic politics that have affected our lives are a consequence of hardship policies pushed through by the PAP because of the near absence of any check and balance on their power.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Voters must choose if they want weaker govt with more opposition, or strong mandate for PAP, says ESM Goh​

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong (right) meeting newly elected MP Goh Pei Ming on April 25.PHOTO: MPARADER/FACEBOOK

Ng Keng Gene
Apr 26, 2025

SINGAPORE – Voters must decide if they want more opposition in Parliament and a weaker government, or to give Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and the PAP a strong mandate to govern Singapore, said Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

In a Facebook post on April 25, ESM Goh noted that many voters want the PAP to form the government and “understandably, also want to return more opposition candidates to Parliament”.

“This is like wanting to spend more today and save more for a rainy day at the same time. The reality is voters cannot have both,” wrote Mr Goh, 83, who was Singapore’s second prime minister.

Citing his personal experience, ESM Goh said the prime minister of a small country needs “both quality and quantity of MPs in Parliament to have political strength and stature to lead Singapore, especially at a critical juncture of geopolitical rivalry, tension, and disruptive challenges”.

He likened political contests to a boxing competition.

“There can be only one winner,” he said. “No boxer steps into the ring declaring that he only wants to check his opponent or be his sparring partner forever. He is out to knock out the other fellow, if not now, then in future contests.”

“Similarly, no political party should be satisfied with being a loyal opposition forever,” said ESM Goh, who served as prime minister from November 1990 to August 2004.

Citing remarks by PM Wong, he said that opposition candidates and their parties must therefore be judged by the same yardstick as voters would judge the PAP and its candidates – “as a potential ruling party”.

The outcome of a political battle is more consequential than that of a boxing competition, ESM Goh said.

“Fortunately, we voters are not just spectators at the ringside. We decide the outcome through our vote. How we vote will determine our lives now and beyond this electoral cycle,” he added.

“We must reflect on how we want to secure our future: a stronger opposition and a weakened government or a strong, good government and a politically stable Parliament as in the last one.”

ESM Goh, who was an MP in Marine Parade for 44 years before stepping down in 2020, also said in his post that he had met newly elected MP Goh Pei Ming on April 25.

Mr Goh Pei Ming, 43, is part of the PAP team in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC that was elected unopposed on Nomination Day after a walkover. He has taken over the Marine Parade ward that ESM Goh oversaw.

On meeting ESM Goh, Mr Goh Pei Ming said he is “humbled to walk the same path he once took in Marine Parade and inspired by his words to ‘keep Singapore going’”.

 

[True Believer]

An authoritarian govt exploits feelings of fear in the electorate by using exaggerated rumours of impending danger for personal gain.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Global economic uncertainty is no ordinary storm but tidal wave of change, says DPM Gan​

DPM Gan Kim Yong said the uncertainties the nation is facing will have long-term implications for Singapore as a trading hub.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Ng Keng Gene and Harith Mustaffa
Apr 27, 2025


SINGAPORE – The global economic uncertainty triggered by the United States’ move to impose tariffs on its trading partners is no ordinary storm but a tidal wave of change, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.

Speaking at a PAP rally at Yusof Ishak Secondary School on April 26, Mr Gan questioned critics who said the ruling party’s reaction to the American tariffs is overblown.

He added that the uncertainties the nation is facing will have long-term implications for Singapore as a trading hub.

He said: “Some have said the PAP’s reaction to the US tariff announcement is overblown, that we are sending a message of fear, and there is no need to worry because Singapore has weathered bigger storms before.

“But really, are you sure this is just another storm? This is no ordinary storm. This is a tidal wave of change.”

Singaporeans are worried, and businesses are feeling the impact of market uncertainties, with some multinational corporations (MNCs) rethinking their investment plans and their presence in the country, he added.

“Supply chains may be further reconfigured. And with these uncertainties, businesses have paused their investments and have also slowed down their hiring,” said Mr Gan, 66, who is also the Trade and Industry Minister.

Many people are wondering about job security, but there is no need to fear, he added. The Government, he said, rolled out a “comprehensive Budget” earlier this year to help Singaporeans face the uncertainties ahead.

For instance, Singaporeans looking for jobs can tap schemes like the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme and career conversion programmes.

Mr Gan said: “We may not be able to save every job, but we intend to protect every worker. We will uplift you, we will help you bounce back stronger than before.

“As Prime Minister Lawrence Wong promised, we will do more if necessary. The PAP has your back.”

Although it is election season, the work of governing Singapore continues, and the PAP government is clear on what it needs to do, added Mr Gan, who chairs the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce that aims to help navigate the uncertainties caused by US tariffs.

Trade talks with his American counterparts are ongoing, he said, and this is possible because of the longstanding ties the PAP government has with the US administration.

“They know us and they trust us, and this mutual trust is most critical in times of crisis, for us to be able to come together, to talk with one another and to negotiate.”

He added that the Americans are prepared to find a way to get Singapore’s critical exports to the US.

He did not provide further details on trade talks because of the need for confidentiality.

Mr Gan made his foray into politics in 2001 and is an incumbent Chua Chu Kang GRC MP. He was moved to helm the PAP team in Punggol on Nomination Day, in a last-minute surprise move.

He was the last speaker at the rally, rounding off a slate that included Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and members of the PAP team for Punggol – Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Ms Sun Xueling and Dr Janil Puthucheary.

They are facing off against a WP team made up of four first-time candidates. They are: senior counsel Harpreet Singh, advertising tech firm senior director Alexis Dang, legal counsel Alia Mattar, and Mr Jackson Au, senior manager of corporate affairs and marketing with the London Stock Exchange Group.

Speaking to reporters after submitting his nomination papers on April 23, Mr Gan said that although he is new to Punggol, he is a “fast learner”, and will “learn as fast as I can”.

He said at the rally that in the last three days of campaigning, he had met residents from all walks of life to better understand their aspirations, desires and concerns, and observed three things about Punggol.

First, it has many multi-generational families. Second, residents have a strong sense of ownership and connection to the town. Third, Punggol has been designed creatively, allowing residents to work, live and play in it.

“Punggol is a ‘wow’ town,” he said.

The town has, in under two decades, become a shining model for the heartland, and a neighbourhood that many young families can be proud to call home.

He said: “We are a young and growing new town. There is much we have done together, but yet there is much more that we can work and do together, with you, and for you.”

For instance, residents have asked him for more covered linkways, he said.

“I will talk to my good friend, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is also Finance Minister, to see if we can get more money to build some of these necessary infrastructure,” he said.

The project will involve significant work with various agencies and the town council, he added.


Asking for residents’ support, Mr Gan said Dr Janil, Ms Sun and Ms Yeo have nearly 30 years of combined experience in running a town council, and he brings another 24 years to the mix.

Dr Janil, 52, who is an incumbent Pasir Ris-Punggol MP, said the team does not believe in making unbelievable promises, but has a humble understanding of the hard work and determination to serve the people.

Ms Sun, 45, who has overseen Punggol West since she entered politics in 2015, said there were no facilities in the estate when she became an MP a decade ago.

As she wanted to make sure children in Punggol had as good a start as the other children in the rest of Singapore, she started a container library.

She said: “In Punggol, we spare no effort in galvanising community resources. We want to create conditions for our children to thrive and to flourish.

“Recently, I updated our Punggol parents that we will have a new primary school, a new secondary school and a junior college in Punggol.”

Ms Yeo, 48, who is seeking a second term in Parliament, said she has spoken up for platform workers, many of whom live in Punggol.

She said: “They deserve fair compensation, injury protection and adequate CPF contributions. And these issues aren’t abstract policy matters to me.

“They are about real people in Punggol whose dignity and livelihoods are at stake – that is the perspective I bring to Parliament.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: PSP’s ‘anti-foreigner rhetoric’ will affect jobs and businesses in S’pore, says SM Teo​

Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean speaking to supporters during the PAP's rally at Jurong West Stadium on April 27.ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Ng Wei Kai and Syarafana Shafeeq
Apr 28, 2025

SINGAPORE – The PSP’s “anti-foreigner rhetoric” will drive away international companies, as well as jobs and businesses for Singaporeans, said Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean.

Singapore’s unity, stable government, and its consistent and rational policies are strong attractions for such companies to operate here, he said at a rally in Pioneer SMC on April 27.

The rally, held at Jurong West Stadium, featured speeches by the party’s candidates for Pioneer SMC and West Coast-Jurong West GRC. In both constituencies, the party faces a challenge from the opposition PSP.

Many companies are now seeking to rebalance their operations and find the best places to locate themselves, he noted.

SM Teo said what the PSP is doing will “make our pie smaller”.

“Instead of spending our energy like the PSP to try to pit one group against another group to snatch more of the pie, let us see how we can work together to make the pie bigger, so that everybody can have a little bit more rather than trying to snatch from each other.”

Singapore needs the politics of unity and not the politics of division, SM Teo said.

He outlined challenges the country faces due to uncertainty over worldwide tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump.

He said: “The damage to the wider world trading system in the long term can already be seen.”

The World Trade Organisation has forecast that world trade will shrink in 2025, and Singapore’s economists and the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) economists have forecast that Singapore will grow more slowly than earlier predicted, he added.

SM Teo noted that the PSP has called these challenges fearmongering tactics by a PAP trying to retain its power.

“Really, is the PAP really so powerful that it can tell the IMF and the World Trade Organisation how to forecast the world?”

More on this Topic
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To try and brush this away is “just totally irresponsible”, SM Teo said.

PSP leaders had earlier in April stated that the Government’s response to the US tariffs was “overblown”, with party chairman Tan Cheng Bock saying that the Government’s rhetoric might be aimed at swaying voters through fear.

PSP chief Leong Mun Wai later said the party had no intention of downplaying the tariffs. Both Dr Tan and Mr Leong are contesting West Coast-Jurong West GRC under the PSP banner.

SM Teo asked: “Has the PSP any solutions to this? Perhaps because the PSP knows that it has no solutions to offer, it tries to sweep aside these real problems with assertions that it is not a real problem.”

He went on to detail the PAP’s efforts to ensure Singaporeans can have good jobs and salaries, including policies aimed at making sure people have avenues to upskill.

He said: “These are real measures to address the real issues that Singaporean workers face, so that for the long term, our workers can continue to have good jobs and salaries that keep up, not just with inflation, but with the better quality of life that Singaporeans want for themselves and their families.”

SM Teo said the PAP does not take risks with Singapore and Singaporeans, and must prepare for all eventualities.

The PAP Government does not have all the answers or the solutions yet, because it does not know the extent and the nature of the problem yet, he pointed out.

“But we still must prepare,” he said.

To do so, Singapore must strengthen itself as much as possible, not only in its financial reserves but also in its “community reserves of social resilience and unity”, he said.

SM Teo began his speech in Malay, saying that the conflict in Gaza has surfaced many emotions among Singaporeans.

“Rather than letting conflict elsewhere divide our community, Singaporeans, regardless of race and religion, have come together as one to send help to the victims in Gaza,” he said.

The Government’s stand is clear, he said, and it condemns the use of violence against innocent civilians, and has voted in support of a two-state solution.

He urged Singaporeans to give Prime Minister Lawrence Wong a strong mandate so that he has the means to negotiate with the leaders of other countries. This will also give investors confidence to invest in Singapore, and create jobs for Singaporeans, he said.

SM Teo, who announced his retirement after 33 years in politics on Nomination Day on April 23, also touched on why he is not contesting the general election.

While he was on walkabouts in Pasir Ris and Punggol – where he was previously anchor minister – residents had asked him to carry on, he said.

He said he told them he did not want to leave them either, but had to be sure that he could commit himself “fully and energetically for the full five years, not just the 10 days of an election campaign”.

“Otherwise it’s not responsible for me to ask you for your vote.”

He added that he hopes his residents will have peace of mind knowing that they have “good, strong teams to help take care of them for the full five years for the future, and not some group that comes along and campaigns for 10 days and says, ‘I will look after you’”.

SM Teo added that the PSP has said that PM Wong does not need a strong team, as Singapore has overcome crises in the past and will weather this crisis as well. “After all, we also have a very good civil service. This will see us through. Is it so simple? Is this like a driverless car on AI...?”

That is not the way running a country works, SM Teo stressed.

“It requires good leadership, good government and unity of the people... We need a strong government. We need unity.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Good government needed to take Singapore through changed and troubled world, says SM Lee​

PAP Ang Mo Kio GRC candidate SM Lee Hsien Loong speaking at the PAP rally held at Fern Green Primary School on April 27.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Chin Soo Fang
Apr 28, 2025

SINGAPORE - For Singapore to have a good government in a troubled world, it is important for the country to have a good team of ministers and MPs, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

In an election rally speech on April 27, he set out the crucial role that good government plays in Singapore, and the consequences of not having such a team in place.

“The world has changed... It will be harder to make a living, harder to export, harder for our companies to have stable jobs, harder for people to predict what they can do over the next five, 10, 15 years,” he said.

“The problem is not transient. It’s not going to go away, because the world has changed, and we have to be psychologically prepared.”

SM Lee also said voters should not vote against the PAP to give opposition parties “a little bit more votes”, in the hope of getting two or three more opposition MPs into Parliament.

“You will not get it right and we can mess everything up. Just vote according to your heart,” SM Lee said in his 40-minute speech at Fern Green Primary School. “You think PAP is good – vote for it. You think we are bad – vote against us. Don’t play games. It’s very dangerous.”

During the Covid-19 pandemic, lives were saved because Singapore had a strong team in place, he said. Now, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong is leading Singapore’s response to the American tariff situation. DPM Gan is anchoring the PAP team for Punggol GRC, which will face off against a WP team.

SM Lee pointed out that DPM Gan is in charge of the economy, foreign trade and the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He has also been in talks with the United States Trade Representative, even during the election campaign.

“And he is in charge of our crisis response, to survive whatever tariffs and upheavals and trade wars are to come,” SM Lee said. “You lose him, you can replace him? Somebody cheaper? Are you sure you want to save money like that? It’s very expensive to save money like that,” he added.

“Good government is about good people, good ministers, MPs – a team. And to do that, to have a good team, you must first vote them in, right?” SM Lee said. “We have ministers and MPs and potential office-holders all over Singapore and (in) all the GRCs, including the hotly contested ones.”

He added: “You lose a minister? Well, OK, I make do. I lose two ministers? Harder to make do. I lose three ministers? I’m in some trouble.”

Even opposition MPs know that the PAP has done a good job, he said.

“Because after 60-plus years, they don’t say ‘vote me, change, I will be better’. They say ‘don’t worry, I only got less than one-third of the seats contested, so you are sure to have a strong PAP government after the election’.”

He added: “Everything is correct except the last bit – and that means we have lived up to our responsibilities. We have upheld the trust, we have done the right thing and our conscience is clear by Singaporeans.”

The rally on April 27 was held by the PAP teams for Ang Mo Kio GRC, as well as Jalan Kayu, Kebun Baru and Yio Chu Kang SMCs.

The PAP’s four other Ang Mo Kio GRC team members – new faces Jasmin Lau and Victor Lye, as well as incumbent MPs Darryl David and Nadia Ahmad Samdin – also spoke at the rally.

Other speakers included labour chief Ng Chee Meng, who is the PAP’s candidate for Jalan Kayu SMC, Kebun Baru incumbent MP Henry Kwek, Yio Chu Kang incumbent MP Yip Hon Weng, and Dr Lam Pin Min. Dr Lam, who is helming the PAP’s Sengkang GRC team, started his political career as an MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC.

During his speech, Mr David pushed back against comments that PAP backbenchers are not as effective in Parliament as opposition MPs, as they toe the party line.

The party’s backbenchers are not “yes men and women”, he said. “PAP MPs scrutinise and debate every government policy and Bill. If we feel there is a good reason, we push back, speak up, we challenge.”

Mr Yip also said that over the past five years, he has spoken up more than 500 times and delivered 132 speeches – more than any opposition MP.

“Some may say, ‘Only opposition MPs ask the tough questions. PAP MPs are silent backbenchers’. But let’s be honest – that’s a convenient myth,” he said.

He added: “What they don’t see is that so-called silent backbenchers work even when cameras stop rolling. We speak directly and frankly to ministers. We shape solutions behind the scenes.”

Rounding up his speech, SM Lee urged Singaporeans to focus their attention on the issues that matter in a troubled world.

The PAP has a good team for 60 years now, and is introducing a good mix of experience and fresh young energy this time, bringing a new resolve to take Singapore forward, he said.

Voters need to choose a good government that can take the country through the troubles ahead, SM Lee added.

“One that will bring steady hands and concrete plans to help us all pull through, one that is honest and open with you, that you can trust to fight for you, and fight for your children too,” he added.

“We do not tell lies, and we do not tell lies about not telling lies. We speak the truth to you and to everyone. That is one thing which can keep Singapore special for many years to come.”