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.