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Rallying the nation with hope, not fear

Lawrence Wong’s first National Day Rally eschewed technical policy justifications in favour of a personal framing

Janice Heng
Published Mon, Aug 19, 2024 · 04:12 PM
    • In introducing 10 extra weeks of shared parental leave, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong made no reference to the usual economic and existential fears surrounding population issues.
    • In introducing 10 extra weeks of shared parental leave, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong made no reference to the usual economic and existential fears surrounding population issues. PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG, ST

    “PERSONABLE” and “personal” are swiftly becoming go-to descriptors of newly minted Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s style. Both attributes were on display in his first National Day Rally (NDR) on Sunday (Aug 18), from his friendly manner to the photographs he shared, depicting him at various points from childhood through to his public service career.

    Early in his speech, PM Wong all but summed up his public persona: “I may be prime minister, but I am also a fellow citizen and a friend, sharing the same experiences and concerns as all of you.”

    Beyond stylistic concerns such as demeanour, tone or multimedia use, however, PM Wong’s personal approach showed up in his presentation of policy, too.

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