Beyond policy, PAP must also set the tone for politics in Singapore: PM Wong
The party has, in the months since the May polls, called out various actions that it felt had crossed the line
[SINGAPORE] The PAP has to speak up each time it sees something that crosses the line, or politics in Singapore will gradually turn for the worse as seen around the world, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Nov 9.
This could include distorting facts to score political points, taking populist stances, or using race or religion to win support. If no one calls out such harmful moves, they will become normalised, said PM Wong, who is the PAP’s secretary-general.
“Eventually the small things add up. When one party takes this approach; others are likely to follow suit. And then before long, politics and political discourse turns toxic, and society gets divided,” he said at the People’s Action Party’s Awards and Convention 2025.
In his first major speech to the party after the 2025 election where they won 65.57 per cent of the vote,PM Wong spoke about the lessons learnt and outlined his government’s priorities in the new term.
Beyond policy, the PAP must also set the tone for politics in Singapore to avoid the “darker turn” that it has taken in many countries, PM Wong said.
“It often starts small, a distortion here, a half-truth here, little bit of a lie here. Then bit by bit, the trust is eroded and societies start to fracture,” he cautioned.
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The PAP cannot allow this to happen in Singapore, and will hold itself and others to the same standard, said PM Wong.
“Some say the PAP is nitpicking and finding fault – that we should be more relaxed and just leave things be,” he added. “But if we keep quiet each time then the boundary is pushed back a little, and you can be sure our politics will gradually take a turn for the worse.”
PM Wong noted that if the party cared only about short-term political expediency, it would have been far easier to leave such matters unsaid.
“Because each time we call out bad behaviour, there will be nay-sayers who accuse the PAP of being over-bearing or accuse us of bullying. So speaking up does carry some political cost to us,” PM Wong said.
“But keeping quiet carries a greater cost to our country – to our values; to our standards, and to Singapore’s future,” he said.
The party has, in the months since the May polls, called out various actions that it felt had crossed the line.
During the hustings, PM Wong held a conference to speak in his capacity as prime minister, where he called on all political parties to reject identity politics. Senior PAP leaders, including Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, also set out guardrails and spoke out against campaigning on racial and religious lines.
In October, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam called out the Workers’ Party’s “ambiguous” rejection of support from self-styled Malaysia-based Singaporean preacher Noor Deros, and said the party was clearly targeting the Malay/Muslim vote in Tampines GRC.
Mr Shanmugam also called out the Singapore Democratic Party’s Sembawang candidate Damanhuri Abas for trying to get support along racial lines during the hustings.
In his speech to more than 1,800 party activists at the Singapore Expo on Nov 9, PM Wong said the PAP must stand firm as a party.
“We speak up, not because of partisanship, but out of a deep sense of duty and responsibility to keep politics in Singapore clean, honest and constructive,” he added.
“Because that’s what it means to be the PAP – to stand for integrity and multiracialism, to do what is right, and to always put Singapore and Singaporeans at the centre of everything we do.”
Government’s priorities for the new term
In his speech, PM Wong announced that the Economic Strategy Review will put forth its first set of recommendations by early next year and the government will respond in Budget 2026.
The Budget statement is typically delivered some time mid-February.
The review, led by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong with a team of younger political office-holders, was announced in August to chart a new blueprint for the economy.
The work of this team reflects the government’s priority to keep the economy competitive and strong, so that Singaporeans can continue to have good jobs and better lives, PM Wong said as he laid out three priorities for his government in the new term.
In a fast-changing world, Singapore cannot rely only on its stability, reliability and ability to deliver, he said. It has to ensure that it stays at the centre of new flows in supply chains, trade routes and capital movement.
“We must dare to take risks, move quickly and innovate boldly. We must be willing to experiment, fail sometimes, but importantly, learn and try again, because this is the only way a small nation can thrive and flourish and stay exceptional,” said PM Wong.
Restructuring and transformation is never easy, and Singapore must accept downsizing and even retrenchment in some areas – this is not necessarily a sign of failure, he added.
It is part of a renewal cycle of a healthy and vibrant economy, he said, and the Government’s job is to help people ride through it.
Another key priority is to secure Singapore’s place in a changed world that is undergoing deep structural shifts - including from free trade to protectionism, he said.
For decades, Singapore’s success has rested on an open global economy.
The United States and the West outsourced production to lower-cost countries in Asia – a model that worked and benefited all countries but is now under great strain, he noted.
Major powers are turning inwards and the rules that enabled small countries like Singapore to prosper are being rolled back.
PM Wong said Singapore cannot afford to sit back and hope things will fall in place – it must find new ways to create relevance and opportunities.
He and his team have been busy travelling, engaging and building partnerships around the world.
PM Wong recounted a trip in 1964 by founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, where he visited 17 capitals in Africa over 35 days. Many of those friendships with then-newly independent African nations endure to this day.
Today, Singapore is stronger, with deeper capabilities and greater resilience, noted PM Wong.
But it is still a small country with no natural resources and must work hard to stay relevant, such as by expanding its diplomatic reach and deepen ties with existing partners.
In 2025, Singapore has upgraded or launched six strategic partnerships – including the recent one established with South Korea after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meet in Gyeongju.
In end-November, PM Wong will head to South Africa for the Group of 20 summit and Ethiopia for a bilateral visit.
These efforts may seem abstract and remote to Singaporeans but matter deeply to livelihoods and the nation’s future, said PM Wong.
The third priority for his government is to provide assurance and support, and keep society strong and united, said PM Wong.
His government is reviewing its policies in all key areas, especially education, healthcare, housing and retirement.
He pointed to new ministers helming education and national development – Desmond Lee and Chee Hong Tat, who have “quickly mastered” their new portfolios, and experienced ministers overseeing health and manpower – Ong Ye Kung and Tan See Leng.
Mr Ong and Dr Tan both have unfinished business from reviews and reforms initiated in the last term that they will carry through in this term, he added.
“Importantly, all these efforts are about one thing – enabling every Singaporean to look to the future with confidence,” he said.
“We will keep strengthening our social safety nets, so that whatever your background or circumstance, you do not have to walk this journey alone.”
Acknowledging that jobs is a growing concern for many Singaporeans, PM Wong said that his team is pushing forward with new initiatives at the community and national levels.
It will continue doing so with the Labour movement, he said.
The tripartite relationship between the PAP government, National Trades Union Congress and employers makes the Singapore system unique and has powered its success as a nation, said PM Wong. THE STRAITS TIMES
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