GE2025: PAP serves Singaporeans ‘as a combined team’, PM Wong says after surprise swops
Despite the wish for more alternative voices, voters should ‘consider the stakes’ and what this year’s general election means for the future of Singapore, he says
[SINGAPORE] While some ministers are new to the constituencies they are contesting, other team members are familiar with the ground, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at a press conference on Wednesday (Apr 23), after the day’s nomination proceedings saw surprise swops.
Replying to a question on how voters might react to the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) candidate swops, PM Wong added: “The ministers, I’m sure, will be able to hold their own wherever they are fielded.”
Wherever Singaporeans are, PAP teams will do their best to serve them, he said. “It’s the PAP as a whole, as a combined team coming together.”
In an unexpected move, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong left his longtime turf of Chua Chu Kang GRC to lead the PAP’s Punggol team against the Workers’ Party (WP).
The Chua Chu Kang team is now led by Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, formerly slated for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC. The PAP claimed the Group Representation Constituency in a surprise walkover – the first since 2011 – after an unexpected WP no-show.
Asked if DPM Gan’s redeployment was a last-minute decision, PM Wong said that election preparations are “always dynamic”.
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With the retirement of Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, who anchored the former Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, it was hard to find a senior officeholder of similar stature to take over, he said. “That’s why I considered it very carefully and eventually decided to deploy DPM Gan Kim Yong there.”
The overall picture, PM Wong added, that he himself is in the west in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC; Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong is in the centre in Ang Mo Kio GRC; and DPM Gan is in the east.
“That’s a better distribution of our senior leadership for the campaign,” he said. “And if we are elected, that’s also a better spread of leadership to make sure that we can cover the whole of Singapore and make sure that we do our best to serve all residents.”
Speaking at the PAP’s headquarters in Changi, he added that he was surprised at WP’s decision not to contest Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.
PAP members had noticed the WP’s absence at that nomination centre this morning, said PM Wong, but could not confirm whether there would be a contest.
He expressed confidence that if there had been one, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng would have been able to anchor the team.
Voting for “the future of the country”
Reiterating his message from the PAP’s manifesto launch on Apr 17, PM Wong said that Singapore faces a “changed world”.
This is not the first general election amid challenging circumstances, with pandemic-era GE2020 being similar – but today’s challenges are more severe, he warned.
The impact of US tariffs will be felt not just this year, but may “stretch on for some time” as geopolitical tensions rise and trade barriers go up. Businesses are already feeling a slowdown in demand, and the uncertainty may cause investment cutbacks or job losses.
Previously, a common sentiment was that voters might lean towards the ruling party in challenging times – but this was not the case in Covid-19, he noted. “So I fully expect this election to be a tough contest.”
Asked about the view that voting in a few more opposition MPs will not affect the PAP’s ability to form the government, PM Wong said he understood the wish for more alternative voices. “I think there is a role for a constructive and responsible opposition in our system of democracy.”
But while the opposition is “here to stay”, Singaporeans are ultimately deciding on their elected government, he said.
“I hope Singaporeans consider the stakes, consider what this election means, not just in terms of tactical voting, but... for your families, for your children, for the future of our country.”
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