Singapore’s PM calls for support as ‘tough fight’ looms in coming election
- Speaking at a party convention, Lee Hsien Loong pointed to economies around the world where public faith in governments has eroded
- Protests in places like Hong Kong and Chile illustrate how people have lost faith in institutions, he was cited as saying
Speaking at the People’s Action Party convention, Lee pointed to some economies around the world where public faith in governments has eroded, and both traditional and socialist parties have been weakened, The Straits Times reported. Populist movements may have upended the status quo but are not always able to offer something better, CNA cited Lee as saying.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty in the world, a lot is at stake,” Lee, 67, said in video snippets of his speech posted on CNA’s website. “This election is not just about the PAP doing a bit better or a bit worse, this election will decide if Singapore can sustain good and stable government, to be different from other countries for a long time to come.”
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“There’s a lot that we can lose too if politics turns unstable, or becomes dysfunctional,” Lee, who is also PAP’s secretary general, said. “We must make sure that our system always works for ordinary Singaporeans.”
Singapore’s next general election must be held by April 2021, though the ruling party has called for early polls in recent cycles. The election is widely seen as Lee’s last as he has vowed to hand over the reins by the time he turns 70 in 2022.
The PAP last year picked Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat as Lee’s de facto successor, kicking off only the third leadership transition in Singapore’s 54-year history.
“We must prepare for a tough fight at the next general election,” Lee said. “Our government policies must emphasise the needs of the people and deliver results for them. So we are strengthening social safety nets to support the most vulnerable and those who need extra help.”
