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

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Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:10pm, 10 Nov 2019Updated: 5:58pm, 18 Dec 2019

Singapore’s leaders need strong backing from voters to weather uncertain times, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said as he called on members of the ruling party to prepare for a “tough fight” at the next general election.

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.

Lee cited Hong Kong’s ongoing unrest to illustrate how people have lost faith in institutions. Photo: EPA

“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.”

In Hong Kong and Chile, protests illustrate how the people have lost faith in institutions, while Singapore has enjoyed relative peace, Lee was cited as saying at the gathering on Sunday.

“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.”