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SINGAPORE – The People’s Action Party must maintain its core identity and continue to represent all Singaporeans even as it responds to Singapore’s changing politics, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday (November 8).
He stressed that the party must continue to govern Singapore well, work the ground, remain accessible to voters and lead by example, and called on all activists to commit to these tasks as the country faces its worst economic crisis since independence. .
“Never forget that we are the Popular Action Party,” said Lee, who is the party’s general secretary, in his virtual address to some 2,000 PAP cadres at their first meeting since the July general elections. “We are not part of special interest groups or particular communities. We represent the people of Singapore.”
The PAP held its biennial conference on Sunday, with cadres meeting in their respective branches to cast their votes for the party’s central executive committee. Meanwhile, party leaders and MPs gathered at the NTUC Center near Raffles Place, where they had to run rapid tests for Covid-19 before entering the venue.
In his speech, Mr. Lee noted that the PAP has won every general election since independence by constantly evolving and rejuvenating, and keeping its policies fresh and relevant to the times.
But to sustain the Singapore model, the party cannot sit still while the country and its politics change, he said.
Singaporeans still want stability and progress, job security and opportunities for themselves and their children.
But increasingly, they also want to be more actively involved in shaping society, reexamining basic assumptions and looking beyond the proven way of doing things, Lee said.
On top of that, they want to have more checks and balances, more alternative voices, stronger public debates and closer scrutiny of government policies, he added.
“These expectations and wishes will grow with each new generation of Singaporeans,” Lee said. “The PAP must respond to them and, at the same time, we must maintain our core identity and what we stand for. We must continue to represent all Singaporeans, and not just a particular fringe or segment of the population.”
These points were reiterated by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat in his own speech delivered before Prime Minister Lee spoke. Mr. Heng noted that the main strength of the PAP is to focus on taking action to do the right things for Singaporeans.
“To do this more effectively, we have to evolve the way we engage a changing electorate,” said Heng, the party’s first deputy general secretary. This implies strong commitment on the ground, as well as greater online reach, he added.
He urged activists to reach out to Singaporeans, including those whose views differ from their own, to engage them in an “inclusive and constructive way.”
The Prime Minister noted that the PAP has started a virtuous cycle in Singapore by complying with aspects such as housing, education, health care and security. This helped him win strong political support, which resulted in political stability and allowed the party to think long-term. Taking a long-term vision enabled him to deliver better lives to Singaporeans, further retaining the trust of voters.
Singapore should maintain this cycle for as long as possible, Lee said. “Once we break it, it will be impossible for any party to restore it, not even the PAP.”
Many countries have fiercely contested democratic systems and more exciting policies, but they don’t always offer good governance, he noted.
Instead, impeachment often makes politics unstable and divided, with those in power focusing only on their own short-term political survival.
“Those who are out of power make irresponsible and outlandish claims to get in. They offer misleading shortcuts and painless remedies without being frank about the costs and consequences,” he added.
“As a result, the government cannot make any long-term commitments and the country cannot maintain a consistent long-term direction to go its way.”
Singapore is not like that, but the PAP will have to adapt to what Singaporeans want to see in their politics, Lee said.
He noted how the party’s fourth generation leaders have been leading initiatives to encourage Singaporeans to come forward and express themselves. These include the strongest emerging talks as well as the East Coast talks launched by DPM Heng in his constituency.
The latter group of MPs can bring their personal experience, speaking with conviction and passion to represent the concerns and interests of Singaporeans, Lee added.
He also said that leadership renewal remains one of his top priorities, reiterating that he will see the country through the crisis brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Singaporeans will judge the PAP not only on its past, but on what it will do in this term of office and what it can continue to do, Lee said. “Our actions must strengthen their confidence in the PAP, and our policies and plans must continue to drive Singapore forward.”
“We are a match of purpose, of conviction, of action. We have improved the lives of millions of Singaporeans,” he added. “We will constantly seek a more just and equal society. And we are always determined to walk alongside all Singaporeans, striving for a brighter future together.”
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