Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsein Loong gave his final major speech as an officer of the government calling for political stability and trust in the government which he says is critical for Singapore in the years ahead.
Lee will be handing the reins to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in 2 weeks time delivered the keynote address at the May Day Rally on Wednesday (May 1), Lee said Singapore’s next chapter was off to a strong start.
But a “very challenging” period lay ahead, with great power rivalry, deglobalisation, technological advances, climate change and the threat of war.
Against this backdrop, Lee, who will step down as Prime Minister on May 15, said some “hard truths” had not changed for Singapore.
Singapore’s system is anchored on a strong base of trust, with the People’s Action Party (PAP) government working hard to maintain it, he said.
“Therefore at each election, 15 times in a row, the PAP has won a renewed mandate, fair and square, and continued to deliver results for Singaporeans.”
Former Prime Ministers Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Goh Chok Tong built a system that would endure beyond their own terms, and Mr Lee said his successors must do the same.
Getting Singapore’s politics right would be “absolutely crucial” in this, he said.
“Please understand: We have succeeded, and Singapore has made exceptional economic and social gains, because our system is exceptional.
“The system does not have to fail outright for Singapore to get into trouble. Even if we just become ordinary, average, we will already be in serious trouble.”
Singapore “will certainly be sunk” if the system is made dysfunctional by populism, divisions or a focus on short-term gains, he said, adding that the country’s reserves “will not last very long, nor will they count for much” then.
And while the country’s system will evolve with time, it must “evolve in a way that continues to serve Singapore’s interests”.
CNA
