SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) won a “clear mandate” at this year’s general election due to the external environment, lessons from the 2020 contest and also strong groundwork by the party’s MPs, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday (Jul 4).
The PAP won 65.57 per cent of the popular vote, in an electoral contest which Mr Wong — who is also the party’s secretary-general — said saw “close calls in several constituencies”.
He was speaking at an appreciation event at Parliament House for the 20 PAP MPs who retired in this year’s general election.
He said that Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing is helming the party’s after action review for the election, to identify areas the party has done well and where it can improve on next time.
He said the external environment played a part in the PAP’s win.
“We said so in our manifesto, that this was a changed world. Many Singaporeans could see that too,” he said. “They wanted steady and trusted leadership to navigate the challenges ahead, and they voted accordingly.”
The party also learnt from its experience in 2020, said Mr Wong. Back then, the ruling party lost a second Group Representation Constituency.
“We stepped up our efforts in communications and social media, and we ran a more disciplined, coordinated and focused campaign,” he said.
Lastly, the results reflected the hard work that all PAP MPs put in on the ground to take care of residents, explain how the government is helping them, speak up for them in parliament and improve their estates, said Mr Wong.
“It’s through your dedication and efforts, that we are able to build trust and lasting bonds with residents,” he said.
Mr Wong also noted that a number of new MPs were “introduced quite late in the process”, which is an area the party can do better in.
GRATEFUL TO RETIRING MPS
Mr Wong noted that the 20 retired MPs served over 280 man years in parliament, something he called a “tremendous legacy”.
He said that some were eager to pass on the baton, while some asked to step down because of personal reasons, which he respected.
“A number of you could have easily continued for another term. But I had to ask you to make way for renewal and to make way for new blood,” he said, adding that he was grateful for their understanding.
He noted that the retired MPs had contributed significantly, speaking up on a wide range of issues in parliament and also responding to the needs of residents on the ground.
Mr Wong thanked the six political office-holders among the retired group: Mr Heng Swee Keat, Mr Teo Chee Hean, Dr Ng Eng Hen, Dr Maliki Osman, Mr Heng Chee How and Dr Amy Khor.
“I’ve worked closely with all of you, and I’ve learnt a great deal from each of you,” he said.
He noted that Mr Teo would be a senior advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office, while Mr Heng will continue to chair the National Research Foundation.
Mr Wong also thanked the retired MPs for their efforts in helping to prepare the new candidates ahead of GE2025, so they could hit the ground running from day one.
He also thanked their families and spouses for standing by them during their time in office.
“Being an MP is an all-consuming job. It requires sacrifices not just by the MPs, but also their families,” he said.
QUALITY OF CANDIDATES
This year’s general election showed just how much the quality of candidates matters in an election, said Mr Wong.
He said that while Singaporeans care about national issues and pay attention to the quality, values and platform of each party, they also look closely at the character and track record of individuals.
“They ask: Can I trust this person? Can they take care of my family and the estate? Do they truly want to serve for the right reasons?” said Mr Wong.
He emphasised that in many of the closely fought contests, strong PAP candidates made all the difference.
Mr Wong noted that the party fielded 32 new candidates at the May 3 polls, its largest slate in recent memory, with renewal something which had been a key priority of his since becoming PM.
“I personally reached out to many individuals, to engage and persuade them to join us,” he said.
“I’m glad in this election, we’ve made good progress in renewing our ranks. But renewal is not a one-off exercise. It is a continuing effort. We must continue to be on the lookout for good people to join our cause.”
Mr Wong urged the PAP MPs past and present to help scout and surface names, mentor promising individuals and support their growth towards serving Singapore.
He said it has “it has never been easy to find such people and it won’t get easier”.
The motivations and suitability of new candidates cannot be assessed based on just a few tea sessions or interviews, and they should be brought in earlier, said Mr Wong.
Friday’s event was attended by 90 guests, including the retired MPs and their spouses, current MPs and PAP branch chairpersons.
