PAP must speak up when political lines are crossed or risk toxic politics, says PM Wong

SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) must speak up when political lines are crossed or risk a society where political discourse turns toxic, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Speaking to party stalwarts at the party's annual convention on Sunday (Nov 9), Mr Wong said that there are many countries where politics have taken a darker turn.

“It often starts small, a distortion here, a half-truth here, a little bit of a lie here, then bit by bit, trust is eroded and societies start to fracture,” said the party's secretary-general at the convention, which was held at the Singapore Expo and streamed live on YouTube.

While each harmful move may seem small, such attempts to distort facts to score political points, use race or religion to build a base of support or taking populist stances to chase applause rather than to solve problems, can lead others to follow suit.

“Each time this happens, if no one calls it out, then it becomes less outrageous, less shocking, it becomes more normalised, and eventually the small things add up,” he said.

“Before long, politics and political discourse turns toxic, and society gets divided.”

He said that each time the PAP sees something that crosses the line, they will call it out.

“Some say that the PAP is nitpicking and finding fault –  we should be more relaxed and just leave things be,” he said.

“But if we keep quiet each time, then the boundary is pushed back a little, and you can be sure our politics will gradually turn for the worse.”

He said that if the PAP cared only about “short-term political expediency”, it would be “far easier for us to leave such matters unsaid”.

Because each time we call out bad behaviour, there will be nay-sayers who accuse the PAP of being over-bearing or accuse us of bullying,” he said.

“Speaking up carries some political cost to us, but keeping quiet carries a greater cost to our country, to our values, to our standards, and to Singapore’s future.” 

Mr Wong did not cite any instances in which political lines were crossed.

On Saturday, Law Minister Edwin Tong said that Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh’s comments on his ongoing court case was “outrageous, plainly wrong and completely unacceptable”.

Mr Singh had said on an episode of CNA's the Assembly that “the court of public opinion can be bigger than any court in the world”, referring to his conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee and its influence on the Workers' Party's outcome during the 2025 General Election.

Last month, Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam delivered a ministerial statement on race and religion, citing several examples of identity politics being employed during the GE. 

Mr Wong said because calling out such instances carries a political cost, the PAP must "stand firm" to speak up "not out of partisanship, but out of a deep sense of duty and responsibility".

This responsibility requires the "best people – both in terms of competence and character – to see it through".

PRIORITIES IN THIS TERM IN GOVERNMENT

In his speech, Mr Wong also highlighted three priorities for this term of government.

The first priority, he said, is to secure Singapore’s place in a changed world.

With “deep structural shifts” towards protectionism, economic nationalism and a “might is right” approach”, the survival and success of small open economies like Singapore will be affected.

Singapore cannot afford to “sit back and hope that things will somehow just fall in place”, but “must make things happen”.

This is why every minister and ministry must step up their international engagements.

“I too have to travel, and I am spending time visiting and building relationships with my counterparts,” he said.

While these overseas efforts may seem abstract and remote, they matter deeply to Singaporeans’ livelihoods and future, he said.

“Because they open real doors for our businesses to expand, for Singaporeans to have new opportunities, and importantly, for Singapore to secure the space we need to thrive in a more uncertain and contested world.”

Another priority is to keep Singapore’s economy competitive and strong.

“As the global economy begins to fragment, companies are rewiring their supply chains, shifting trade routes as well as flows of capital,” he said.

“We have to make sure Singapore stays at the centre of these new flows, and not get bypassed by them.”

He added that amidst these shifts, new opportunities will emerge, and to seize them, the government must be ready to question old assumptions, refresh its thinking and update its policies.

He said that restructuring and transformation is never easy, and there will be downsizing and even retrenchments in some areas must be accepted.

But this is not necessarily a sign of failure, but part of the renewal cycle of a healthy and vibrant economy.

“Our job as a government is not to stop change, but to help people ride through it – to give them the skills, support and confidence to seize new opportunities, and ensure that no one is left behind,” he said. 

To this end, the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce led by Deputy PM Gan Kim Yong is working towards a set of recommendations by early next year, said Mr Wong.

"I look forward to receiving them. Government will give our response in Budget 2026."

Finally, Mr Wong said the government's third priority is to provide assurance and support, and to keep society strong and united.

Policies are being reviewed in all the key areas, especially in education, healthcare, housing and retirement.

“Ultimately, all these efforts are about one thing: enabling every Singaporean to look to the future with confidence,” he said.

“We will keep strengthening our safety nets, so that whatever your background or circumstance, you do not have to walk this journey alone, the PAP will always have your back.”