PAP activists should emulate pioneer spirit, says Heng

SINGAPORE — The People’s Action Party (PAP) must continue to champion “great ideas” to fulfil its responsibility of taking Singapore forward, said Mr Heng Swee Keat, first adviser to the PAP Policy Forum (PPF) yesterday.

“Great ideas come from all parts of society, and we help bring these great ideas forward by continuing to listen closely to the hopes and wishes of our fellow Singaporeans,” said Mr Heng, who is also Education Minister, to more than 300 guests who included past and present PPF members.

Mr Heng was speaking at the 10th anniversary dinner of the PPF, one of three pillars of the ruling party, alongside the Young PAP and the Women’s Wing.

It is made up of two members elected from each of the party’s 87 branches, as well as 10 members each from the Women’s Wing and Young PAP.

Citing future uncertainties, Mr Heng called on party activists to emulate the pioneering spirit of founding fathers such as PAP founding secretary-general and founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

The uncertainty and challenges in the coming years will be “no less than what our pioneers faced in the early years of our independence”, said Mr Heng at the Orchid Country Club dinner.

They include accelerating global economic competition, which means greater challenges in seizing good jobs and business opportunities, he said.

A second example cited by Mr Heng was global threats to safety, which would have an impact on society here.

The potential impact of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria on Singapore, for instance, was “brought home vividly with the discovery of a young man who became radicalised”, said Mr Heng, referring to M Arifil Azim Putra Norja’i, who was detained under the Internal Security Act in April.

A third challenge is the ageing population, which will have profound implications on Singapore’s social and economic infrastructure. These challenges “describe a new world”, said Mr Heng.

“For Singapore and Singaporeans to succeed, we must be the new pioneers … I am very hopeful that by working together, we can enable Singaporeans and Singapore to be leading lights of how we can manage an uncertain future by creating the change we want.”

Mr Heng welcomed changes made by the PPF to play an even more active role in the party.

PPF chairman Benjamin Tay said its work is ultimately to help activists do a better job of serving Singaporeans and to help policymakers develop even better policies.

In recent years, the PPF has increased its council members from 12 to 25 for a wider diversity of views, and to achieve better matching of interests for members when they tie up with Government Parliamentary Committees made up of PAP Members of Parliament.

The PPF is also looking to make some policy recommendations, such as those affecting young working adults, to the party leadership “in the coming year”, said Mr Tay.

A closed-door dialogue was also held with PAP secretary-general Lee Hsien Loong at the event.

Questions some party activists were keen to get clarity on include the party’s direction for the next 60 years, party leadership renewal, the way forward after the recent passing of founding secretary-general Lee Kuan Yew, as well as the next Prime Minister, said Mr Chua Eng Leong, PAP’s Eunos branch chairman in Aljunied GRC.

Mr Chua acknowledged that party leaders would not have “perfect answers” to all questions as things could change every few years.