Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday urged Singaporeans to re-elect his cabinet at the May 3 poll, emphasising the need for experienced leaders who have cultivated strong ties with both the US and China to navigate rising global tensions.
Speaking on the final day of campaigning to the country’s 1.4 million-strong labour union, Wong warned of economic uncertainty and potential job losses if US tariffs hamper global trade. His government has already flagged the risk of a recession for Singapore’s trade-dependent economy.
“We must expect more pressure on us, and to navigate these pressures, it will take experience and skill,” Wong said. “It will take people in government who have built up trust and close relationships with their counterparts in both America and China.”
He stressed that voters needed to return the entire cabinet to office to effectively respond to looming economic challenges. “I have backups, I have reserves, sure. But everyone knows that the team cannot function at the same level. It’s the same in any organisation, and it will be so in our next cabinet if we end up with such a loss,” he said, referencing the potential defeat of his deputy prime minister.
The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), in power since 1959, is widely expected to retain office, though it faces growing public dissatisfaction amid rising living costs.
Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong was fielded at the last minute in a hotly contested northeastern ward in an attempt to fend off the opposition Workers’ Party, which won 10 seats in the last parliament.
Gan’s candidacy has drawn scrutiny over his unfamiliarity with the constituency, after a PAP candidate called the Workers’ Party team “strangers.” The opposition retorted by questioning whether Gan himself was the real stranger.
Wong has strongly backed Gan, describing him as his “taskforce man” due to his key roles in co-heading Singapore’s COVID-19 response and now leading the “economic resilience” taskforce addressing US tariff impacts. “The key person in charge of this work is no stranger to you. He is no stranger to the whole of Singapore,” Wong said.
The election marks Wong’s first major political test since succeeding Lee Hsien Loong as PAP leader last year.
Six political parties and an independent candidate were scheduled to hold rallies on Thursday night, the final opportunity to campaign before the nation’s 2.76 million eligible voters head to the polls on Saturday. Friday has been designated as a “cooling-off” day during which all forms of campaigning are prohibited.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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