Earlier in April, Lawrence Wong was announced as the leader of the ruling party, People Action Party’s fourth-generation (4G) team. This will pave the way to him becoming the Prime Minister of Singapore, should the People Action Party win the next election.
4G will develop a “Forward Singapore” approach that will “refresh [their] social compact”, which would engage many more stakeholders in both unions, the public and the private sector.
People-Centred Approach
Mr Wong wants to take a more people-centred approach, reinforcing his desire to engage more of the populace for political participation.
“To be clear, this is not just about what the Government can do for you, but also – as we learnt throughout the pandemic – what we can all do for one another and how we can all collectively contribute towards building a better society that embodies the values we stand for.”
He is seeking the labour movement’s “full participation and support” to work alongside the government, specifically the NTUC.
Mr Wong also drew on the political and ethnic tensions of the 1960s to further emphasise the importance of mutual accommodation in Singapore’s “distinctive model of tripartism”, including the unions, the government, as well as the workers.
“Instead, we learn to accommodate, give and take, and find common ground. In the process we build closer relationships with one another, we strengthen trust, and we move forward together.”
Post-Pandemic Concerns
Whilst consolidating the increase in national confidence brought about by our mutual experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Wong nonetheless acknowledged the numerous vulnerabilities in the wake of changing world order.
Mr Wong also espoused and stressed the importance of planning for a post-pandemic future, especially in light of the changing and growingly diversified population’s needs and wants.
This manifests in the form of re-adjusting national priorities and objectives, as well as strengthening social cohesion. He also spoke about greater standards of checks-and-balances for the government.
“All Schools are Good Schools”
Mr Wong also touched on the education system, referencing the “all schools are good schools” principle that it is founded on. He emphasised the need to ensure that
every school still remains a good school”, especially since he “experienced first-hand the benefits of inclusion and equal opportunities”.
Acknowledging that the future is still uncertain, Mr Wong nonetheless slated SG75 “intermediate milestone”, that the government and population should strive towards hand-in-hand.
He ended off with a confidence boost, arguing that, “Going from ideal to reality will require more than my own personal hopes. It’s about what we can and must do as a people together.”
Featured Image: CNA