SINGAPORE – The PAP will work “shoulder to shoulder” with all workers to build a better Singapore, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on May 1.
As the country prepares to head to the polls on May 3, PM Wong pledged that the PAP will never step away from the labour movement, regardless of the outcome of the general election.
“This is my promise to all workers of Singapore,” he said in his May Day Rally speech, as he asked Singaporeans to judge him and his team fairly.
“Examine what we’ve done, how we have led. If you believe, in your heart of hearts, that we have stayed true to our promise, that we are the best team to take Singapore forward in these turbulent times, then give us your support.”
Addressing about 1,600 union leaders and tripartite partners at the rally in Downtown East, PM Wong said Singapore has achieved so much because the PAP Government, the labour movement and business leaders have worked together instead of being at odds with one another.
Holding up the country’s model of tripartism, he said workers are always “at the heart of what we do”.
“We do not agree all the time. In fact, we often disagree. I assure you there is no groupthink. If there is groupthink, Singapore will not be here today,” he added. “We do not fight with one another, but we fight together to secure better outcomes for every worker.”
The deep bonds of mutual trust and respect allow the different groups to find ways to accommodate one another and pick the best way forward, he said.
Unlike unions in other countries that “stand across the picket line protesting and agitating”, the unions in Singapore are partners in nation building and help shape policies, PM Wong said.
This unique partnership has kept unemployment low, kept real wages rising, and kept Singaporeans united and confident in the future, he added.
PM Wong noted that the world has changed, with trade barriers going up and rising tension between the major powers, especially the United States and China.
It will take experience and skill to navigate these pressures – individuals who have built up trust and close relations with their counterparts in China and the US, he said, adding that such relationships cannot be built up overnight.
“So in this election, when opposition parties treat so lightly the loss of key ministers, I say, please, please have a care for our country and for the well-being and livelihoods of every Singaporean,” PM Wong said.
PM Lawrence Wong posing for photos at the end of the May Day Rally 2025 at Downtown East on May 1.ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Using a football analogy, he said if three or four members of the starting XI are unable to play, the team will not be able to function at the same level even though it has backups and reserves.
“It’s the same in any organisation, and it will be so in our next Cabinet if we end up with such a loss. And that means we cannot have as effective a team working for Singapore and Singaporeans,” he added.
PM Wong urged Singaporeans to consider these implications and consequences carefully, because “the challenges are real”.
He noted that the Ministry of Trade and Industry has lowered its growth forecast for 2025 to zero to 2 per cent, and that a full-blown recession cannot be ruled out.
“This is not just a short-term blip,” he said, pointing to the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, which some thought would come and go quickly, like the Sars epidemic in 2003.
PM Wong, who co-chaired the Covid-19 multi-ministry task force, had said the pandemic could last for a few years. Some did not believe it and said it was “scare tactic and fearmongering”, he noted.
In the end, there were recurring waves of outbreaks and the pandemic only ended in 2023.
Similarly, this new storm will be here for some time, PM Wong said, adding to existing challenges like cost-of-living pressures.
The PAP government has not stopped working even during this campaign period, he said, adding that he has been speaking with other world leaders to strengthen partnerships and secure new opportunities.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong has also spoken to his trade counterparts to keep Singapore’s economic ties strong, and working out new frameworks for trade and investments.
PM Wong said the PAP Government has always looked ahead to anticipate and tackle challenges.
In its last term, when it saw there were gaps in Singapore’s fiscal position, it decided on a series of tax changes. The moves may not be popular but were the responsible thing to do, he added.
As a result of those steps, Singapore is now in a healthy fiscal position and has the resources it needs to protect its workers and tackle the challenges ahead, he said.
Besides the comprehensive Budget 2025, the Government will monitor the situation closely and will be ready to do more if conditions worsen, he added.
The key minister in charge of this work is DPM Gan, who is heading the task force, together with other ministers, labour chief Ng Chee Meng and tripartite partners.
The task force will announce more details when ready, PM Wong said.
He told union leaders that the PAP Government’s partnership with the National Trades Union Congress is one forged in crises and tested by time.
His relationship with the labour movement was forged battling Covid-19 together, he said.
PM Wong noted that exactly one year ago, then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced at the May Day Rally the passing of the baton of leadership to him.
The election on May 3 will mark the completion of this leadership transition, he said, as he called on Singaporeans to give the PAP their support.
“The road ahead will not be easy. The winds will be strong, the seas will be rough, but if we stay united, we will weather this storm,” he said.
- Chin Soo Fang is senior correspondent at The Straits Times covering topics such as community, politics, social issues, consumer, culture and heritage.
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