Singapore will need to strengthen its cohesion and maintain unity in a world that is becoming more and more polarized, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Friday ( Jan 24 ).
A liberal world order, global supply chains, peace in the region, and a stable global balance of power have all been severely undermined, according to Dr. Balakrishnan, who spoke at an event hosted by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs ( SIIA ).  ,
He added that around the globe, prices, inequality, immigration problems loom big.
” We are even witnessing, at a local political level all over the world, an degradation in faith, in local political systems and in global establishments”, said Dr Balakrishnan.  ,
He noted that elections were held in more than 60 nations next month.  , Out of these votes, one third had resulted in a shift in the ruling authorities, he said.  ,
” Even in those where the incumbents came up, they saw a substantial decline in social support. Thus, many incumbents, including India, Japan, France, South Africa, lost considerable vote communicate. Within the G7, there are new prime ministers in the UK, France, Japan, quickly, Canada, and there will be votes in Germany in February”, he said.  ,
” But, the point I’m making is that politicians outside, in truth, is nearby. It is local people who vote, not foreign cosmopolitans, and we are living in a earth, in which at the local level, there are strong emotions about globalisation, multilateralism and completely trade”, he added.
Regarding Singapore, which has just begun the clock to its upcoming general election and saw last month’s decision People’s Action Party elect its fresh main executive committee, Dr. Balakrishnan said that every time there is a changeover, there will be a check for the new leadership.
” We must assume the new leadership team to get probed, to be pushed, to be assessed. Does the new leadership team possess the same old-fashioned confidence, tenacity, and resilience? Does the new command have the assistance of the populace as the next test for them to go?
” In the face of these problems, both the rulers and the people have to climb and response these important questions.
” We’ll had to look out for each other, we’ll have to sustain unification, we’ll have to develop unity, we’ll have to retool, reskill, reset our business, and we will have to continue to make frequent cause”, he said.