SINGAPORE: With the high stakes in Singapore’s next general election, the ruling People’s Action Party ( PAP ) can no longer afford to stay in the background, said the party’s deputy secretary-general Lawrence Wong.  ,
Speaking at the PAP’s biennial conference on Sunday ( Nov 24 ), Mr Wong, who is prime minister, noted that the party could “operate from the back” when the political landscape was “less contested”.
Finally, it was the government’s role rather to employ people, explain procedures and solicit feedback and ideas, he said, adding that it will proceed to do so.  ,
But the PAP has now” come out in front”, said Mr Wong.
It must do this in order to “explain our laws, mobilise the public for the reasons we believe in, participate Singaporeans in the problems they care about, and, most importantly, show them why they can trust and rely on the PAP to provide the command for Singapore.”
Mr Wong, who is also banking minister, acknowledged the need for more criticism voices, and pointed to how the criticism has warned of a “wipe-out”.
But the bigger danger, he said, is of Singapore losing , a” firm and good” state.
In May of this year, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong succeeded Mr. Wong as prime minister.
” The antagonism themselves admit they are far from available to form the government”, said Mr Wong.
” They say that partly because they know that Singaporeans , does not help them if they openly declare their intent to manage.  ,
” So they are very quick to assure Singaporeans: ‘ Do n’t worry, you can vote for us, we only want to oppose, we do n’t want to form the government. ‘”  ,
But if more citizens are persuaded by this debate and vote for the criticism, it will quickly become the state, said Mr Wong.  ,
This outcome does not need a large swing in votes, he added, noting that some group representation constituencies ( GRCs ) and single-member constituencies ( SMCs ) were closely contested at the last election.  ,
A “modest swing” in common vote against the PAP, he said, could lead to the loss of additional three or four GRCs, he said.
This could also indicate losing four or five ministries, which make up a third of the Cabinet, said Mr Wong.  ,
At a time when the world is becoming more ambiguous and disturbed, he predicted,” We will end up with a much weaker state with far less ability to solve the issues facing our people and our land.”  ,
The chances are higher for the upcoming votes. Do n’t assume that the PAP will win and establish a stable government, please. ”  ,