Singapore needs capable govt with full support of people, says PM Lee
Country at critical stage in its history amid virus crisis, in high-stakes election, he says
By Grace Ho, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
Singapore is at a critical juncture in its history as it tackles the challenges from COVID-19 and a weakened global economy, and needs a capable government with the full support of a united people to get through the present crisis, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said.
"Hardly ever in our history have the stakes been higher than now. We are in the middle of a crisis, but as tough as the past months have been, our biggest challenges lie ahead of us.
"This is what this election is about - whom do you trust to get you through the very difficult times ahead?"
He was speaking yesterday at an online lunchtime rally, which the PAP has traditionally held near Fullerton Square at about the halfway point of every election campaign. Started by founding secretary-general Lee Kuan Yew in 1959, the Fullerton rally was held online this year due to COVID-19.
PM Lee's message to Singaporeans was that they should not undermine a system that has served them well.
Investors, friends and adversaries of Singapore alike will be watching Friday's election closely, he noted, and the stakes are high.
With under three days left in the campaign, PM Lee posed this question to Singaporeans: "Will we reveal ourselves to be fractious and divided, withholding our full support from the government we elect, in a crisis where swift, decisive action is vital to save jobs and lives?"
Yesterday's rally was PM Lee's seventh Fullerton rally since he entered politics in 1984, and his ninth general election so far.
In the years since, he said, the Government has had to contend with challenges such as the Asian financial crisis of 1997 to 1998; the Sept 11, 2001 terror attack, and the Jemaah Islamiah terror threat; the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak in 2003; and the global financial crisis of 2007 to 2009.
"Each was a grave challenge. Each time, we worried about the worst happening to us but each time, the Government led from the front, Singaporeans rallied together, and we pulled through," he said.
He gave a detailed account of the Government's response to the COVID-19 crisis, adding that without a team of capable ministers working closely together, Singapore would not have been able to implement all the measures it took to stop COVID-19 from spreading, and would have lost the confidence of Singaporeans.
PM Lee said those involved had to decide and act urgently "in the fog of war", based on incomplete information.
"We have managed to get to this stage not by chance, but by dint of immense effort. Crucial decisions had to be made. It was the ministers who made these decisions and are accountable for them."
In comparison, he said, the opposition has said nothing about how to tackle the pandemic: "They have been completely silent on how to tackle COVID-19 during the last six months, and in this election campaign.
"What contribution will they make in Parliament, adding 'contrast' to the discussions, if they get elected as MPs? What will happen to Singapore, if they form the government?"
He also questioned their ability to get the country out of the downturn, grow the economy, or create new jobs.
"They prattle on about a minimum wage, or a universal basic income. These are fashionable peacetime slogans, not serious wartime plans," he said.
"How will a minimum wage help somebody who is unemployed? It will just add costs to employers, and pressure them to drop even more workers.
"Do you really want to vote for parties who in a crisis come up with nothing better than old recycled manifestos?"
In comparison, the Government has rolled out four Budgets since February totalling nearly $100 billion, and drawing up to $52 billion from past reserves.
It has given help systematically, such as through the Jobs Support Scheme which subsidises wages so that firms can retain workers, and extra support for households and the self-employed.
Emergency legislation was also passed for rental and contract waivers - an "unprecedented move", said PM Lee.
But the emergency relief cannot be sustained indefinitely, and the more fundamental solution is to turn around the economy and attract more investments, so that more jobs can be created.
To do so, maintaining companies' confidence in Singapore is critical, he said, adding that everything the country has gone through since the beginning of the year has made clear just how important a good government is to fighting the virus, supporting the economy, and getting out of this crisis intact.
He pledged that he will steer Singapore through the current crisis alongside senior Cabinet colleagues and the fourth-generation ministers, even as the PAP ensures there is continual leadership renewal.
"You have my word: Together with my older colleagues like (Senior Ministers) Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam, as well as the 4G ministers, I will see this through," he said.
"I am determined to hand over Singapore, intact and in good working order, to the next team."
But to get through the crisis, he would need the help of the strongest team he could muster to work with him, as well as with Singaporeans.
"I also need full support from all of you."
He concluded: "At this critical moment, Singapore needs a capable government, with the full support of a united people, more than ever."
Country at critical stage in its history amid virus crisis, in high-stakes election, he says
By Grace Ho, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
"Hardly ever in our history have the stakes been higher than now. We are in the middle of a crisis, but as tough as the past months have been, our biggest challenges lie ahead of us.
"This is what this election is about - whom do you trust to get you through the very difficult times ahead?"
He was speaking yesterday at an online lunchtime rally, which the PAP has traditionally held near Fullerton Square at about the halfway point of every election campaign. Started by founding secretary-general Lee Kuan Yew in 1959, the Fullerton rally was held online this year due to COVID-19.
PM Lee's message to Singaporeans was that they should not undermine a system that has served them well.
Investors, friends and adversaries of Singapore alike will be watching Friday's election closely, he noted, and the stakes are high.
With under three days left in the campaign, PM Lee posed this question to Singaporeans: "Will we reveal ourselves to be fractious and divided, withholding our full support from the government we elect, in a crisis where swift, decisive action is vital to save jobs and lives?"
Yesterday's rally was PM Lee's seventh Fullerton rally since he entered politics in 1984, and his ninth general election so far.
In the years since, he said, the Government has had to contend with challenges such as the Asian financial crisis of 1997 to 1998; the Sept 11, 2001 terror attack, and the Jemaah Islamiah terror threat; the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak in 2003; and the global financial crisis of 2007 to 2009.
"Each was a grave challenge. Each time, we worried about the worst happening to us but each time, the Government led from the front, Singaporeans rallied together, and we pulled through," he said.
He gave a detailed account of the Government's response to the COVID-19 crisis, adding that without a team of capable ministers working closely together, Singapore would not have been able to implement all the measures it took to stop COVID-19 from spreading, and would have lost the confidence of Singaporeans.
PM Lee said those involved had to decide and act urgently "in the fog of war", based on incomplete information.
"We have managed to get to this stage not by chance, but by dint of immense effort. Crucial decisions had to be made. It was the ministers who made these decisions and are accountable for them."
In comparison, he said, the opposition has said nothing about how to tackle the pandemic: "They have been completely silent on how to tackle COVID-19 during the last six months, and in this election campaign.
"What contribution will they make in Parliament, adding 'contrast' to the discussions, if they get elected as MPs? What will happen to Singapore, if they form the government?"
He also questioned their ability to get the country out of the downturn, grow the economy, or create new jobs.
"They prattle on about a minimum wage, or a universal basic income. These are fashionable peacetime slogans, not serious wartime plans," he said.
"How will a minimum wage help somebody who is unemployed? It will just add costs to employers, and pressure them to drop even more workers.
"Do you really want to vote for parties who in a crisis come up with nothing better than old recycled manifestos?"
In comparison, the Government has rolled out four Budgets since February totalling nearly $100 billion, and drawing up to $52 billion from past reserves.
It has given help systematically, such as through the Jobs Support Scheme which subsidises wages so that firms can retain workers, and extra support for households and the self-employed.
Emergency legislation was also passed for rental and contract waivers - an "unprecedented move", said PM Lee.
But the emergency relief cannot be sustained indefinitely, and the more fundamental solution is to turn around the economy and attract more investments, so that more jobs can be created.
To do so, maintaining companies' confidence in Singapore is critical, he said, adding that everything the country has gone through since the beginning of the year has made clear just how important a good government is to fighting the virus, supporting the economy, and getting out of this crisis intact.
He pledged that he will steer Singapore through the current crisis alongside senior Cabinet colleagues and the fourth-generation ministers, even as the PAP ensures there is continual leadership renewal.
"You have my word: Together with my older colleagues like (Senior Ministers) Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam, as well as the 4G ministers, I will see this through," he said.
"I am determined to hand over Singapore, intact and in good working order, to the next team."
But to get through the crisis, he would need the help of the strongest team he could muster to work with him, as well as with Singaporeans.
"I also need full support from all of you."
He concluded: "At this critical moment, Singapore needs a capable government, with the full support of a united people, more than ever."
Singapore GE2020: Why a strong mandate for PAP is crucial now, says PM Lee
Country must show others it is united during crisis to continue to draw investors, he says
By Grace Ho, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
Investors will scrutinise the results of the election to see if Singaporeans are still one united people, strongly supporting the leaders they have chosen to overcome the coronavirus crisis, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Singapore's friends and adversaries will be watching closely as well, he added. That is why the People's Action Party (PAP) seeks not just the people's mandate, but a strong mandate to lead the country through the COVID-19 crisis.
Speaking at an online lunchtime rally yesterday, PM Lee said maintaining Singapore's "high reputation" is a matter of survival for the country, so that it can attract investments from multinational corporations and be taken seriously by other countries.
"Will we show the world that Singaporeans are still one united people, strongly supporting the leaders they have chosen, and working together to overcome the crisis?
"Or will we reveal ourselves to be fractious and divided, withholding our full support from the Government we have elected, in a crisis where swift, decisive action is vital to save jobs and lives?" he asked.
PM Lee drew parallels with the recession of 1985, when Singapore lost its competitiveness and he was tasked to chair the Economic Committee to re-position the country's economy for the future. Drastic measures such as cutting Central Provident Fund contributions were taken, he said.
"We did not just make one speech, or hold a press conference, and expect people to simply swallow the bitter pill," he said.
"Singaporeans understood the message and supported the tough measures. The measures worked, and within a year our economy was growing again. That is what political leadership is about."
After the situation stabilised, the political leadership went on the offensive to reassure investors and bring in more investors to Singapore, he said, recounting how he had gone around the world on a marketing pitch together with the Economic Development Board (EDB).
"We placed a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal, with an eye-catching headline: 'Who would be mad enough to invest in Singapore in a recession?' Nowadays people might call this clickbait," he quipped.
PM Lee said multinationals such as Apple, Seagate and Motorola chose to invest in Singapore even during an economic crisis for four reasons.
First, they knew Singaporeans were industrious and capable workers, he noted.
Second, the country's unions cooperated closely with employers and the Government to generate growth and jobs for workers.
Investors also had high regard for Singapore's public service, with the EDB a one-stop shop where they could settle all their problems.
"Other countries have one-stop shops too. The difference is their governments do not work as one, so their one-stop shops cannot make things happen, as EDB can," he said.
The fourth reason was Singapore's "first-rate Government".
"(The companies) had interacted with our ministers, and knew their quality," he added.
"And finally, they knew the Government enjoyed Singaporeans' strong support, so the ministers could take decisive steps if necessary, and make the right decisions to promote growth and create jobs," he said.
Stressing the high stakes in this election, he said maintaining Singapore's reputation is essential, as it is a small country with many limitations.
"We must show the world that we are indeed special, and can sustain our edge over other countries and cities. Then MNCs will invest in us, other countries will take us seriously, and Singapore has a place in the sun," he said.
"Otherwise, we will just fade away and be forgotten, like so many city-states in history."
Country must show others it is united during crisis to continue to draw investors, he says
By Grace Ho, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
Singapore's friends and adversaries will be watching closely as well, he added. That is why the People's Action Party (PAP) seeks not just the people's mandate, but a strong mandate to lead the country through the COVID-19 crisis.
Speaking at an online lunchtime rally yesterday, PM Lee said maintaining Singapore's "high reputation" is a matter of survival for the country, so that it can attract investments from multinational corporations and be taken seriously by other countries.
"Will we show the world that Singaporeans are still one united people, strongly supporting the leaders they have chosen, and working together to overcome the crisis?
"Or will we reveal ourselves to be fractious and divided, withholding our full support from the Government we have elected, in a crisis where swift, decisive action is vital to save jobs and lives?" he asked.
PM Lee drew parallels with the recession of 1985, when Singapore lost its competitiveness and he was tasked to chair the Economic Committee to re-position the country's economy for the future. Drastic measures such as cutting Central Provident Fund contributions were taken, he said.
"We did not just make one speech, or hold a press conference, and expect people to simply swallow the bitter pill," he said.
"Singaporeans understood the message and supported the tough measures. The measures worked, and within a year our economy was growing again. That is what political leadership is about."
After the situation stabilised, the political leadership went on the offensive to reassure investors and bring in more investors to Singapore, he said, recounting how he had gone around the world on a marketing pitch together with the Economic Development Board (EDB).
"We placed a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal, with an eye-catching headline: 'Who would be mad enough to invest in Singapore in a recession?' Nowadays people might call this clickbait," he quipped.
PM Lee said multinationals such as Apple, Seagate and Motorola chose to invest in Singapore even during an economic crisis for four reasons.
First, they knew Singaporeans were industrious and capable workers, he noted.
Second, the country's unions cooperated closely with employers and the Government to generate growth and jobs for workers.
Investors also had high regard for Singapore's public service, with the EDB a one-stop shop where they could settle all their problems.
"Other countries have one-stop shops too. The difference is their governments do not work as one, so their one-stop shops cannot make things happen, as EDB can," he said.
The fourth reason was Singapore's "first-rate Government".
"(The companies) had interacted with our ministers, and knew their quality," he added.
"And finally, they knew the Government enjoyed Singaporeans' strong support, so the ministers could take decisive steps if necessary, and make the right decisions to promote growth and create jobs," he said.
Stressing the high stakes in this election, he said maintaining Singapore's reputation is essential, as it is a small country with many limitations.
"We must show the world that we are indeed special, and can sustain our edge over other countries and cities. Then MNCs will invest in us, other countries will take us seriously, and Singapore has a place in the sun," he said.
"Otherwise, we will just fade away and be forgotten, like so many city-states in history."
Opposition has not offered ideas to tackle COVID-19 outbreak, says PM Lee Hsien Loong
The parties have shown no recognition that Singapore faces the crisis of a generation, he says
By Linette Lai, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the opposition parties have not offered any suggestions on how to tackle the deadly scourge, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday.
Instead, they are talking as if the crisis does not exist and Singapore can keep to its old ways, PM Lee added.
This is a "moment of danger and alarm", but the opposition has shown no recognition that the country is facing the crisis of a generation, he said at his lunchtime online Fullerton rally.
"They have been completely silent on how to tackle COVID-19 - both during the last six months and in this election campaign.
"What contribution will they make in Parliament, adding 'contrast' to the discussions they say, if they get elected as MPs? What will happen to Singapore, if they form the government?"
Various opposition parties have criticised the Government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis and its decision to call an election during the pandemic.
Progress Singapore Party chief Tan Cheng Bock had said that the Government needs to focus on the public health aspects of the outbreak and not just jobs, while the Workers' Party and Singapore Democratic Party have put forth proposals to help those affected by the economic fallout from the pandemic.
PM Lee, however, countered that opposition parties "prattle on" about such proposals as a minimum wage or universal basic income, which are "fashionable peacetime slogans, not serious wartime plans".
"How will a minimum wage help somebody who is unemployed? It will just add to employers' cost, and pressure them to drop even more workers," he said.
"How will we pay for a universal basic income?" he asked, adding that increasing the goods and services tax, or GST, will not be enough for it.
"Do you really want to vote for parties who in a crisis come up with nothing better than old recycled manifestos?" he said.
Beyond the emergency relief in this year's Budgets, the more fundamental solution for jobs is to turn Singapore's economy around, the Prime Minister said.
The country needs to create new jobs, and must attract new investments to do so. This means maintaining confidence in Singapore, so that companies will not lose faith in it during this crisis, he added.
He asked what the opposition parties have to say about getting Singapore out of the downturn, growing the economy or creating new jobs.
PM Lee, who is secretary-general of the People's Action Party, also called on Singaporeans not to undermine a system that has served them well, adding that they should not be taken in by those who say it is important "just to have more choices".
"Look carefully at the choices they offer you. Ask yourself if they can deliver," he stressed.
"Don't be taken for a ride. Your future is at stake."
The parties have shown no recognition that Singapore faces the crisis of a generation, he says
By Linette Lai, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the opposition parties have not offered any suggestions on how to tackle the deadly scourge, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday.
Instead, they are talking as if the crisis does not exist and Singapore can keep to its old ways, PM Lee added.
This is a "moment of danger and alarm", but the opposition has shown no recognition that the country is facing the crisis of a generation, he said at his lunchtime online Fullerton rally.
"They have been completely silent on how to tackle COVID-19 - both during the last six months and in this election campaign.
"What contribution will they make in Parliament, adding 'contrast' to the discussions they say, if they get elected as MPs? What will happen to Singapore, if they form the government?"
Various opposition parties have criticised the Government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis and its decision to call an election during the pandemic.
Progress Singapore Party chief Tan Cheng Bock had said that the Government needs to focus on the public health aspects of the outbreak and not just jobs, while the Workers' Party and Singapore Democratic Party have put forth proposals to help those affected by the economic fallout from the pandemic.
PM Lee, however, countered that opposition parties "prattle on" about such proposals as a minimum wage or universal basic income, which are "fashionable peacetime slogans, not serious wartime plans".
"How will a minimum wage help somebody who is unemployed? It will just add to employers' cost, and pressure them to drop even more workers," he said.
"How will we pay for a universal basic income?" he asked, adding that increasing the goods and services tax, or GST, will not be enough for it.
"Do you really want to vote for parties who in a crisis come up with nothing better than old recycled manifestos?" he said.
Beyond the emergency relief in this year's Budgets, the more fundamental solution for jobs is to turn Singapore's economy around, the Prime Minister said.
The country needs to create new jobs, and must attract new investments to do so. This means maintaining confidence in Singapore, so that companies will not lose faith in it during this crisis, he added.
He asked what the opposition parties have to say about getting Singapore out of the downturn, growing the economy or creating new jobs.
PM Lee, who is secretary-general of the People's Action Party, also called on Singaporeans not to undermine a system that has served them well, adding that they should not be taken in by those who say it is important "just to have more choices".
"Look carefully at the choices they offer you. Ask yourself if they can deliver," he stressed.
"Don't be taken for a ride. Your future is at stake."
Tough calls were made to keep COVID-19 at bay, says PM Lee
By Linette Lai, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
Without a team of capable ministers working closely together, Singapore would not have been able to implement all the measures it took to stop COVID-19 from spreading, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday.
The Government, he added, would have lost the confidence of Singaporeans.
"You've seen this happen many times elsewhere," said PM Lee in his online Fullerton rally at noon. "Political leaders fail to act competently; voters lose trust in them. They are confused and dismayed; their faith in the whole system is shaken. People suffer greatly, and many die unnecessarily."
Singapore has avoided this and is now in a better position than before the circuit breaker, PM Lee said.
But warning against complacency, the Prime Minister added that the danger is very much alive and Singaporeans cannot afford to take chances.
Coronavirus cases have flared up in many countries after lockdowns were relaxed, and despite its best efforts, Singapore may be hit hard again if there is a second global wave of the pandemic.
"Keeping COVID-19 under control and our people safe, avoiding another lockdown, will take everything that we've got," PM Lee said.
"We will have to take many more difficult decisions, and find more creative, radical solutions to take care of our people."
In his speech, PM Lee outlined how Singapore had been preparing itself for such an outbreak and the difficult political decisions that had to be made since the start of the year.
The country has been preparing for a pandemic since 2003, when it was hit by the severe acute respiratory syndrome. Since then, the Government has not taken its "eyes off the ball", he said.
Even so, there was a scramble to deal with COVID-19 when the pandemic hit.
Still, the Government rose to the challenge, secured supplies of face masks, ramped up testing, and mobilised resources to deal with the infections in migrant worker dormitories, PM Lee said.
"All these extremely demanding tasks had to be performed in the fog of war. We had to decide and act urgently, based on incomplete information," he added.
PM Lee said that the public service, including healthcare workers, the Singapore Armed Forces and the Home Team, responded "magnificently", working with the multi-ministry task force headed by Health Minister Gan Kim Yong and National Development Minister Lawrence Wong.
The healthcare system has held up well, Singapore's fatality rate is among the lowest in the world and the situation in migrant worker dormitories is being cleaned up, he added.
PM Lee said: "We have managed to get to this stage not by chance, but by dint of immense effort... Crucial decisions had to be made. It was the ministers who made these decisions and are accountable for them."
One major decision the Government had to make was implementing the eight-week circuit breaker in April and May.
This was not a straightforward decision, because doing so would impact jobs and businesses greatly. But it would also save lives, PM Lee said.
PM Lee added that Mr Gan and Mr Wong had brought the matter to the Cabinet, which decided to go ahead with the circuit breaker.
Looking back, the Government acted just in time, before infection numbers shot up, he added.
"This was a political decision, not an administrative one. The ministers, and ultimately the PM and Cabinet, have responsibility," he said.
The purpose of the Fullerton rally is for voters to pause, take stock of what has happened, and refocus on what is at stake, added PM Lee, the People's Action Party's secretary-general.
Everything that the country has gone through since the beginning of the year has made clear just how important a good government is to fighting the virus, supporting the economy and getting out of this crisis intact, he added.
"This is what this election is about - whom do you trust to get you through the very difficult times ahead."
By Linette Lai, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
The Government, he added, would have lost the confidence of Singaporeans.
"You've seen this happen many times elsewhere," said PM Lee in his online Fullerton rally at noon. "Political leaders fail to act competently; voters lose trust in them. They are confused and dismayed; their faith in the whole system is shaken. People suffer greatly, and many die unnecessarily."
Singapore has avoided this and is now in a better position than before the circuit breaker, PM Lee said.
But warning against complacency, the Prime Minister added that the danger is very much alive and Singaporeans cannot afford to take chances.
Coronavirus cases have flared up in many countries after lockdowns were relaxed, and despite its best efforts, Singapore may be hit hard again if there is a second global wave of the pandemic.
"Keeping COVID-19 under control and our people safe, avoiding another lockdown, will take everything that we've got," PM Lee said.
"We will have to take many more difficult decisions, and find more creative, radical solutions to take care of our people."
In his speech, PM Lee outlined how Singapore had been preparing itself for such an outbreak and the difficult political decisions that had to be made since the start of the year.
The country has been preparing for a pandemic since 2003, when it was hit by the severe acute respiratory syndrome. Since then, the Government has not taken its "eyes off the ball", he said.
Even so, there was a scramble to deal with COVID-19 when the pandemic hit.
Still, the Government rose to the challenge, secured supplies of face masks, ramped up testing, and mobilised resources to deal with the infections in migrant worker dormitories, PM Lee said.
"All these extremely demanding tasks had to be performed in the fog of war. We had to decide and act urgently, based on incomplete information," he added.
PM Lee said that the public service, including healthcare workers, the Singapore Armed Forces and the Home Team, responded "magnificently", working with the multi-ministry task force headed by Health Minister Gan Kim Yong and National Development Minister Lawrence Wong.
The healthcare system has held up well, Singapore's fatality rate is among the lowest in the world and the situation in migrant worker dormitories is being cleaned up, he added.
PM Lee said: "We have managed to get to this stage not by chance, but by dint of immense effort... Crucial decisions had to be made. It was the ministers who made these decisions and are accountable for them."
One major decision the Government had to make was implementing the eight-week circuit breaker in April and May.
This was not a straightforward decision, because doing so would impact jobs and businesses greatly. But it would also save lives, PM Lee said.
PM Lee added that Mr Gan and Mr Wong had brought the matter to the Cabinet, which decided to go ahead with the circuit breaker.
Looking back, the Government acted just in time, before infection numbers shot up, he added.
"This was a political decision, not an administrative one. The ministers, and ultimately the PM and Cabinet, have responsibility," he said.
The purpose of the Fullerton rally is for voters to pause, take stock of what has happened, and refocus on what is at stake, added PM Lee, the People's Action Party's secretary-general.
Everything that the country has gone through since the beginning of the year has made clear just how important a good government is to fighting the virus, supporting the economy and getting out of this crisis intact, he added.
"This is what this election is about - whom do you trust to get you through the very difficult times ahead."
PM Lee vows to steer Singapore through current crisis
A pledge to see nation through COVID-19 crisis, hand over Singapore intact
By Lim Yan Liang, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has pledged to steer Singapore through the current crisis alongside senior Cabinet colleagues and fourth-generation (4G) ministers, even as the People's Action Party (PAP) ensures there is continual leadership renewal.
"You have my word: Together with my older colleagues like (Senior Ministers) Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam, as well as the younger 4G ministers, I will see this through," he said at the party's online rally yesterday.
"I am determined to hand over Singapore, intact and in good working order, to the next team."
PM Lee was speaking about his political journey in the last leg of his half-hour speech to Singaporeans, touching on how the PAP believes in - and has made sure of - leadership renewal over the years "to keep the party vigorous and in sync with your aspirations".
He entered politics in 1984 and was among the 26 new candidates the party fielded in the general election that year, setting in motion its move for self-renewal.
"Today, I am the only one left from the class of 1984. But the party now has many younger cohorts of leaders to take the country forward," said PM Lee, who is 68.
However, no one, including him, had expected to encounter an overwhelming crisis like COVID-19 in the last stretch of his premiership.
"But I count myself fortunate to have been elected by you, and chosen by my fellow ministers and MPs, to lead Singapore through this critical crisis," he added.
Looking back, he said: "I have spent all my adult life serving my country because I believe in Singapore. That is why I took a scholarship to serve in the SAF (Singapore Armed Forces). That is why when ESM (Emeritus Senior Minister) Goh Chok Tong asked me to enter politics, I agreed." PM Lee was a brigadier-general in the SAF before he stood for election.
GE2020 is PM Lee's ninth general election and yesterday's rally was his seventh Fullerton rally, a signature PAP event that had been held near Fullerton Building in almost every general election. It was held online this year because of safe distancing measures.
PM Lee noted that Singapore has thrived and transformed in the last 36 years, overcoming several crises along the way. "Fullerton Building today is no longer the General Post Office, but a heritage building restored to more than its old splendour. The Singapore River has been cleaned up. Marina Bay has been transformed... into a vibrant downtown."
He recalled that in his debut Fullerton rally speech in 1984, he told young voters it was great to be young and okay to enjoy Michael Jackson's music, and just a few months later, the 1985 recession struck, "and we had much more serious issues to talk about".
In the years since, the Government has tackled various challenges together with Singaporeans. Likewise, he is confident Singapore can pull through the current crisis, provided it has a capable government with the full support of the people, and the "same unshakeable will to marshal all our energies and resources to fight it together, prevail and emerge stronger".
"Our response in this crisis will determine the future of our country, and prospects for our children and grandchildren in Singapore." If Singaporeans work together and build well, the Fullerton rally 36 years from now will take place in a vastly transformed Singapore, one that today's young Singaporeans will be proud to have built, he said.
PM Lee called on all Singaporeans to throw their support behind him and the PAP, and to be confident that "Singapore will endure this searching trial".
"All my life, I have felt a deep personal responsibility to do my part to keep Singapore safe and to make it succeed. Now, to get through this crisis, I need your help; I cannot do it alone. I need the strongest team we can find to work with me and with you. I also need full support from all of you," he said.
A pledge to see nation through COVID-19 crisis, hand over Singapore intact
By Lim Yan Liang, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
"You have my word: Together with my older colleagues like (Senior Ministers) Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam, as well as the younger 4G ministers, I will see this through," he said at the party's online rally yesterday.
"I am determined to hand over Singapore, intact and in good working order, to the next team."
PM Lee was speaking about his political journey in the last leg of his half-hour speech to Singaporeans, touching on how the PAP believes in - and has made sure of - leadership renewal over the years "to keep the party vigorous and in sync with your aspirations".
He entered politics in 1984 and was among the 26 new candidates the party fielded in the general election that year, setting in motion its move for self-renewal.
"Today, I am the only one left from the class of 1984. But the party now has many younger cohorts of leaders to take the country forward," said PM Lee, who is 68.
However, no one, including him, had expected to encounter an overwhelming crisis like COVID-19 in the last stretch of his premiership.
"But I count myself fortunate to have been elected by you, and chosen by my fellow ministers and MPs, to lead Singapore through this critical crisis," he added.
Looking back, he said: "I have spent all my adult life serving my country because I believe in Singapore. That is why I took a scholarship to serve in the SAF (Singapore Armed Forces). That is why when ESM (Emeritus Senior Minister) Goh Chok Tong asked me to enter politics, I agreed." PM Lee was a brigadier-general in the SAF before he stood for election.
GE2020 is PM Lee's ninth general election and yesterday's rally was his seventh Fullerton rally, a signature PAP event that had been held near Fullerton Building in almost every general election. It was held online this year because of safe distancing measures.
PM Lee noted that Singapore has thrived and transformed in the last 36 years, overcoming several crises along the way. "Fullerton Building today is no longer the General Post Office, but a heritage building restored to more than its old splendour. The Singapore River has been cleaned up. Marina Bay has been transformed... into a vibrant downtown."
He recalled that in his debut Fullerton rally speech in 1984, he told young voters it was great to be young and okay to enjoy Michael Jackson's music, and just a few months later, the 1985 recession struck, "and we had much more serious issues to talk about".
In the years since, the Government has tackled various challenges together with Singaporeans. Likewise, he is confident Singapore can pull through the current crisis, provided it has a capable government with the full support of the people, and the "same unshakeable will to marshal all our energies and resources to fight it together, prevail and emerge stronger".
"Our response in this crisis will determine the future of our country, and prospects for our children and grandchildren in Singapore." If Singaporeans work together and build well, the Fullerton rally 36 years from now will take place in a vastly transformed Singapore, one that today's young Singaporeans will be proud to have built, he said.
PM Lee called on all Singaporeans to throw their support behind him and the PAP, and to be confident that "Singapore will endure this searching trial".
"All my life, I have felt a deep personal responsibility to do my part to keep Singapore safe and to make it succeed. Now, to get through this crisis, I need your help; I cannot do it alone. I need the strongest team we can find to work with me and with you. I also need full support from all of you," he said.
Don't vote for opposition if what you really want is a PAP government, says PM Lee
Now is not the time to undermine system that has worked well
By Danson Cheong, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
Singaporeans should not undermine a system that has served them well, especially at this critical moment when Singapore is facing the COVID-19 crisis, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
What the country needs now is a capable government that has the full support of the people to tackle the pandemic, he added.
PM Lee urged voters to also look at how political consensus has frayed in countries that change governments regularly, and warned them against being taken in by opposition parties offering an alternative choice to the People's Action Party (PAP).
He said: "After a government falls, what follows isn't a new, more stable equilibrium, but more frequent changes of governments and divisive politicking.
"People appear to have a choice, but often, the more things change, the more they remain the same. These countries have not done better than Singapore.
"So, I ask Singaporeans: Don't be taken in by those who say that it is important just to have more choices. Look carefully at the choices they offer you, ask yourself if they can deliver, don't be taken for a ride. Your future is at stake."
PM Lee, who is PAP secretary-general, was speaking at an online Fullerton rally at yesterday, before Singapore goes to the polls on Friday.
The PAP, he said, has "walked with Singapore" for six decades, since it won its first election in 1959 and formed the government. PM Lee said: "The PAP won that crucial first election because we represented the national consensus and our people's collective hopes for their future."
After more than six decades, this has not changed, he added.
"The PAP still reaches out broadly to the population. Our policies have improved people's lives beyond measure, we have maintained trust with the people, and we have renewed our leadership to keep the party vigorous and in sync with your aspirations," PM Lee said.
He added that the party believes in "political renewal, not political recycling", and has set out its plans in its election manifesto. But it needs the support of Singaporeans to turn its plans into reality, he said.
He added that the party believes in "political renewal, not political recycling", and has set out its plans in its election manifesto. But it needs the support of Singaporeans to turn its plans into reality, he said.
Calling on Singaporeans to vote for the PAP, PM Lee said he has worked hard to field the "strongest possible PAP team" for the coming general election - Singapore's 13th since independence.
The PAP is fielding a capable team, but it would first have to be elected in order to serve Singaporeans, he added.
Singaporeans, PM Lee said, should not send confusing signals by voting for the opposition, if "what you really want is a PAP MP to look after your constituency and town council, and a PAP government to look after Singapore".
He said MPs and ministers have done their best, and the people have seen their track record.
But PM Lee cautioned against buying the opposition's argument about acting as some form of insurance.
He said: "The opposition says they are offering Singaporeans insurance, just in case you need it, but don't buy insurance from someone on a promise, especially when you have reason to suspect this company cannot pay out on the insurance and their cheques will bounce."
Singapore GE2020: Strongest PAP slate with both young and old faces
By Lim Yan Liang, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
The People's Action Party (PAP) is fielding a record number of new candidates this election to prepare a new generation of leaders able, in time, to take over the running of Singapore, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at the virtual Fullerton rally yesterday.
Never before has the ruling party sent out as many as the 27 new faces it is doing in this election - exceeding even the 26 in the class of 1984, which was when PM Lee entered politics at the age of 32.
The 1984 General Election turned out to be a watershed election that injected young blood into the PAP, he said.
Political renewal remains a focus of the PAP, he noted: 36 years after he first entered the fray, PM Lee is the only one of his cohort still in politics, and he has said this is likely to be his last election before he steps down.
PM Lee said he has worked hard to field the strongest PAP slate for this election, comprising capable ministers whom he can rely upon to get things done and seasoned MPs to take care of every constituency.
But the party also took care to refresh and reinforce its line-up with a younger generation of candidates, whom PM Lee said are "promising leaders from all walks of life".
"They will bring new ideas and perspectives on tackling the challenges ahead, and I hope younger, first-time voters will identify with them, and see them as candidates who represent their views and will advance their interests," he said.
"My duty as PM is not just to take good care of Singapore during my time in office. It is also to prepare new generations of leaders who can take over from me and my older colleagues, and lead Singapore into a different future."
But to serve, PAP candidates must first be elected, said PM Lee, who asked voters to look at the track records of PAP MPs and ministers.
"As ESM (Emeritus Senior Minister) Goh Chok Tong recently put it, we believe in political renewal, not political recycling," he said. "I cannot say that such a state of affairs will last forever, but do not undermine a system that has served you well."
The PAP won Singapore's crucial first election in 1959 because it represented the national consensus and Singaporeans' collective hopes for their future, and this has not changed 60 years later, he added.
"The PAP still reaches out broadly to the population, our policies have improved people's lives beyond measure," he said.
"We have maintained trust with the people, and we have renewed our leadership, to keep the party vigorous and in sync with your aspirations."
By Lim Yan Liang, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
The People's Action Party (PAP) is fielding a record number of new candidates this election to prepare a new generation of leaders able, in time, to take over the running of Singapore, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at the virtual Fullerton rally yesterday.
Never before has the ruling party sent out as many as the 27 new faces it is doing in this election - exceeding even the 26 in the class of 1984, which was when PM Lee entered politics at the age of 32.
The 1984 General Election turned out to be a watershed election that injected young blood into the PAP, he said.
Political renewal remains a focus of the PAP, he noted: 36 years after he first entered the fray, PM Lee is the only one of his cohort still in politics, and he has said this is likely to be his last election before he steps down.
PM Lee said he has worked hard to field the strongest PAP slate for this election, comprising capable ministers whom he can rely upon to get things done and seasoned MPs to take care of every constituency.
But the party also took care to refresh and reinforce its line-up with a younger generation of candidates, whom PM Lee said are "promising leaders from all walks of life".
"They will bring new ideas and perspectives on tackling the challenges ahead, and I hope younger, first-time voters will identify with them, and see them as candidates who represent their views and will advance their interests," he said.
"My duty as PM is not just to take good care of Singapore during my time in office. It is also to prepare new generations of leaders who can take over from me and my older colleagues, and lead Singapore into a different future."
But to serve, PAP candidates must first be elected, said PM Lee, who asked voters to look at the track records of PAP MPs and ministers.
"As ESM (Emeritus Senior Minister) Goh Chok Tong recently put it, we believe in political renewal, not political recycling," he said. "I cannot say that such a state of affairs will last forever, but do not undermine a system that has served you well."
The PAP won Singapore's crucial first election in 1959 because it represented the national consensus and Singaporeans' collective hopes for their future, and this has not changed 60 years later, he added.
"The PAP still reaches out broadly to the population, our policies have improved people's lives beyond measure," he said.
"We have maintained trust with the people, and we have renewed our leadership, to keep the party vigorous and in sync with your aspirations."
Competent government will inspire investor confidence, says PM Lee
By Grace Ho, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
Emergency COVID-19 relief cannot be sustained indefinitely. The more fundamental solution is to turn around the economy and create new jobs, and to do so, Singapore must attract new investments, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
This means maintaining confidence in Singapore so that companies will not lose faith in the country during a crisis, he added.
During an online rally yesterday, PM Lee drew parallels with the 1985 recession, when Singapore lost its competitiveness and its annual gross domestic product shrank for the first time since independence.
He was then tasked to chair the economic committee to reposition the country's economy for the future, and drastic measures such as cutting Central Provident Fund contributions were taken.
The younger ministers held many meetings with union leaders and workers to persuade them, and founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew had used charts and tables during the National Day Rally that year to explain to Singaporeans what they had to do to get out of the recession.
"We did not just make one speech or hold a press conference, and expect people to simply swallow the bitter pill," he said.
"People said that Mr Lee sounded like a professor giving Singaporeans an economics lecture, but Singaporeans understood the message and supported the tough measures. The measures worked and within a year, our economy was growing again.
"That is what political leadership is about."
PM Lee called into question the opposition's ability to get the country out of the downturn, grow the economy or create new jobs, saying that some of their proposals are unrealistic and fiscally unsustainable.
"They prattle on about a minimum wage or a universal basic income. These are fashionable peacetime slogans, not serious wartime plans.
"How will a minimum wage help somebody who is unemployed? It will just add costs to employers, and pressure them to drop even more workers. How will we pay for a universal basic income? All the GST (goods and services tax) increases in the world will not be enough.
"Do you really want to vote for parties who in a crisis come up with nothing better than old recycled manifestos?"
The Government has rolled out four Budgets since February, totalling almost $93 billion, and drawing up to $52 billion from past reserves.
But governing is not just about writing cheques indiscriminately, said PM Lee.
"We need to understand who is hurting, who needs help most, how to help them, what works and what doesn't. In the past months, we have done this systematically," he said.
This includes rolling out the Jobs Support Scheme, which subsidises wages so that firms can retain workers, and giving extra support to households and those who have been more affected, such as the self-employed.
Emergency legislation was also passed for rental and contract waivers - an "unprecedented move", said PM Lee.
Spelling out the dire consequences had this not been done, he added: "Contractors who missed project deadlines because of the circuit breaker would have had to pay liquidated damages. Tenants who could not do business would still have had to pay rent.
"Couples who could not hold weddings would have forfeited their deposits for their wedding banquets. Many individuals and SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) would have been hurt, and many good companies would have gone under."
PM Lee spoke about the race against time to put together the relevant Bill in nine days, with Parliament then passing it on a certificate of urgency, going through all three readings in one day.
This was repeated with a second set of emergency measures two months later.
"This is the difference that a highly competent government can make to your lives," he said.
By Grace Ho, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
This means maintaining confidence in Singapore so that companies will not lose faith in the country during a crisis, he added.
During an online rally yesterday, PM Lee drew parallels with the 1985 recession, when Singapore lost its competitiveness and its annual gross domestic product shrank for the first time since independence.
He was then tasked to chair the economic committee to reposition the country's economy for the future, and drastic measures such as cutting Central Provident Fund contributions were taken.
The younger ministers held many meetings with union leaders and workers to persuade them, and founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew had used charts and tables during the National Day Rally that year to explain to Singaporeans what they had to do to get out of the recession.
"We did not just make one speech or hold a press conference, and expect people to simply swallow the bitter pill," he said.
"People said that Mr Lee sounded like a professor giving Singaporeans an economics lecture, but Singaporeans understood the message and supported the tough measures. The measures worked and within a year, our economy was growing again.
"That is what political leadership is about."
PM Lee called into question the opposition's ability to get the country out of the downturn, grow the economy or create new jobs, saying that some of their proposals are unrealistic and fiscally unsustainable.
"They prattle on about a minimum wage or a universal basic income. These are fashionable peacetime slogans, not serious wartime plans.
"How will a minimum wage help somebody who is unemployed? It will just add costs to employers, and pressure them to drop even more workers. How will we pay for a universal basic income? All the GST (goods and services tax) increases in the world will not be enough.
"Do you really want to vote for parties who in a crisis come up with nothing better than old recycled manifestos?"
The Government has rolled out four Budgets since February, totalling almost $93 billion, and drawing up to $52 billion from past reserves.
But governing is not just about writing cheques indiscriminately, said PM Lee.
"We need to understand who is hurting, who needs help most, how to help them, what works and what doesn't. In the past months, we have done this systematically," he said.
This includes rolling out the Jobs Support Scheme, which subsidises wages so that firms can retain workers, and giving extra support to households and those who have been more affected, such as the self-employed.
Emergency legislation was also passed for rental and contract waivers - an "unprecedented move", said PM Lee.
Spelling out the dire consequences had this not been done, he added: "Contractors who missed project deadlines because of the circuit breaker would have had to pay liquidated damages. Tenants who could not do business would still have had to pay rent.
"Couples who could not hold weddings would have forfeited their deposits for their wedding banquets. Many individuals and SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) would have been hurt, and many good companies would have gone under."
PM Lee spoke about the race against time to put together the relevant Bill in nine days, with Parliament then passing it on a certificate of urgency, going through all three readings in one day.
This was repeated with a second set of emergency measures two months later.
"This is the difference that a highly competent government can make to your lives," he said.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong: Why GE2020 is a high-stakes election
The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
Singapore is at a critical juncture as it confronts the challenges from COVID-19 and a weakened global economy. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his online Fullerton election rally yesterday urged Singaporeans not to undermine a system that has served them well. Excerpts of his address follow:
Hardly ever in our history have the stakes been higher than now. We are in the middle of a crisis, but as tough as the past months have been, our biggest challenges lie ahead of us. Globally, the number of COVID-19 cases continues to surge. We don't know how the pandemic will end, or whether a lasting solution will be found. All our experience since the beginning of this year has made clear just how important a good government is to fight COVID-19, support the economy and get out of this crisis intact. This is what this election is about - whom do you trust to get you through the very difficult times ahead.
Our COVID-19 situation is stable. Our healthcare system has held up well. Our fatality rate is among the lowest in the world. In the migrant worker dormitories, the outbreak is being systematically cleaned up.
We have managed to get to this stage not by chance, but by dint of immense effort.
All these extremely demanding tasks had to be performed in the fog of war. We had to decide and act urgently, based on incomplete information. The public service, including our healthcare workers, the Singapore Armed Forces and Home Team, responded magnificently. They took directions from the Multi-Ministry Task Force, led by Health Minister Gan Kim Yong and National Development Minister Lawrence Wong. At every step, we faced difficult trade-offs between lives and livelihoods. Crucial decisions had to be made. It was the ministers who made these decisions and are accountable for them.
One major decision was whether to impose a circuit breaker. Doing it would come at a great cost to jobs and businesses, but not doing it meant risking a major outbreak and loss of lives. We had to decide, one way or another, before it was obvious or much less certain that cases would shoot up. The implementation of the circuit breaker was not straightforward either. How to cushion the huge impact on jobs and incomes? How to do home-based learning for students? How to get Singaporeans to observe the necessary but painful measures? Without a team of capable ministers working closely together on all these different aspects, we would not have been able to implement the anti-COVID-19 measures. We would have lost the confidence of Singaporeans and you've seen this happen many times elsewhere. Political leaders fail to act competently. Voters lose trust in them.
They are confused and dismayed. Their faith in the whole system is shaken. People suffer greatly and many die unnecessarily.
Singapore has avoided this. We are in a better position now, but even as we reopen after the circuit breaker, we cannot afford to take chances. The danger is still very much alive. We will have to take many more difficult decisions and find more creative, radical solutions to take care of our people.
At this moment of danger and alarm, the opposition parties are talking as if we can just keep to our old ways and the crisis did not exist. They show no recognition that we are facing the crisis of a generation. They have been completely silent on how to tackle COVID-19 - both during the last six months and in this election campaign.
ECONOMIC CHALLENGES AHEAD
We have never been hit so hard before. In a usual year, we have one Budget. This year, we've had four, injecting a total of $100 billion, far above our normal spending and that gives you a sense of COVID-19's huge impact on businesses and especially on workers and jobs. But it is not just about indiscriminately writing cheques. We need to understand who is hurting, who needs help most, how to help them, what works and what doesn't.
In the past months, we have done this systematically. The Jobs Support Scheme is a major initiative. It costs the Government more than $20 billion, but it saves employers a large part of workers' wages and, in that way, keeps workers in their jobs. We also passed emergency legislation for rental and contract waivers. This was an unprecedented move. But if we hadn't done this, contractors who missed project deadlines because of the circuit breaker would have had to pay liquidated damages. Tenants who could not do business would still have had to pay rent. Couples who could not hold weddings would have forfeited their deposits for their wedding banquets. Many individuals and SMEs would have been hurt and many good companies would have gone under.
We were very fortunate to have a capable team to pull this off. But all these budgetary and legislative measures are emergency relief and they cannot be sustained indefinitely. The more fundamental solution for jobs is to turn around our economy. We need to create new jobs. To do that, we must attract new investments and that means maintaining confidence in Singapore so that companies will not lose faith in us in a crisis.
Way back in 1985, we were in a similar situation. That year, we experienced a sudden recession. Annual GDP growth turned negative for the first time since independence. I had just entered politics. Dr Tony Tan tasked me to chair the Economic Committee, to study how we could lift ourselves out of the recession and reposition our economy for the future. We took decisive, emergency measures, including cutting CPF contributions.
The younger ministers, including me, held many meetings with union leaders and workers to persuade them. We did not just make one speech, or hold one press conference, and expect people to simply swallow the bitter pill. At the National Day Rally that year, Mr Lee Kuan Yew explained to Singaporeans, using charts and tables, why the recession had happened, how Singapore had lost competitiveness, and what we had to do to get out of the recession.
People said that Mr Lee sounded like a professor giving Singaporeans an economics lecture, but Singaporeans understood the message and supported the tough measures. The measures worked and, within a year, our economy was growing again. That is what political leadership is about.
Once the situation stabilised, we went on the offensive. I went with the Economic Development Board (EDB) on a marketing pitch all over the world, to reassure investors and bring in more investments to Singapore. We placed a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal, with an eye-catching headline, Who Would Be Mad Enough To Invest In Singapore In A Recession? Nowadays people might call this "clickbait". The advertisement carried signatures of nine global heads of MNCs, including Apple, Seagate and Motorola, and several of these companies are still here today, 35 years later.
Why were these MNCs prepared to invest in Singapore during such an economic crisis and to sign on with Singapore?
First, they knew Singaporeans were industrious and capable workers - the best workforce in the world.
Second, they had experienced our tripartite relationship. Our unions were like no other unions they had encountered anywhere else in the world. Our unions and the NTUC cooperate closely with employers and Government to generate growth and jobs for workers. They are not opponents to be countered, but partners in progress.
Third, the investors had high regard for our public service. The EDB was a one-stop shop where they could settle all their problems. Other countries have one-stop shops too. The difference is their governments do not work as one, so their one-stop shops cannot make things happen, as EDB can.
Fourth, investors knew Singapore had a first-rate government. They had interacted with our ministers. They knew our quality. And finally, the investors knew the Government enjoyed Singaporeans' strong support. So the ministers could take decisive steps if needed and make the right decisions to promote growth and create jobs.
THE WORLD IS WATCHING US
Maintaining this high reputation is a matter of survival for us. Singapore is a small country with many limitations, you know that by heart. We must show the world that we are indeed special and can sustain our edge over other countries and cities. Then MNCs will invest in us, other countries will take us seriously and Singapore has a place in the sun. Otherwise, we will just fade away and be forgotten, like so many city-states in history.
The world is watching this election closely. Will we show the world that Singaporeans are still one united people, strongly supporting the leaders they have chosen, and working together to overcome the crisis? Or will we reveal ourselves to be fractious and divided, withholding our full support from the Government we have elected, in a crisis where swift, decisive action is vital to save jobs and lives?
Investors will scrutinise the election results and act on their conclusions. So will others, both friends and adversaries of Singapore.
That is why in this election, the PAP seeks not just your mandate, but your strong mandate, to lead Singapore through this crisis.
Meanwhile, what does the opposition have to say about getting us out of the downturn, or growing our economy, or creating new jobs?
They prattle on about a minimum wage, or a universal basic income. These are fashionable peacetime slogans, not serious wartime plans. How will a minimum wage help somebody who is unemployed? It will just add to employers' cost and pressure them to drop even more workers. How will we pay for a universal basic income? All the GST increases in the world will not be enough.
Do you really want to vote for parties which in a crisis come up with nothing better than old recycled manifestos?
LEADERSHIP AND POLITICS
Last month, the ministers and I did a series of national broadcasts. We sketched out the challenges we were facing and also our plans to overcome them. The PAP election manifesto also sets out our programme. Can we turn all these plans into reality? That depends, it depends on you giving a strong mandate to me and my PAP team.
I have worked hard to field the strongest possible PAP team for this election. It is an experienced team. It includes capable ministers, whom I rely on to get things done and to take care of Singaporeans through this crisis. And seasoned, energetic MPs who will look after you in every constituency, speak up for you in Parliament and make sure the PAP Government is focused on your needs and aspirations.
It is also a team refreshed and reinforced with a younger generation of promising leaders from all walks of life. They will bring new ideas and perspectives on tackling the challenges ahead. But to serve you, we first need to get elected. Your MPs and ministers have done their best. You have seen our track record. If you think we have delivered and made your life better, please vote for us. If you think we have not, then by all means vote us out.
But do not confuse signals by voting the opposition if what you really want is a PAP MP to look after your constituency and town council, and a PAP Government to look after Singapore.
The opposition say they are offering Singaporeans insurance just in case you need it, but don't buy insurance from someone on a promise, especially when you have reason to suspect this company cannot pay out on the insurance and their cheques will bounce.
As ESM Goh Chok Tong recently put it, we believe in political renewal, not political recycling.
I cannot say that such a state of affairs will last forever, but do not undermine a system that has served you well. Look at countries that change governments regularly. Their political consensus has frayed. After a government falls, what follows isn't a new, more stable equilibrium, but more frequent changes of governments and divisive politicking. People appear to have a choice, but often the more things change, the more they remain the same. These countries have not done better than Singapore.
So I ask Singaporeans: Don't be taken in by those who say that it is important just to have more choices. Look carefully at the choices they offer you. Ask yourself if they can deliver. Your future is at stake.
STAGES IN A POLITICAL JOURNEY
This is my seventh Fullerton rally. My first Fullerton rally was in 1984, when I entered politics 36 years ago, aged 32. That was a watershed election. The PAP fielded 26 new candidates and its self-renewal took off. Today, I am the only one left from the class of 1984. But the party now has many younger cohorts of leaders to take the country forward.
In almost every election since 1984, I have returned to speak at the Fullerton rally. Each time, Singapore had made more progress.
Over 36 years, the changes have been dramatic. Fullerton Building today is no longer the General Post Office, but a heritage building restored to more than its old splendour. The Singapore River has been cleaned up. Marina Bay has been transformed from open water and empty reclaimed land into a vibrant downtown, alive with business, recreation and arts, alive with life.
We built all this up steadily, despite several crises along the way. I have experienced the Asian financial crisis (1997-1998), 9/11 terrorist attacks and the JI threat (2001), Sars (2003), and the global financial crisis (2007-2009). Each was a grave challenge. Each time, we worried about the worst happening to us but, each time, the Government led from the front, Singaporeans rallied together, and we pulled through.
What I did not expect - what no one expected - was to meet this overwhelming crisis in the last stretch of my premiership, but I count myself fortunate to have been elected by you, and chosen by my fellow ministers and MPs, to lead Singapore through this critical crisis.
COVID-19 is the crisis of a generation. It is more complex and more dangerous than any previous crisis we have met. Again, there can be no certainty that things will turn out well. But we must have the same unshakeable will to marshal all our energies and resources, to fight it together, prevail and emerge stronger.
Our response in this crisis will determine the future of our country and prospects for our children and grandchildren in Singapore. I am determined to hand over Singapore, intact and in good working order, to the next team.
I have spent all my adult life serving my country because I believe in Singapore.
Now, to get through this crisis, I need your help. I cannot do it alone. I need the strongest team we can find, to work with me and with you. I also need full support from all of you. If we all work together and build well, generation after generation, then another 36 years from now, the Fullerton rally will be held in a vastly transformed Singapore and future Singaporeans - today's young ones - can be proud of what they have built.
The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2020
Singapore is at a critical juncture as it confronts the challenges from COVID-19 and a weakened global economy. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his online Fullerton election rally yesterday urged Singaporeans not to undermine a system that has served them well. Excerpts of his address follow:
Our COVID-19 situation is stable. Our healthcare system has held up well. Our fatality rate is among the lowest in the world. In the migrant worker dormitories, the outbreak is being systematically cleaned up.
We have managed to get to this stage not by chance, but by dint of immense effort.
All these extremely demanding tasks had to be performed in the fog of war. We had to decide and act urgently, based on incomplete information. The public service, including our healthcare workers, the Singapore Armed Forces and Home Team, responded magnificently. They took directions from the Multi-Ministry Task Force, led by Health Minister Gan Kim Yong and National Development Minister Lawrence Wong. At every step, we faced difficult trade-offs between lives and livelihoods. Crucial decisions had to be made. It was the ministers who made these decisions and are accountable for them.
One major decision was whether to impose a circuit breaker. Doing it would come at a great cost to jobs and businesses, but not doing it meant risking a major outbreak and loss of lives. We had to decide, one way or another, before it was obvious or much less certain that cases would shoot up. The implementation of the circuit breaker was not straightforward either. How to cushion the huge impact on jobs and incomes? How to do home-based learning for students? How to get Singaporeans to observe the necessary but painful measures? Without a team of capable ministers working closely together on all these different aspects, we would not have been able to implement the anti-COVID-19 measures. We would have lost the confidence of Singaporeans and you've seen this happen many times elsewhere. Political leaders fail to act competently. Voters lose trust in them.
They are confused and dismayed. Their faith in the whole system is shaken. People suffer greatly and many die unnecessarily.
Singapore has avoided this. We are in a better position now, but even as we reopen after the circuit breaker, we cannot afford to take chances. The danger is still very much alive. We will have to take many more difficult decisions and find more creative, radical solutions to take care of our people.
At this moment of danger and alarm, the opposition parties are talking as if we can just keep to our old ways and the crisis did not exist. They show no recognition that we are facing the crisis of a generation. They have been completely silent on how to tackle COVID-19 - both during the last six months and in this election campaign.
ECONOMIC CHALLENGES AHEAD
We have never been hit so hard before. In a usual year, we have one Budget. This year, we've had four, injecting a total of $100 billion, far above our normal spending and that gives you a sense of COVID-19's huge impact on businesses and especially on workers and jobs. But it is not just about indiscriminately writing cheques. We need to understand who is hurting, who needs help most, how to help them, what works and what doesn't.
In the past months, we have done this systematically. The Jobs Support Scheme is a major initiative. It costs the Government more than $20 billion, but it saves employers a large part of workers' wages and, in that way, keeps workers in their jobs. We also passed emergency legislation for rental and contract waivers. This was an unprecedented move. But if we hadn't done this, contractors who missed project deadlines because of the circuit breaker would have had to pay liquidated damages. Tenants who could not do business would still have had to pay rent. Couples who could not hold weddings would have forfeited their deposits for their wedding banquets. Many individuals and SMEs would have been hurt and many good companies would have gone under.
We were very fortunate to have a capable team to pull this off. But all these budgetary and legislative measures are emergency relief and they cannot be sustained indefinitely. The more fundamental solution for jobs is to turn around our economy. We need to create new jobs. To do that, we must attract new investments and that means maintaining confidence in Singapore so that companies will not lose faith in us in a crisis.
Way back in 1985, we were in a similar situation. That year, we experienced a sudden recession. Annual GDP growth turned negative for the first time since independence. I had just entered politics. Dr Tony Tan tasked me to chair the Economic Committee, to study how we could lift ourselves out of the recession and reposition our economy for the future. We took decisive, emergency measures, including cutting CPF contributions.
The younger ministers, including me, held many meetings with union leaders and workers to persuade them. We did not just make one speech, or hold one press conference, and expect people to simply swallow the bitter pill. At the National Day Rally that year, Mr Lee Kuan Yew explained to Singaporeans, using charts and tables, why the recession had happened, how Singapore had lost competitiveness, and what we had to do to get out of the recession.
People said that Mr Lee sounded like a professor giving Singaporeans an economics lecture, but Singaporeans understood the message and supported the tough measures. The measures worked and, within a year, our economy was growing again. That is what political leadership is about.
Once the situation stabilised, we went on the offensive. I went with the Economic Development Board (EDB) on a marketing pitch all over the world, to reassure investors and bring in more investments to Singapore. We placed a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal, with an eye-catching headline, Who Would Be Mad Enough To Invest In Singapore In A Recession? Nowadays people might call this "clickbait". The advertisement carried signatures of nine global heads of MNCs, including Apple, Seagate and Motorola, and several of these companies are still here today, 35 years later.
Why were these MNCs prepared to invest in Singapore during such an economic crisis and to sign on with Singapore?
First, they knew Singaporeans were industrious and capable workers - the best workforce in the world.
Second, they had experienced our tripartite relationship. Our unions were like no other unions they had encountered anywhere else in the world. Our unions and the NTUC cooperate closely with employers and Government to generate growth and jobs for workers. They are not opponents to be countered, but partners in progress.
Third, the investors had high regard for our public service. The EDB was a one-stop shop where they could settle all their problems. Other countries have one-stop shops too. The difference is their governments do not work as one, so their one-stop shops cannot make things happen, as EDB can.
Fourth, investors knew Singapore had a first-rate government. They had interacted with our ministers. They knew our quality. And finally, the investors knew the Government enjoyed Singaporeans' strong support. So the ministers could take decisive steps if needed and make the right decisions to promote growth and create jobs.
THE WORLD IS WATCHING US
Maintaining this high reputation is a matter of survival for us. Singapore is a small country with many limitations, you know that by heart. We must show the world that we are indeed special and can sustain our edge over other countries and cities. Then MNCs will invest in us, other countries will take us seriously and Singapore has a place in the sun. Otherwise, we will just fade away and be forgotten, like so many city-states in history.
The world is watching this election closely. Will we show the world that Singaporeans are still one united people, strongly supporting the leaders they have chosen, and working together to overcome the crisis? Or will we reveal ourselves to be fractious and divided, withholding our full support from the Government we have elected, in a crisis where swift, decisive action is vital to save jobs and lives?
Investors will scrutinise the election results and act on their conclusions. So will others, both friends and adversaries of Singapore.
That is why in this election, the PAP seeks not just your mandate, but your strong mandate, to lead Singapore through this crisis.
Meanwhile, what does the opposition have to say about getting us out of the downturn, or growing our economy, or creating new jobs?
They prattle on about a minimum wage, or a universal basic income. These are fashionable peacetime slogans, not serious wartime plans. How will a minimum wage help somebody who is unemployed? It will just add to employers' cost and pressure them to drop even more workers. How will we pay for a universal basic income? All the GST increases in the world will not be enough.
Do you really want to vote for parties which in a crisis come up with nothing better than old recycled manifestos?
LEADERSHIP AND POLITICS
Last month, the ministers and I did a series of national broadcasts. We sketched out the challenges we were facing and also our plans to overcome them. The PAP election manifesto also sets out our programme. Can we turn all these plans into reality? That depends, it depends on you giving a strong mandate to me and my PAP team.
I have worked hard to field the strongest possible PAP team for this election. It is an experienced team. It includes capable ministers, whom I rely on to get things done and to take care of Singaporeans through this crisis. And seasoned, energetic MPs who will look after you in every constituency, speak up for you in Parliament and make sure the PAP Government is focused on your needs and aspirations.
It is also a team refreshed and reinforced with a younger generation of promising leaders from all walks of life. They will bring new ideas and perspectives on tackling the challenges ahead. But to serve you, we first need to get elected. Your MPs and ministers have done their best. You have seen our track record. If you think we have delivered and made your life better, please vote for us. If you think we have not, then by all means vote us out.
But do not confuse signals by voting the opposition if what you really want is a PAP MP to look after your constituency and town council, and a PAP Government to look after Singapore.
The opposition say they are offering Singaporeans insurance just in case you need it, but don't buy insurance from someone on a promise, especially when you have reason to suspect this company cannot pay out on the insurance and their cheques will bounce.
As ESM Goh Chok Tong recently put it, we believe in political renewal, not political recycling.
I cannot say that such a state of affairs will last forever, but do not undermine a system that has served you well. Look at countries that change governments regularly. Their political consensus has frayed. After a government falls, what follows isn't a new, more stable equilibrium, but more frequent changes of governments and divisive politicking. People appear to have a choice, but often the more things change, the more they remain the same. These countries have not done better than Singapore.
So I ask Singaporeans: Don't be taken in by those who say that it is important just to have more choices. Look carefully at the choices they offer you. Ask yourself if they can deliver. Your future is at stake.
STAGES IN A POLITICAL JOURNEY
This is my seventh Fullerton rally. My first Fullerton rally was in 1984, when I entered politics 36 years ago, aged 32. That was a watershed election. The PAP fielded 26 new candidates and its self-renewal took off. Today, I am the only one left from the class of 1984. But the party now has many younger cohorts of leaders to take the country forward.
In almost every election since 1984, I have returned to speak at the Fullerton rally. Each time, Singapore had made more progress.
Over 36 years, the changes have been dramatic. Fullerton Building today is no longer the General Post Office, but a heritage building restored to more than its old splendour. The Singapore River has been cleaned up. Marina Bay has been transformed from open water and empty reclaimed land into a vibrant downtown, alive with business, recreation and arts, alive with life.
We built all this up steadily, despite several crises along the way. I have experienced the Asian financial crisis (1997-1998), 9/11 terrorist attacks and the JI threat (2001), Sars (2003), and the global financial crisis (2007-2009). Each was a grave challenge. Each time, we worried about the worst happening to us but, each time, the Government led from the front, Singaporeans rallied together, and we pulled through.
What I did not expect - what no one expected - was to meet this overwhelming crisis in the last stretch of my premiership, but I count myself fortunate to have been elected by you, and chosen by my fellow ministers and MPs, to lead Singapore through this critical crisis.
COVID-19 is the crisis of a generation. It is more complex and more dangerous than any previous crisis we have met. Again, there can be no certainty that things will turn out well. But we must have the same unshakeable will to marshal all our energies and resources, to fight it together, prevail and emerge stronger.
Our response in this crisis will determine the future of our country and prospects for our children and grandchildren in Singapore. I am determined to hand over Singapore, intact and in good working order, to the next team.
I have spent all my adult life serving my country because I believe in Singapore.
Now, to get through this crisis, I need your help. I cannot do it alone. I need the strongest team we can find, to work with me and with you. I also need full support from all of you. If we all work together and build well, generation after generation, then another 36 years from now, the Fullerton rally will be held in a vastly transformed Singapore and future Singaporeans - today's young ones - can be proud of what they have built.
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