Amid a "dark and troubled world", soon-to-be Prime Minister (PM) Lawrence Wong said that he is not only hopeful, but "confident" in Singapore and Singaporeans.
In an in-depth interview with local media on May 10, 2024, the 51-year-old opened up on what lies ahead for Singapore.
He also shed light on how he and the government plan to take Singapore forward, in spite of internal and external pressures.
Unity amid diversity
As a diverse society with different ethnic groups, Singapore is susceptible to forces outside of the country.
As such, in a changing world fraught with uncertainties, Singapore must work on strengthening its unique national identity, Wong said.
"These are powerful external forces that can easily influence different segments of our people, whether it is Chinese, Malay or Indian," he said.
"Because these external links are deep. They are ancestral links, they are cultural links, they are very strong links.
And I think they are important because they are about who we are and we value them."
Although it's important to value these connections, we must remember that we are "first and foremost Singaporeans", Wong said.
"It is the reason why we say a Singaporean Chinese is different from a Chinese from China. Likewise, a Singaporean Malay is different from someone from the region; a Singaporean Indian is very different from someone from India."
There are also challenges that loom on the economic front.
Moving forward, the world environment will be "more volatile" and marked by protectionism, Wong predicted — something which Singapore will "certainly be impacted" by.
But it's not all doom and gloom. The Deputy Prime Minister added that "there will be silver linings in the dark clouds".
One opportunity lies in how Asia has become the centre of growth for the global economy — and Singapore, conveniently, is located at the heart of the region.
"We are admired, we are trusted," he remarked.
"And companies do want to do business out of Singapore to service not only ASEAN but the wider Asian region.
So if we make the right moves, if we strengthen Asean integration and unity I think we can continue to thrive and excel even in a dark and troubled world.
We still can make a good living for ourselves."
Image from Lawrence Wong/Facebook.
Internally, fiercer political competition
It's not just about the outside.
Singapore, as well, has changed over the years. And over the course of the interview, Wong takes the opportunity to paint and pitch his vision of Singapore to its citizens.
"When I say that I do not assume that PAP will win the next election or that I will automatically be the PM after the election, I say that seriously," he said.
"This is the reality of our political situation today. It is no longer a dominant system, one-party system."
He pointed out that according to the trend in recent General Elections, he expects a fiercer competition where the opposition will contest more, if not all of the seats.
Smaller opposition parties might even form a coalition, he said. "Not at all unimaginable."
While the PAP may hope to govern Singapore in the people's best interests, Wong said that he is aware that the government — or more specifically the ruling party — must first earn the mandate to do so in the approaching Singapore general election.
But he will rise to the challenge.
"On my part as leader, as Prime Minister and later leader of the party ... I will do everything I can to make sure that PAP earns the confidence and trust of Singaporeans," he said.
The future
But what about the future?
In response to a question by Mothership about young Singaporeans, Wong said that they are much more well-informed than he was when he was their age, and that is a "good and positive sign".
They are also "confident about who they are and proud to be Singaporeans", he said.
Image from Lawrence Wong/Facebook.
He went on to talk about their aspirations, and how these have also shifted over the years beyond the Singaporean dream of the past, the 5Cs: Condo, Car, Cash, Country club, and Credit card.
Young people these days, Wong said, prefer instead "to achieve something larger than themselves".
That does not mean that young Singaporeans cannot aspire towards the 5Cs any longer.
Rather, they want a good life that is not solely "measured by narrow metrics based on material success".
He explained:
"They are looking for meaning, they are looking for fulfilment, they are looking for purpose."
I think these are very noble aspirations. And certainly we will do our part in the government to support these aspirations and help them young Singaporeans to realise them."
Addressing young Singaporeans watching his swearing-in on May 15, the politician said:
"I would say that we have come a long way as a country these last 60 years. We have fought incredible odds; we have defied incredible odds to achieve this miracle called Singapore. It is a transformation beyond anyone's imagination.
Now, we are in a new phase of Singapore's development. But in fact, the best chapters of the Singapore Story are yet to be written.
And all of us, but especially the young generation ... they are going to be the authors of this next chapter. So I would call on all of them to work with me and my team to write the next chapter together."
Image from Lawrence Wong/Facebook.
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Top image from People's Action Party/Facebook and Ang Mo Kio GRC/Facebook