'A ridiculous argument': SM Lee rebuts Pritam Singh's comment that it's a 'serious problem' if PAP govt is weakened by losing ministers

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong rebutted Workers' Party secretary-general Pritam Singh's comment that it would be a "serious problem" if the People's Action Party (PAP), by losing ministers, would have a weakened government.

On Apr. 29, SM Lee called Singh's remark "a ridiculous argument", and instead emphasised the importance of having strong leaders in government, with some who are more "critical" and others who play "complementary roles".

"If it doesn't matter who is in the team, then there should be no difficulty making a good government with anybody. You don't need [to] assemble a strong group of leaders," said SM Lee.

He has to say that because he wants to knock out DPM Gan: SM Lee

SM Lee was responding to questions from the media at a walkabout in WP-held Aljunied GRC, along with PAP's slate for GE2025, Adrian Ang, Chan Hui Yuh, Daniel Liu, Faisal Abdul Aziz and Jagathishwaran Rajo.

At a doorstop interview on Apr. 27, Singh had criticised prior comments from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and SM Lee that losing more PAP ministers and new candidates with potential would weaken the PAP government, to the detriment of Singapore.

"The opposition says losing a few candidates is not a big deal, but do you really want to lose serving ministers as well as new candidates who have the potential to be the next generation of leaders for you?"

Singh called it a "serious problem" if this was the case, in terms of how "robust" PAP's political processes are.

"But if the Prime Minister is saying 'no, with 60 per cent of the vote, we need 90 per cent of the seats, and only then we can govern properly, if not you weaken the PAP'. I think we have a very weak PAP already to begin with."

SM Lee: Pritam Singh can't say he wants to knock out Gan Kim Yong

SM Lee commented on Singh's likely intentions for making such a statement.

"He has to say that because he wants to knock off Mr Gan Kim Yong.

He can't very well say Mr Gan Kim Yong is a very valuable minister but nevertheless, please vote for him (WP).

So he has to say that."

At the Apr. 29 rally, WP Punggol GRC candidates Alexis Dang and Harpreet Singh, took aim at Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong's surprise deployment in Punggol GRC.

In what is shaping up to be a hotly contested constituency, PM Wong has emphatically endorsed Gan as "my deputy, my right hand man", and urged Singaporeans to "give him our full support".

On his surprise appearance in Aljunied

When asked for the reason behind his surprise appearance in Aljunied, SM Lee, who helms the Ang Mo Kio GRC team, said he thinks "these are important constituencies to show support...to show voters that we take the contest very seriously".

Apart from Ang Mo Kio, SM Lee said some areas he has been visiting include neighbouring SMCs such as Kebun Baru, Yio Chu Kang and Jalan Kayu, where NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng is fielded.

"So we go where we are most needed.

And the fact that we go there — that's a signal. A signal that this fight is important.

Please take it very seriously.

This is about your future, about Singapore coming through a very troubled period in the world, safely with the best team, to help you secure your lives and your future and your children’s future.

Please consider very carefully when you vote [on Saturday]."

Top image by Mothership