Launch of Pap Manifesto by Secretary-General Lee Hsien Loong on 27 June 2020
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LAUNCH OF PAP MANIFESTO BY SECRETARY-GENERAL LEE HSIEN LOONG ON 27 JUNE 2020 Party Comrades Brothers and Sisters of the NTUC My fellow Singaporeans 1. Good morning 2. We are going into elections in the midst of a global crisis 3. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many lives and livelihoods 4. After great effort, we have stabilised the situation in Singapore a. Now, we are resuming some activities and re-opening our economy, cautiously 5. But our work is only just beginning 6. The next government has a huge task ahead a. It will have many important decisions to make b. Decisions that will affect our lives for years to come 7. This is why I have called a General Election now a. It is to give Singapore a new government b. A government with a full five year term ahead of it and a fresh mandate from voters c. A government which can focus on the urgent problems and deal decisively with them A different General Election 8. Today, the PAP is launching our manifesto for the General Election 9. In a normal election, our manifesto would focus on all our long term ideas to improve and transform Singapore a. Projects like the Tuas Megaport and Changi Terminal 5 b. Development plans for the Greater Southern Waterfront and Jurong Lake District c. More and better pre-schools d. Healthcare for the elderly e. Preparing for climate change 10. All these plans are ambitious, but credible a. Because generation after generation, we have never stopped building on what we inherited b. Also because election after election, PAP governments have never failed to deliver on our promises to the people 11. In normal elections, what is usually of much less interest to voters is the routine business of keeping Singapore going a. Singaporeans expect everything to continue running smoothly, and the PAP to continue to govern properly, before and after the election b. They are confident the country will stay safe, our health services will continue to run, the economy will keep humming along, and jobs will always be available c. In other countries, this would be heroic, even reckless assumptions to make d. But in Singapore, it is quite realistic, and has become the expectation and the norm 12. But this time is different a. This is not a normal election, and we are not in a normal situation b. We are in the middle of the most severe crisis the world has faced for many decades c. The immediate business of running Singapore is anything but routine d. Without a Herculean effort by us, we cannot be certain that what we have painstakingly built over decades will continue to stand, and not collapse in the storm e. Right now, keeping Singapore going, flying straight and safely through turbulent weather is the most challenging and urgent priority for the government 13. Therefore, the central focus of this manifesto is how we will work together to overcome this crisis of a generation a. How we will keep Singaporeans and our migrant workers safe, and prevent COVID-19 from overwhelming our health care system and hospitals b. How we will restart and transform the economy, save jobs and businesses, and reskill workers to take on new jobs c. How we will provide care and support to one another, so that together we can keep all of us safe amidst the uncertainties and dangers 14. These issues are at the top of people’s minds a. Singaporeans understand that this is not business as usual, or politics as usual b. You want to know how the government will work with you to solve your pressing worries 15. This manifesto – Our Lives, Our Jobs, Our Future – answers your questions Longer term plans 16. Beyond COVID-19 and jobs, Singaporeans will also want to know what longer term future you can look forward to a. Where will Singapore be, in five, ten, twenty years’ time? b. After the crisis passes, can Singapore resume our journey, onward and upward? 17. So this manifesto also sets out the PAP’s longer-term plans to build a better Singapore a. Because our aim is not just to survive the storm b. But also to maintain the long-term direction for the country, and keep on building and improving Singapore 18. This is the manifesto of a responsible party and government a. Singaporeans can rely on the PAP government, both to address your immediate needs, and also to work with you to secure your long- term future b. What the PAP promises, the PAP will deliver PAP Team 19. To put this manifesto into action, we need the full support of Singaporeans 20. We also need a strong, steady and capable leadership team a. A team with experience i. Who have been through previous crises, who know what to do, what resources are at your disposal, and what pitfalls and traps to watch out for b. A team with young face and new ideas i. Who can look at old problems from fresh perspectives, and come up with better solutions c. And a dedicated and committed team i. Who have a heart for people and a willingness to listen ii. And who are determined to serve and to do their best for Singapore 21. Hardly ever before has Government been so crucial to protecting lives and livelihoods of Singaporeans a. This is why leadership is key b. Whom you choose to form the next Government – and the quality of that leadership – is absolutely critical c. But even the best leadership team is only as strong as the support it gets d. So we must fight hard to convince Singaporeans that our PAP team is their team, and deserves their full support New Candidates 22. In this General Election, we have made an exceptional effort to put together such a national team 23. We are fielding 27 new candidates this time – more than a quarter of our total slate, and more than in any previous election a. They have all been introduced over the last few days b. But actually, most of them were already familiar to many residents, because they have been working on the ground for some time i. Quite a few have been grassroots leaders and party activists for several years now c. We also have a good mix: entrepreneurs, businessmen and women, lawyers, social workers, public servants and SAF officers d. And we have more women too, 10 new candidates this time – double the last round – including our first female SAF general 24. Individually, each of the new candidates brings something different to the team a. They are each proven in their respective fields and professions i. One of them co-founded a restaurant business, which eventually expanded into an entertainment and F&B company especially popular with younger Singaporeans ii. Another is currently Vice-President at an aerospace company. He came back to Singapore to lead a major project, after many years working in the UK and Europe b. But beyond ability and performance, the new candidates, just like the older ones, also have a strong commitment to serving people i. Several have founded social enterprises and non-profit organisations ii. We also have former civil servants who led the Pioneer Generation Office, which has now been called the Silver Generation Office and the People’s Association c. Several of the candidates have taken harder roads to success i. Two grew up in rental flats ii. Another two came up through the Normal (Academic) stream and went on to polytechnic (1) One later earned a PhD. He is now teaching at a polytechnic, nurturing the next generation (2) The other worked as a paralegal before saving enough to pursue a law degree overseas. She is now a lawyer, and continues to give back, setting up legal clinics in the community iii. In fact, altogether five of the new candidates are polytechnic diploma graduates iv. Having succeeded, they are now helping others to succeed too d. The PAP has made it a fundamental goal to open up many paths to success in Singapore i. Regardless of your family background, if you work hard, you can progress and make a good life for yourselves e. Our candidates know this is true – they have made it happen in their own lives i. They have lived the Singapore story 25. I am proud of our candidates individually. But what I am most proud of is that collectively, the new candidates represent a wide range of life experiences and backgrounds a. This is what makes the PAP the mainstream party in Singapore – a broad tent that occupies the middle ground, and represents the vast majority of Singaporeans b. Our new candidates come from all walks of life, and they are representative of the complexion of our society c. And if elected, they will become your representatives in Parliament i. Because they are like you, they understand you and your concerns, and they care for you ii. You can trust them to speak up on your behalf, and to work closely with you to find good solutions for you and for Singapore 26. Because of time, I am not able to tell you in detail about all the new candidates, one by one a. But we have made a short video so that you can put faces to the names, and know who all of them are b. Comrades, Brothers and Sisters, I present to you the new PAP candidates for GE 2020 Opposition ward candidates 27. The new candidates will soon face the cut and thrust of electoral politics a.