The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee has not yet been formed, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at a press conference on Nov 8. - Photo: ST
SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said he has not yet decided when the next general election will be held and the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) has not been formed.
“When the election is to be held... I have not decided, and when we start the process, people will know,” PM Wong said in a wide-ranging press conference with Singapore media on Friday (Nov 8).
Responding to a question on whether the EBRC has been convened, PM Wong said: “When we do so, we will announce it, as we always do. We won’t do these things quietly.”
Typically made up of civil servants, the committee reviews the electoral boundaries and recommends the size and number of group representation constituencies and single-member constituencies.
The past few general elections had been called between one and three months after the release of the EBRC report.
When asked if the upcoming Budget will be an election budget, he said Budget 2025 could potentially be the last budget in this term of government.
This is because “elections could still be done before the Budget, but potentially, if the elections are after, then it will be the last budget in this term of government”, PM Wong added.
Singapore’s Budget is typically delivered and considered in February and March each year.
On how ready he and his team are for the general election, the Prime Minister said: “As each day passes, I am more ready.”
He said the governing People’s Action Party (PAP) is “getting ourselves ready”, and added that the country has till the end of 2025 to hold the election.
The next general election must be called by November 2025.
“We are continuing to prepare, and as we get better and better... as we get to the point when we are ready, then I will call the general election,” he said.
As for potential candidates who will be fielded, he said the search is continuing to actively identify candidates.
“When the time comes, I hope to be able to unveil a good slate of candidates for Singaporeans,” PM Wong said.
He also touched on renewal in the party, noting that MPs who have served two or three terms will be asked to step down, and the party will bring in “new blood”.
Answering a question on what will be done to ensure the racial and social tensions seen in the recent US election will not spill over into Singapore society, PM Wong acknowledged that the Republic has always been concerned about how divisions and polarisation make it “harder to govern, and for countries to move forward”.
He pointed to safeguards against falsehoods, such as a Bill passed in Parliament in October to counter digitally manipulated content and deepfakes during elections so as to curb the spread of misinformation.
PM Wong said he hoped Singaporeans will “understand what’s at stake”.
Choosing the right party to govern is important, he added. “But it’s also about determining our future.”
“If we are unable to hold together as a society, I think it will be very hard for us to stay relevant and very hard for us to survive and thrive,” noted PM Wong.
He added: “We try our best not to go down the path of political populism, opportunism, but find ways to keep our society strong, united and maintain that high level of trust, because that’s essential for Singapore to stay relevant and to survive in this new world.”
Asked for his takeaways from the US election that were relevant to Singapore, PM Wong said he does not take the people’s vote or mandate for granted.
“I do not assume that I will continue as prime minister or that the PAP will automatically form the next government,” he said.
“In the end, Singaporeans will have to decide, and when we get to elections, we will present to them our record... what we have done in this term of government. We hope that will be sufficient to earn the confidence and trust of Singaporeans, and we hope they will give us the chance to govern Singapore.”
PM Wong noted that as with any Budget, the priorities will be the immediate issues and concerns that may arise, such as the cost of living, as well as the investments and decisions that have to be made to put Singapore in a stronger position.
Pre-Budget consultations will start in December with these broad themes: Singapore’s economic strategies; skills upgrading and jobs for workers; how support can be given to Singaporeans across different stages of their lives; and strengthening solidarity as Singapore celebrates 60 years of independence in 2025. - The Straits Times/ANN
