PAP can continue to govern well if party is renewed with ‘good people’ willing to serve: PM Wong

SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) needs “good people who are willing to serve” if it is to continue governing Singapore well, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Saturday (Jul 4).

Noting that some young people are naturally drawn to the “underdog” as opposed to an established political party, the PAP’s secretary-general told an audience of youth activists that the “real competition we face is not within Singapore”, but with the rest of the world.

“We are competing against countries with much larger populations, bigger markets, and far greater resources,” Mr Wong said. “In that arena, Singapore has been, and will always be, the underdog.”

PAP’s past achievements do not guarantee future success, he added. 

“Every generation must bring with them their fresh ideas, new energy, and a renewed sense of responsibility to take our country forward,” said Mr Wong. 

“The PAP can continue to govern Singapore well only if every generation renews our party with good people who are willing to serve.”

He was speaking at the Young PAP (YP) 40 Festival, which marks the 40th anniversary of the PAP’s youth wing. The festival was held at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, and was attended by more than 1,200 youth activists from the PAP and National Trades Union Congress (NTUC).

On Saturday, the party’s youth wing also launched the Young PAP Academy and the YP 40 Under 40 Action Fellowship, two initiatives serving as a “launchpad” for the party’s next generation of leaders.

During his keynote address, Mr Wong said that to sustain the kind of politics the PAP stood for, the ruling party needed good people who are “willing to step forward”.

“We are entering a very different world, a changed world. It is full of geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty,” Mr Wong said. 

He said that in many places, politics was no longer about helping societies solve problems. Instead, politicians “amplify outrage” to win support, engaging in “performative politics and points scoring over solving serious problems”, he added.

While Singapore has seen some of these tendencies in its own political discourse, Mr Wong said the PAP’s answer was not to “stoke anger, to deepen divides, or to give in to cynicism”, but to “roll up our sleeves, bridge our divides, and solve problems through our actions”.

Mr Wong appealed to those who cared about Singapore’s future and had ideas on how to improve the country to join the party, adding that members did not have to agree on every issue.

“We do not want everyone in the PAP to think the same way,” he said, adding that the party needs people with different experiences, perspectives and ideas so that it could continue renewing itself and respond effectively to future challenges.

Mr Wong also urged existing activists to widen the party’s circle by reaching out to friends who cared about Singapore and creating spaces where their ideas and contributions would matter.

Concluding with a call to action, Mr Wong acknowledged that many young Singaporeans would at times feel cynical or believe that “nothing will change” or that “politics is not worth it”.

“When that happens, remember: Singapore was built by young men and women who refused to give in to cynicism,” he said. 

NEW INITIATIVES FOR PAP’S YOUTH ACTIVISTS

On Saturday, the party’s youth wing announced the launch of the Young PAP Academy, a platform to engage and connect young leaders through networking, mentorship and leadership programmes in partnership with organisations such as NTUC Youth.

The YP 40 Under 40 Action Fellowship supports Young PAP activists through workshops where they can turn their ideas into action. A total of 40 selected Young PAP activists will be given a S$5,000 (US$3,900) project seed grant to realise their plans by mid-2027.

Young PAP chairperson Alvin Tan, deputy chairperson Syed Harun Alhabsyi and adviser Hazlina Abdul Halim also addressed participants and took turns unveiling the new initiatives.

Mr Tan, who assumed the role in 2025, said the Young PAP will focus on the core mission of leadership. 

“For us at the Young PAP, leadership has never been about words, but about action. And it’s action defined by hard policy work, action defined by active programmes, as well as service on the ground,” Mr Tan said.

“We want to groom leaders who can make an impact at work, at society and at home. We want to grow leaders for our nation. And we are not looking for perfect leaders, but authentic ones.”

Mr Tan noted that in modern politics, there was a “constant temptation to prioritise the narrative over the truth” and that “as long as the optics look good, the truth can be managed”. 

“That is the politics of appearance, but authentic leadership is not about appearance. Authentic leadership means choosing the harder right over the easier wrong, and that is the PAP ethos.”