PM Wong's speech a call for activists to go beyond grassroots work: Analysts

Bringing the People's Action Party (PAP) "out in front" means getting party activists to go beyond grassroots work and step up efforts to explain policies, said political observers.

- Goh Yan Han Political Correspondent Wong Pei Ting Correspondent and Ng Wei Kai

It also means the ruling party needs to rally Singaporeans behind its ideas, rather than just government policies and the outcomes, they added.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong issued a rallying cry to the party rank and file on Nov 24. He called on them to be front and center working the ground for the next general election, which must be held by November 2025.

This seems to be a fresh perspective, said Dr Gillian Koh, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies.

She noted that the incoming PAP secretary-general's message could see activists being more upfront in engaging citizens, explaining policies, and soliciting feedback and ideas.

To do this, they would need a clear grasp of the party manifesto and how it translates to government policies, beyond the usual grassroots connections, she said.

Dr Koh added that this could also be a signal that party members will get more leeway to talk about the pros and cons of policy positions across the spectrum.

Echoing the sentiment, Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan said it is significant that PM Wong made clear the distinction between party and government.

This means the PAP must contest not just as the incumbent Government, but more as the political party that has governed Singapore since 1959, he said.

Campaigning from the position of the incumbent Government places a stronger focus on policies and outcomes, but a potential downside is that this does not necessarily lead to strong bonds with the people.

On the other hand, campaigning as a political power can help rally Singaporeans behind the party's cause, values and ideals, he said.

PM Wong's speech also took on the cost-of-living hot potato, stating that while the PAP Government is doing its best to shield citizens from inflation, opposition parties have tried to exploit the concerns to turn sentiments against the ruling party.