Beyond policy, PAP must also set the tone for politics in S'pore: PM Wong

It must call out harmful moves before they become normalised, he says

- Goh Yan Han Assistant News Editor

The PAP has to speak up each time it sees something that crosses the line, or politics in Singapore will gradually take a turn for the worse as seen around the world, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Nov 9.

This could include distorting facts to score political points, taking populist stances, or using race or religion to win support. If no one calls out such harmful moves, they will become normalised, said PM Wong, who is the PAP's secretary-general.

"Eventually, the small things add up. When one party takes this approach, others are likely to follow suit. And then before long, politics and political discourse turn toxic, and society gets divided," he said at the People's Action Party's Awards and Convention 2025.

In his first major speech to the party after the 2025 General Election, where it won 65.57 per cent of the vote, PM Wong spoke about the lessons learnt and outlined his Government's priorities in the new term.

Beyond policy, the PAP must also set the tone for politics in Singapore to avoid the "darker turn" that it has taken in many countries, he said.

"It often starts small, a distortion here, a half-truth here, little bit of a lie here. Then bit by bit, the trust is eroded and societies start to fracture," he cautioned.

The PAP cannot allow this to happen in Singapore, and will hold itself and others to the same standard, said PM Wong.