Next GE will be a 'deadly serious fight': PM Lee

SINGAPORE — The next General Election will be a “deadly serious fight”, said the People’s Action Party’s secretary-general and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong today (Dec 7) at the PAP60 Rally.

It will be about who forms the government, not how many seats the opposition gets, and it will be about whether Singapore continues to have a First world Government, and not about a First World Parliament, said Mr Lee, taking a dig at the Opposition Workers’ Party’s theme on moving towards a First World Parliament at the last General Election in 2011.

Mr Lee said every seat in the next GE will be a national contest, not a local one.

There are now different and louder voices in society and social media, some who mean well and must be engaged, and some who try to mislead others, he said.

Mr Lee said only the PAP is bringing different groups together and putting forth a vision for Singapore. It will be fair to all groups and balance interests to do what is best for Singapore, as the PAP is a national party, he said. The Opposition does not articulate a vision for Singapore because they are trying to avoid answering hard questions until they get elected, he added.

The ruling party has already identified many promising candidates including a few potential office holders for the next GE, which Mr Lee said will be crucial.

It will fight to win every constituency, he told 6,000 party activists at the rally the Singapore Expo.

The party this morning elected a new Central Executive Committee and amended Article II of its Constitution, which defines its objectives, to sharpen its vision in a new way forward.

The last time the PAP amended Article II of its Constitution was 32 years ago in 1982.