SINGAPORE, Sept 10 — As the election campaign drew to a close, Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin outlined four broad issues that he said Singaporeans should consider when casting their vote tomorrow.

Voters should think about how and why it is important to keep Singapore relevant, the importance of strong leadership, the type of political system for the country, as well as the kind of society they want, said Tan at a press conference yesterday morning the Kampong Chai-Chee People’s Action Party (PAP) branch.  

Given the intensifying global competition, Singaporeans have to ask how the country will continue to stay relevant, said Tan, the anchor Minister for the PAP’s five-man team standing in Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC).  

The Republic is not immune to pressures faced by other countries such as wage stagnation and unemployment, he said, asking Singaporeans to think about whether Singapore’s economy will still have the same level of verve and dynamism with a growing elderly population.

“Can we again defy the odds and carve out a different future for ourselves?” he asked. 

Moving on to his point about leadership, Tan said the election is about choosing leaders who can look beyond the election cycle, stressing that as a country without resources, the capacity to think long term is important. 

“Do we want leaders who are rooted in values and have the courage to make those decisions or would we see leaders sway with the wind, depending on where the wind blows, and then provide what we think people want at that stage although it may ultimately hurt us?” he asked.

This is evident in areas such as healthcare and retirement adequacy, where even some of the progressive democracies have to start figuring out how to keep up their welfare programmes as their populations begin to age, said Tan. 

The People's Action Party team contesting Marine Parade GRC during a press conference on Sept 8, 2015. — TODAY pic

On the political system that Singapore needs, Tan said voters have to think about the implication of a weak government mandate.

“If government mandate is a lot weaker, is it a race to the top of quality or a race to the bottom when we begin to out-bargain each other in order to secure the popular vote?”  he asked.

Noting that the political system here is changing with more diverse views, he said: “We find that a lot of very profound level of thinking and analysis is also being sent to us by individuals and groups who are passionate about issues and we’ve begun to work closely (with them).” 

Lastly, Singaporeans also have to think about the kind of society and nation they want, said Tan, who reiterated that it is not something the government can do alone. 

If more individuals — in school, at work, and at home — start reaching out to others, it creates a virtuous cycle of helping the less privileged and disadvantaged and building community ties for nation building, he said.

“Our work as parliamentarians isn’t just about lawmaking … it’s about translating some of these conceptually big ideas … into something that we can do on the ground in very real ways,” he added. 

As for the Workers’ Party’s (WP) claims that it is ready to manage another town council, Tan said managing an older and maturing estate like Marine Parade is not just an issue of competency but also of integrity because town councils are managing funds on behalf of the residents.

Tan and his team, which include Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Associate Professor Fatimah Lateef, Seah Kian Peng and Edwin Tong, are up against a WP team in Friday’s polls. 

ESM Goh, who was also at the press conference, pointed to two issues that show the current system is working.

“Why do I say the system is working? Because up till now, nobody has brought up the question of race and religion. So that was one of our fears, that in the general election, people may go for certain votes of the community. And if they go for votes on along the racial grounds, that’s what will destroy us,” he said.

“The second (bit of) evidence that it has worked is that nobody has made, up till now, defamatory remarks... In the past they would use all kinds of remarks just to get votes... So, this time, it is clean in that sense,” he added. — TODAY