The ruling party needs a strong mandate so it can implement long-term measures for the good of Singapore, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said yesterday.
Having the strong backing of the people is also important when the prime minister has meetings with his foreign counterparts, he told The Straits Times in an interview.
Without a strong mandate, a small country like Singapore can be ignored, said Mr Goh, 79, who was Singapore's second prime minister.
"Singapore has succeeded because we have performed very well in the world in terms of our economic performance, our social structure, education system, health system. Then people know PAP (People's Action Party) will be there for the long term."
Giving his take on the hustings, Mr Goh said he felt insufficient attention had been paid to external issues and the global situation, which he is very concerned about.
"All parties, even the PAP, have not been able to highlight the dangerous ways out there because people don't pay attention, it is the local issues that are more important."
He added that while politics is always very local, an understanding of the external environment and how that will affect Singapore is also necessary.
On the argument put forth by opposition parties that the PAP could still make long-term policies for the country even if it loses its supermajority in Parliament, he said: "In the nature of politics, even the PAP must learn to survive and must survive."
The ruling party will be forced to be populist and think of how to win the next election if it finds its votes going down, he noted.
"Whereas if people say, no, this is a sensible electorate supporting a long-term thinking government, you lose a few seats here and there, but basically the government can get things done," he said.
This general election has seen parties campaigning online, with traditional election staples like rallies absent because of Covid-19.
Mr Goh believes this is the way campaigns in future will go, as the younger generation is more Internet-savvy. One advantage of an online campaign is that candidates and political parties can reach out to more people if they are adept at Internet campaigning.
But there are disadvantages too, he said, pointing to how people may be taken in by "very slick presentations" and falsehoods from supporters of different parties who, unlike the political parties themselves, have no self-restraint.
Asked how the PAP has to adapt after one of its new faces - Mr Ivan Lim - withdrew from the campaign amid online criticisms about his character, Mr Goh said such scrutiny can be positive, if it is applied to every candidate and people's lives are not destroyed in the process.
"I am all in favour of people being vigilant about character, motivation and commitment," he said.
After 44 years as an MP for Marine Parade, he is passing the baton to PAP new face Tan See Leng, 55, the former chief executive of IHH Healthcare.
Mr Goh told Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong over a year ago that he should plan for his retirement, as he did not know if he would have the energy for another term.
It was PM Lee who asked that Dr Tan be his understudy, he said, adding that his successor has the right motivation.
He hopes that Singaporeans will think about their future as they head to the polls tomorrow.
"How do they want their future to be? What are the issues? What is the political system which they want?" he asked. "What is the representation which they want in Parliament that would be the best for their future?"
He added: "These are issues which I think they should reflect (on), then make their vote in accordance with their own assessment of where their future lies."
