4G leaders ready for general election, familiar with challenges facing Singapore: PM Lee Hsien Loong

The 4G leaders are familiar with issues like ensuring housing and healthcare affordability, having been in politics for some time, said PM Lee Hsien Loong during an interview in New York on Sept 27, 2019. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

NEW YORK - The People's Action Party's fourth generation of political leaders are ready for the upcoming general election and are preparing for the challenges facing Singapore, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday (Sept 27).

"We are ready at any time," he said when asked whether the party leadership was primed for the election, which must be held by April 2021.

Earlier this month, the Elections Department said that the committee reviewing Singapore's electoral boundaries had been convened, the first formality on the road to the general election.

PM Lee, who is the PAP's secretary-general, was speaking to Singapore reporters after his speech at the United Nations General Assembly.

In the interview, he said that Singapore was up for some rough weather ahead and that leaders had to deal with practical problems like ensuring housing and healthcare affordability. Singaporeans, he also said, must also stay together to pull through.

The fourth generation of leaders are familiar with the issues, having been in politics for some time, said PM Lee.

"Before that, many of them have been in the public service for some time. So they are familiar with the problems."

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However, there was no amount of preparation that could make anybody 100 per cent ready until they were actually in the hot seat, in charge and making decisions, he added.

"One great advantage they have is that we will all work together to support them and to make sure that they succeed, whether they are old or whether they are young. We want them to succeed. They are the Singapore team," said PM Lee.

"It's not just the team of leaders but really the team of younger ministers as well as these younger Singaporeans whom they've got to form the bond with, and mutual confidence."

He added: "And if we can work together, then we can see through the rough weather ahead... Therefore, let us all get together and support the Singapore team, wear the same badge and we pull in the same direction. We are better off than nearly any other country in the world."

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