Good leadership non-negotiable for Singapore, says PM Lee

As a small country, Singapore's continued success and survival depend on having the right leaders, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as he called on Singaporeans to back his successor - Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

In his National Day Rally speech yesterday, PM Lee said good leadership is non-negotiable if the Republic is to deal with the geopolitical dangers and economic uncertainties ahead, and build for the long term.

"Look at countries where governments are unstable and politics messy, swinging wildly from one election to another," he said. "Whenever things do not work, leaders are forced out, or they resign en masse. But, even after changing teams, things fail to improve."

In these countries, policies and laws are either stuck in political gridlock or they are made by one government, only to be reversed by the next, PM Lee added.

"Often, it is not just the leaders who disappoint, but the whole system that has failed. The result is a devastating loss of faith - not just in individual politicians or parties, but the whole political system and the whole political class. And there is no way forward from there."

PM Lee said: "A small country like Singapore has zero margin for error. Not just Singapore's continued success, but our very survival, depends on us having the right leaders."

This is why the Republic needs leaders with integrity, dedication and competence; leaders with the conviction to make the tough calls and do the right thing, even if it may cost them some votes; and leaders whom people can trust.

"We cannot afford any compromise on this," said PM Lee, adding that the country needs to keep working hard to find the right people to serve the nation, and to help these people do their best for Singapore.

It was in this light that the Prime Minister said he was happy the issue of his succession is settled, and his leadership transition plans are moving forward again.

He did not elaborate on the timeline of his succession, but urged Singaporeans to lend their full support to DPM Wong, who is also Finance Minister and the People's Action Party's (PAP) fourth generation of political leaders.

PM Lee had previously said he hoped to step down by the time he turned 70, a milestone he reached in February. But after the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020, he said he would see the Republic through the crisis and "hand over Singapore, intact and in working order, into good hands". He led the PAP to victory in the 2020 General Election with 61.2 per cent of the votes.

The party's leadership transition hit a snag when Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, 61, bowed out as PM Lee's successor in April last year, citing his age and the need for the next prime minister to have a longer runway.

It took a year before Mr Wong, 49, was endorsed by his peers as leader of the PAP's fourth-generation team, paving the way for him to eventually succeed PM Lee.

In June, Mr Wong was promoted to Deputy Prime Minister, further cementing his position as Singapore's next prime minister.

PM Lee yesterday highlighted two other factors besides high-quality leadership that are fundamental to Singapore's success - a united people and high trust between the people and their leaders.

"We may have the best-laid schemes, but without these three fundamentals, they will come to nothing," he said.

Concluding his speech, PM Lee said the next few decades will be bracing but exhilarating for Singapore. "With your trust, we can come through whatever difficulties await. With your support, we can turn hopes and dreams into reality. And united as one people, we can secure a brighter future in this uncertain world, not just for now, not just for ourselves, but for every Singaporean child, for many generations to come."