While Singaporeans rejected calls to vote along racial and religious lines in the May General Election, the temptation to play this card will grow as polls become more tightly contested, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Wednesday.
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He said the country’s unity depends on how it conducts its politics, and that a constructive way forward must include welcoming opposition views in parliament. The government will also do more to engage and involve Singaporeans outside the House, Wong added.
He was speaking in parliament on the third day of the debate on the President’s Address. This marked his first speech at the start of a government’s term since becoming prime minister in May 2024.
Wong said there was “no doubt” that the shared Singaporean identity has grown stronger since the country’s independence.
While he agreed with Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh that Singaporeans have multiple identities extending beyond nationality to include race and religion – there was also a need to be “clear-eyed about our present realities”.
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“Race and religion, if exploited, can easily arouse passions and tear apart the very fabric of our society. We see this happening in so many other countries, and Singapore is not immune to these powerful forces,” he told the House, adding that the country had “a close call” in the May polls.