The People's Action Party (PAP) will give younger members more opportunities to contribute and take on greater responsibilities, but this does not mean veteran members have to be “sidelined”.
Speaking in Mandarin as PAP secretary-general at the party's cadre conference on Sunday (25 October), Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong stressed that the party must carry its mission forward from one generation to the next. Younger and older members should learn from and support one another, working together to lead Singapore forward.
PM Wong said the world and Singapore society were changing, and the challenges facing the country were different from those of the past. The PAP must continually innovate, adapt and bring in fresh energy to continue fulfilling its mission of serving the people.
“We will give younger members more opportunities to contribute and take on greater responsibilities. At the same time, we hope they will learn humbly from their predecessors.”
However, PM Wong said that pursuing renewal “does not mean veteran members have to be sidelined, because you still have much to contribute”.
He said this was how the government renewed its leadership, and the PAP must likewise carry its mission forward from one generation to the next. “Our predecessors have laid a solid foundation for us. The younger generation must continue to build on this foundation and reach greater heights.”
PM Wong emphasised that what mattered more was for both generations to learn from and support one another, working hand in hand to lead Singapore forward. Only then could “the PAP stay fresh and keep pace with the times, and continue building a better Singapore for the people”.
In his speech, he also thanked veteran members for standing with and striving alongside the PAP over the decades, working tirelessly on the ground, serving the people wholeheartedly and making important contributions to nation-building.
PM Wong said, “It is because of your selfless dedication over the years that Singapore has come this far, step by step. Thank you all for your hard work and contributions over the years!”
