SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says the government has always been working with Singaporeans to improve their lives and that the ruling party, through successive generations, has always kept the people's interests at heart.
He was speaking at the People's Action Party's (PAP) rally for Punggol East by-election on Thursday night.
Joining candidate Dr Koh Poh Koon in his final rally
for the campaign, Mr Lee urged voters to consider carefully what
the by-election is about.
He stressed that the by-election is about choosing the right person
with the heart and abilities to serve.
The by-election is also about supporting a good government that
will serve Singaporeans and their family. It is also a vote for a
better life.
Mr Lee stressed that by working together, the PAP government has
transformed Singaporeans' lives.
One example is Punggol, which has been totally transformed from pig
farms, kampongs and dirt roads to the Punggol 21 Plus and the award
winning Punggol Waterway, he said.
And this is the same all over Singapore, said the Prime
Minister.
He stressed that what Singapore has achieved no other country has
done and this was done together with Singaporeans working together
with successive PAP governments.
Mr Lee also refuted the opposition's accusations that the PAP has
changed. He said successive PAP governments, from Mr Lee Kuan Yew
to Mr Goh Chok Tong to his leadership team, have had to change
policies with the times.
But the party's fundamental ideals have not changed, neither has
its goal to help the low-income, elderly and the
middle-class.
For the elderly, Prime Minister Lee emphasised that they had helped
build Singapore together and that the government will not forsake
this generation.
He stressed that the government will always stay on the side of
Singaporeans and continues to maintain high standards of
integrity.
He went on to explain that another thing that has not changed in
Singapore is that the PAP still maintains high standards of
integrity.
One aspect of this is honesty, and the PAP has always been honest
with Singapore, said Mr Lee.
Another example of integrity is how the party handled
embarrassments and mistakes, and one example was the resignation of
the former Speaker of Parliament, Michael Palmer.
The Prime Minister recounted that when Mr Palmer offered to resign,
he accepted and handled the matter transparently and openly and
hence the Punggol East by-election.
Mr Lee once again apologised for putting residents through another
election but added that the way the PAP had handled the matter was
completely different from the way the Workers' Party had handled
the Yaw Shin Leong affair in Hougang when the former MP went
missing in action.
The Prime Minister conceded that nobody is perfect and certainly
not the PAP.
He said the party makes mistakes and lapses from time to time but
it admits to its mistakes and shortcomings and did its best to set
things right and work with Singaporeans to do better.
Mr Lee said that is how the party has maintained its reputation for
so long and that is how it must uphold the integrity of the system
in future.
So the Prime Minister stressed that the question to ask is: what
will Singapore be in 10 to 20 years and the kind of leaders the
country wants - honest leaders who will explain the challenges and
work with the people to overcome them or those who make empty
promises and leave it to others to get the job done.
Mr Lee said the country needs to develop a capable and committed
leadership for Singapore with good MPs to represent the people and
constructive politics to tackle the country's challenges
together.
Mr Lee urged Singaporeans to continue to support the PAP.
"The People's Action Party has not changed its purpose and what's
its purpose? Action for the People; to act on your behalf, to be
your representative, to be your servants, to be your agent to make
happen in Singapore what we all would like to see happen. That's
the reason why the people join the PAP," he said.
Mr Lee called on Singaporeans to vote for PAP candidate Dr Koh,
saying he will be able to contribute significantly.
He said Dr Koh will not only be able to help Punggol East
residents, but that he has the potential to do more for
Singapore.
- CNA/ir
Originally posted by SJS6638:govt always been working with Singaporeans to continue to shortchange singaporeans should be the topic......
even their renovation for old flats suck big time. they get cheap workers with no experience to do renovation and many residents end up facing more problems than before renovation.
To sum up, they do things for singaporeans are always for wayang wayang, hardly there is sincerity ................
Damn, majority still love this kind of self serving govt.
Sure or not? 