GE: PAP recognises concerns of all segments of society, says PM Lee
Hence its secretary-general, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, said he has decided to focus his messages about these segments of Singapore society over the last two days.
Speaking to the media after meeting residents at the Ang Mo Kio MRT and Bus Interchange on Wednesday morning with his GRC team-mates, Mr Lee stressed that it was not to
address concerns of vote-swing.
He added that any voter would have to weigh carefully how he was going to vote, but the PAP must try to reach everybody in the country and ensure that this was an inclusive society.
Mr Lee emphasised that the party looks after all segments of the population, whether young or old, middle class or low income.
He said: "Not every policy will benefit everybody equally, but if you take the whole bundle over time, then I think nearly everybody in Singapore has benefited considerably from them.
"But apart from having the results of the income tax cuts or CPF or GST offset, it is also important for us to signal that we recognise people's concerns, understand what they are anxious about and we have a sense of what they are thinking and what they would like to see Singapore be and we empathise with you and we connect with you."
The prime minister was asked about his move at the lunchtime rally on Tuesday to apologise for some mistakes which the government had made - such as over the Mas Selamat escape and incidents of flooding along Orchard Road.
Mr Lee said the reaction to his apology has been good.
He said the party had considered it carefully and it was a suitable message to Singaporeans at this stage of the campaign so that the voters can focus their minds on key issues like education and housing.
Mr Lee feels that the audience has received it well and he hopes Singaporeans too would likewise.
The five-member Ang Mo Kio GRC team is being opposed by a team put together from the opposition Reform Party and Singapore People's Party.
Elaborating on his point of the opposition borrowing candidates from one another, the prime minister said this showed a lack of seriousness and commitment.
PM Lee said: "When you join a party, it is a serious commitment. You study what the party stands for, what sort of reputation has it got, what is it that it's fighting for, what are your own values and beliefs, and ideals.
"And you choose a party which approximates that, and you join, and then you fight on that basis. It doesn't mean that you are 100 per cent on one ideology ... everybody in the PAP believes in integrity, service to the people, in putting the nation first, in growing our economy.
"There are certain fundamentals which you share to join the party and that are what the party needs. If you can just change party overnight, then you are really not serious about these basic things - what are you in politics for, what are you trying to achieve other than trying to become an MP or NCMP.
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