PAP scouting early for next GE to give candidates more time on ground: PM Wong

The ruling People's Action Party has begun searching for potential candidates ahead of the next general election, so that they can start walking the ground earlier.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on July 4 that the party has learnt over the years that it cannot "just rely on a few tea sessions or interviews" to recruit and bring in candidates.

Bringing candidates in earlier would allow them to gain experience and exposure on the ground while being assessed by the party and the public on whether they are truly ready to serve as MPs, said PM Wong, who is secretary-general of the PAP.

At the recent election, the party had deployed several new faces early, but a number of them were introduced "quite late" in the process, he said.

"This is an area where we can and will do better."

Among the slate of 32 new candidates - the largest in recent memory - some like Chua Chu Kang GRC's Dr Choo Pei Ling, Tampines GRC's Dr Charlene Chen and West Coast-Jurong West GRC's Dr Hamid Razak were on the ground more than a year before the polls as they filled the gaps left by MPs who had resigned. Others like former public servants Jeffrey Siow, David Neo and Jasmin Lau were seen in the months before the hustings.

PM Wong said he had personally reached out to and persuaded many of the new candidates fielded at the May 3 election. He called on fellow MPs to help scout for and surface names, mentor promising individuals and support their growth.

"As leader of the party, (looking out for good people to join the party) is one of my most important responsibilities. But I cannot do this work alone - I need all of you to chip in," he said.

He was speaking at an appreciation dinner for 20 retired MPs held at Parliament House. Around 90 guests were present, including current MPs and the party's branch chairpersons.

The PAP traditionally holds this dinner soon after a general election to thank outgoing MPs and set the broad direction for the party.

At the dinner, PM Wong said the party is seeking people with the right values, who care deeply about Singapore, and who can shoulder the heavy responsibility of public service.

"It has never been easy to find such people and it won't get easier," he said.

"Some may express interest in politics, but we need to be sure about their motivations. Others may have the heart to serve, but are not ready for the demands of public life."

Work for the next general election - which must be called by 2030 - has begun as the party is resuming its tea sessions, said PM Wong. Potential candidates typically go for several rounds of "tea" with senior members of the party.

"We are casting the net wide - across all background and communities. It doesn't matter that someone disagrees with us or voted against us before," he said.

They will be welcome as long as they have the heart to serve and are prepared to make common cause with the PAP, he added.

PM Wong said the party has always known that the quality of candidates matters in elections.

The recent general election - where the PAP won 65.6 per cent of the vote - showed just how much this matters, he said.

Singaporeans care about national issues and pay attention to the quality, values and platform of each party. But they also look closely at individual candidates' character, track record and ability to serve, he added.

"They ask: 'Can I trust this person? Can they take care of my family and my estate? Do they truly want to serve for the right reasons?'" he said.

"In many closely fought contests, our PAP candidates made all the difference," said PM Wong.

Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong was switched from Chua Chu Kang GRC to Punggol GRC in a surprise move on Nomination Day, shoring up the team there. The constituency had one of the closest fights, with the PAP team winning 55.2 per cent of the vote.

PM Wong said the PAP has made good progress in renewing its ranks, but renewal is a continuous effort.

The party must always be on the lookout for good people to join its cause, he added.

S'poreans made clear choice in tough fights

As he thanked the audience for their efforts during the 2025 General Election, PM Wong also reflected on its outcome.

Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing, who is assistant secretary-general of the party, will be overseeing the after-action review for the GE, he said. The review will examine where the party did well, and where it can do better.

Among the key factors that helped the PAP secure its mandate was the external environment, PM Wong said. Singaporeans could see that it was a changed world, and wanted a steady and trusted leadership to navigate the challenges ahead - and they voted accordingly, he added.

The party also learnt from its experience in GE2020 and stepped up efforts in communications and social media.

In an address to activists about a week after the election in 2020, PM Wong - then National Development Minister - had pointed out these areas as where the party could do better.

This round, the party ran a more disciplined, coordinated and focused campaign, he said on July 4. "Everyone pulled together as one team."

The results also reflected the hard work MPs put in on the ground, he added.

They took care of residents, explained how the Government was helping them, spoke up for them and improved their estates and precincts, he said.

"Your actions showed voters what the PAP stands for - a party that will always walk with Singaporeans every step of the way."

PM Wong noted that it was his first election as prime minister and secretary-general, saying: "I was bracing myself and the party for a very tough fight.

"We knew that cost of living remained a major concern. It was a global issue, but the opposition tried to pin the blame on us," he added.

There was also a desire among Singaporeans for more opposition voices, and there were "close calls" in several constituencies, he said. The closest margins were in Jalan Kayu SMC and Tampines GRC, where the Workers' Party contested.

PM Wong said: "Right up to the final day of the campaign, the outcome was far from certain.

"But in the end, Singaporeans made a clear choice - to maintain the balance in Parliament and to return the PAP to government with a strengthened majority."

His party won 87 of the 97 seats available.

PM Wong said he was deeply grateful for the clear mandate and trust from Singaporeans.

Parliament reopens in September and there is much to do, he said.

There is a full agenda and many challenges ahead, such as the uncertain external environment, the economy, cost of living and jobs, as well as longer-term challenges like ageing and climate change, said PM Wong.

"I am confident that we will rise to the occasion. Because we are not just a collection of individuals. We are one team, we are the PAP Team - united by a shared mission, bound by a common purpose."