With election over, PM Lee calls for unity to tackle coronavirus crisis

He says Cabinet is the strongest he could form, and calls on Singaporeans to back team

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong receiving the instrument of appointment from President Halimah Yacob at the Istana yesterday, during the swearing-in ceremony for the Prime Minister and other Cabinet ministers. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong receiving the instrument of appointment from President Halimah Yacob at the Istana yesterday, during the swearing-in ceremony for the Prime Minister and other Cabinet ministers. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has called on Singaporeans to unite to help the country face the difficult months and years that lie ahead in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking at a ceremony to swear in his new team, he said that he has formed the strongest Cabinet he could, to deal vigorously with the severe economic and public health challenges confronting the nation.

Now that the general election is over, the work of the new Cabinet and Government has already begun. Apart from developing the ability to stamp out any fresh Covid-19 outbreaks, the nation needed to get its economy going again, save jobs and reskill workers for new ones.

"The elections are behind us. Whatever our political persuasions, never forget that we are first and foremost Singaporeans," said PM Lee. "Let us all unite and focus our energies on the major challenges ahead."

He was addressing colleagues at the Istana's State Room in a ceremony to swear in the Cabinet that included a video link to Parliament House, where Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and another group of ministers were assembled, in keeping with safe distancing requirements.

Presiding over the swearing-in ceremony, President Halimah Yacob said that the Covid-19 pandemic has reaffirmed Singaporeans' resilience as one people.

"I am proud of how we have stood together, in solidarity with one another," she said. "So for this next phase, I ask Singaporeans to similarly unite behind the Government that we have elected, and give it our full support to see Singapore through this crisis."

PM Lee noted that the global Covid-19 situation has taken a turn for the worse. Cities, such as Hong Kong and Seoul, that initially brought the virus under control are suffering repeated outbreaks.

This is why the Government is building up the capacity to test and contact trace, so as to stamp out new outbreaks quickly, he said.

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He also pledged to save as many jobs as possible and help workers who lose jobs to find new work. The Government will help businesses that have been shut down by the pandemic to start up again, he said, especially in the badly hit construction, tourism and aviation sectors.

But he cautioned that some industries might fail and workers may have to reskill. "The better, long-term solution is to invest our resources to develop new capabilities, grow new industries and create new jobs. Then we can help firms in declining industries to reinvent themselves or pivot to other fields of business," said PM Lee.

Beyond economic prosperity, Singaporeans also want a fair and just society with opportunities for all and the hope that their children would have better lives than themselves, he said.

For this, the political system must continue to work well for Singapore, PM Lee added.

He said the recent election has shown a strong desire from Singaporeans for greater diversity of views in politics. This trend, he noted, is here to stay.

"We have to give expression to it, and evolve our political system to accommodate it, while maintaining our cohesion and sense of national purpose."

PM Lee urged the 10 MPs from the Workers' Party, and two Non-Constituency MPs from the Progress Singapore Party, to play their role of a responsible and loyal opposition, and put forward serious policy alternatives to be scrutinised and debated.

In all, 33 ministers and ministers of state, starting with PM Lee, took their oaths of office, led by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, during the one-hour ceremony.

PM Lee said that good politics depends not only on sound institutions, but also on high-quality political leadership.

Noting that leadership renewal is a "never-ending task", he asked Singaporeans to extend to the younger ministers the same support they have given him over the years.

"Only with an exceptional leadership team, working closely with Singaporeans, can we continue to stand out in the world," he said.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 28, 2020, with the headline With election over, PM Lee calls for unity to tackle coronavirus crisis. Subscribe