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Dear Fellow Singaporeans,
On 3 May, we go to the polls.
It has been a great honour for me to serve you as a Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister for almost 15 years. Let me first extend my deep appreciation for your trust and confidence in me and my team, and in the
People's Action Party.
I would like to let you know that I will not be standing in this election. Let me share with you why.
I have served in the public sector since I was called up for National Service, 45 years ago. I spent over a decade in the Singapore Police Force, and another 15 years in the Administrative Service. The work in SPF was meaningful. When I moved to the Administrative Service, I found it fulfilling, to work with a political leadership that was highly capable and dedicated – in MOE, MTI and MAS.
One of the most impactful experiences of my time as a civil servant was the privilege to serve as Principal Private Secretary to Mr Lee Kuan Yew, where I witnessed first-hand his unwavering dedication to Singapore. He spent his every waking moment thinking of how to secure the survival and success of Singapore, to improve the lives of Singaporeans. It has been deeply inspiring to me.
I was asked to stand for elections on a few occasions – the first time in my 30s. I declined. I felt that I could make meaningful contributions as a civil servant. Around the late 2000s, after the Global Financial Crisis, both then-SM Goh Chok Tong (
MParader) and then-MM Lee Kuan Yew had long sessions with me, and spurred my entry into politics in 2011.
They convinced me that there were changes I could effect as a politician that I could not as a civil servant, and winning public support for doing the right things for Singapore was critical. This is why I agreed to enter politics, and why I continued to serve after my stroke 9 years ago, in 2016. Not many get the opportunity to have a second chance at life, much less the chance to spend it so meaningfully, to serve my fellow Singaporeans. I am profoundly grateful to my doctors, nurses and therapists at Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the National Neuroscience Institute, for giving me this second chance at life.
Through my stints as Education Minister, Finance Minister, and as Chairman of the National Research Foundation, working under
Lee Hsien Loong, I have been privileged to have the opportunity to play a role in improving the lives of Singaporeans. From implementing policies that strive to bring out the best in every child to delivering an unprecedented 5 budgets through the pandemic, as well as overseeing the restructuring of the economy through the Future Economy Council and Emerging Stronger Taskforce, guiding research direction at the National Research Foundation, and building strong ties with countries around the world, I hope that I have made a difference for Singapore and Singaporeans.
I am also fortunate to have had the opportunity to work closely with a wide range of public and private sector leaders as well as volunteers and members of the public. I deeply appreciate each and every one who has volunteered and contributed, as well as Singaporeans from all walks of life who have shared their ideas and thoughts with me in various movements, such as Our Singapore Conversation, Singapore Together and many budget consultation meetings.
My special thanks to my activists and volunteers in East Coast and Tampines. You have dedicated your time and effort to forging a more cohesive and caring Singapore. My interactions with all of you have strengthened my conviction that Singapore has come so far because of the collective efforts of all Singaporeans – this sense of unity and commitment to doing what’s best for the country is what makes us special.
It was in this spirit that I decided to step aside as leader of the PAP’s 4G team four years ago, so that a younger person with a longer runway could lead the country. I am glad that PM
Lawrence Wong has taken up the mantle.
This year, I’ve decided not to run in the upcoming election as I believe now is the right time to make way for a new team of capable individuals who are well-placed to serve Singapore. I wish the East Coast team –
Edwin Tong,
Tan Kiat How,
Jessica Tan Soon Neo, Hazlina Abdul Halim, Dinesh Vasu Dash தினேஷ் வாசு தாஸ் 迪內希 all the best. I am confident that they will serve with heart and strength. I urge our East Coast residents to give your strong support to them.
Amid these turbulent times, we will need a strong leader to navigate the choppy waters ahead. I believe Lawrence Wong will continue to lead with conviction, and I hope Singaporeans will give him a strong mandate to lead Singapore through this turbulent time. PM Wong and I entered politics together in 2011 and have been working closely together since. He has won Singaporeans’ trust and grown in confidence and stature. I am confident that he will give his best to take Singapore forward.
It has been my honour and privilege to serve Singapore and Singaporeans. Thank you for all your support and partnership in this journey. Let us continue to work together as one people to bring Singapore forward and to greater heights.
