The People’s Action Party (PAP) is refreshing itself to serve Singaporeans better and to take Singapore forward.
The PAP marked the culmination of #refreshPAP – a series of engagements to renew, refresh, and strengthen the Party, with key updates on its focus and efforts.
At a thank-you event organised for activists and partners who played a key role, Prime Minister and PAP Deputy Secretary-General Lawrence Wong addressed the 400-strong crowd and emphasised the need for the Party’s refresh, “It is our responsibility to chart out how we can take Singapore forward, forge a strong partnership with Singaporeans, and convince them that PAP remains the right choice.”
“We recognised the need to do more to achieve this goal. We heard many good ideas on how the Party can build a deeper bond with Singaporeans, and be in step with their diverse aspirations and concerns.”
Stage wefie of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong with attendees of the #refreshPAP event
A broad-tent party for all Singaporeans
Engaging more than 2,300 activists and partners over six-months, a clear consensus emerged that the PAP must remain a broad-tent party that represents all Singaporeans. The activists and partners, who come from across all 93 PAP Branches and five community groups, shared their aspirations for Singapore’s future and reiterated the need to strengthen the Party’s connection with a new generations of voters. To do so, the PAP will Engage Wider to build common cause with all Singaporeans, Communicate Better to convey its conviction; and Organise Stronger to grow its capabilities.
Encouraging two-way communications; and strengthening connections
To Communicate Better and persuade Singaporeans on the Party’s mission and convictions, the PAP will refresh and expand its outreach platforms, while creating new channels and formats for dialogue with Singaporeans. It will also step-up efforts to foster two-way dialogue between Singaporeans and the Party, with a focus on the youth, activists and partners.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong engaging with local content creator Simon Khung to share about the Party’s initiatives
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong engaging with local content creators to share about the Party’s initiatives.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong engaging with local artistes to share about the Party’s initiatives
PAP activists and partners can also look toward closer collaborations with the Party. The Party is committed to Organising Stronger, to strengthen its activists and partner networks, and to tap on collective expertise and resources to achieve greater impact for Singaporeans. It is also exploring ways to leverage digital technology to harness the expertise of its activists and facilitate information-sharing. The Friends of PAP network will also be expanded to encourage more to join in to push for change on important causes.
Building common cause with a greater voice for Singaporeans
The PAP will also broaden its outreach and Engage Wider with Singaporeans on causes that they care about, championing a shared future together.
From mental health, climate change, digital safety, to transport concerns, the PAP Government Parliamentary Committees (GPCs) actively engage with and speak up on matters of concern to Singaporeans. Moving forward, the Party will pave the way for GPCs to give a greater voice for Singaporeans as their proxies.
As a reflection of evolving aspirations among Singaporeans, a new Mental Health Group and Climate Action Group will also be established to streamline the party’s ongoing efforts in these areas.
- Led by Dr Janil Puthucheary, Chair of the Young PAP and Member for Parliament (MP) for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC (Punggol Coast), the Mental Health Group builds upon a 2022 mental health survey by the Young PAP, which revealed a strong public call for increased mental health support. This growing desire for more to be done was solidified at the Party’s #BetterTogether movement, which gathered mental health advocates, interest groups, and MPs to urge awareness and collective action to bolster and destigmatise mental health support. In February 2024, it was reiterated by several PAP MPs who filed a Parliamentary motion to enhance mental health and well-being in Singapore.
- Headed by Dr Koh Poh Koon, MP for Tampines GRC (Tampines Central), the Climate Action Group will integrate efforts under the PAP’s Action for Green Towns initiative – currently rolled out at all 15 PAP Town Councils, and heed insights from the Young PAP’s 2020 position paper to advance Singapore’s vision as a green hub.
#refreshPAP is testament to the Party’s continued efforts to push for change as a party of action and builds on the track record of the party.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, PAP Mental Health Group Chair Dr Janil and co-Chair Dr Wan Rizal, with Apiary co-founder Travis Goh who is sharing about the #BetterTogether ice-cream. The ice-cream is an exclusive flavour launched with Apiary in 2022 for the PAP’s #BetterTogether movement to urge collective action for mental health.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong added, “This year is a special year for us. As a party, it marks the 70th anniversary of the PAP…. We’ve continually updated our methods over the years and decades – how we engage, how we outreach, how we organise ourselves. We have always been updating this, but one thing remains constant: We are always a party that serves the people, that puts the interests of Singaporeans first. We are also a party of action. It is not just about words, but deeds. We are a party that will always strive to make life better for all Singaporeans.”
Refer to
