Wednesday’s swearing-in of Prime Minister (PM) Lawrence Wong and his Cabinet was an historic occasion, only the third leadership handover since Singapore became self-governing in 1959.

It was the culmination of a more than a decade long process leadership renewal and succession that was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Wong, born in 1972, now leads Singapore where even more of her citizens were born after 1965 when Singapore became independent than the 2004 handover. With most Singaporeans knowing only a First World Singapore, the Singapore Story’s Third World to First World narrative no longer resonates with the population as strongly as before.

Energetic, confident, and encouraging, PM Wong rallied fellow Singaporeans that the nation’s “best chapters of our Singapore Story lie ahead”.

He was at ease, and often smiling, in his first address to the nation as the head of Government.

In his speech, he was clear that even with this generational change of leadership, certain fundamentals remain constant such as the core values of multiracialism, incorruptibility, and meritocracy.

Returning to the theme of “a messier, riskier and more violent world” marked by conflict and rivalry, the prime minister was upfront about the challenges facing Singapore.

He also urged Singaporeans to overcome the odds and defy naysayers, with the never-say-die spirit integral to the Singapore Story.

PM Wong emphasised the importance of trust and unity in tackling the challenges that the country faces by engaging and maximising the “combined energies, imaginations and strengths of all Singaporeans”. Moreover, PM Wong said Singapore would have to “experiment, discover fresh solutions and blaze new paths”.

One part of Wong’s speech, just before he ended his address, that resonated with me was his describing Singapore as a “miracle”. We often take it for granted and perhaps do not appreciate enough that we are a unique country, a unique people - an improbable nation that is now thriving but with the vulnerabilities persisting.

It reminds me of how precious Singapore is and the society we have, and the perpetual imperative to be exceptional in a turbulent world. It’s a call to protect what we have and to nurture it so that Singapore is a “beacon of hope and unity”.

Managing the pace of political change

PM Wong also highlighted at the start of his remarks that his generation’s leadership style would differ from that of previous generations and that they will lead in their own way. The fact is there is no alternative to the 4G leadership having their own leadership style and having to lead in their own way.

Singapore society today is very different from that in 2004 and 1990, when the earlier leadership handovers took place. It remains to be seen how qualitatively different the 4G leadership will be from the previous generations in terms of their consultative and collaborative and co-creation approach to governance. Moreover, PM Wong said Singapore will have to “experiment, discover fresh solutions and blaze new paths”.

What is clear is that how the new leadership manages the pace of political change will shape their leadership style and the ethos of society. If they are not able to persuasively manage the pace of political change, then the pace will instead be dictated to them, with implications to the ruling People’s Action Party’s political dominance.

One constancy across all governing parties in the world, including PAP, is that the PAP government will seek to remain in power and to prevent or delay a weakening grip on power from developing. This means any leadership style must ultimately deliver on this bottom-line. It is a bonus to be politically stylish and charismatic but if it will not deliver the electoral mandate, then that style is more form than substance.

Comparing the two swearing-in speeches: Similar concerns across generations

The concerns of Singapore’s prime ministers are often similar, indicating that even as the country matures, hard truths remain.

The thematic structure of PM Wong’s swearing in speech is quite similar to PM Lee Hsien Loong’s 2004 swearing speech titled “Let’s shape our future together”.

Tribute to past PM

Lee had paid tribute to his predecessor, Goh Chok Tong. PM Wong said he owed a “great debt of gratitude” to Lee, and that the current generation is standing on the shoulders of giants whose legacy are “important foundations” for the current generation to build on.

Both leaders spoke of the “generational change” for Singapore. In Lee’s case, it was a shift to the post-independence generation in a post-Cold War world. In comparison, Wong is the first prime minister to be born after independence, as are most of his Cabinet colleagues.

Leadership succession

They spoke of leadership succession as one of their top priorities, especially searching for Singaporeans in their 30s and 40s and exhorted them to step forward and make a difference by serving the nation.

Wong and Lee also spoke of how they were leading in a different world and how Singapore must adapt to the changing world. In PM Wong’s case, he specifically mentioned about the centrality of ASEAN for regional cooperation and integration and the hope for stable US-China relations. He said Singapore would continue to engage both powers even as issues arise between them.

Unsurprisingly, for a multiracial, multireligious nation-state, an inclusive Singapore was also addressed in PM Wong and Lee’s speeches. Both saw diversity as a strength, with PM Wong making the call for “pragmatic compromises” and finding as much common ground as possible so that unity can be forged.

At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020, Lee had described it as “crisis of a generation”. Unsurprisingly, PM Wong recalled the nation’s unity and trust in one another that saw her through the pandemic. It was also “a baptism of fire” for the 4G leadership. It strengthened PM Wong’s conviction that the exceptional performance boiled down to “how well we can work together as one Team Singapore”.

Vision

Both leaders also outlined their vision for Singapore in their first address as prime ministers. For Lee, it was an open and inclusive Singapore characterised by a vibrant and competitive economy, education was not only about training for jobs but also about providing hope and opportunities as the young pursue their passions.

Lee had also aimed to expand the space for Singaporeans “to live, to laugh, to grow and to be ourselves” and to “feel free to express diverse views, pursue unconventional ideas, or simply be different”. He encouraged many paths to success and to give people a second chance.

In a similar vein, PM Wong’s Forward Singapore exercise was prominent in his speech on Wednesday, drawing attention to the major policy shifts needed such as looking after seniors, the vulnerable among us, including those with special needs, and supporting all Singaporeans, regardless of their starting points, to uplift themselves and to lead fulfilling lives.

The challenge for Wong is to have the majority of Singaporeans buy into and play their part in ensuring social compact is revitalised so that social cohesion becomes even stronger and the trust between the people and the government even stronger.

All eyes are now on PM Wong and his Cabinet. The hard work begins on what he has promised such as helping Singaporeans realise their dreams and being “the possible versions of themselves”, “a fairer, more just and more equal society”, a society where “every Singaporean matters”, and where Singapore “matters to every Singaporean”.

With a new prime minister in place, expectations and hopes are high. PM Wong would want to capitalise on them as he leads in his own way and further develops his leadership style.

Eugene K B Tan is associate professor of law at the Singapore Management University and was a Nominated Member of Parliament (2012-14)

Photos by the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) / Prime Minister’s Office