SINGAPORE — The People’s Action Party (PAP) will have to evolve to keep up with changes in society, and the party’s seniors interest group PAP.SG will play an important role ensuring the party continues to be inclusive, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. 

Addressing more than 200 senior activists at a speech at The Clifford Pier today (Oct 18), where he launched the 124-page PAP Pioneers: 50 Ordinary Stories, Mr Lee said the PAP must continue to be an “inclusive national movement”, looking after the interests of a broad range of Singaporeans.

The population will get older, bringing with it new challenges, and PAP.SG can champion policies that will benefit Singapore’s seniors.

In the two years since PAP.SG was launched, the group, chaired by Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob, has grown to 47 chapters across Singapore, providing support and information to seniors. It has also contributed to the party’s policymaking such as on MediShield Life and the Pioneer Generation Package. 

Referring to the party’s landslide victory at the Sept 11 polls, Mr Lee said the decisive result could have only happened with support from all groups of Singaporeans, and expressed appreciation for the support of seniors in Singapore, and the role the PAP.SG and its members played.  “You campaigned for us, helped us with our election activities, engaged fellow Singaporeans to help them understand what was at stake,” he said.

PAP.SG also plays an important role in helping Singaporeans remember the Republic’s early years. The book launched today features the stories of PAP pioneer activists. “The younger people didn’t live through the difficult and tumultuous years, when our very own survival as a nation was uncertain,” said Mr Lee. “So this book gives them a chance to read about the journey we travelled, to appreciate how much the pioneers have contributed, and inspired them to do the same for their children.” 

He paid tribute to one of Singapore’s founding Cabinet ministers, Mr Othman Wok, who contributed a foreword to the book. “His foreword is put in a very understated, modest way ... but, in fact, he made a crucial contribution to Singapore, because his life epitomised the spirit of our pioneers. He steadfastly upheld a multi-racial, multi-religious and meritocratic Singapore,” Mr Lee said. During the race riots in 1964, Mr Othman was denounced by the United Malays National Organisation as a traitor to the Malay race. “But he stood firm ... and that made all the difference,” Mr Lee said.

In a foreword he wrote for the book, Mr Lee noted that many pioneer activists went through challenges such as the Communist threat, racial riots, the separation from Malaysia and Konfrontasi with Indonesia. Many of them continue to serve the community and volunteer at the PAP branches. 

Mr Mohd Seain Madsom, 75, one of the pioneer activists at the launch today, said election campaigning in the past allowed for more direct contact. “We used to spend a longer time during house visits, and so we became closer to the people. Now, Members of Parliament and the younger activists have it a lot easier because they have government officials around to follow up on cases,” said the ex-Malay language teacher. 

Another pioneer activist, Madam Helen Goh, said volunteering now is very different as compared with the past. “People nowadays are more demanding, they want this and that, with social media and all,” she said of the challenges activists must now be prepared for. 

The book is not for sale. It can be read on the PAP website.