Mr Wong reiterated a point he made in an interview before taking office, that he does not take Singaporeans’ mandate for granted.

“I don’t think I will remain prime minister or that the PAP (Popular Action Party) will automatically form the next government,” he said.

In the next general election, the PAP will present to the people its record and what it has done during this government term, Mr Wong said.

“We hope this is enough to earn the trust of Singaporeans, and we hope they will give us the chance to govern Singapore,” he said.

He said the government was concerned, because of the recent US elections and protests elsewhere, about election results where “society becomes more divided, more polarized, and then there is no winner.”

“Yes, the election can produce a winner. But ultimately it makes everyone worse off, because it makes it harder to govern and makes it harder for countries to move forward,” Mr Wong said.

He said the government had put safeguards in place to address this issue, putting in place measures to combat lies, deepfakes and disinformation, while explaining its considerations to Singaporeans.

“We hope that at the end of the day, Singaporeans themselves will do their part, because at the end of the day, they will hopefully understand that it’s about choosing the right party to govern,” Mr. Wong.

This is important for Singapore, which is navigating a world that is “becoming more dangerous, more turbulent, more unstable, more difficult for small countries like ours”, he added.

Ultimately, elections come and go, but everyone, including the government, the people and all political parties, should ensure that society is not divided afterwards, Mr Wong said.

“We are doing our best not to go down the path of political populism and opportunism, but find ways to keep our society strong, united and maintain a high level of trust, because this is essential for Singapore to remain relevant and survive in this new situation. world,” he said.

This is the second press conference Mr Wong has held to engage with local media since taking office in May.

At the time, he pledged to hold more press conferences so the government could better communicate its “thoughts and considerations” to the public.

He then said that “when there are new developments” or when there is “new thinking”, it would be useful for himself or the ministers concerned to meet the media at press conferences.

In August this year, Mr Wong on his 100th day in office, he met the media to elaborate on the topics and policies he spoke about at the recent National Day rally.

During the session at the National Press Center, he discussed, among others, the fundamental principles and values ​​underlying the country’s policies, concerns related to the cost of living and the importance of creating an environment conducive to the family.