PM Lee says Singapore risks ‘serious trouble’ if it becomes ‘ordinary’ in final key speech

“The system doesn’t have to fail outright for Singapore to get into trouble, even if we just become ordinary, average, we will already be in serious trouble because we have no natural resources, no hinterland – 700 sq km is nothing.”

He was speaking on Wednesday to some 1,400 union leaders and tripartite partners of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), an umbrella group of workers’ groups that are closely linked to the ruling People’s Action Party.

It is tradition for the prime minister to address the country’s labour movement on May 1, Labour Day.

Lee cautioned against Singapore succumbing to “populism, tribalism, nativism, or obsessed with short-term gains like other countries”.

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Singapore’s Lee Hsien Loong will hand over power to deputy Lawrence Wong on May 15

This was Lee’s last May Day Rally speech as the head of government. Wong is expected to lead his fourth-generation team in the next general election, which is set to be called before November next year.

In his speech, Lee warned against the potential divisions and fault lines in society between the “have and the have nots, Singaporean-born and naturalised citizens, conservatives and liberals, current and future generations.

“All these differences can be exploited politically, to pit Singaporeans one against another and divide and weaken us. Hence, we have got to continue to work hard to overcome social stresses and tensions.”

The prime minister also touched on geopolitical challenges that the compact city-state must grapple with, such as regional and global power rivalries.

“Looking ahead, there are certainly dark clouds on the horizon but also many opportunities even in a deglobalising, distrustful world. Countries still have to find some way to work with one