As GE2025 looms, it’s no surprise Singaporeans are talking about the usual suspects – flat prices, cost of living, and immigration – around coffee shops and office lunches. These issues are real, urgent, and hit close to home.
But let’s not kid ourselves – the world outside is changing fast, and we can’t afford to ignore it.
While local matters will dominate the headlines and rally speeches, voters need to consider one crucial question: Do our leaders – incumbent or aspiring – understand how to keep Singapore safe, relevant, and prosperous in a world that’s getting more unpredictable by the day?
From Donald Trump’s second term chaos to escalating US-China tensions, the rules that once underpinned global trade and peace are fraying. That matters for Singapore – a city-state built on open borders, global trust, and foreign investment.
We can’t take our place in the world for granted. As the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew once said, small countries must constantly earn their relevance. That’s even truer now. Tariffs, trade wars, power shifts – they all impact jobs, prices, and Singapore’s long-term survival.
So while it’s fair to grill candidates on housing or healthcare, we should also ask: Do they grasp what’s at stake globally? Can they handle a world where friends aren’t always friendly, and where Singapore must walk tightropes between giants?
This election, Singaporeans must vote with both their heads and their horizons widened. Being insular is not just short-sighted – it’s dangerous. Because for a small island in a stormy world, staying globally savvy isn’t a luxury. It’s the bare minimum.
