Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has said that the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) will definitely field new Indian candidates in Singapore’s upcoming general election, reaffirming the important role the Indian community plays in the city-state.
He was speaking at a dialogue with Indian youth on April 13, where he praised the community’s strong contributions to Singapore’s progress across various sectors, including business, civil service, and politics.
PM Wong told the audience that although the Indian community is small in number, its impact is far greater. “Your story is a story of Singapore – small and yet punching above your weight,” he said.
Indians make up around 7.6 percent of Singapore’s citizens, compared to Malays at 15.1 percent and Chinese at 75.6 percent, as of 2024.
The session, called the Vaanga Ippo Pesalaam Chat (Come, Let’s Chat in Tamil), or VIP Chat, was organised by Tamil Murasu and held at Huone Singapore in Clarke Quay. PM Wong and Senior Minister of State Dr Janil Puthucheary spoke with about 130 Indian youth during the 90-minute discussion.
In the last general election in 2020, the PAP did not introduce any Indian candidates among its new faces, raising concerns about the community’s representation in Parliament. Addressing that, PM Wong said that this time, Indian candidates would definitely be included.
While he did not reveal specific names, several individuals from the Indian community have been seen attending community events with senior PAP leaders recently. These include Dinesh Vasu Dash, a former CEO of the Agency for Integrated Care; Kawal Pal Singh, a lawyer; and Jagathishwaran Rajo, a long-time trade unionist.
Another new face is Dr Hamid Razak, an orthopaedic surgeon active in Jurong Spring.
PM Wong recently unveiled eight new PAP candidates in a video and said the party would introduce over 30 new faces for the 2025 election – the largest number in its history.
During the event, he encouraged the Indian youth to take pride in their heritage while also strengthening a unique Singaporean Indian identity.
“You can be proud of your ethnic roots and at the same time proud to be a Singaporean, and that is what we mean by being Singaporean,” the Prime Minister said.
Dr Janil also shared that being a small community can be an advantage. He said it allows people to stay closely connected, build strong networks, and support one another.
He noted that while most young people in Singapore share similar concerns, the Indian community has its own distinct views on issues of race, religion, and language.
The youth at the dialogue, aged between 18 and 35, represented four universities and 14 community organisations. They raised a wide range of questions, from protecting the Indian community in the face of global ethno-religious tensions, to bread-and-butter issues like housing, cost of living, and jobs.
In response, the panellists reassured the participants that the Government was actively working to address these concerns, and they also urged vigilance against extremist ideas to protect Singapore’s harmony.
The dialogue was conducted under Chatham House rules, which means the discussion can be reported, but not the names or identities of the speakers, to allow open and honest conversation.
