Singapore Prime Minister Wong outlines measures to ease costs and widen support for working people
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Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the government will step up efforts to relieve cost-of-living pressures, improve access to decent jobs and broaden support for Singaporeans at every stage of life, while critics could still ask whether enough is being done for ordinary households.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong told about 3,000 party activists at a biennial conference on Oct. 25 that the government will continue tackling cost-of-living pressures, help Singapore secure better jobs and strengthen support from education to retirement. He said the agenda for the remainder of the term includes assistance for people who face setbacks in life, noting recent questions about support for singles and seniors.
"People asked: what about those without children? What about singles? What about seniors?" Wong said, adding that the government has not forgotten any group.
Wong highlighted the party’s electoral result in the 2025 General Election, where the People’s Action Party received 65.57% of the vote, and stressed that a mandate carries responsibility to deliver promised policies rather than merely celebrate electoral victory.
He referenced meetings with CEOs of major semiconductor firms and founders of technology start-ups, as well as the establishment of artificial-intelligence companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic in Singapore, noting that foreign investment supports economic growth and job creation.
While acknowledging that some sectors are thriving and others face pressure, Wong said the aim is to ensure that economic growth translates into better lives for all Singaporeans instead of concentrating benefits in only a few hands. Singapore’s economy grew 5.4% in the third quarter of 2026, exceeding forecasts, though retrenchments rose to 4,620 in the second quarter, the highest level since late 2020.
The prime minister said the government will work with the National Trades Union Congress to help workers adapt, citing the case of Fajar Shah Salim, a 45-year-old who received $2,800 through the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme after losing his restaurant manager job and later retrained as an IT operations specialist with ST Engineering.
"The Government stepped in with support when he needed it. But Fajar himself made the effort to retrain and switch to a new career," Wong said.
Wong emphasized that while the government will reduce the emphasis on examinations and broaden education pathways, families also need to allow children to develop at their own pace instead of letting academic pressure dictate every outcome. He called for cooperation among government, businesses, unions, workers, families and the community to build a better Singapore together.