PM Wong hopes to field more women candidates in coming General Election

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Saturday (Aug 31) that he hopes to field more women candidates in the coming General Election.

“Throughout my working life, I have benefited from working with men and women who bring a wider range of perspectives and help contribute to better solutions,” he said in a speech at the People’s Action Party (PAP) Women’s Wing conference on Saturday.

“To me, having that diversity in the team is very useful,” he added.

“In the coming election I hope to be able to field more women candidates,” Mr Wong said. “When we do so, please support them! Help me to increase our women representation in Parliament.”

Compared to the 1970s to the early 1980s, where all PAP Members of Parliament (MPs) were men, close to one-third of PAP MPs are now women, noted Mr Wong. 

The number of female Political Office Holders has also increased, he added.

The number of women PAP MPs started from just three in 1984 to 23 today, PAP said in a media release on Saturday.

“PAP recognised the importance of women’s political participation to champion women’s and Singapore’s development, and pledged to push for more women representation in Parliament,” read the media release.