Kirsten Han Raises Concerns Over Prime Minister’s Role at Major Regional Security Summit
SINGAPORE: Prominent Singapore activist and writer Kirsten Han has called attention to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s minimal involvement at the recent Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defence summit, which took place in Singapore from May 31 to June 2.
The Shangri-La Dialogue is widely regarded as one of the most important forums for discussing regional security issues, bringing together key figures from Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Middle East. The event is known for its high-level debates and opportunities for bilateral discussions among delegates, including government ministers.
However, despite being held in Singapore, the 2024 summit saw Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen take center stage, while Mr. Wong, who had assumed office as Singapore’s fourth prime minister less than a month prior, played a significantly less visible role. Han questioned this in a Facebook post, asking: “So, what was our new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s presence like at the most important defence and security summit in the Asia-Pacific, hosted in Singapore this past weekend, less than a month after he became PM? Don’t have? Ok.”
While acknowledging that Mr. Wong met with various top officials and world leaders outside of the event, Han expressed that it would have been beneficial for him to have taken a more active role at the Dialogue itself. She continued, “I know he met many top officials and world leaders outside of the Shangri-La Dialogue, but would have been quite good for the new prime minister to have actually been at the Dialogue? I’m sure there would have been interest in whether Singapore’s new leader would have new or different priorities for his administration.”
In response to Han’s comments, Shih-Tung Ngiam, president of human rights group Maruah, pointed out that Defence Minister Ng had historically been the primary representative at the summit. Han acknowledged this, noting that while it is customary for the prime minister to attend the opening dinner, the real concern lies in Mr. Wong’s lack of public discourse on his administration’s priorities. She wrote, “The issue still is that the PM hasn’t spoken substantively on foreign policy and so many other issues about his administration’s priorities.”
Since his appointment, Prime Minister Wong’s leadership has largely been seen as a continuation of the policies established by his predecessor, Lee Hsien Loong. Wong has chosen not to make major changes to the Cabinet, preferring to maintain the status quo until the next general election. Moreover, he has yet to present a clear and distinct policy vision, with his most significant public action being an appeal on behalf of a migrant worker whose request to stay in Singapore was ultimately denied by authorities.
