GE2025: PM Wong receives congratulatory calls from foreign leaders on election victory

(Photo credit: ST Photo/Mark Cheong)

Source: The Straits Times

Leaders from Australia, Bhutan, Indonesia and Malaysia have called Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to congratulate him on his party’s victory at the 2025 General Election.

In his first election as prime minister on May 3, PM Wong and the PAP won 65.57 per cent of the vote.

It was mutual congratulations for PM Wong and Australia’s Mr Anthony Albanese, who claimed a historic second term as prime minister on May 3 at the Australian federal election.

In a letter sent to Prime Minister Albanese on May 5, PM Wong noted how Singapore and Australia share a strong partnership and a high level of strategic trust.

“We are like-minded partners with a common interest in upholding an open, inclusive and rules-based global order,” he wrote, in the letter shared by Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

“We work well together to promote substantive and pathfinding regional and international initiatives, including in Asean and at the WTO (World Trade Organisation).”

MFA on May 5 said that the two prime ministers “reaffirmed the excellent state of bilateral relations” ahead of the Singapore-Australia Annual Leaders’ Meeting later in 2025.

There, the countries will launch the next phase of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

In his letter, PM Wong also noted that bilateral cooperation has grown in areas such as defence and security, trade and investment, the arts and culture, education, science and innovation, as well as in the digital and green economies.

In a Facebook post on May 5, PM Wong also said he had received calls from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay.

“They congratulated me on the outcome of the elections, and we had good discussions on regional developments and bilateral cooperation,” wrote PM Wong. “I look forward to catching up with them in person before too long.”

In a Facebook post on May 5, Datuk Seri Anwar said he called to congratulate PM Wong on the PAP’s “resounding victory”.

“The PAP’s strong mandate – securing 87 out of 97 seats – reflects the deep trust and confidence the Singaporean people have placed in PM Wong’s leadership,” he said, as he reaffirmed the longstanding partnership between Singapore and Malaysia, underpinned by strong people-to-people ties and close economic cooperation.

He added: “I am confident that under his leadership, our bilateral relations will continue to grow from strength to strength, especially as Malaysia takes on the Asean chairmanship this year.”

Indonesian President Prabowo, who shared footage of his call with PM Wong on his YouTube page on May 5, said: “You came to me and congratulated me yourself, so I would like to go to Singapore and congratulate you myself.”

PM Wong was the first foreign leader to visit Jakarta after Mr Prabowo took office in October 2024.

In the video, Mr Prabowo also said he would drop by Singapore soon and call on PM Wong.

Bhutan’s Mr Tobgay wrote on Facebook that he was “delighted to speak with (his) schoolmate and good friend”. He had crossed paths with PM Wong at Harvard Kennedy School.

“I congratulated him on his landslide electoral victory which is a clear reflection of the people’s trust in his leadership,” he wrote.

“With him at the helm, Singapore is secure in excellent hands,” he said, adding that he had invited PM Wong to Bhutan, and that he looked forward to deepening the friendship between the countries.

Leaders around the world, from the US and Europe to Japan, Taiwan and New Zealand, have extended their congratulations to PM Wong since May 4.