SINGAPORE: Singaporeans on Reddit have pushed back against Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s claim that most people in the country want to work longer if they remain healthy, following the results of a poll that found 96% of respondents disagreed with him.
A Reddit discussion on 6 March, with over 1.9k upvotes, saw users expressing strong scepticism over PM Wong’s remarks, which were made during a dialogue session in January 2023.
During the session, Wong cited surveys suggesting that Singapore’s rising longevity is a key reason why people are willing to continue working.
“There’s obviously a limit to how long we can work. But also we must recognise with rising longevity, with people living longer lifespans, when we do our surveys, the majority of people do want to work longer so long as they are healthy,” he said.
He also suggested that many fear their health would deteriorate if they stopped working.
“Because a lot of people recognise that the minute they stop working, that’s when their health deteriorates very quickly,” he added.
However, a poll by Answers.sg, which surveyed 6,198 people, painted a different picture.
The results showed that 96% of respondents disagreed with Wong’s statement, while only 4% were neutral or agreed.
Financial Pressure, Not Personal Choice
Reddit users strongly rejected Wong’s claim, arguing that rising costs and financial burdens—not personal preference—are the real reasons people continue working beyond retirement age.
One user criticised Wong’s perspective, referencing an interview he gave on The Daily Ketchup podcast.
“I watched his interview… When asked about young people feeling hopeless and discontent about inflation and housing issues, his kneejerk response was, ‘Oh, every country has this issue, so people shouldn’t complain.’ And that 40 years ago, Singaporeans had a much harder life but didn’t complain, so now we should do the same.
In my mind, I was like, wow, this guy is absolutely delusional in terms of connecting with the general public.”
Another user shared a contrasting perspective, describing their retired neighbour in her late 60s, who spends her time travelling, baking, and taking courses at the Singapore Recreation Club (SRC).
“If I make it to that age, I don’t want to keep having to go to an office and get scolded by my (likely much younger) boss if I make a mistake.
The only boomers I know who are still working past retirement age are those who can’t afford to retire, and they’re generally miserable.
Like, who the hell are the PM’s PR people, and why do they let him keep saying this sort of thing?”
The ‘Want’ vs. ‘Need’ to Work Longer
Some users acknowledged that they would be willing to work longer, but only if it was a personal choice rather than a financial necessity.
One user commented, “I would love to work for a very long time, but not out of necessity.”
Another agreed, stating that they wanted to work because they had nothing better to do, not because they needed to pay their HDB loan.
Some users pointed out that the way the poll question was phrased might have influenced responses.
The poll asked: “People in Singapore want to work longer: Do you agree?”
One user argued that this wording is open to interpretation and noted that the PM appeared to be speaking about people specifically wanting to work later in life.
However, another user disagreed, saying the poll reflects reality.
“The poll shows that the majority don’t see our work as something meaningful or something that prevents health deterioration that would make us ‘want’ to work ‘longer’.”
Another pointed out a key issue in how this discussion is framed:
“The power of semantics.
‘I want to work longer’—what is being reported.
‘Because how else can I pay for food, bills, education, leave behind something for my dependents, healthcare, transport, leisure, and housing’—what is not being said.”
They compared it to quoting forced labourers who died building monuments, saying, “I want to toil for the next decade,” while omitting, “because I do not like being beaten to death by the foreman tomorrow.”
One user said they wanted to be able to choose whether to continue working or not, instead of having their financial situation dictate the decision.
Government Must Ensure People Can Choose to Work or Retire Comfortably
Another concern raised was whether Singaporeans would even have suitable jobs available in the future, should they want to continue working.
“The most important question here is, with the pace of change, what sort of jobs will be left for those retiring in 10 to 20 years’ time?” one user asked.
Others pointed to deeper structural issues, such as Singapore’s energy sector.
One user highlighted Wong’s past role as CEO of the Energy Market Authority (EMA), questioning his foresight.
“He was CEO of EMA when our power plants were sold to foreign for-profit entities. These entities will make decisions for profit. They will squeeze Singaporeans for profit, especially foreign entities.
Today, the government has to spend public money to plug inefficiencies in the power market. Example: recovering costs from the public by raising power prices via the enhanced EMA Act.”
A More Nuanced Conversation Is Needed
Some users acknowledged that they would be willing to work longer—but only if it were a personal choice rather than a financial necessity.
“I would love to work for a very long time, but not out of necessity,” one user commented.
Another user noted that active ageing is important but does not necessarily mean continuing to work.
“Older people will not succumb to dementia if they don’t work. It’s not about work per se—it’s about engagement with the wider world.
And the bigger, more unpleasant, ironic truth is that with progress, wealth, and longer life expectancies, it’s harder to make retirement funds stretch for one’s entire lifespan.
Those who have had good careers and the good fortune to have substantial savings will enjoy a retirement where working is a choice. For many others, it will be a necessity.”
A user summed up the overall sentiment:
“The goal should be to provide people with the luxury of choosing whether to keep working or retire comfortably.
To brush the issue aside by saying ‘people want to work longer’ is, simply put, careless and a misstep.”
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