Prime Minister Lawrence Wong says Singapore must continue strengthening trust, fairness, and the rule of law while adapting to challenges posed by technology and global uncertainty.
Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong spoke at the SGLaw200 Youth Forum on 13 May 2026, where he highlighted the importance of the rule of law in maintaining Singapore’s stability, fairness, and public trust.
Mr Wong said the rule of law is often taken for granted but plays a key role in ensuring public safety, fairness, and confidence in institutions.
He explained that Singapore’s approach balances strong governance with safeguards such as an independent judiciary, impartial civil service, and free and fair elections.
Mr Wong said Singapore’s legal system has helped the country become one of the safest and least corrupt nations in the world.
He pointed to Singapore’s strict anti-corruption laws, firm drug enforcement policies, and regulations against harmful online speech and misinformation as examples of how the rule of law works in practice.
Mr Wong also said legal systems must continue evolving to meet new challenges, especially with the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI), deepfakes, scams, and misinformation.
He raised concerns about future legal questions involving AI, including who should be held responsible when AI systems cause harm.
Mr Wong stressed that while technology can assist decision-making, issues of fairness, justice, and accountability must remain under human judgement.
He also highlighted the importance of improving access to justice, especially for vulnerable groups, and noted Singapore’s efforts to strengthen legal support and public legal awareness.
On the international stage, Mr Wong said Singapore strongly supports a rules-based global order and international law, which are especially important for small countries.
He warned that increasing disregard for international rules could create greater instability and uncertainty around the world.
Source: PMO
