Singaporeans alone will decide the country’s future and they must not allow others to coerce it or choose its course, said Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing.

“In countering the challenges of external influences, Singaporeans must always start from the premise that whatever decision we (take) collectively must be good for Singapore’s long-term interest,” Mr Chan said on Friday (Feb 15) at an inaugural lecture series featuring distinguished alumni of the Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers.

The programme, run by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, brings together senior Singapore and international military officers yearly to network and discuss geopolitical and security issues.