PUBLISHED ONDecember 02, 2025 4:38 AMUPDATEDDecember 02, 2025 6:36 AMBYSean LerPrime Minister Lawrence Wong has expressed his deep sadness by the devastation caused by widespread flooding across South-east Asia.
Over the past week, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have been battered by monsoons exacerbated by tropical storms, leading to some of the worst flooding in years across the three countries.
As of Monday (Dec 1), nearly 800 people have died — 604 in Indonesia, three in Malaysia, and 176 in Thailand — with hundreds still missing, according to official figures.
In a Facebook post on Dec 2, PM Lawrence Wong said he was "deeply saddened" by how communities across South-east Asia were devastated, calling the images of displacement and loss "heartbreaking".
"To all those affected, and to the brave responders battling the waters to keep others safe, our thoughts and prayers are within you," PM Wong added.
In his post, PM Wong also thanked the Malaysian and Thai authorities for their prompt assistance in helping Singaporeans stranded in Hat Yai, which enabled Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to assist Singaporeans to return home safely.
As of Dec 2, 822 of 893 Singaporeans who had e-registered or reached out to MFA have returned home safely.
Reiterating what Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said on Nov 27, PM Wong said that Singapore "stands ready to support where we can".
Turning to the devastation caused by the recent weather events, PM Wong said that these events are a "stark reminder" of the "shared vulnerability" faced by nations, regardless of borders.
"Climate change is a challenge that respects no borders and affects everyone of us.
"It is a global crisis that demands a global response," he said.
Ending off his post, PM Wong said: "We must work together, across all nations, to accelerate our collective efforts and build a more resilient future for our planet."
Singapore has often recognised its vulnerability to flooding given the city state's low-lying land and has, in recent years, moved to enhance coastal protection measures as a means of defence against rising sea levels.
Amongst them are coastal barriers, raised structures and tidal gates to protect the Greater Southern Waterfront and Changi.
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At the recent COP30 in Belem, Brazil, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu spoke about how climate change continues to outpace the collective response of the global community.
Noting that climate change is an "existential challenge" for Singapore, the minister shared that Singapore was one of only 13 countries to have submitted the 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) on carbon emissions.
In its NDC, Singapore committed to reducing emissions to between 45 and 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) by 2035.
The challenges in coordinating global consensus and collective response to climate change was also apparent in the uneasy adoption of a compromise deal — the Belem Package — which omitted explicit mention of phasing out fossil fuels.
At the United Nations General Assembly in September, Trump doubled down on his skepticism of global environmental initiatives and multilateral institutions, dismissing climate change as "the greatest con job".
Despite the apparent challenges, PM Wong has remained consistent when speaking of the need to reform global institutions and rules.
In his speech at the recent G-20 summit in South Africa on Nov 22, PM Wong suggested that countries should build new partnerships, linking up regions, blocs and like-minded economies in mutually beneficial ways.
He suggested that this form of "flexible multilateralism" can allow for a "refreshed system" through plurilateral agreements, with others coming on board later, when they are ready.
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