Addressing concerns over the influx of foreigners some fear are threatening their jobs, Lee said Singapore needs 900,000 foreign workers on two-year work permits.
"They do the construction and other heavy work, jobs Singaporeans are not willing to do," the online edition of the Straits Times quoted Lee as saying.
Singapore has kept its door open to the controlled inflow of foreign workers and tried to attract foreign talent. The issue is expected to be a hot-button topic in the upcoming general election slated for May 7.
Lee also said that Singaporeans have made the right choices in the past elections to have a government that was competent and reliable.
"Over the last 12, 13 elections, if Singaporeans had chosen wrongly, we wouldn`t have the Singapore of today," he said.
"I hope this election, voters will similarly make the right choice," he added.
Lee, who has been a lawmaker since 1955, will stand again in the general election but will largely help by giving advice to his ruling People`s Action Party, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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