Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the Government has worked out plans to take Singapore forward amid global uncertainty. -- ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Singapore can continue to survive and thrive in this troubled world by sticking to two fundamental factors that have brought the nation to where it is today, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Feb 8.
First, it has to have a strong and competent Government that anticipates challenges, earns people’s trust, and makes good decisions to secure their future.
Second, Singaporeans have to stay united, understand the world they live in and the challenges they face, and work closely with the Government to make their dreams a reality, he said.
SM Lee, who is MP for the Teck Ghee ward in Ang Mo Kio GRC, spoke in English, Malay and Mandarin at a Chinese New Year dinner for 1,200 residents and their guests at Teck Ghee Community Club.
In 2024, Singapore enjoyed a smooth leadership transition and grew its economy by 4 per cent, while inflation has come down, he said.
But much uncertainty awaits in the new year, he noted.
Besides tense international geopolitics and unresolved US-China differences, the new US administration has a very different approach to government and the world, SM Lee said. It is defining American interests more narrowly, and takes a transactional approach to achieve its immediate objectives, SM Lee said.
It looks at tariffs favourably as a preferred policy tool and an external source of revenue, as well as a way to force other countries to make concessions. It is also withdrawing from multilateral commitments like the World Health Organisation and the Paris Agreement on climate change.
“The US is no longer prepared to underwrite the global order. This makes the international environment far less orderly and predictable,” said SM Lee. “Singapore, like all other countries, must adapt to this new reality, even as we seek to maintain our strong ties and friendship with the US.”
The Government understands the challenges ahead, and has worked out plans to take Singapore forward amid global uncertainty, just as it has done in the past, he added.
With strong trust and partnership between the Government and Singaporeans for over 60 years, the nation has been able to make consistent progress decade after decade, instead of “chopping and changing course” every few years, he said.
SM Lee said that in the past two years, the Government has provided various forms of assistance to support Singaporeans with immediate cost-of-living concerns, especially those who need help most. These include CDC vouchers, GST vouchers, U-Save rebates and public transport vouchers.
More help can be expected at the upcoming Budget, he said.
Housing remains a key priority, he said, noting that the Housing Board has caught up with the Covid-19 backlog, and is on track to launch more than 100,000 flats by 2025, in the five years since 2021. The new Standard, Plus and Prime framework will help keep Build-To-Order flats affordable and available for all, he said.
“Beyond immediate issues, we are investing heavily in Singapore’s future,” he said, citing investments in education, training and upskilling so that the youth and workers have the skills to remain competitive and secure good jobs, even as the economy is transformed by new technologies like artificial intelligence.
The Government is also investing in infrastructure and building Changi Airport Terminal 5 and Tuas Megaport, which will make Singapore’s world-class airport and seaport even better, said SM Lee.
New train lines and expressways are also being built to improve connectivity and convenience, including the Thomson-East Coast Line, Cross Island Line and the North-South Corridor in Ang Mo Kio, he said.
There are also new hospitals and community care facilities such as the Woodlands Health Campus to take better care of Singapore’s ageing population.
Long Island – a massive, decades-long reclamation project along the East Coast, will protect the Republic from rising sea levels once completed.
At a local level, facilities and infrastructure have been enhanced in Ang Mo Kio GRC and Teck Ghee, including the upgrading of Ang Mo Kio town centre, said SM Lee.
The new “Friendly Streets” along Ang Mo Kio Street 31 are one of the amenities catering to the elderly in Teck Ghee, so that getting around the estate is safer and more convenient.
There will also be a new Teck Ghee MRT station when the Cross Island Line is completed.
Most importantly, Singapore is also investing in its social fabric through Forward SG, said SM Lee.
The nationwide conversation was launched by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to shape the nation’s future and its social compact.
Programmes such as ComLink+ and the Fresh Start Housing Scheme will uplift the vulnerable and enhance social mobility, SM Lee said, adding that Singapore has also recently launched SGShare, a national regular giving programme linked to SG60 – the country’s 60th year of independence – and ComChest to spur volunteerism and strengthen bonds among fellow Singaporeans.
“We are building a Singapore where every citizen belongs, where everyone will have every opportunity to succeed, no matter your starting point in life, where we all share a sense of participation and purpose, and where we take ownership of our nation’s future together,” he said.
“None of these good things will happen by themselves... It requires a capable, caring Government with the foresight to look ahead, and the courage to do the right things,” he added. “And a people who will stay united, and be willing to work with the Government over the long term.” - The Straits Times/ANN
