The Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong has given the message of remaking the country for the future generation on 9th August 2018 on the occasion of the 53rd National Day. The summary of the message is as follows.
On the auspicious occasion, he urged the people of Singapore to stay united and contribute towards the progress of the nation. He highlighted that people in Singapore live a better life than people from many other countries. With the steady growth of the economy at 3 to 3.5% in recent years, the productivity and income of the country have risen considerably.
He also mentioned that, in spite of this growth, there are some challenges which Singapore might face. There is growing trade tension among the various economies of the world. Singapore will also get affected by such tension resulting in lower international trade, lesser investments and lower business confidence. The trade wars will also trigger a war of trust among the major economies of the world. Hence, the international and regional security are at risk.
He said that Singapore has successfully hosted a meeting between US President Donald Trump and DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) chairman Kim Jong Un. Since then the tension in the Korean Peninsula has decreased. But still, there are many challenges that the world is facing and one of them is denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. Singapore aims to have a stronger partnership with its ASEAN partners (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), particularly its neighbours Malaysia and Indonesia.
He also spoke about the focus of the government in the coming years. The major focus of the government in the last few years has been to review the healthcare, education and housing policies. It aims to improve the life of people of the country, strengthen the social safety nets and build a stronger nation. Without caring about the external circumstances, the government will do the best for the country.
He said that today I am addressing the people from Kampung Admiralty, a housing estate developed especially for the senior citizens. The non-slip tiles, grip bars, and many other features make it an ideal place for senior citizens to live safely and comfortably. Apart from this, there are many amenities located here like medical centres, gardens, a childcare center, supermarket, etc.
Kampung Admiralty is the prime example of how the government is trying to change the education, housing, and healthcare system to improve the lives of the Singaporeans. We want to ensure to the people of Singapore that we are trying to bring down their cost of living. We want to make the quality of life affordable for all people, rich or poor. We would provide a helping hand to those who are in need.
He said that the job of building Singapore is not complete yet. For the next 50 years, we need to plan boldly and creatively for our future generations. It will be a long and massive project. To sustain this project, we need to have an ever growing economy and sound government finances. To realise our vision we need unity, political stability, and good governance in future years.
Today, Singapore is the land of opportunities. Each generation of the country has worked hard and built a better home than the one who came before. In this country, everyone has the right to pursue their passion, excel in their respective fields and build a better future for the country.
He concluded the speech with these lines;
As a National Day song puts it, “There’s a jewel on the ocean, a gem upon the sea
Where the future is an open book
A land of destiny.”
My fellow citizens, Singapore’s best days are yet to come. Happy National Day!
