Jobseeker Support scheme to start from April 2025 for Singapore workers who earned $5,000 or less a month

SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme to benefit around 60,000 Singapore residents per year

Eligible involuntarily unemployed persons will receive up to $6,000 over six months

By Tay Hong Yi, The Straits Times, 28 Aug 2024

About 60,000 jobless Singapore residents will stand to benefit each year from a new job seeker support scheme to be rolled out next April.

To be eligible for the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support, they must have earned $5,000 or less a month on average for the duration of their previous employment within the last 12 months. They also cannot live in a property with an annual value of more than $25,000.

The annual value of property is the estimated gross annual rent if it were to be rented out, according to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.

They will receive up to $6,000 over six months, starting with $1,500 in the first month, and subsequently tapering down, if they meet the requirements.

However, the monthly payouts are capped at an individual’s previous-drawn monthly salary, and they stop once the jobless person finds work.

Those who have received payouts will not be able to make another application within three years of their last scheme payout, but there is otherwise no limit on how many times they can be covered by this scheme.

They must also have worked for at least six out of the 12 months preceding their application for the scheme, which will be implemented by Workforce Singapore (WSG).

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng unveiled the scheme’s eligibility criteria during a visit to the Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability in Jurong East on Aug 27 to witness a career coaching class.

This follows Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s announcement on the maximum duration and payout of the scheme during his maiden National Day Rally speech on Aug 18.

More than 60 per cent of those who are involuntarily unemployed, which broadly refers to those who did not initiate their termination from previous employment, are set to qualify. They include those who are retrenched or dismissed, or whose companies have gone bust.

The scheme will be open to Singaporeans aged 21 and above at launch, before being extended to permanent residents aged 21 and above from the first quarter of 2026.

The Government will also provide a one-off concession to Singaporean job seekers who lost their jobs on or after April 1, 2024, and remain so even when the scheme kicks off in April 2025, despite them having not worked for at least six of the 12 months before their application.

Fewer than 2,000 people are expected to fall under the concession, a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) spokeswoman told reporters at a media briefing on Aug 27.

She also said the scheme, which will be reviewed regularly, is expected to cost about $200 million a year.

The $5,000 wage threshold, at slightly above the median gross monthly income of $4,550, was set to ensure that lower- and middle-income workers would be covered, she added.

Asked if the cap on monthly payouts to an individual’s previous-drawn monthly salary would mean job seekers previously earning less than the payouts have less support despite being more in need, she said the cap is meant to ensure that workers will not try to get involuntarily unemployed to earn more than their pay.

“It’s very important to come back to the principle that we want people to bounce back into employment... So, in order to do that, what’s most important is that the person holds on to the job, and the payout quantums do need to be designed in such a way as to incentivise this,” she added.

MOM and WSG said in a joint statement issued on Aug 27 that the scheme comes with support for an individual’s job search beyond the payouts, and complements other training and social support schemes.

“The payout quantum is not sized to meet the needs of households facing financial distress as a result of a household member becoming involuntarily unemployed, as (SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support) is not a social assistance scheme,” they said.

This means job seekers can still benefit from social support schemes such as ComCare Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance (SMTA).

ComCare SMTA provides temporary financial aid and other forms of help to tide recipients over tough times as they are looking for a job or are ill, among other reasons.

MOM and WSG said those who undertake reskilling or upskilling can still receive additional training allowances that they qualify for separately, such as the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance.

Those receiving payouts will also need to demonstrate that they are actively seeking a job, such as through submitting job applications, attending career coaching, or participating in eligible training courses.

Asked to elaborate on how someone can show he is doing so, a WSG spokesman said: “I think these are details that we are still working on, but very broadly speaking, we do expect applicants to submit some form of documentation, and we will check this documentation.”

He added that more details will be shared closer to the launch date.

In response to a question from The Straits Times on whether eligible job seekers would be invited to apply for the scheme, the WSG spokesman said the agency already reaches out to employers who cut jobs to tell them about the support that affected workers can tap, which would include the new scheme moving forward.

In his speech, Dr Tan said the scheme marks a paradigm shift for the Government, in providing interim support to others who may face financial pressures when involuntarily unemployed, beyond the most vulnerable in society.

Government looking into cost-of-living concerns, taking better care of seniors: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong

100 days as PM: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's press conference with local media on 23 August 2024

Govt studying how to tackle cost-of-living concerns, take better care of seniors: PM Wong

More help for larger families, needs of sandwiched group being explored

By Wong Pei Ting, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 24 Aug 2024

Tackling cost-of-living concerns and taking better care of seniors are two key areas of focus for the Government, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Aug 23.

In a press conference five days after his maiden National Day Rally speech, PM Wong said he is looking into longer-term care for seniors and their housing needs. This is a big issue that will continue to grow as more people age, he noted while outlining what Singaporeans can expect in the months ahead.

Besides helping older seniors who are in their 70s or 80s, there will also be support for their children – younger seniors who are entering or in their 50s and feel “sandwiched” with both ageing parents and children to look after, he said.

On cost-of-living concerns, PM Wong said his Government is looking at doling out more help to specific segments of the population, including those with larger families and more young children, where “costs add up quite quickly”.

Such additional support will add to broad-based schemes such as CDC vouchers, and cost-of-living payouts and U-Save rebates that target the lower- and middle-income groups.

During the press conference at the National Press Centre in Hill Street – PM Wong’s first after he took office as Singapore’s fourth prime minister on May 15 – he said there are different aspects to the cost-of-living issue, which is a major concern.

There are day-to-day expenses such as groceries, food and daily essentials, as well as big-ticket items like housing, he noted.

Asked if the Government will provide more CDC vouchers, given that the $300 in vouchers to be disbursed in January 2025 is less than the $800 given to each Singaporean household in 2024, PM Wong replied: “We haven’t had the 2025 Budget yet. That’s next year.”

PM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, added: “So whether or not there will be more CDC vouchers, I think everyone should just wait and see what is in the Budget announcement.”

The Government will continue to review how best to provide appropriate support, whether through broad-based or targeted measures, he added. “And we will do so in the Budget in 2025.”

At the rally on Aug 18, PM Wong had set out a major reset of policies, which included granting more paid leave for new parents, giving temporary financial help to lower- and middle-income workers who lose their jobs, and updating the Gifted Education Programme.

PM Wong said he had sought to flesh out, in more concrete terms, the aspirations and hopes that Singaporeans have shared during the Forward Singapore engagement exercise.

These are underpinned by two key pillars, he said – a renewed social compact and a refreshed Singapore Dream.

The renewed social compact relates to how all Singaporeans will get support despite their setbacks in life and get a fair shot in life, said PM Wong.

“At the same time, everyone has to do their part, work hard, make the effort to excel and uplift their families,” he said.

“If they do that, the Government will be there to support them every step of the way and help them to get ahead,” he added.

PM Wong said the refreshed Singapore Dream relates to how Singaporeans can find their own paths and not have to compare with one another.

“We can all be the best possible versions of ourselves,” he said. “In other words, we can thrive and flourish on our own terms and in ways that are less prescribed and more open.”

Realising these two shared goals requires a “major reset” of certain policies, attitudes and mindsets, he said.

Besides studying measures to help seniors and to address cost-of-living concerns, PM Wong said, his Government is also looking out for other issues that Singaporeans care about.

This is why regular engagement with Singaporeans is a very important aspect of his work, he added.

Since taking office, he has embarked on visits to several districts across the island. These are “very good opportunities for me to meet residents and to hear first-hand their perspectives and feedback”, he said.

PM Wong noted that he had previously committed to hold press conferences from time to time to share his thoughts with Singaporeans through the media.

He said he thought it useful to hold a press conference at this juncture, to take stock of what his Government has done and what is next on the agenda.

He also said he will continue to hold dialogues with different segments of society, and engage Singaporeans through social media and press conferences such as this one.

These engagements can help everyone see a common picture of why the Government is embarking on certain plans, where the nation is heading towards, and what everyone can do in big and small ways to realise a shared vision, he added.

“This is the commitment from me and my team,” he said.

“We are here to listen to you, understand first-hand your concerns, hopes and dreams, and build a stronger, more meaningful connection with every Singaporean.”

Asked if he had met his priorities after 100 days in office, PM Wong said his key priority after taking over was to think about the new directions that his Government would set to take Singapore forward in its next lap, and what that would mean for Singaporeans.

He took reference from the Forward Singapore exercise, and the rally was where he sought to “crystallise” these shared ambitions in clearer and more concrete terms, he added.

On the foreign policy front, PM Wong said he will, in the months ahead, visit more Asean countries before making trips to the country’s key partners outside of South-east Asia.

He is also set to attend a few international summits, including the Asean Summit in Laos from Oct 6 to 11, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru in November, and the Group of 20 summit in Brazil from Nov 18 to 19.

PM Wong said it is important for him to meet leaders of other countries in his new capacity to establish good personal relations with them, as this will set the tone for Singapore’s overall relationship with those countries.

PM Wong also said he will find future occasions to elaborate on Singapore’s foreign policy and the external environment.

“It’s important for me to engage Singaporeans on these issues because I think everyone needs to understand what’s at stake, especially on critical issues where our collective security and fundamental interests are involved,” he said.

“We must be able to come together as one people, despite our differences and perspectives, and take a common, pro-Singapore position to advance our national interest together.”

National Day Rally 2024: A Singapore Where We Realise Our Dreams

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong sets out major reset of policies and his vision for Singapore

By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 19 Aug 2024

New parents will have more paid leave while lower- and middle-income workers who lose their jobs will get temporary financial help, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong as he outlined his vision for a refreshed Singapore dream.

In his maiden National Day Rally speech on Aug 18, PM Wong said the nation has reached a stage where everyone wants a Singapore where people thrive on their own terms, in ways that are less prescribed and determined; and where people support one another.

“Realising our new ambitions will require a major reset – a major reset in policies, to be sure; but also a reset in our attitudes,” he said.

PM Wong also pledged to look after various groups of Singaporeans, including the elderly, families and lower-income households, while asking for the people’s support in charting a new way forward amid an uncertain geopolitical environment.

The policy shifts will unfold over several years, he said, adding: “To achieve our shared goals, I need your help. Because making the lasting changes we are aiming for will require a mindset shift in all of us.”

PM Wong, who was sworn in as Singapore’s fourth head of government in May, said he has not changed, despite the bigger responsibility.

“I may be Prime Minister. But I’m also a fellow citizen and friend, sharing the same experiences and concerns as all of you,” he said in his address to the nation in Malay, Mandarin and English at ITE College Central in Ang Mo Kio.

“I am here to serve you and our country and I pledge to give my all to this endeavour.”

As Singapore writes the next chapter of its story, the country will have to contend with profound changes such as the intensifying rivalry between America and China, rapid technological disruptions and climate change, he said.

Recounting how founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew had once said the country needs a government that is both prudent and bold, PM Wong said his team will adopt the same approach.

“We will be prudent. To honour and respect the past, to uphold the fundamentals that have served us well, and remain relevant to us. But we must and we will be bold.”

He added that the Government will look for fresh and better solutions, and choose the best way forward for Singapore.

One such shift is the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme to help lower- and middle-income workers who are involuntarily unemployed, for instance when they are retrenched or their companies go bust.

This scheme, first announced at the 2023 Rally, will provide temporary financial support for such workers – up to a total of $6,000 over a period of up to six months.

These workers will also have to do their part, by going for training, career coaching and job matching services, said PM Wong.

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng will provide more details about the scheme later.

Another key pillar of the speech centred on support for families, through more paternity leave and shared parental leave.

While paternity leave had been doubled from two to four weeks earlier in 2024, the additional time was voluntarily offered by employers.

From April 1, 2025, this will become mandatory, said PM Wong.

He also announced that parents will get an additional 10 weeks of shared parental leave, which can be utilised by fathers or mothers.

This will replace the current arrangement where husbands can share up to four weeks of their wives’ 16 weeks of maternity leave.

The new initiative will start with six weeks for babies born from April 1, 2025, and be increased to the full 10 weeks a year later, said PM Wong, as he stressed the need for a change in mindsets.

“Some of us still believe that fathers should be the exclusive breadwinners, and mothers, the main caregivers. That has to change,” he said.

PM Wong also called for attitudinal shifts in education, noting that while Singapore has a solid education system, it is also competitive and can lead to anxiety, pressure and stress.

“It’s important to refocus on the objectives of education: it’s about sparking a joy for learning; and helping every child realise their full potential,” he said.

Moves have been made in recent years to improve the education system, such as changes to the Primary School Leaving Examination scoring system and the removal of streaming – policies once termed as “sacred cows” by observers that have since seen new approaches.

Another longstanding policy will be updated after 40 years.

PM Wong said the current form of the Gifted Education Programme in primary schools will be discontinued, and replaced with a new approach that will equip all primary schools with their own programmes to stretch their own high-ability learners.

“This is a significant change. But it is also consistent with our philosophy in education… Whatever the start points, we will help everyone to learn, develop and grow, and realise your full potential,” said PM Wong.

Harking back to one of the themes of the Forward Singapore conversations, he also stressed the Government’s commitment to providing multiple pathways to success.

PM Wong said he wants to see a Singapore “where we don’t pigeonhole, or typecast, people based on their backgrounds or the schools they go to”.

“Where everyone can strive and excel, take pride in what they do, and be recognised for their efforts and work. Together we can make this happen.”

Turning to housing, he acknowledged the concerns of many Singaporeans about housing prices.

The Government is pressing on with efforts to make flats more affordable, he said, announcing that the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant will be increased, in particular for lower-income groups. The grant currently gives eligible first-timer families up to $80,000 to buy their new or resale flat.

“This is my assurance to all young Singaporeans… we will make sure that there is an HDB flat that is within your budget, in every region. We will always keep public housing in Singapore affordable for you,” he said.

On the infrastructure front, PM Wong unveiled the Kallang Alive Masterplan that is meant to unlock the full potential of the Sports Hub and the surrounding area, and strengthen the sporting culture in Singapore.

This includes building a new indoor arena, moving the Sports School over from Woodlands, consolidating the national training centres for several key sports under one roof, and having a community boulevard with sporting facilities and programmes.

Concluding his speech, PM Wong reiterated his belief that Singapore’s best days lie ahead of it.

“We have new ambitions to pursue. We are taking bold steps to turn our hopes into reality. We can be a society where every citizen is respected, every voice is heard, every dream is nurtured,” he said.

“We can be a nation where everyone can flourish, thrive, and be the best possible version of ourselves.”

The way we tell the Singapore Story needs a refresh

The country’s journey was woven into the personal lives of older Singaporeans. Younger citizens can’t relate to that.

By Tan Tai Yong, The Straits Times, 17 Aug 2024

Addressing the nation in front of the 19th century Sri Temasek building at the Istana, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong opened his National Day message by recounting how, in 1965, founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew had spent the night of Aug 8 there, just before formal separation from Malaysia, “consumed with worry over how to build a nation from scratch”. He added that the then Prime Minister and the founding leaders went on to overcome “enormous odds and laid the foundations” for the modern nation-state of Singapore.

The reference to history is a constant refrain at every National Day commemoration, when Singaporeans are reminded of the country’s journey from a small and vulnerable former colony to a thriving, successful nation-state.

Many older Singaporeans relate to the country’s journey of nation-building. They remember periods of labour unrest, urban poverty, ethnic conflicts, unstable times in Malaysia, and the domestic and international challenges following Singapore’s emergence as a new state. The Singapore Story is interwoven with their personal stories.

But for younger Singaporeans who did not live through these times, what does the Singapore Story mean? With each successive National Day, the events of Singapore’s early years will become more distant, and memories of the past will fade. History will be taught through our schools and public institutions, but a storytelling that does not resonate with personal memories and experiences runs the risk of raising scepticism, leading to a perception that official historical narratives and calls to remember our origin story are merely state-driven propaganda.

Engagements with history get further diluted when physical traces of the past start to vanish. Singapore’s rapid physical and social development since 1965 has challenged the different ways people remember and bind themselves to their community and country.

Herein lies the danger. A people that do not relate to their history will not fully appreciate the journey their country undertook, or why it adopted the values it did. Or why, in Singapore’s context, multiculturalism is such a key pillar, for example. It’s possible that such values will not be internalised and we may risk straying from them. That is why it is imperative that we imbibe our history and it strikes a chord with us, so that the values that the country upholds continue to be deeply and personally meaningful to us. At the same time, we need to understand the context of the decisions we took, so that we can adapt to changed circumstances instead of blindly mimicking past postures.

The future of our past

How, then, do we get the Singapore Story to resonate with younger Singaporeans and remain relevant for future generations?

At the ground-breaking of the Founders’ Memorial in June 2024, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong envisioned the Memorial as a space where Singaporeans can reflect on their ongoing nation-building journey, drawing on an understanding of our past and an appreciation of the “fundamental values and ideals” that set the long-term direction of Singapore.

His call to ensure that the Founders’ Memorial connects with future Singaporean generations presents an interesting task. It goes beyond recalling the words and deeds of Singapore’s founding fathers or knowing the history of those momentous years; it must engage younger Singaporeans who have only witnessed peace, stability and prosperity, and inspire them to understand the fundamental principles that define us as a society and country.

Singaporeans are not unfamiliar with the country’s history. The prevailing national narrative – the Singapore Story – features prominently within the educational curriculum, is recounted in biographies of political figures, showcased at National Day Parades, and exhibited across various national museums. With such frequent exposure, Singaporeans might believe they are fully knowledgeable about their country’s historical journey.

But merely knowing history might not be sufficient, as familiarity with events and personalities of the past does not necessarily make history personally relevant and meaningful. Beyond historical literacy – that is, knowing what happened – it is crucial to develop historical consciousness, which is the ability to make the past have meaning for us as individuals and as communities.

What does historical consciousness entail and how do we develop this in younger Singaporeans?

The danger of nostalgia weighing upon the present

It is good to know our history, but we must be wary of invoking the past to make decisions about the present.

By Simon Tay, The Straits Times, 14 Aug 2024

Talking about the past of our country seems more evident today than ever before. Perhaps it is the National Day mood. As we marked our 59th year, there was a new president and a new prime minister in place, and yet the theme song and dance routines evoked the independence era.

Books, too, have contributed to such discussions, like the recently issued biography of our first foreign minister S. Rajaratnam. For me, personally, awareness is heightened because of Enigmas, my own book about my late father, Tay Seow Huah – a pioneer generation civil servant contributing to security for our then young country.

Singapore is old enough to look back on its founding decade with nostalgia. I felt this strongly when writing about Singapore’s first decade of independence in Enigmas. Beyond the work on pressing issues of the time, it is harmless and fun to remember markers of how we lived, like the eating places that my father and his generation frequented, and which I knew as a child.

But lifestyle aside, one must be wary of nostalgia slipping into decisions of policy. And yet, nostalgia seems to inform some current controversies, in public discussions and in social media.

How’s history relevant here?

A mural on the side of a Chinatown shophouse caused considerable debate with its depiction of a samsui woman, smoking and glamorous. The mural had sidestepped the usual processes of seeking permits for such public art, as well as guidelines that caution against the depiction of smoking.

But many reactions focused on the question of veracity: the fact that these women who contributed to literally building Singapore smoked, as a respite from hard labour. This reference to the past was evoked as a kind of trump card: to overcome current guidelines that censor most depictions of smoking.

That focus downplayed other elements of the mural – the woman was depicted as young, attractive and with elaborately and improbably manicured nails. Nor was its artistic merit much discussed.

My own interpretation was that this mural was not about historical fact. Rather I saw it as a comment about how Chinatown has now been gentrified and glamorised, with prices soaring for the once humble and rundown shop houses.

The final decision was a compromise. The mural with its depiction of smoking was not erased. But a fine was imposed as prior authorisation for this public art had not been obtained.

The past was also invoked in what would seem a commercial decision. This concerns the sale of a majority stake in Income Insurance to a foreign investor, Allianz. On top of the regulatory issues, some emphasised the original social mission of Income Insurance.

Much respected Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh was among those who took this line as he warned against Singapore becoming “a nation of people who know the price of everything but the value of nothing”, something our first foreign minister had cited.

No one can argue that it is not important to understand what was before. But past examples and statements are best set in context of the circumstances of their time. Otherwise, there is a risk that past incidents and statements can be invoked selectively in ways that may distort.

NTUC ventured into the insurance sector following a suggestion in 1969 by Dr Goh Keng Swee, who later served as deputy prime minister. Dr Goh had felt that a social enterprise by the unions was needed because “social security is in its rudimentary stages”.

Today presents a very different situation. There are many more insurers to provide for life, health and other forms of security for workers. There is, for instance, a nationwide scheme to insure full-time national servicemen on a voluntary and affordable basis. This scheme is provided by another insurer, not Income Insurance.

Can the current competitive market not meet the needs of Singaporeans? If NTUC were to be asked today about the need for unions to run an insurer, wouldn’t it, probably, arrive at a different decision?

These are among the contextual, “what if” questions to be considered if we are to apply past lessons and thinking to changing circumstances. Otherwise, if we allow the past to overly constrain current choices, history would be a heavy, dead hand.

NDP 2024: Together, As One United People

A show of unity, as the Padang lights up for 59th National Day Parade

By Samuel Devaraj, The Straits Times, 10 Aug 2024

Hands on their hearts, they stood and pledged themselves as one united people, while around them the lights shone in the city they had helped to build for their nation, 59 years young.

Their voices capped a night of pomp, spectacle and tradition, of hard work and creativity, as Singaporeans celebrated how far they had come together, regardless of race, language or religion.

Joining the audience of 27,000 who had gathered at the Padang were President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, attending the National Day Parade (NDP) for the first time in their new roles.

Some 7,500 others enjoyed the ceremony nearby at The Promontory @ Marina Bay, with official festivities spilling over to the open space near the Marina Bay Financial Centre for the first time.

To the theme of Together, As One United People, this year’s parade was a show of unity, with the crowd a sea of red and white against the backdrop of the city skyline at dusk.

The festivities kicked off at 5.30pm, when the hosts – radio deejay Joakim Gomez, host and media personality Sonia Chew, actor Ebi Shankara and actress Siti Khalijah – took to the stage to pump up the audience for the night to come.

The format was familiar, but as is the case every year, the excitement and anticipation of the audience were fresh.

The Red Lions parachute team of the Singapore Armed Forces raised the ante when they descended from the sky, among them two female parachutists taking part for the first time in an NDP at the Padang.

Their arrival heralded the start of the parade and ceremony segment, United We Stand, featuring 35 marching contingents and more than 2,100 participants, who had begun practising for this evening about four months ago.

After the last contingent was lined up on the field, the motorcades bearing first, PM Wong, and then President Tharman, arrived to loud cheers and applause.

Overhead, a Chinook carrying the nation’s flag was a stirring sight as it flew past the parade ground.

Five F-16 fighters then took to the sky for the salute to the nation, with the excited crowd matching the roar of the engines in arguably the most thrilling moment of the parade.

Consisting of four 25-pounder guns and personnel loaded on a raft, the presidential gun salute sailed around the Marina Basin, covering a 5.87km route, its longest ever.

Stopping near the Esplanade to fire 21 times as President Tharman inspected the contingents, the presidential gun salute is the nation’s highest honour.

The parade had other firsts. For the first time, to commemorate 40 years of Total Defence, a dynamic defence display was brought to the parade at the Padang.

Simulated attacks thwarted by man and machine from various sections of Singapore’s defence arsenal ensured the crowd’s attention never wavered from the Padang stage.

Amid a display filled with high-octane music and pyrotechnics, the contingents made their way through the spectator stands, while the excited audience took close-up photos.

Then, as night fell on the Padang, it was bathed in the glow of a concert arena as the LED wristbands given to each audience member lit up, marking the start of the show segment.

This segment featured 12 artistes and more than 3,000 performers, including singers Amni Musfirah and Shazza, multidisciplinary artist weish and cellist Olivia Chuang, who were among those performing at an NDP for the first time.

Celebrating the things that make Singapore, Singapore, the show paid tribute to the pioneer generation, ordinary workers, and the nation’s love of food.

But there were introspective moments too, in a poignant nod to individuals who go above and beyond to lift their communities.

And what is an NDP without a song? Singer-songwriter Benjamin Kheng, of local band The Sam Willows fame, drew loud cheers and applause when he took to the stage and performed the NDP 2024 theme song, Not Alone, for which he wrote the lyrics.

As the night drew to a close, after the Pledge was recited and a rousing National Anthem sung, the audience was treated to a 360-degree fireworks experience.

Surrounded by fireworks launched from Marina Bay and the Padang, as well as from the nearby Adelphi building, spectators could be seen whipping out their phones for selfies.

With the Marina Bay skyline blazing brightly as the backdrop, those images would seal the memories of the NDP for years to come.

Watching the fireworks up close left first-time NDP spectator Ong Si Ni, 42, in awe.

While the university manager had seen the fireworks from nearby during a previous rehearsal, she told The Straits Times that it could not compare with being in the middle of the action at the Padang.

Ms Ong – who was at the parade with her friend’s mother, Ms Agnes Ho, 74, who works part-time at a food and beverage outlet – said her favourite part was the show segment where she could see performers dancing and enjoying themselves.

She added: “I am very happy that I came. I feel like I’m truly a Singaporean.”

National Day Message 2024: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong promises more support for families, help with employment setbacks

More support for families, help for Singaporeans facing employment setbacks: PM Wong

By Tham Yuen-C, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 9 Aug 2024

Families will get more support, and help will be given to Singaporeans who have met with setbacks in employment, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Aug 8 as he set out how the Government intends to work with the people to build a better Singapore.

PM Wong said he will share plans to boost social safety nets at the National Day Rally, which will be held on Aug 18.

In his first National Day message, PM Wong outlined three strategies to take Singapore forward: Forging new opportunities for the people, redoubling efforts to keep the cost of living stable and strengthening the system of social support.

Addressing the nation in front of Sri Temasek within the Istana grounds, he said the two-storey bungalow – where his temporary office is while the main building is renovated – was where founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew and his family spent the night of Aug 8, 1965.

Mr Lee had tossed and turned that night before Singapore’s formal separation from Malaysia and independence, consumed with worry over how to build a nation from scratch.

What keeps PM Wong awake at night are the challenges brought by developments such as the conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, tensions between the United States and China, growing populism, economic nationalism and protectionism across the world, and politics turning vicious in many countries.

“These are powerful forces that shape our operating environment,” said Singapore’s fourth prime minister.

While Singapore has become a shining red dot on the global stage, the country cannot afford to cruise along and just rely on existing formulas, as the world has changed dramatically, he noted.

“We have to act with agility, foresight and gumption. We have to seek fresh solutions, and chart our own path to take Singapore forward.”

He devoted the rest of his message to the strategies to navigate this new world.

One of them is to strengthen social support, since there will be those who will find it hard to keep pace with the rapid changes, he said.

Singapore’s ageing population will require more help, and so will those who are “sandwiched”, having to look after children as well as elderly parents, he added.

This is why the Government is investing more in social infrastructure, including launching schemes to boost retirement adequacy and the pay of lower-wage workers, as well as initiatives like Healthier SG to take better care of seniors, he said.

“We intend to do more,” he added.

Dialogue with SM Lee Hsien Loong at the HarmonyWorks! Conference 2024 on 3 August 2024

‘Generally, we’ve got things right’: SM Lee addresses issues like race at dialogue with youth

By Elisha Tushara, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 4 Aug 2024

In Singapore, one can expect to be respected as an individual and treated equally regardless of race, language and religion, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Aug 3 at a dialogue with youth.

That is the starting point, he said in response to a question about how there remain concerns about incidents of casual racism here, and whether the situation will improve.

“Generally, we have got things right,” he said, adding that at a personal level, people have to treat each other with respect, understand the sensitivities and not cause offence.

SM Lee was addressing about 300 youth at a dialogue session at ITE College East held by OnePeople.sg, an organisation that promotes racial and religious harmony.

During the hour-long session, participants from post-secondary institutions, madrasahs, Special Assistance Plan (SAP) schools, as well as community and religious groups, asked SM Lee questions on topics ranging from casual racism and influence of social media to integration between locals and new migrants.

“We have to express disapproval and if it is done with ill intent, we have to be quite firm to come down and put it down,” he said, referring to conflicts that arise over race or religion. “At the same time, we have to respond in a measured way, and we have to see what the situation is.”

Singaporeans should not become hypersensitive, said SM Lee. “If you look at what is happening in Western countries, there is a mood now where you are so careful about not doing anything which may cause offence to anybody,” he said.

“Sometimes, they even say I am going to say something which you may be unhappy (about). So, if you don’t want to hear me, please leave the room before I say it. And then life becomes very tiring.”

This is not a mature or practical way of getting along with each other, he said, which requires “give and take”, understanding, tolerance and respect. “And I am able to get on together because, fundamentally, we believe that we are Singaporeans. I think we should take that kind of an approach.”

SM Lee also noted that in Singapore, Chinese guests may turn up wearing saris or an Indian costume for Deepavali, while non-Malay guests will wear Malay baju for Hari Raya. The intent is to honour one’s friends by dressing up.

But in America, for example, doing so can be seen as cultural appropriation, he said.

“I do not think we should go in that direction,” he said, adding that young people will have to find their own norms and their own way forward.

“I hope we will find one which is practical, which is robust, and which enables us to get on together and go out into the world. And when we go into another society where people are not so nice and sensitive and used to dealing with you, you will not suddenly faint from shock.”