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.”
NDR 2024: Key highlights from PM Wong’s first National Day Rally
By Chin Soo Fang, Senior Correspondent, The Straits Times, 19 Aug 2024
Keeping Singapore strong and united, and sharing the benefits of progress to uplift all Singaporeans, and not just a few.
This was a key message from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who delivered his first National Day Rally speech on Aug 18 at the ITE College Central in Ang Mo Kio.
PM Wong, who took over as Singapore’s fourth head of government in May, said Singapore needs a renewed social compact where every Singaporean feels there is hope. It is also where all citizens, even the most disadvantaged, know that they can get a fair shot in life and can get ahead if they make the effort and work hard, he said as he outlined enhancements in areas such as families, jobs, housing and education.
1. Shared parental leave
Parents will get an additional 10 weeks of shared parental leave, to be shared by both spouses. 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.
The additional 10 weeks will be paid for by the Government, and is on top of the current four weeks of leave for fathers and 16 weeks for mothers.
In total, parents will get 30 weeks – or 7.5 months – of paid parental leave, come 2026.
And while paternity leave had been doubled from two to four weeks earlier in 2024, employers had discretion whether to offer the additional time off. From April 1, 2025, this will become mandatory, said PM Wong.
He said more support will also be provided to those who want to have a third child or currently have three or more young children, with details to be unveiled at Budget 2025.
Why it matters:
The additional 10 weeks of shared parental leave by 2026 is arguably the most headline-grabbing policy move of this National Day Rally.
Together with the doubling of mandatory paternity leave from two to four weeks, the moves on parental leave are emblematic of what PM Wong termed “a major reset” to policies to realise Singapore’s new ambitions, but which also require a major change in mindsets.
Whether the more generous parental leave will be taken up will depend, for instance, on the support of employers and fellow employees to meet manpower needs.
The latest enhancement to prod couples here to have children comes as Singapore’s total fertility rate dropped from 1.19 children per woman in 2013 to a historic low of 0.97 in 2023.
READ MORE HERE: 10 extra weeks of shared parental leave; total of 30 weeks for parents by April 2026
2. New scheme to provide up to $6,000 to job seekers
A new SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme will give temporary financial support to those who have lost their job.
These workers will get up to $6,000 over up to six months while they go for training, career coaching and job matching.
A new training allowance under the SkillsFuture Level-Up programme will also take effect in 2025. Announced at Budget 2024, every Singaporean aged 40 and above will get an allowance of up to $3,000 a month when they go for full-time training. The cap is 24 months’ allowance, amounting to $72,000.
Separately, the $4,000 in SkillsFuture Credit announced earlier has been topped up in the accounts of Singaporeans aged 40 and above and is ready for use, said PM Wong.
Why it matters:
The up to $6,000 in support is tangible assistance aimed at helping lower- and middle-income workers who lose their jobs to bounce back stronger.
First sketched out by then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at his swansong National Day Rally in 2023, the goal is for a temporary safety net that would free retrenched workers to upgrade their skills by taking care of their immediate needs.
This is so that they could turn the setback into an opportunity to prepare themselves for a good long-term job, rather than to seize the first available job out of desperation.
PM Wong said the scheme underscores the Republic’s renewed social compact that the Government will have Singaporeans’ backs, but each person must make an effort to pull themselves up.
3. Housing enhancements for couples, singles and aged
The Enhanced CPF Housing Grant, which offers lower-income couples up to $80,000 to get their first homes, will be increased.
Singles applying for Build-To-Order (BTO) flats will get priority when buying a home near their parents from mid-2025. Currently, married children and their parents who are buying new flats to live with or near each other get priority access to BTO flats. This will soon be extended to all parents and their children – married or single.
The authorities are also studying ways to improve existing homes and make them more senior-friendly for those who wish to age where they live. This is on top of launching more elderly-friendly housing with care and social services.
Why it matters:
Alongside the new Standard, Plus and Prime HDB classification, the increased grant seeks to assure young couples that there will be an HDB flat within their budget when they wish to settle down, in every region of Singapore.
PM Wong acknowledged that the home price-to-income ratio of HDB resale flats is slightly higher than in the pre-Covid-19 years, but that the Government is on track to meet its commitment to build 100,000 new flats by 2025, which is stabilising the property market.
The move to give singles who want to live near their parents the same priority access to BTO flats increases housing equity, especially as more people here are staying single.
4. Gifted Education Programme to be revamped
The Gifted Education Programme (GEP), which was started in 1984, will be discontinued in its current form.
Instead of being offered in only nine primary schools, all primary schools will be equipped to identify their own high-ability learners and stretch them in their areas of strength and interest.
Beyond the school-based programmes, students who can benefit from even further stretching in particular subjects will be brought together regionally for after-school enrichment modules in a nearby school.
Why it matters:
The replacement of the GEP in nine primary schools with a new approach that encompasses all primary schools means more high-ability students will get to be stretched to their full potential.
The shift, after 40 years of the GEP, is intended to signal the Government’s intent to take care of all students – not just early bloomers but also those who grow up in the heartland and attend neighbourhood schools, said PM Wong, who counted himself among this number.
Meanwhile, schools with more students from disadvantaged backgrounds or higher learning needs will get more teachers and funding.
Taken together, the moves make the education system more inclusive, and help all students here learn at their own pace to realise their full potential.
5. Higher mother tongue learning
More students will be able to take higher mother tongue as a subject, with plans to lower the criteria for eligibility, said PM Wong in his Mandarin speech.
Currently, if students wish to take Higher Chinese Language (HCL) in secondary school, they must attain a certain overall Primary School Leaving Examination score to be eligible. This excludes those who did well in Chinese but who did not meet the PSLE score requirement.
The change will allow students who are strong in Chinese to take HCL from Secondary 1. Students who wish to take Higher Malay and Higher Tamil will also benefit.
Why it matters:
The policy tweak means those who show aptitude and interest in their mother tongue will soon be able to stretch themselves by taking the subject at a higher level in secondary school, without having to attain a certain PSLE score.
This is in keeping with moves over the years – such as full subject-based banding, which took effect in 2024 – for students to take subjects at a higher or lower level based on their strengths, and to evolve the education system to stay fit for purpose.
The change will nurture more students who are proficient in the Chinese language, and is part of the Government’s commitment to support the cultivation of bilingual capability here, said PM Wong.
6. Kallang Alive Masterplan
As part of the new Kallang Alive Masterplan, a new indoor arena with a capacity of 18,000 will be built to host more top-tier events, in place of the current Singapore Indoor Stadium. This means that Singapore athletes can compete on home ground, cheered on by fellow Singaporeans.
Better facilities will be built there for Team Singapore athletes too, including new sports science and sports medicine facilities.
The national training centres for key sports will also be sited together there. The Sports School, which is located in Woodlands now, will move to the Kallang area so that student athletes can study and train with their seniors.
Kallang will also be a place for all Singaporeans to enjoy sports. A main road running through the Sports Hub will be converted into a pedestrianised community boulevard with sporting facilities and programmes.
Why it matters:
The indoor stadium is 35 years old, which makes a reboot timely if Singapore is to have world-class facilities to meet its sporting ambitions.
Kallang will also become the new home for Team Singapore athletes, while unlocking synergies for various sports through co-location.
With the Sports Hub firmly back in public control, the initiative is with the Government to use it and the surrounding area to strengthen the Republic’s sporting culture.
The masterplan aims to shape Kallang into a lifestyle destination for Singaporeans of all abilities to take part in and enjoy sports, while also promoting family bonding and a healthier nation.
7. Prime waterfront coastline
A 120km-long prime waterfront coastline will be built, with current waterfront areas to be stitched together in the future.
There will be new precincts around this waterfront. First, the Nicoll and Kampong Bugis precincts will have new residential and recreational developments. Second, Tanjong Rhu, currently made up of private housing, will have new HDB flats.
Third, Marina South and Marina East will have more than 10,000 new homes. They will be sustainable and car-lite precincts with cycling networks and pedestrian-friendly streets, and be well served by the MRT network.
Why it matters:
Despite being the historic area where modern Singapore was born, the plans show that there is space all around the waterfront for new precincts that will lay the foundation for a reimagined, future city.
Making ambitious plans for the Republic that will take decades to bear fruit is a National Day Rally tradition.
The Greater Southern Waterfront was announced in the 2019 rally, comprising 30km of coastline from Gardens by the Bay East to Pasir Panjang. Other major projects announced at past rallies include the Jurong Lake District, Changi Terminal 5 and the redevelopment of Paya Lebar Airbase.
These plans reflect Singapore’s forward-looking approach to urban planning, focusing on sustainability, resilience and enhancing the quality of life for its residents.
READ MORE HERE: S’pore to have accessible 120km southern coastline; new homes in Nicoll, Marina East
8. New Singapore College of Islamic Studies
A new Singapore College of Islamic Studies will be built, which will nurture future generations of Singapore’s Islamic leaders.
PM Wong said the Government supports efforts to build a modern and progressive Malay/Muslim community, while still maintaining their distinctive customs and way of life.
He also committed to ensuring that all in the community will benefit from Singapore’s progress and be able to play a role in shaping the nation’s future.
Why it matters:
The new college is the culmination of eight years of work by Malay/Muslim leaders here, and signifies confidence that the Republic is ready to build a religious training institute of good repute.
When it was mooted in 2016, the idea of setting up a local Islamic college was driven by the need to groom home-grown religious leaders grounded in Singapore’s multiracial and multi-religious society.
Some of the lead-up work by the authorities over the years included engaging the Muslim community on their views, and study trips to Islamic colleges in countries such as Egypt, Turkey and the United States.
In 2020, a postgraduate programme was started by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore to help returning overseas religious graduates contextualise what they had learnt overseas to Singapore’s social and political realities, in preparation for their becoming religious teachers, or asatizah.
NDR 2024: More support will be given when necessary to help with cost of living, says PM Wong
By Kok Yufeng, The Straits Times, 19 Aug 2024
Singaporeans will continue to get support from the Government, when necessary, to help them cope with rising living expenses. The needs of seniors will also continue to be taken care of, so they can enjoy their later years.
These were among the commitments made by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Aug 18 during his Mandarin speech at the National Day Rally – his first major political speech since taking the helm in May.
“I understand the rising cost of living is a topic that everyone is concerned about,” PM Wong told the audience at ITE College Central in Ang Mo Kio, noting that every country is facing inflationary pressures.
He said the reasons behind the rising cost of living are complex, and Singapore cannot control external factors like supply chain disruptions and regional conflicts around the world.
“However, what the Government can do is to help everyone cope with the increase in living expenses through certain measures,” he added.
“We will continue to provide more support when necessary to lighten everyone’s burden,” PM Wong said.
He cited the latest tranche of CDC vouchers given out in June, amounting to $300 for every Singaporean household; and the service and conservancy charges and utility rebates disbursed, most recently in July amid gas and electricity price hikes.
The Prime Minister said he also understands that many small and medium-sized enterprises are concerned about the rise in costs.
Again, PM Wong pointed out that Singapore cannot avoid the impact of external factors, but said what the Government can do is simplify its compliance and regulatory processes to reduce business costs.
Speaking later in English, PM Wong said he has tasked Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong with overseeing a review of the Government’s rules and processes to prune them back where possible.
“I want to be fair to our regulators. They are doing their jobs. Every agency has legitimate concerns to deal with. Furthermore, each time an incident happens, be it an injury at a workplace, or a food poisoning outbreak, the regulators come under great pressure to tighten the rules further,” he said.
“Each new rule may seem small. But the small changes add up,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Government will do its best to help businesses restructure and transform so they can seize new opportunities, PM Wong said in his Mandarin speech.
However, he said successful business transformation requires effective employee training, and he expressed hope that employers can take the initiative to upgrade their staff’s skills.
“The Government will provide assistance through SkillsFuture. Unions will also lend their full support,” he said.
“As long as employers, unions and the Government work together, coupled with the efforts of employees, Singaporeans will be able to keep upgrading their skills and secure good job opportunities,” he added.
The promise of future support was extended to seniors as well, with PM Wong lauding their sacrifices and contributions.
Relating his own mother’s experiences living through the Japanese Occupation and the early, challenging years of Singapore’s nation-building, PM Wong said she worked from a young age to supplement the family’s income and nearly missed the chance to go to school.
But she persevered and eventually became a teacher.
PM Wong said his mother is frugal with money and raised him and his older brother while working full time, refusing to hire a helper even after the family’s income had stabilised.
“She is over 80 years old now, but she still insists on doing everything on her own... Such self-reliance and resilience are marks of that generation. They never gave up when faced with difficulties,” he added.
He said seniors he encounters during community visits also show a positive attitude, like Madam Leow Nyek Koon, 78, who lives in his Limbang ward in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC and often leads residents there in morning exercises and organises gatherings with her neighbours.
Given their contributions, PM Wong said the Government launched the $9 billion Pioneer Generation Package in 2014 and $8 billion Merdeka Generation Package in 2018 to help seniors retire with peace of mind.
More recently, the Government rolled out Healthier SG, a national preventive healthcare scheme that encourages people to stick to one family doctor, and Age Well SG, a multibillion-dollar national programme that aims to help seniors live more independently in the community.
“Please be assured that the fourth-generation leadership team and I will continue to take care of your needs, so you can enjoy your golden years,” PM Wong added.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore said in July that it expects overall inflation in 2024 to average 2 per cent to 3 per cent, down from its previous forecast of 2.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent.
The central bank said inflationary pressures could be renewed if labour cost increases accelerate or geopolitical tensions intensify. On the flip side, prices could fall faster than expected if global interest rates stay higher for longer and external demand weakens.
We thank them for their service: PM Wong pays tribute to ESM Goh and SM Lee in his first NDR speech
By Judith Tan, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 19 Aug 2024
He grew up in Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong’s ward, and worked side by side with Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Aug 18 spoke about how he had benefited from growing up in Marine Parade with ESM Goh as his MP, and outlined his experiences working under SM Lee.
He started his inaugural National Day Rally speech by expressing his deepest gratitude to the two former prime ministers and others who had made Singapore what it is today. “We’ve achieved so much in Singapore over these last 60 years,” he said.
“It’s because of the strong foundations laid by previous prime ministers and governments, as well as successive generations of Singaporeans.”
Noting that ESM Goh and SM Lee were present, he said “We thank them for their service”, to rousing applause from the audience.
SM Lee was prime minister from 2004 to 2024, and ESM Goh was prime minister from 1990 to 2004.
Delivering his inaugural National Day Rally speech at the Institute of Technical Education headquarters in Ang Mo Kio, PM Wong said ESM Goh was the prime minister when he started work at the civil service.
Equally important, he pointed out, ESM Goh was the Member of Parliament in Marine Parade, where PM Wong lived as a child and grew up.
“I benefited greatly from the improvements he brought to the estate,” he said.
Marine Parade was then a new town and the nearest kindergarten was “quite far away”.
“I attended it for a few days, but had difficulties adjusting, and I kept crying. My parents were at their wits’ end. They eventually allowed me to stay home, and I missed most of my first year of pre-school,” he recalled.
Fortunately, at about the same time, ESM Goh set up a PAP kindergarten in Marine Parade, “conveniently located near my home”.
“I had a good teacher, I felt comfortable there, and I settled in well. Later, as a teenager, I even received an education award from him,” he said.
That was in 1989 before Edusave was started nationwide, and the award was a special Marine Parade initiative, he said.
PM Wong’s interactions as a young officer with SM Lee were at the Ministry of Finance, when Mr Lee was finance minister.
“As a young officer, I supported him on a few Budgets. Later, he became prime minister and was looking for a principal private secretary or PPS. I was nominated to go for an interview. I did not expect to get the job, but he gave me a chance to work alongside him,” he said.
“I did the best I could and I learnt much from him. As you can see, even his gongfu moves,” he said, as an image of himself doing taiji with SM Lee at the Istana in 2007 was presented.
PM Wong added: “I saw first-hand from him what devotion to country meant.
“I figured I would only be PPS for three years, while he would be prime minister for much longer. He had to run a marathon. I could afford to sprint, and go all out to support him. That was what I tried to do.”
While this was the first time he was delivering the National Day Rally speech as Prime Minister, it was not the first time he was involved in the Rally, he added.
Around 20 years ago, when he was still the principal private secretary to then PM Lee Hsien Loong, he often helped him with his speeches.
“We were so young then. Now SM Lee’s hair has turned white. I do not know when mine will become white, but I am mentally prepared for it,” PM Wong said in his speech in Mandarin, drawing laughter from SM Lee.
At that time, politics was the farthest thing on his mind, PM Wong said, and no one in his family or circle of friends expected him to take that path.
“But when Mr Lee asked me in 2011, I could already see the difficulties he faced in putting together a younger team.
“I had been in the public service long enough to know that without effective political leaders, our system would not function effectively. That’s why I decided to step forward to serve.”
In the last 13 years, he added, he has had the chance to work in different ministries, learning much from senior colleagues in the Cabinet.
“Now the leadership baton has passed to me. I have a bigger responsibility, but I have not changed.
“I may be Prime Minister but I am also a fellow citizen and a friend, sharing the same experiences and concerns as all of you,” he said.
“I am here to serve you and our country.
“I pledge to give my all to this endeavour.”
NDR 2024: Bold moves to refresh the Singapore Dream
PM Wong shows he will not hesitate to explore new paths to enable even the most disadvantaged Singaporeans to reach for the stars.
By Tham Yuen-C, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 20 Aug 2024
It was his maiden National Day Rally on Aug 18, and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong did not shy away from showing Singaporeans what his leadership would be about.
He declared from the start that “fresh, and better” solutions would have to be sought for Singapore to survive and endure amid the flux in the world around us.
“We must and we will be bold,” he said.
“We will not let the past constrain our ability to shape our future.”
The big changes
This call for boldness was not just rhetoric, and was backed up by concrete policy changes.
To address the falling birth rate, which has hit a historic low, parents will get an additional 10 weeks of parental leave, which can be shared by fathers and mothers.
The extra two weeks of voluntary paternity leave introduced earlier in 2024 will also become mandatory from April 2025.
Taken together with existing maternity and paternity leave, this will give parents 30 weeks off work to take care of their newborns by April 2026.
In education, the longstanding Gifted Education Programme now offered in nine primary schools will be discontinued after 40 years. It will be replaced with a new approach that will equip all primary schools with their own programmes to stretch their own high-ability learners.
This will do away with the elitism that has crept into the scheme, first set up in 1984 to nurture and stretch pupils with higher abilities. The move effectively bolsters the proposition that every school is a good school.
There is also the Jobseeker Support scheme for those who have been retrenched, not exactly a U-turn but a departure from accepted orthodoxy.
Then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had alluded to the scheme in the past and PM Wong in his speech fleshed it out: it will provide those who have lost their jobs with temporary financial support of up to $6,000 over a period of up to six months.
For years, the Government has resisted unemployment insurance, which the opposition and even some ruling-party MPs have called for, for fear that doling out generous benefits will have the unintended effect of discouraging people from seeking work. This has happened elsewhere.
The new scheme is an alternative, acknowledging that someone who has gone through the major setback of losing their job may need some help so as not to destablise their life and family.
These changes, which PM Wong described as “big” and “significant”, underscored his commitment to the pledge he made during his swearing in, and in his Forward SG agenda, to look for fresh solutions and blaze new paths.
Financing it will be a question to be answered, given the tight fiscal position and growing social spending expected in the coming years.
Facing realities
The changes were also dictated by political realities.
“We have seen what happens in other countries when the broad middle falls behind. The centre does not hold. Societies begin to fracture and collapse,” he warned, asking people not to assume this cannot happen here.
“So we need a renewed social compact where every Singaporean feels there is hope; where all citizens, even the most disadvantaged amongst us, know that they can get a fair shot in life, that they can get ahead if they make the effort and work hard.”
That is what the entire Forward Singapore exercise, which he had helmed as Deputy Prime Minister before taking office at the top, was about.
Many of the policies announced at the rally seem geared towards keeping society strong and united, and ensuring the benefits of progress are shared among all Singaporeans and not just a few.
This idea of inclusion permeated the incremental policy changes, such as in allowing singles to get priority access to BTO flats when they want to live near their parents (currently only married people get this priority), studying ways to improve existing homes so that the elderly can age in the homes they have become used to, and allowing students to take higher mother tongue languages in secondary school, even if they did not achieve a certain PSLE score.
When giving assurance to young Singaporeans that he would make sure housing is affordable, PM Wong made it a point to emphasise that there would be an HDB flat within their budget “in every region”.
He also announced that the precinct of Tanjong Rhu, which is by the waterfront and currently made up of private housing, will soon have HDB flats, to loud applause from his audience.
In a sincere speech, he showed he was serious about resetting things, such as smoothening out the distortions from meritocracy over the years, as he worked alongside Singaporeans in building a more empathetic society.
He painted his vision of this Singapore: “Where we do not pigeonhole, or typecast people based on their backgrounds or the schools they go to.
“Where everyone can strive and excel, take pride at what they do, and be recognised for their efforts and work.”
Pushing Singaporeans towards these larger goals, he told them they too must make a mindset shift, even as the Government resets policies.
He told stories of those who have made the change: a civil servant who is the designated chef for his young child, sharing the childcaring load with his lawyer wife; and a graduate from ITE who took the unconventional path and eventually rose to become vice-president of food service and operations at Marche’s parent company.
“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,” he said.
Message to the young
The rally was a platform for PM Wong to get the people behind him, and he took the chance to reach out to the young, who will be the leaders of tomorrow.
“We have heard from many Singaporeans, especially the younger ones. They want to strive and work hard for their goals. But they do not want to be trapped in an endless rat race, or be caught in a constant cycle of comparisons based on narrow definitions of success,” he said.
He acknowledged their aspirations for a more inclusive society with space to explore and experiment and opportunities to pursue chosen paths, even less conventional ones. One that is more caring and gracious, where there is support for people who have met setbacks in life, and where people help each other.
“I share these aspirations,” he told them.
His government will help them achieve their Singapore dream, a new one different from the past.
“I believe we have reached a stage where all of us, young and not so young, want a refreshed Singapore Dream,” he said.
There were measures to help young Singaporeans who want to marry and have children, young couples who already have children and want more, aspiring athletes and artists, and young couples who want to buy a house.
To them, and other young people, he said: “I encourage you to make full use of the opportunities ahead of you. No matter what your start point in life, you have the chance to go as far as you want in your chosen field. We will be there to support you and cheer for you as you chase your rainbow!”
Connecting with people
He would know, since this is his experience writ large.
His speech was peppered with personal anecdotes and self-deprecating jokes of the very ordinary life he led as a Singaporean.
He told of not fitting in while at pre-school and crying non-stop until his parents had to pull him out, and only going back to pre-school one year later after PCF opened a kindergarten near his home in Marine Parade.
He also told of his advice to his residents who attended his meet-the-people sessions to ask for letters of appeal so their children could get into particular schools.
“So I tell them: I will try my best, but even if you cannot get your preferred choice, there are still other good options nearby. After all, I went to Haig Boys Primary and Tanjong Katong Secondary, both schools in my neighbourhood. And I think I turned out okay,” he quipped to laughter.
He was also plain about his struggles with learning Mandarin because of his family background, no doubt striking a chord with many Singaporeans. His parents spoke mainly English and some Malay, and he did not get to speak much Mandarin at home, nor did he pick up Malay.
“Some of my classmates used to tease me for being ‘jiak kentang’,” he said in Mandarin during his Chinese speech. “Nobody expected it but I scored A1 for my O-Level Chinese. Even I was surprised!”
After taking classes, he could deliver speeches in both Malay and Mandarin.
And like other Singaporeans, the guitar-strumming leader too has wistful thoughts of what life might have been. If he had a chance to redo his education, he would have definitely opted for something like the School of the Arts, he said.
Perhaps he had hoped that people would see in him the everyman, and also believe that they too can one day scale great heights in the Singapore he is working to build.
In about 2½ hours, with a break in between, he connected with the audience through empathy, sincerity, candour and also humour.
Announcing the upcoming developments on the Southern Waterfront at one point, he flashed a picture of the Taylor Switft concert in March this year, and said with a deadpan look: “I wasn’t at this concert. But I’m sure many of you went and had a good time!”
As a newcomer to office, there was a sense among some that they did not really know him yet, even though he had been in politics for 13 years, but the rally perhaps put paid to this.
PM Wong also chose his maiden rally to reiterate what his governance style would be like.
In many previous speeches, he had called on people to work alongside his fourth-generation political team to shape Singapore’s future.
Partnership is an underlying theme in his approach to government, and at the rally, he showed just what he meant by that.
“My fellow Singaporeans – your dreams inspire my actions. I ask for your support as we embark on this journey. We have much to do, and a full agenda ahead,” he said.
And now begins the work – for him to show through actions, and for people to accept his invitation to join him in translating this new Singapore Dream into reality.
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