Singapore Budget 2025: Onward Together for a Better Tomorrow

PM Lawrence Wong unveils bumper SG60 Budget for all Singaporeans

By Goh Yan Han, The Straits Times, 19 Feb 2025

Every Singaporean will receive something from Budget 2025, from vouchers for all adults to personal income tax rebates, as part of an SG60 package.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Feb 18 unveiled what he termed “a Budget for all Singaporeans”, which includes expanding existing schemes to benefit more citizens and greater support for seniors as well as the vulnerable.

He also set out measures to grow Singapore’s economy, help workers upskill and meet its green targets.

The broad suite of measures announced tally up to a record $143.1 billion, an increase from the $134.2 billion spent in the 2024 financial year.

This is about 18.7 per cent of Singapore’s gross domestic product, and is in line with projected trends for government spending that is expected to reach about 20 per cent of GDP by 2030.

The moves are financed by changes to the tax system made earlier in this parliamentary term that put Singapore “on a stronger fiscal footing”, and larger-than-expected revenue collections.

Corporate income tax collections were more than expected in the 2024 financial year. This is now the single largest contributor to total government revenue, higher than the Net Investment Returns Contribution (NIRC), said PM Wong as he set out the Government’s fiscal position. The NIRC refers to the returns on investments of Singapore’s reserves.

He expects a surplus of $6.8 billion, or 0.9 per cent of GDP, for the 2025 financial year.

“When Singapore thrives, every citizen benefits,” said PM Wong, who is also Finance Minister.

“Every Singaporean is supported from birth to old age, with more support given to those with less. No one is left behind.”

PM Wong said the Budget was “shaped together with all Singaporeans”. It lays out the second instalment of plans on the Forward Singapore agenda, which seeks to keep society strong and united.

He noted that Singapore has to navigate a turbulent external environment, with the US and China locked in a fierce contest for global supremacy. Despite the global uncertainties, the Republic can look ahead with a degree of confidence as it is far stronger than it was 60 years ago, he added.

Noting that 2025 marks the country’s 60th year of independence, PM Wong said: “It has been a remarkable journey, reflecting the grit and resilience of generations of Singaporeans in building our nation.”

Something for all Singaporeans

He announced a new SG60 package to recognise the contributions of all Singaporeans and share the benefits of the nation’s progress.

In July, all Singaporeans aged 21 to 59 will receive $600 in SG60 vouchers, while those aged 60 and above will get $800. These vouchers, amounting to about $2 billion, will function like the CDC ones.

Under the package, individuals will also get a 60 per cent personal income tax rebate, capped at $200, for the 2025 year of assessment.

All Singaporean babies born this year will get an SG60 Baby Gift, PM Wong added, among other measures in the package.

The hotly anticipated Budget, which comes ahead of an upcoming general election widely expected by mid-year, also tackles top-of-mind issues for Singaporeans such as cost-of-living pressures and job insecurity.

To alleviate rising costs, PM Wong announced another $800 of CDC vouchers for all Singaporean households, totalling about $1 billion. The first $500 will be given out in May 2025, while the remaining $300 will be issued in January 2026.

He also announced more utility rebates and credits for families with children to defray household expenses.

While inflation is expected to ease further in 2025, PM Wong acknowledged that Singaporeans are still adjusting to new price realities. “We will continue to provide support for as long as needed, within our means,” he said.

To help parents who have or plan to have three or more children, PM Wong detailed a new Large Families Scheme.

The scheme will disburse $16,000 to such families for each third and subsequent child born from Feb 18, and help to cover pre-school and healthcare expenses, as well as household spending.

PM Wong also announced that several schemes will be extended to private property owners, including the climate vouchers programme that all Housing Board households can currently tap to buy energy- and water-efficient household appliances.

HDB households will get an additional $100, on top of the $300 they received last year, while households in private properties will get $400 in climate vouchers.

The Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) scheme that provides subsidised senior-friendly fittings and installations in HDB households will be extended to private property households up to 2028, said PM Wong.

Supporting workers, securing the future

While the Government has taken measures to mitigate the impact of rising costs, the best way in the longer term to adjust to higher prices is to grow the economy and increase productivity, he said.

Dedicating a significant portion of his Budget speech to new moves to grow the economy, he announced more funding for research and development and a new $1 billion fund to provide more financing options for high-growth local enterprises.

At the same time, workers must be equipped with the skills needed to stay competitive and relevant, said PM Wong.

He said that the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme, announced in 2024 to support mid-career Singaporeans who are upskilling full-time, will also be extended to part-time training.

The Workfare Skills Support scheme, which currently covers short courses for lower-wage workers, will have an enhanced tier of support that covers longer-form courses, he added.

The Prime Minister also outlined measures to support more vulnerable groups of workers, including older workers, former offenders looking to reintegrate into society, and people with disabilities.

PM Wong said the Budget also lays the groundwork for the country to become stronger and more resilient.

It includes measures to tackle climate change, like a $5 billion top-up to the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund. The fund covers long-term plans such as land reclamation for Long Island and structures like sea walls and tidal gates.

Singapore will need to have its own domestic sources of clean power to ensure greater energy resilience, PM Wong said, adding that the country will study the potential deployment of nuclear power and take further steps to systematically build up capabilities in this area.

Apart from plans to access more sources of clean energy, the Government will accelerate efforts to decarbonise the transport sector, he said.

It will roll out a new emissions scheme and electric charging grant to incentivise the purchase of clean energy variants of heavy vehicles. Adoption of such vehicles has been slower compared with that of electric and hybrid cars.

Singapore will continue to improve its public transport system, said PM Wong, noting that $60 billion will be invested in this decade to grow and renew the rail network.

“We are continuing to study how our rail network can be expanded,” he added.

Concluding his speech, PM Wong said Singaporeans have to brace themselves for new challenges in the next phase of nation building.

The country has confronted tough external circumstances repeatedly over the past six decades, and “we can draw confidence from what we have been through together”, he added.

At every turn, Singaporeans have chosen determination over despair, innovation over stagnation, and solidarity over division, said PM Wong.

“Budget 2025 sets out clear plans for us to continue this journey with confidence.”

NDP 2021 theme song: The Road Ahead

National Day Parade 2021 theme song tells of adversity, overcoming the odds

By Ng Keng Gene, The Straits Times, 3 Jul 2021

This year's National Day Parade (NDP) theme song The Road Ahead was released yesterday, along with the parade's logo and theme - Together, Our Singapore Spirit.

The Road Ahead was written and composed by singer-songwriter Linying and music producer Evan Low.

It will be performed on National Day by Linying, 27, and singer-songwriters Sezairi Sezali, 34; Shye-Anne Brown, 18; and Shabir Tabare Alam, 36.

For Linying and Brown, it will be their first NDP involvement, while Sezairi will be making his second NDP appearance and Shabir, his fourth.

In an interview with The Straits Times' News Night yesterday, Linying said: "I really wanted to write something that conveyed to people that we really only have each other to rely on at this juncture as a country.

"I think there's a lot that other NDP songs have said that I can't say better but, with this current backdrop, I think that's the main message that I want people to take away from the song."

Asked how she felt being part of the NDP for the first time, especially amid the pandemic, she said: "It's so daunting... At a time when emotions are high and we're going through a lot of change, there's quite a bit of pressure in writing something that feels representative to everyone, because with a song like that you want to be able to speak fairly and honestly for the population.

"I think that's quite a challenging thing to do, but I was really happy to take it and I'm glad with how the song turned out."

The Road Ahead tells of the adversity Singapore has faced throughout its history, and about how the nation has overcome the odds, said the NDP executive committee in a statement yesterday.

An accompanying music video was directed by filmmaker Huang Junxiang, 33, and animation filmmaker Jerrold Chong, 30.

It blends live scenes with animation in a first for NDP music videos, and features the four theme song singers taking viewers through a journey that recalls Singapore's growth and reflects on the nation's shared values.

As for the parade theme, Together, Our Singapore Spirit, the organisers said that it builds on last year's NDP theme, which was Together, A Stronger Singapore.

It references a common Singaporean identity and calls on Singaporeans to draw strength from their can-do spirit.

The 3Cs of Racism in Singapore: CECA, COVID-19 and Culture clash

Fighting racism means calling it out, in public and online, rather than shrugging it off to keep up the pretence of getting along.

By Chua Mui Hoong, Associate Editor, The Straits Times, 11 Jun 2021

Racism has been much in the news after a video was widely circulated of a Chinese man scolding an Indian man, who was out with his girlfriend, for preying on Chinese girls. The Chinese man was heard on video calling their relationship a disgrace and saying they should date within their own race.

Mr Dave Parkash, 26, is of Indian-Filipino descent and his girlfriend Jacqueline Ho, 27, is half-Thai and half-Chinese Singaporean. The encounter was filmed by Ms Ho and made public by Mr Parkash, and rapidly went viral.

This came after an incident last month, when a Singaporean Indian woman out exercising with her face mask on that left her nose uncovered, was asked to wear her mask properly, and then reportedly kicked in her chest by a Chinese man uttering racial slurs.

Many have spoken up against these incidents, which are being investigated by the police.

Watching the latest video, I wondered what was on the Chinese man's mind when he accosted Mr Parkash thus in public. If you listen to his words, he appears to be making an assumption that many other Chinese Singaporeans will agree with him - that it is a disgrace to date outside one's race.

What struck me was not his sentiment - many of us would have heard similar comments on social media, or from relatives and friends. What struck me was how such bigoted views, once privately expressed in closed groups, were being expressed in public. As Irish writer Oscar Wilde observed, hypocrisy is the compliment vice pays to virtue, so keeping mum on one's private bigoted views at least acknowledges the virtue of social norms that frown on the expression of such unsavoury views.

That the lecturer felt able to confront Mr Parkash publicly with his own bigoted views made me wonder if he felt others in society would agree with him.

That was what made me uncomfortable - the realisation that in Singapore, we may be creating a social environment where people think it is acceptable to mouth racist words and to chide those from minority communities for failing to conform to certain expectations.

Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam, who has been quick to call out such racist incidents in the past, shared on his Facebook page: "I used to believe that Singapore was moving in the right direction on racial tolerance and harmony. Based on recent events, I am not so sure anymore."

Are things getting worse? If so, what has changed, and how did we get here?

The 3Cs: CECA and COVID-19 and culture clash

Several forces converge to expose existing fault lines on race.

First is the CECA factor. Short for the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, CECA is a free trade agreement between Singapore and India that eases the movement of goods, services and people between the two countries, allowing for easier business travel and for intra-company transfers. It has been blamed for facilitating the entry of Indian migrants to compete for jobs with Singaporeans.

Sociological theories on racism include a view that racism springs from resource competition. In this view, prejudice towards another race is due to competitive pressure for jobs, status or political power.

Singapore's hawker culture added to UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage

Hawker Culture Is Singapore’s first Inscription on UNESCO’s Representative List Of The Intangible Cultural Heritage Of Humanity

By Clement Yong, The Straits Times, 17 Dec 2020

Singaporean to the core, conjuring up sights and smells instantly recognisable to locals everywhere, the nation's hawker culture has been officially added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In virtual proceedings that took place last night, a 24-member international committee unanimously accepted Singapore's application to have this tradition be internationally recognised.

The process took all of three minutes, after nearly three years of work by the National Heritage Board, the National Environment Agency and the Federation of Merchants' Associations. As Singapore's application fulfilled all criteria, it was decided that there was no need for debate on it at the 15th session of the intergovernmental committee.

🔴 BREAKING

Hawker culture in #Singapore🇸🇬, community dining and culinary practices in a multicultural urban context, has just been inscribed on the #IntangibleHeritage list.

Congratulations! 👏

ℹ️https://t.co/6FWrydUPUO #LivingHeritage pic.twitter.com/Z6p2CfED85

— UNESCO (@UNESCO) December 16, 2020

The successful nomination means Singapore now has its first item on the intangible cultural heritage list, which currently has more than 460 entries, including yoga in India and Belgian beer.

It is also the country's second entry to any UNESCO list, with the first in 2015 when the Singapore Botanic Gardens was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, in a pre-recorded video, told an international audience after the announcement last night: "Singapore's hawker culture is a source of pride for Singapore and all Singaporeans. It reflects our living heritage and multiculturalism, and is an integral part of the daily lives of everyone in Singapore regardless of age, race or background.

"I thank all our hawkers and Singaporeans for their overwhelming support of this nomination... We pledge to do our part to safeguard our intangible cultural heritage."

Having hawker culture on the list commits Singapore to protecting and promoting it. The country has to submit a report every six years to UNESCO, showing the efforts made to safeguard and transmit hawker culture to future generations.

Both President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong took to Facebook to thank those involved in the nomination process.

Madam Halimah said hawker culture has shaped Singaporean identity in many ways, and contributed to the diversity of Singapore's multicultural society.

PM Lee said the nomination journey had been a fruitful one. "The biggest thanks must go to the generations of hawkers for nourishing a nation's stomach and spirits. This recognition would not have come without their sweat, toil and dedication to their profession," he said.

The development is timely for the hawker sector here, which has in recent years found it difficult to attract young people to a trade that calls for 16-hour work days in hot, cramped stalls.

The authorities have sought, through traineeship programmes and monetary subsidies, to lower the barriers to entry for young aspiring hawkers. Since 2013, the median age for new entrants has been lowered to 46, although the overall median age for hawkers nationwide remains 59.

Singapore's submission - Hawker Culture In Singapore: Community Dining And Culinary Practices In A Multicultural Urban Context - was made in March last year, although preparations began earlier, in February 2018.

To celebrate the global recognition, the authorities said a three-week SG HawkerFest will be launched on Dec 26.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, activities will mostly take place online, including treasure hunts and quizzes that can be completed and then used to redeem vouchers that can be used at 29 participating hawker centres.

50 Secrets Of Singapore's Success: Tommy Koh

What is the secret of Singapore's success?
There is not one but 50 ways a small country can overcome its limitations
By Tommy Koh, Published The Straits Times, 25 Jan 2020

As this is my first op-ed in the new solar and lunar year, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all the readers of The Straits Times a peaceful, healthy and successful new year.

I have a new year present for Singapore. The present is in the form of a new book I have edited. The title of the book is: 50 Secrets Of Singapore's Success. The book will be launched on Wednesday by Mr Eddie Teo, the chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers.

STORIES BEHIND THE BOOK

There are two stories behind the book. The first story is a meeting with 28 university students from the state of Guanajuato of Mexico last year. Following the advice of the governor of their state, the students had spent a week in Singapore on a study trip. They asked to meet me before they returned to Mexico.

During our dialogue, one of the students asked me for the secret of Singapore's success. I told her that our success was not due to one secret but many secrets. She requested me to write a book on the secrets of Singapore's success. I promised her that I would think about it.

A few days after meeting the Mexican students, I received an unexpected gift from the outgoing Ambassador of Finland to Singapore Paula Parviainen.

She gave me a book, entitled: 100 Social Innovations From Finland. The book is an international bestseller and has been translated into 27 languages.

The success of the Finnish book gave me the courage to edit a book on the 50 Secrets Of Singapore's Success.

PURPOSE OF THE BOOK

It is not the purpose of my book to boast about Singapore's achievements. We are successful but we must remain humble and modest.

We live in a world which is dominated by bad news. The world is hungry for good news and for success stories. This is why the Finnish book is so well received by the world.

My hope is that the book on Singapore will be an inspiration to other developing countries. My message is that if your country is small and has no natural resources, do not despair. If you pursue sound policies and have good values, if you have competent and honest political leaders, a good public service and an industrious and adaptable population, you can overcome your limitations of size and the lack of natural resources.

Singapore is not a model but it is a source of solutions to many of the problems faced by the developing countries.

Why we need Mr Rogers, Big Bird and Oscar The Grouch more than ever

By Abby Whitaker, Published The Straits Times, 14 Dec 2019

America is currently in a Mr Rogers renaissance. While television personality Fred Rogers died in 2003, between last year's premiere of the documentary Won't You Be My Neighbour? and actor Tom Hanks' recent portrayal of the sweater-clad saint in A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood, we have become obsessed with Rogers' wisdom.

His kindness, his ability to speak to children and his seemingly unwavering moral compass have inspired new audiences. But he is not the only person who has inspired audiences through children's television.

The late Caroll Spinney did too. Spinney once called himself "the most unknown famous person in the United States".

Most people are better acquainted with his alter ego: A 2.5m-tall canary appropriately named Big Bird. Spinney wore a suit of yellow feathers for nearly 50 years on Sesame Street.

This week, on the same day Sesame Street was honoured by the Kennedy Centre, Spinney died.

His characters, however, will live on and with them the vital role that fantasy plays in teaching children to navigate life.



Mister Rogers' Neighbourhood made its national debut on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in 1968, with Sesame Street premiering just over a year later. Both programmes were born out of the belief that children's educational programming had more to teach children than the basic ABCs. Neither show shied away from difficult subjects and real-world problems.

The success of both programmes also depended on characters with a special talent for communicating with children.

For Mister Rogers' Neighbourhood, it was Fred Rogers, for Sesame Street, it was Big Bird and his fellow muppets.

Yet, while both had a keen sense of how to reach children, Rogers and Spinney stood at odds with each other on how exactly to teach their young viewers.

New version of Singapore's National Anthem: 2019 Re-recording of Majulah Singapura

New recording of Majulah Singapura to mark 60th anniversary of state symbols released on 3 December 2019
By Rei Kurohi, The Straits Times, 2 Dec 2019

The National Anthem, Majulah Singapura (meaning Onward Singapore in Malay), will be updated as part of celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of Singapore's national symbols.

The new version is a rendition by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu said yesterday morning.

It will be revealed tomorrow as part of a commemoration ceremony for the 60th anniversary of the anthem, the national flag and the state crest, Ms Fu said on the sidelines of the One Community Fiesta family sports carnival held at Jurong Lake Gardens.

This will be the first update to the National Anthem since the current version was recorded in 2001.



Majulah Singapura was composed in 1958 by the late Zubir Said as an official song for the City Council of Singapore.

It was based on the council's motto, "Majulah Singapura", which was translated as "May Singapore flourish" at the time.

Mr Zubir was moved by the social and political awakening of the people then and wanted to capture their mood and feelings towards the country.

After Singapore attained self-governance in 1959, then Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye expressed interest in adopting it as the National Anthem, which he felt should be in Malay, which was the region's indigenous language and would appeal to all races.

The song was adapted slightly and introduced as Singapore's National Anthem on Dec 3, 1959, at the City Hall Chamber.

The occasion also marked the swearing-in of Mr Yusof Ishak as Singapore's first Malayan-born head of state. He later became Singapore's first president.



At a rally attended by 25,000 citizens at the Padang, then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew called for the people of Singapore to come together under the flag, anthem and state crest, and to pledge their loyalty to the new nation.

"May our new symbols endure and evoke in our hearts those sublime feelings of dedication and sacrifice to a cause bigger than our individual selves," Mr Lee had told the crowd.

NDP 2019 theme song: Our Singapore

Stars come out to sing NDP 2019 song
Line-up of 27 across generations among 300 people featured in music video
By Lim Min Zhang, The Straits Times, 23 May 2019

It is a treat to the ears when some of Singapore's biggest pop stars and acts lend their voices to this year's National Day Parade (NDP) theme song.

Rahimah Rahim, who has been part of Singapore's entertainment scene since the 1960s, and Stefanie Sun, one of the most recognisable home-grown songbirds, are among a star-studded line-up of 27 artists who have recorded Our Singapore, a mash-up of National Day tunes such as We Will Get There (2002) and Our Singapore (2015).

The song composed by creative director and singer-songwriter Dick Lee is aimed at recognising the contributions of earlier generations and signalling the passing of the nation-building baton from one generation to the next.

The music video, released yesterday, features nearly 300 Singaporeans aged between five and 93 from all walks of life.

Other big names include Kit Chan, Taufik Batisah and JJ Lin, rappers Sheikh Haikel and Shigga Shay, veteran radio DJ Brian Richmond, jazz drummer Louis Soliano, and rock icon Ramli Sarip.

The song is one of the ways that Singapore's 54th birthday bash will focus on the Singapore Bicentennial commemoration and the theme of collective ownership of the Singapore Story.



Brigadier-General Yew Chee Leung, chairman of the NDP 2019 executive committee, said the theme - Our Singapore - is simple to understand and complements the Bicentennial celebrations.

"We want to emphasise the collective ownership of Singapore, just as early generations believed in Singapore, took ownership and put in their blood, sweat and tears to build Singapore to what it is today," said the Chief Armour Officer.

This year's parade returns to the Padang for the first time since 2015 to mark a significant milestone - the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles in Singapore.

The Padang was also the site of post-independent Singapore's first NDP in 1966.

This year's show will include a Bicentennial segment featuring eight floats of organisations that have contributed to building various aspects of Singapore society since the 19th century.

Hate speech: Singapore is prepared to err on the side of caution to preserve racial harmony, says Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam

Minister outlines Republic's approach to preserving racial harmony and tackling hate speech
By Linette Lai, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 2 Apr 2019

Singapore is prepared to err on the side of caution to preserve racial harmony, said Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, stressing that good relations among different communities in Singapore "didn't fall ready-made from the sky".

"There is nothing natural about it. We engineered this over many decades," he told Parliament yesterday in a 90-minute ministerial statement on Singapore's approach to tackling hate speech.

"If anything, we are prepared to err on the side of caution and risk overreacting to preserve harmony, rather than take chances and risk explosions."



He traced the smooth ties among Singaporeans to the country's founding leaders, recounting how they were determined for Singapore to be a multiracial, multi-religious society organised horizontally - in which all races and religions are treated equally and on the same level.

"Our uniqueness in this respect should not be underestimated. Equality of races and religions is not the natural order of things; it has to be defended," he said.

Mr Shanmugam quoted founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, who had said: "This will not be a Chinese nation, not a Malay nation, not an Indian nation."

The late Mr Lee, reflecting in a New York Times interview, said in 2010: "I believe (our younger generation) has come to believe that this is a natural state of affairs... They think you can put it on auto-pilot. I know that this is never so."

He urged Singaporeans to heed Mr Lee's warning, saying: "What we have in Singapore is precious, hard fought."

In his speech, the minister also dwelt on Singapore's approach to secularism and set out his decision to cancel black metal band Watain's local concert.



Setting out the effects of hate speech, Mr Shanmugam said it "disengages" morality and dehumanises its victims.

Once normalised, such mindsets are hard to reverse and result in deep social divides.

Although offensive speech may not veer into the territory of hate speech, it can have the same impact in the long run. In fact, it can be even more insidious as people are "drip-fed" such harmful notions.

He highlighted how some comedians use racist caricatures in their skits, and recounted a woman making disparaging comments about Malay weddings at void decks. "If we normalise offensive speech, after a while, the tone and texture of public discourse will change."

Turning to the Singapore brand of secularism, he said the Government does not take a hands-off approach on matters of race and religion. It actively works to foster good relations among different communities from a practical, nuanced and neutral position.

This sets it apart from countries like France, where secularism means the state will not interfere in religious matters and people can publish material that vilifies any religion, Mr Shanmugam said.

"Why should that right to publish override the right of a religious group not to have its texts, beliefs, practices ridiculed?" he asked. "What about obligations of citizens to preserve harmony and unity?"

When deciding on such issues, the Government assesses the reaction of the majority in the affected community, the security implications of that opinion, and where the weight of mainstream opinion lies.



On the Watain ban, Mr Shanmugam quoted an interview with the band's frontman Erik Danielsson, who had said: "I totally encourage any kind of terrorist acts committed in the name of Watain... That is the way rock and roll works."

Critics of the Watain ban had hit out at the Government's "self-righteous" behaviour, with some saying people can listen to the band without being influenced by its beliefs, and churches can urge their members not to attend such concerts.

Seen in isolation, these are valid points, Mr Shanmugam said, adding that Singaporeans should look at the bigger picture.

If the Watain concert got the go-ahead, the Government would have to permit future shows with similar themes.

Over time, this could deepen racial and religious faultlines and normalise hate speech, he said.

He also dismissed online comments suggesting a "Christian conspiracy" influenced the Government's decision, and that Christians are over-represented in institutions of power.

"They tried to turn it into a 'Christian versus others' debate. These people are nasty, opportunistic and dangerous," he said. "No one, Christian or otherwise, influenced me. I am not a Christian. I also decided to ban two Christian preachers in 2017. So, what does one make of that?"

He added in his closing speech that one of the risks of a weak political leadership is it seeks favours from specific religious groups, warning that this approach "will lead to disaster".

"So, many governments, both in this region and outside, have gone down that route. It is one of the easiest ways to get votes," he said. "You really need a strong political leadership which is fair between the different religions."



Mr Shanmugam also said hate speech has travelled faster and farther because of social media, and Singapore needs to do more to deal with it as social media platforms are unable or unwilling to do so.

The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill is one step, but further steps must be taken, he added.

In all, 16 MPs spoke after his speech, with some such as Ms Denise Phua (Jalan Besar GRC) and Nominated MP Walter Theseira asking about the grey areas where offensive speech is concerned.

"It is inevitable that one man's belief or culture, when put into the public sphere, may give offence to another," Dr Theseira said, citing how the consumption of specified food may be normal for one religious group but offensive to others.

Ms Phua added: "Where is the line between public discourse and platforms like private WhatsApp group chats?"



Yesterday, the House observed a minute of silence to remember the victims of the attacks on two New Zealand mosques last month.

Singapore submits UNESCO bid to recognise hawker culture

Hawker Culture In Singapore Submitted For Inscription On UNESCO’s Representative List Of The Intangible Cultural Heritage Of Humanity
By Melody Zaccheus, Heritage and Community Correspondent, The Straits Times, 29 Mar 2019

The Republic's nomination to inscribe hawker culture in Singapore on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was submitted on Wednesday.

The nomination includes letters, photographs and videos demonstrating community support for the bid, the organisations behind the attempt said in a joint statement yesterday.

The photographs feature an Indian Muslim hawker preparing briyani, a Chinese hawker demonstrating a chicken rice recipe, and a father and his children enjoying the chendol dessert, among other snapshots.

A 10-minute video was also produced to give a 12-member UNESCO evaluation body - including six experts qualified in various fields of intangible cultural heritage - a better understanding of hawker culture in Singapore.

The nomination documents, to be available for public viewing from July, were submitted jointly by the three organisations driving the bid. They are the National Heritage Board, the National Environment Agency and The Federation of Merchants' Associations, Singapore (FMAS).

Using the evaluation body's assessment and recommendation as a guide, a 24-member intergovernmental committee will then decide on the suitability of inscribing Singapore's hawker culture.

The results will be announced at the end of next year.



Mr Low Hock Kee, 50, a second-generation hawker and co-chairman of the hawker sub-committee of FMAS, believes that if the inscription is successful, the profile of the country's rich cultural heritage will be boosted. "The nomination also helps elevate the status of hawkers and affirms our role in Singapore."

If successful, hawker culture will join 429 cultures of other countries which have been inscribed since the list was established in 2008. These include Belgium's beer culture, Indonesia's bamboo musical instrument angklung, China's shadow puppetry, and kimjang, or the making and sharing of kimchi in South Korea.

Unlike the evaluation of world heritage sites, assessments of intangible cultural heritage do not require evaluators to make site visits.

Countries whose bids are not successful can reapply in subsequent UNESCO evaluation cycles.

Singapore's first such submission in the category of intangible cultural heritage comes after the Botanic Gardens was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.

Singapore's hawker culture bid has drawn some criticism from across the border. Some Malaysians have claimed their country is a street-food paradise, and that Singapore's hawker version is not that special.



However, the list is not intended to define the origins and ownership of cultural practices. For instance, both Arabic coffee and Turkish coffee were inscribed in the UNESCO list.

Instead, Singapore's attempt will be assessed based on the criteria of meeting UNESCO's definition of intangible cultural heritage; how the potential inscription will increase awareness of Singapore's intangible cultural heritage; how the existing and future safeguarding measures promote the continued practice of the culture; whether the nomination involved the community; and whether it is part of the country's intangible cultural heritage inventory.

The country's inventory, comprising 70 elements so far, includes pilgrimages to Kusu Island and Malay weddings, and was established last April.