SM Lee Hsien Loong at the NUS Kent Ridge Ministerial Forum 2025

National identity has different layers; Singapore has to guard against fault lines: Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong

By Anjali Raguraman, The Straits Times, 10 Sep 2025

Every generation will have its own crisis to overcome, and it is through those challenges that Singapore’s national identity is strengthened, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sept 9.

The Singaporean identity is stronger than before, with the country having navigated crises such as severe acute respiratory syndrome, the Asian Financial Crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic, he said, noting that it is now facing superpower rivalry and geopolitical disruptions.

At the same time, the national identity is multi-layered, he told an audience of about 800 students and academics during the Kent Ridge Ministerial Forum held at the University Cultural Centre in NUS.

“We are one people, but... we are not all identical, and there are fault lines which we have to guard (against),” he added.

Being a Singaporean is not necessarily the most important part of a person’s identity, he said during the wide-ranging dialogue that lasted almost two hours.

He pointed out nuances, saying: “We are also Chinese Singaporean or Malay Singaporean or Indian Singaporean. We are also Christians or Muslims or Buddhists.

“You may also have different political views. You may be pro-government, you may be pro-opposition.

“You may have different sexual orientations and therefore different circles of friends and different perspectives on the world, so these are all different layers to our identity, which are always there.”

For many Singaporeans, particularly Muslims and Christians, he said religion is a very important component of their identity, similar to how vernacular languages are important for older people amid a younger generation that predominantly speaks in English.

During the forum, SM Lee was asked if he viewed globalisation or domestic fault lines as the greater challenge to this sense of national identity.

He said that in the immediate term, Singapore is going to be pulled in very different directions by “powerful external forces”.

Muslims, for instance, are naturally much more upset about the war between Israel and Hamas, he said. Similarly, developments in India or China will have a greater pull on those communities.

“Our job is to resist that and to remember, yes, I am Muslim or I am Chinese or I am Indian, but I am also Singaporean, and I do hold something here, and I belong here, and I should look at the world starting from here,” SM Lee said.

Among the questions posed by students was one about how Singapore can keep its political system exceptional.

“Get good people into politics. Vote for good people to be your MPs and to be your ministers and work with them to make the country better. I think it is as simple as that,” SM Lee said.

“If good people cannot get elected, they cannot get things done... then I think the country cannot function the way it has done,” he said, citing the rapidly changing political situation in the region and beyond, including changes in prime ministers.

“When leaders change over rapidly, it is very difficult for you to have the time to make big changes or important policies... leave a lasting mark... and because you haven’t had time to leave a lasting mark, then the next person comes in, and he has a hard time,” he said.

People should not take advantage of getting elected and view it as their opportunity to “be the boss”, SM Lee added. “It is your opportunity to be the chief slave, to help look after the country so that you can hand it over and it is better.”

He also noted that an exceptional political system also requires “exceptionally sensible voters and responsible voters”.

“In Singapore, we have made it work like that for quite long, and I think we should try and keep it like that for as long as possible.”

Asked about the elected presidency, SM Lee said he did not think there was any likelihood that Singapore would revert to having a ceremonial presidency.

Currently, the president serves as a safeguard, including as the “second key” to the nation’s reserves.

While the scheme will likely continue evolving, SM Lee said the shape of the elected presidency is now “more or less what it needs to be”.

“I do not think there will ever be an end state, because as the world changes, Singapore changes, and you have to keep on adjusting, adapting, evolving,” he added.

On how Singapore should balance growth and social equity, SM Lee said he does not see the two as contradictory, and that growth is the initial step to benefiting a wider swathe of Singaporeans, so their lives can improve.

“If you do not have growth...the only way to make people who are not doing well do better is to take resources from people who are doing better than them,” he said.

“In other words, it is a zero-sum game – what I give to one person I must take from another person, (and) it becomes a very unhappy exercise.”

When the economy grows, the government can take some of the resources generated to help those who need more aid, he said.

“And as lives improve, as opportunities are created, Singaporeans can help themselves seize those opportunities and move ahead,” he said.

SM Lee added: “It is hard enough to get the growth we can. Don’t ask ourselves, maybe less growth will be better. I don’t believe that. Go for what we can and make the most of what we have.”

He made the point that resources are needed to provide good housing, healthcare and education.

“Singapore’s great good fortune is that for many years, we have grown very rapidly, and today we have vastly more resources than we did 60 years ago, and we have made good use of it, and we benefited a lot of Singaporeans, very broadly,” he said.

“I think that is how we have to continue to do it.”

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.”

Singaporeans’ behaviour not aligned with country’s world-class standards

On July 17, I landed at Changi Airport Terminal 2 after a short getaway. Like others, I was expecting the renowned efficiency of our immigration process, especially after a red-eye flight.

However, what greeted us was a single, long queue stretching across the arrival hall, with immigration officers informing incoming passengers that the automated systems were down.

While system failures are inevitable, the ensuing chaos made me question whether Singaporeans truly embody the class and character we often pride ourselves on, especially when our well-oiled machineries fail.

First, when additional counters opened, people bypassed the already-formed single line, running to be at the front of the new queues.

Those who had been queueing patiently in the single line were shocked as people behind them sprinted forward.

The lack of queue organisation by the officers on duty only exacerbated the situation.

Second, when the automated lanes were being tested to see if they could resume operating, many passengers took it as a sign they were back online and again ran to the counters.

Third, people were noticeably envious of the elderly, disabled, pregnant and the young who were invited to the front of the queue along with their travel companions.

Instead of understanding and empathy, there were mutterings and glares.

There were incessant mutterings about how the Government had “failed”. While it is natural to feel frustrated in such situations, the immediate blame game seemed unproductive and ungracious.

I could identify these complaining individuals as fellow Singaporeans by their signature red passports.

This experience made me wonder if we have taken our efficient systems for granted. When these systems falter, do we still uphold the values of patience, kindness, and respect for others?

In contrast, visitors from countries like Japan and Thailand, where the arriving flights were from and which are countries known for their people’s kindness, patience and graciousness, must have been taken aback by the behaviour they witnessed.

As Singaporeans, we pride ourselves on our first-class infrastructure and efficiency. However, true first-class citizenship is reflected in our behaviour, which should match our country’s world-class standards, regardless of the circumstances.

Sim Cheng Yu

The Straits Times Forum, 23 Jul 2024

S. Rajaratnam: The Lion’s Roar, The Authorised Biography Volume Two

S. Rajaratnam: Recounting the life and work of one of Singapore’s core founding fathers

The Straits Times, 13 Jul 2024

Old Guard member S. Rajaratnam played a pivotal role in Singapore’s history, and his contributions are covered in the second volume of a biography by former journalist and ex-MP Irene Ng out in July 2024.

These edited extracts from S. Rajaratnam, The Authorised Biography, Volume Two: The Lion’s Roar, published by ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, touch on the 1964 racial riots, the Separation in 1965, and the crafting of the national pledge, as well as his visit to China in 1975, the first by a Singapore leader since independence.

How S. Rajaratnam handled Singapore’s 1964 race riots in the face of ‘arsonists playing firemen’

As he listened to the frantic voice on the phone, S. Rajaratnam realised that his greatest fear had come to pass. As one of the chief architects of Singapore’s independence, he had experienced some tough situations – but this was the worst tragedy to befall his country in his five years in politics.

It was July 21, 1964, barely a year after Singapore merged with Malaya and two Borneo states, Sabah and Sarawak, to form Malaysia in September 1963.

The voice on the phone that late afternoon was that of his close colleague Othman Wok, the social affairs minister. Othman had looked up to Raja, as the culture minister was usually known, since their journalism days in the 1950s. Raja had led the Singapore Union of Journalists as its president with Othman as his deputy.

After Raja, together with Lee Kuan Yew and others, formed the People’s Action Party (PAP) in 1954, Othman had joined the new left-wing party. What bound them was a common vision: to build a non-communal society based on justice and equality.

Now, on this hot, horrible day in July 1964, Othman bore news of a racial clash that threatened to tear apart the very fabric of society. “Some Malays are causing problems,” he reported. “Beating up Chinese bystanders. Things are getting out of control.”

Othman, the only Malay minister in the Singapore Cabinet, was leading a PAP contingent as part of a 20,000-strong procession to mark Prophet Muhammad’s birthday that day.

Over the phone, he told Raja the scenes he had just witnessed: Malay youths punching a Chinese policeman struggling to control the rowdy procession as it headed towards the Malay settlement of Geylang, then breaking off from the march to attack Chinese passers-by at random. Sensing danger, he and several others had slipped into the People’s Association headquarters in Kallang. This was where he had rung Raja.

The day being a public holiday, Raja was catching up on his reading in his book-lined home, a bungalow in Chancery Lane. At 49, he was the oldest among the nine-man Cabinet, and often appeared unflappable in any crisis. “He was very cool,” Othman recalled, “one who never got excited about anything.”

Raja might project an air of equanimity, but internally his thoughts were racing. He knew only too well how quickly racial and religious passions could boil over and lead to mass riots.

In a series of phone calls, he quickly conferred with prime minister Lee Kuan Yew and others on the dangerous situation. This was the first serious racial clash they had to deal with since taking charge of self-governing Singapore in 1959.

Gripped by urgency, he jumped into his sun-baked second-hand black Hillman and drove to his office at City Hall. As soon as he arrived and sat behind his desk, he began working the phone.

As story after story came in of Malay groups attacking Chinese people, overturning their cars, scooters and hawker carts, and setting their homes and businesses on fire, his alarm ratcheted up another notch.

The topmost priority of the PAP leaders was to contain the violence. To their frustration, however, they found their hands tied. Under the merger agreement between Singapore and Malaya, internal security did not come under Singapore’s control but under the federal government in Kuala Lumpur.

As reports of casualties poured in, the Singapore leaders urged KL to impose a curfew. Malaysian prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman was away in America, leaving his deputy, Tun Abdul Razak, in charge. The curfew was finally called at 9.30pm. But still the streets seethed with savagery.

Disturbingly, reports began filtering in that the KL-controlled security forces, who were mainly Malay, were siding with Malays against Chinese. In turn, Chinese secret society gangs, having lost confidence in the police, led revenge attacks against Malays. The spiral of violence seemed unstoppable.

As the government’s communications czar, Raja knew that the public needed assurance. The government must be seen to be in control, even if it might not be. The former newspaperman had long understood the power of words. In such a tinderbox atmosphere, just one wrong word, one insensitive phrase, could set off another cycle of violence.

The policy shifts and politics of rage in a contested Singapore: DPM Lawrence Wong

In his speech on the President’s Address, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong outlined five key shifts as part of a new social compact. What was equally important was what he said about politics and the role of the opposition.

By Grace Ho, Deputy News Editor, The Straits Times, 19 Apr 2023

A new approach on skills, social support, and caring for seniors.

A new definition of success.

A renewed commitment to one another.

These were the five key shifts Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong outlined on Monday as part of a new social compact, on which discussions are well under way with the nationwide engagement exercise Forward Singapore.

The ideas are not dramatically new, but reinforcing them ahead of the Forward SG report, due in the second half of 2023, will keep them fresh in the public consciousness.

More importantly, what the 4G leadership stands for is finally coming into sharper focus after 2018 when succession first became a hot-button issue, while not necessarily signalling a radical departure in policy.

Mr Wong himself took care to disabuse commentators of the view that the 4G team has shifted to the left. He pointed out that it is not a simple case of characterising positions along the traditional political spectrum of left and right, but appealing to a broad base instead of blindly copying models from other countries.

Take broadening meritocracy, for example. Mr Wong and others such as Education Minister Chan Chun Sing spoke on it during Monday’s and Tuesday’s debate on the President’s Address – and before that, Mr Wong at the launch of Forward SG in June 2022.

But even as far back as in 2013, then Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam was already speaking of a broader, “continuous meritocracy”, regardless of one’s academic background, in an interview with The Straits Times.

The proof is in the pudding. The raft of policy changes in the ensuing decade, from doing away with the PSLE T-score, to full subject-based banding and lifetime cohort participation rate, are the clearest realisation of this consistency and continuity in policy and messaging.

Ample hints have been given of other substantive changes in the works. These, too, have their early advocates.

Mr Wong’s mention of a targeted re-employment support scheme is something which labour MPs such as Mr Patrick Tay (Pioneer) have pushed for – the latter when he called for a more permanent scheme following the Covid-19 Recovery Grant, which provided temporary financial support for workers experiencing involuntary job loss and income loss during the pandemic.

More social support for vulnerable groups to ease the financial burden on parents of children attending special education schools and care centres, for example, have been prefaced by recent Budget announcements and championed by both sides of the House, including backbenchers.

“We intend to make this shift in our social strategy so every Singaporean can be confident: In this harsh, unpredictable world, we will have your back, and we will support you,” Mr Wong said on Monday.

Role of a responsible opposition

Amid the policy shifts announced, which have gathered broad support, however, the negativity in the Facebook comments on Mr Wong’s speech gives cause for concern.

Social media draws out the most misanthropic segments of the public. Yet, it is this loathing and distrust of anything the People’s Action Party (PAP) government says and does, displayed among some netizens, which I fear will become increasingly hard to stem.

It is what American political journalist Ezra Klein calls negative partisanship, or being driven not by positive feelings about what you support, but bad feelings towards the party you oppose.

Here, the opposition has a role to play. Mr Wong threw down a challenge on Monday when he said that instead of putting forth opportunistic or populist ideas that chip away at trust in the Government, the opposition should offer a serious alternative agenda and be upfront about the trade-offs and funding.

That might be a bridge too far to cross for politicians with little technocratic policy experience, but there are simple ways in which parliamentary debates can remain constructive and helpful.

Lawrence Wong at IPS-RSIS Conference on Identity 2021: Gender, political ideology have emerged as tribal markers driving identity politics globally

Lawrence Wong outlines five strategies to prevent tribalism, identity politics taking root in Singapore

By Goh Yan Han, The Straits Times, 23 Nov 2021

Gender and political ideology are among the identity markers, apart from race and religion, that are driving identity politics in societies around the world today, said Finance Minister Lawrence Wong on Tuesday (Nov 23).

The age-old conflict between national and tribal identities remains one of the most potent driving forces of violence within and between nations, he added.

He said some think that ethnically homogeneous countries are less susceptible to tribal conflicts but "tribe" is not just a matter of ethnicity.

"I have noticed that other aspects of identity have surfaced in our conversations - around gender, sex, or various causes that people feel strongly about," he said.

The minister was speaking at a round-table session on new tribalism and identity politics, and noted that he and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had earlier this year spoken at length on the topic of racial harmony in Singapore.

The conference is organised by the Institute of Policy Studies and S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, with Mr Wong as keynote speaker.

In his speech, he noted that tribalism runs deep in all human societies, and has become more prominent today with a focus on the individual.

Mr Wong acknowledged that there has been a greater emphasis on the culture of self over the last few decades, which has brought about progress in many areas.

This evolution differs from the past, where societies everywhere were generally more cohesive and people were more connected and active in their respective communities.

"In Singapore, we call this the 'kampung spirit'," said Mr Wong.

However, when the sense of self is inflated at the expense of community, the connections between people are weakened, he said. "This leads to loneliness and isolation. And when people feel lonely and alienated, they fall back on defences that are perhaps primeval in our species - they revert to tribes."

The Internet has also made it easier for new tribes to form and organise themselves, but the echo chamber of social media often means that the tribes end up self-selecting information to support and reinforce their own views, he added.

Said Mr Wong: "Tribalism may feel like community. But the two are not the same. Community is about inclusive connections, and it's based on mutual affection. Tribalism is inherently exclusionary, and it's based on mutual hate: 'us' versus 'them', 'friend' vs 'foe'."

Mr Wong listed several examples of recent conflicts around the world that have arisen from identity politics.

These include the culture wars in the West that cut across issues, from abortion rights and voting rights to woke culture and vaccination or mask-wearing.

Mono-ethnic societies have also seen conflicts related to identity politics.

Poland, which is ethnically homogeneous with Poles comprising more than 95 per cent of the population, has seen an intensifying stand-off in recent years between supporters of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights and conservatives who oppose them. Some parts of the country have declared themselves "LGBT-free zones" amid strong resistance from liberals.

The United States, despite its long-cherished melting pot ethos, is seeing greater political polarisation based on ideology and identity.

For example, a growing proportion of Republicans and Democrats view the opposite party in starkly negative terms. Even life-saving public health measures such as mask-wearing and vaccination have become markers of political identities, noted Mr Wong.

He noted that when such tribal identity takes root, it is difficult to achieve any compromise without it seeming like dishonour.

He said: "Every grievance threatens one's self-worth, and every setback a challenge to one's sense of self. So we get a downward spiral: Individualism and self-interest cause tribes to form, each tribe closes ranks upon itself, and politics becomes defined as all-out war among tribes."

Can racial harmony in Singapore be fostered by law?

To live in Singapore is to be aware of race. It is on birth certificates, in the pledge, and informs a wide spectrum of government policies from housing to healthcare. It is also a subject Singaporeans would more often than not tread cautiously or tiptoe around, given the sensitivities surrounding the issue. Recently, the topic has come under scrutiny following a series of highly publicised incidents. Insight examines the issue.

By Linette Lai and Hariz Baharudin, The Straits Times, 4 Sep 2021

On Wednesday, a 44-year-old man pleaded guilty to a harassment charge for hurling racist, xenophobic insults at a bus driver last year.

Another case involving race heard in court that day involved a 69-year-old taxi driver and two National Environment Agency officers. The driver was jailed two weeks and fined $2,000 for using criminal force on public servants and insulting them with a racial slur.

In another case heard the previous Thursday, a 48-year-old man was sentenced to two weeks and three days' jail for harassing a taxi driver with vulgarities and racially-charged insults.

A new law announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during his National Day Rally last Sunday seeks to tackle such offences in a more targeted way, and send a signal on the overriding importance of racial harmony to Singapore.

The proposed Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act will consolidate all existing laws dealing with racial issues, which are currently scattered under various pieces of legislation, such as the Penal Code.

Like the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act (MRHA) which preceded it by three decades, the new law will go beyond punishment to incorporate "softer and gentler touches" that focus on persuasion and rehabilitation.

It comes as race relations have come under stress during the pandemic and, as PM Lee acknowledged, there have been more racist incidents, several of which were widely publicised on social media.

"Laws may not by themselves make people get along with one another or like one another. But laws can signal what our society considers right or wrong, and nudge people over time to behave better," PM Lee said in his speech on Sunday.

What's new, and why now?

The upcoming law will allow the Government to clearly set out where Singapore stands on racial harmony and consolidate the legislative powers pertaining to race under one legislation, a spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) tells Insight.

It will also introduce additional measures, including non-punitive ones, that will help Singapore to further safeguard racial harmony.

The new law will be a matter of housekeeping, says National University of Singapore sociologist Tan Ern Ser, who notes that it will handle all forms of racist acts, and could also rationalise and calibrate the punishments associated with various types of offences.

Singapore Management University (SMU) law professor Eugene Tan says that an "omnibus legislation" for race relations is neater and will streamline regulatory measures. He also points out that such a consolidation will give the Government the chance to enhance the legislative arsenal in two ways.

Firstly, it could provide additional power to the authorities to deal with changes such as social media, which has enabled offensive remarks to reach a wider audience. Secondly, it could expand the range of legal options to deal with offenders that go beyond punishment and deterrence towards persuasion and rehabilitation.

This upcoming Act also presents an opportunity to rewrite older legal provisions in a clearer style and add nuance, says Assistant Professor Benjamin Ong from SMU's law school.

In his rally speech, PM Lee said that Singapore's decades of peace have led people to "gradually take racial harmony for granted" - to the extent that some Chinese Singaporeans are unaware of the feelings and experiences of minorities.

He gave examples of how minorities sometimes face difficulties when looking for a job or a home to rent.

A 2019 survey by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) think-tank found that over 51 per cent of Malay respondents felt discriminated against when applying for a job, compared to 47 per cent for Indians and 12 per cent for Chinese.

Researchers also found that 48 per cent of Chinese respondents felt a job applicant's race was important when it comes to hiring someone to work for them, versus 34 per cent for Malays and 26 per cent for Indians.

Earlier in the same year, a YouGov poll found that 49 per cent of Indian respondents faced ethnic discrimination when renting properties, in contrast to 34 per cent for Malays and 18 per cent for Chinese.

The global research firm found that 42 per cent of Chinese respondents saw race as mandatory background information to disclose to landlords, compared to 33 per cent for Malays and 22 per cent for Indians.

NDP 2021: Singapore’s National Day Parade to mark 56 years of independence

Heartfelt ode to the Singapore spirit

Scaled-down NDP a celebration of people's resilience amid the pandemic

By Lim Min Zhang, The Straits Times, 22 Aug 2021

Singapore held a scaled-down National Day Parade (NDP) yesterday, in a show that celebrated people's resilience in overcoming the challenges the pandemic threw at them.

About 600 people took to the Marina Bay floating platform yesterday evening, as an animated film drew parallels of how Singaporeans of different generations had overcome adversity over the years.

Initially meant to be held on National Day, the NDP was postponed as Singapore tightened Covid-19 restrictions for a month in July. Most measures have been relaxed, with people returning to their offices last week and eateries welcoming diners again, as the nation moves towards living with Covid-19 as an endemic disease.

Despite having just a handful of combined rehearsals, and only a third of the usual number of performers at the platform, the show helmed by creative director and film-maker Boo Junfeng went off without a hitch.

Earlier, men and women in uniform marched in with their trademark precision in the parade segment, which was reviewed by President Halimah Yacob. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and other Cabinet ministers and MPs were among the 1,000 invited guests in attendance, along with "everyday heroes" who were invited as they had served on the front lines or as community volunteers.

Among them were healthcare workers, teachers, cleaners and social workers. Shortly after 7pm, the parade gave a salute to these heroes for keeping Singapore going during the pandemic.

Primary school teacher Noorshirin Musa, who is in her late 40s and was among those invited to attend the parade yesterday, said the pandemic has resulted in challenges for parents and students, as well as teachers. "It was a very tough time for all of us. But I'm glad that we have come back to a more normal life," she said.

This was the 10th NDP held at the platform since it was built in 2007. Strict Covid-19 precautions were taken to ensure the parade was possible. For instance, all participants had to be fully vaccinated and were required to undergo antigen rapid tests before each combined rehearsal.

The NDP took place after the authorities announced on Thursday that Singapore will move ahead with further easing of community measures, such as increasing the maximum size of events with live performances to 1,000 attendees, if they are all vaccinated.

The feature film in the four-act show told fictional and real-life stories of Singaporeans who persevered despite hardship, including the late medical social worker Daisy Vaithilingam, who established Singapore's first fostering scheme for children.

Performers from institutions such as the National University of Singapore and the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore joined the show virtually.

Team Singapore athletes, some of whom competed in the recent Tokyo Olympics, appeared near the finale. They included swimmer Joseph Schooling and fencer Kiria Tikanah.

The show culminated with singers Linying, Sezairi Sezali, Shabir Tabare Alam and Shye-Anne Brown singing this year's theme song, The Road Ahead.

The audience joined in the chorus "we did it before, and we'll do it again", rounding off a night that encapsulated what it meant to adapt and thrive against the odds.

National Day Message 2021: Singapore preparing to reopen economy, but cannot take social cohesion for granted, says PM Lee Hsien Loong

While country has come together to fight COVID-19, battle has led to strains in society

By Calvin Yang, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 9 Aug 2021

Singaporeans can look forward to a careful reopening of the economy, having worked together, looked out for others and relied on one another through the crisis, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

But they cannot take social cohesion for granted, he stressed in his National Day message yesterday, noting the fight against Covid-19 has taken a toll on everyone.

"Now, more than ever, we need to watch out for one another, for signs of fatigue, distress or anguish among our friends and family. We should have the courage to ask for help ourselves if we need it," he said in a speech recorded at the Botanic Gardens' Symphony Lake.

The pandemic has also strained fault lines in society and brought up difficult issues the country needs to deal with, he added.

He cited three: helping lower-wage workers progress, addressing anxieties over foreigners, and managing issues of race and religion.

PM Lee noted that lower-wage workers have found it harder to cope with reduced incomes and unexpected job losses, and have been given more help. But as a skills-based economy takes shape, they will need more sustained support.

A tripartite workgroup has been developing proposals to improve their prospects. These will build on Workfare and the Progressive Wage Model to boost incomes, and create new opportunities for upskilling and job progression.

"Real progress for lower-wage workers is an essential part of inclusive growth," PM Lee said.

On foreign work pass holders, PM Lee said he understood the anxieties, and the Government has to tweak its policies to manage the quality, numbers and concentrations of foreigners here.

But he cautioned against turning inwards, saying that this would damage the country's standing as a global hub and cost jobs and opportunities. "It goes against our values of openness, and of being accepting of others who are different from us."

On race and religion, he said maintaining harmony is unremitting work, as social norms evolve. "With every new generation, our racial harmony needs to be refreshed, reaffirmed, and reinforced," he said.

Recent racist incidents, while worrying, are not the norm, he said. "Many more happy interracial interactions happen every day, but these seldom go viral. The negative incidents do not mean that our approach is failing. However, they illustrate how issues of race and religion will always be highly emotive, and can easily divide us."

PM Lee said it is helpful to air and acknowledge these sensitive issues candidly and respectfully, as Singapore's harmony took generations of sustained effort.

"This harmony did not result from every group stridently insisting on its identity and rights; it was the fruit of mutual understanding and compromise by all parties - the majority as well as the minorities.

"We must not lightly give up this hard-won and delicate balance. As our society evolves, we have to continually adjust this balance to maintain our social harmony," he said.

PM Lee also touched on the Covid-19 situation, citing the major cluster of cases at Jurong Fishery Port that spread to wet markets and resulted in tighter measures, leaving many disappointed.

"It felt like a setback after all the progress we had made. But our goal was always to protect both lives and livelihoods," he said, pointing to the difficult balance that was required. "There are certainly areas where we could have done better. But ultimately, we have kept everyone in Singapore, including migrant workers, safe."

"We are in a more resilient position," added PM Lee. "From time to time, new crises will again test our resolve and unity. But Covid-19 has shown that we can face them with grit and determination, and stay one united people."

Singapore marks 56th birthday with 600-strong ceremonial parade at Marina Bay

7 in 10 fully vaccinated as Singapore passes goal of two-thirds by National Day, ahead of plans to open country up on 10 August

By Lim Min Zhang, The Straits Times, 10 Aug 2021

The Republic marked its 56th year since independence yesterday with a scaled-down ceremonial parade, as it strives to move towards normality in the drawn-out fight against Covid-19.

Under a cloudless, brilliant blue sky, 600 masked men and women in uniform marched at the Marina Bay floating platform.

The pandemic meant there were only 100 spectators, including front-liners, community volunteers and Cabinet ministers, but the city skyline bore witness to an annual ritual unbroken since Singapore marked the first anniversary of its independence.

The simple, solemn affair - similar in proceedings to last year's parade at the Padang - unfolded with the usual military precision. This is the second year the parade has been held amid the pandemic.

The singing of the National Anthem was synchronised with the state flag fly-past, followed by a fighter jet "bomb burst" manoeuvre as a salute to the nation. A 21-gun salute was fired as President Halimah Yacob reviewed the parade.

With the country still in the middle of tightened restrictions, the mostly empty stands - along with a closed-off Marina Bay - presented a significantly different picture from the last National Day Parade (NDP) at the floating platform in 2018.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in a Facebook post yesterday, noted that the scaled-down parade was very different from the "usual rousing NDP".

But the marching contingents, and perennial favourites of the state flag fly-past and F-15SG fighter jets' "bomb burst" salute still thrilled and moved everyone, whether at the floating platform or watching at home on TV, he said.

"We have never failed to hold a ceremony on Aug 9 every year to reaffirm our independence and sovereignty, whatever the circumstances. This year was no different," he wrote.

Yesterday also marked a milestone - 70 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated, a significant achievement as the country prepares to reopen its economy and resume more activities. Some restrictions, such as dining in, will be eased from today, 10 August.

The nation passed the two-thirds by National Day goal, which was announced in June. Then, the multi-ministry task force on Covid-19 had said vaccination was key to taming the virus and allow for the economy to be opened up safely.

Since then, much of the efforts had been focused on getting the message through to seniors, who have generally been more hesitant about getting jabbed.

Yesterday's 45-minute ceremonial parade was announced only three weeks ago, along with the postponement of the original NDP to Aug 21. Although the number of participants at the ceremonial parade was less than a third of previous ones at the floating platform, it was more than the 200 people who marched at the Padang last year.

Other than the 600 participants on-site, another 200 people from nine youth uniformed groups and 12 social and economic organisations joined virtually in pre-recorded segments, in a first for an NDP.

Singaporeans, you think you've got problems? Think again

The country is renowned for its champion grumblers. Visitors often encounter an onslaught of complaints. But compared with the rest of the world, there's a lot to be thankful for.

By Peter A. Coclanis, Published The Straits Times, 31 Jul 2021

In 2015, The Straits Times, marking Singapore's 50th year of independence, published a delectable collection entitled 50 Things To Love About Singapore, where ST writers contributed short essays bringing to light and celebrating odd and quirky, unexpected and even weird things about the country.

The entire book was fun, but one essay has stuck with me over the years. As everyone knows, public protest is frowned upon in Singapore, but as the writer points out, Singaporeans "do complain".

That's putting things mildly.

In a 1977 parliamentary speech, then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew famously observed: "You know the Singaporean. He is a hard-working, industrious, rugged individual. Or we would not have made the grade. But let us also recognise that he is a champion grumbler."

Indeed, it doesn't take a visitor long to appreciate the fact that Singaporeans are perhaps most comfortable while complaining and, as a result, have developed the verbal remonstrance into something akin to an art form - or national sport.

A visitor's first experience with the form probably occurs during the taxi ride in from Changi or maybe at a hawker centre or coffee shop just after checking into a hotel.

Complaints about one thing or another - rising prices, hyper competition, the performance of the Government, the weather, reckless drivers, litterers, poor service, crowded trains, etc - provide much of the soundtrack for one's visit, no matter how short or long.

The fact that much of the yammering is done deadpan and, although sometimes loud, often in a more or less good-natured way renders most complaints alluring, even charming, to the beguiled recipients, who believe that they are experiencing the real Singapore and interacting with real Singaporeans in unguarded ways.

SOME LEGITIMATE GROUNDS

After granting that there is generally a performative aspect to the complainants' whines - especially for easy-to-fool ang mohs like myself - Singaporeans do have some legitimate grounds for complaints.

The country is extremely competitive and the pace of change is relentless. Wages, especially for low earners, don't always keep up with prices, the Government can be overbearing at times, and the humidity is often stifling.

And so, one must always keep in mind that while Singaporeans do like to vent to visitors, their complaints also take other forms and are often directed at targeted audiences for specific policy ends.

For example, they are sometimes aimed at the Government, whether via interactions at CDCs (community development councils), at feedback dialogues, in communications with their MPs, or via letters to the editor in the leading newspapers, or via social media or online venues.

When they are, they often serve serious and constructive purposes, providing useful feedback leading in many cases to meaningful policy changes without the need for organised protest, much less political violence. Hear! Hear!