Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong turned storyteller on Feb. 2, as he traced the long and difficult journey taken by the Merdeka Generation in Singapore from independence to the present day.

Speaking at the Merdeka Generation tribute event at Gardens by the Bay on Saturday morning attended by about 500 people, PM Lee paid tribute to those born in the 1950s.

Satisfied with progress made

During the 2018 National Day Rally, PM Lee had bestowed the name "Merdeka Generation" to this group of around 500,000 Singaporeans, of which he is a member.

Today, the Merdeka Generation are in their 60s, and are either retired or soon to be retired.

Although they could look back with "some satisfaction" on what they've achieved, PM Lee said that success was never certain.

"We could not tell if our solutions would work, or what the final outcome would be," he said.

The early years

PM Lee referenced the now-familiar trials of Singapore's early years, beginning with sudden separation from Malaysia in 1965.

He pointed out that overnight, the Malay community became a minority in the country.

Businessmen lost their easy access to the Malaysian market and relatives found themselves divided by a political border, which was perhaps reminiscent of the impending British Brexit from the European Union.

When the British decided to withdraw their troops earlier than planned after independence, it was the Merdeka Generation who rose to meet these challenges.

Recent crises

But PM Lee also referred to other political crises that the Merdeka Generation weathered.

When North Vietnam fell to the Communists, it was feared that the rest of Southeast Asia would follow suit.

PM Lee gave credit to ASEAN for holding together to "stem the tide".

The 9/11 attacks in New York and the 2003 SARS outbreak made a huge impact on Singaporeans.

However, PM Lee singled out the discovery that the Jemaah Islamiyah terror group was planning suicide attacks in Singapore as particularly shocking.

"But we did not tear apart. We held together as a nation, supporting one another and collectively addressing the problem at the root," he said.

Economic problems

Besides the political emergencies, PM Lee also reeled off the list of economic crises that the Merdeka Generation suffered through, which came about "once every decade".

High inflation in the 1970s, a recession in the 1980s, the Asian Financial Crisis in the 1990s, and the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, were all borne on their shoulders.

PM Lee chose to highlight the "drastic steps" made, such as cutting employer CPF contributions and drawing on the financial reserves.

But it would not have been possible without the sacrifices of the Merdeka Generation.

"Because each time, the Merdeka Generation faced the problems resolutely, worked with the government, and when necessary, accepted the bitter medicine that made us strong again," he said.

Passing on the baton

"Passing on the baton" was another theme in PM Lee's speech.

More challenges would surely come, but the Merdeka Generation had demonstrated that Singapore could pull through, provided that everyone pulled together.

Passing on their experiences and values to the next generation would be doing Singapore another "great service".

"If future generations share your resourcefulness, determination and sense of duty -- the Merdeka spirit -- Singapore will continue to do well," he said.

Merdeka Generation Package

PM Lee also mentioned the Merdeka Generation Package, which he first alluded to during his National Day Rally in 2018.

The precise details are not known, beyond helping those who qualified with their medical expenses.

But he confirmed that those born in 1949 and earlier who missed out on the Pioneer Generation Package will also qualify, provided they had obtained citizenship by the end of 1996.

Perhaps doing some baton-passing of his own, PM Lee said that the full details will be revealed soon by the next generation ministers.

"Ministers Heng Swee Keat and Gan Kim Yong will announce the details in Parliament later this month so I shall not steal their thunder," he said, referring to the finance and health ministers.

But he added that it was a "substantial" package, and it would express the nation's gratitude to the Merdeka Generation.

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Top image by Angela Lim.