In a live speech broadcasted on Tuesday (Jul. 7), Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam paid homage to a popular Hokkien song Ai Pia Cia Eh Yia (To Win, You Have to Fight) during a speech about Singapore's strategies for creating an inclusive society.

The song has popularly been sung by Workers' Party (WP) politicians.

In his 43-minute speech, which was part of the Straight Talk with PAP series, Tharman highlighted the importance of sustainable, lasting programmes to build a more inclusive society.

Ai Pia Cia Eh Yia

Tharman's speech overviewed what the government is doing to support people in different stages of their lives: for kids, for working life, and for seniors.

In the 39th minute of his speech, he cited a line from the popular song:

"If you think of the most popular Hokkien song over the decades — maybe even today — Ai Pia Cia Eh Yia, the most interesting ditty within the song:

'What happens in life is determined 30 per cent by the will of the heavens, and 70 per cent of hard work' — or in those days, bitter, hard struggle."

He said that he feels that Singapore should "retain the social ethos where people work hard for themselves, take responsibility, and take pride in standing on their own feet."

However, he said, "you can't rely on the heavens," nor can you "leave people to fend for themselves either."

He continued:

"That 30 per cent has to be community.

We have to take collective responsibility for each other — starting with KidSTART, starting when the kids are very young, in the same neighbourhood, take an interest and find ways of supporting them. All the way to our silver years.

We have to take more responsibility for each other."

Popular song choice among politicians

Ai Pia Cia Eh Yia is a song that has been commonly sung by WP politicians.

Most recently, WP candidate in East Coast GRC Nicole Seah sang a line from the song in a video interview.

Here's a video of WP secretary-general Pritam Singh singing the song at a Chinese New Year grassroots event in 2019:

And back in 2011, the WP team performed the song in its first concert:

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The song was also performed by members of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) at the PSP National Day dinner in 2019.

Top photo compiled via PAP and YouTube.