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Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivered his National Day Rally address on Aug. 29 night at the Mediacorp studio.
Speaking in Malay, Mandarin and English, PM Lee gave an update on the Covid-19 situation and economic outlook before diving into how the government plans to tackle social challenges, which have been exacerbated by the uncertainties that the pandemic brings.
Becoming a "Covid resilient" nation
PM Lee began his English speech with an update on Singapore's vaccination rate.
About 80 per cent of Singaporeans are now fully vaccinated but the virus will continue to mutate, he said.
It is no longer possible to bring down the Covid-19 cases to zero and so Singapore has to be prepared to live with the virus.
Singapore can be a "Covid resilient" country with vaccination and additional precautions.
With endemic Covid-19, sooner or later everyone will meet the virus, PM Lee said.
Screenshot via PMO/YouTube.
Therefore, efforts to push for vaccination will continue, especially for the elderly people who can get seriously ill if contract Covid-19 but are unvaccinated.
We will be able to gradually "return to a more normal life", if we do our part and keep the situation stable, he said.
Three things to sustain longer term economic growth
Looking ahead, PM Lee shared that Singapore has to do three things to sustain longer term economic growth.
Firstly, Singapore has to preserve our status as a business hub where local and multi-national companies choose to set up regional base in Singapore.
This also means Singapore's borders cannot be closed for long.
Secondly, Singapore must be able to attract more foreign investments. He cited examples like Pfizer, BioNTech, GlobalFoundaries and Zoom which are or will be setting shops here.
This will bring the jobs to Singaporeans.
Thirdly, Singapore must continue to grow local companies and entrepreneurs such as Carro, SecretLab and Carousell.
PM Lee highlighted an example, a Singaporean company called Hegen which sells baby-feeding bottles and equipment online. Hegen is now a popular brand in China, Korea and Israel.
Yvon Bock, founder of Hegen. Photo by MCI.
Key announcements
The speech focused on how Singapore will be tackling three social challenges:
- More support for lower wage workers
- Addressing the anxieties over foreign work pass holders
- Managing race and religion
These are fault lines in the society which Covid-19 has exacerbated and hence they have to be addressed urgently, PM Lee said.
More support for lower wage workers
PM Lee said that the government recognised that the lower wages workers (LWWs) require support beyond emergency assistance. The government has therefore accepted three recommendations from a Tripartite Workgroup which aim to uplift this group of workers.
These include including more LWWs in the Progressive Wage Model, a key policy that has raised their skills and productivity, and boosted their incomes and job progression. This will start with the LWWs from the retail sector in 2022, followed by food services and waste management. Progressive wages will be extended to specific occupations across all sectors, such as administrative assistants and drivers.
Moving forward, companies hiring foreign workers will have to pay all their local employees at least a Local Qualifying Salary which is S$1,400. The qualifying salary will be adjusted from time to time.
A Progressive Wage Mark (PW Mark) will also be introduced to differentiate companies who pay their all employees decent wages from those who do not.
The public sector will take the lead and purchase goods and services only from companies with PW Mark.
With the existing Workfare Income Supplement Scheme and these enhanced measures, almost all LWWs will have an increase in income in the next two years.
The Ministry of Manpower will also look into the welfare needs of delivery workers to provide secure futures for them, PM Lee said.
Addressing the anxieties over foreign work pass holders
To address anxieties that Singaporeans face over work pass holders, PM Lee said that the government has to ensure that the Employment Pass and S Pass holders are of the right standard.
The government will continue to tighten the criteria of EP and S passes gradually and progressively over time.
Enshrine TAFEP guidelines in law
To enhance efforts to ensure fair workplace treatment and protect workers from workplace discrimination, PM Lee announced that the government will enshrine the Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) guidelines in law.
A tribunal similar to the Employment Claims Tribunal will be created to deal with workplace discrimination.
Only when those fail to resolve disputes via conciliation and mediation, does the matter go before the tribunal, which will arbitrate and decide the case.
This should protect workers from discrimination related to nationality, age, race and religion, and disability. Women will receive more protection too.
The Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act
The government will also pass a legislation on Racial Harmony — The Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act.
This will collect together in one place all the Government’s powers to deal with racial issues. It will include softer and gentler touches such as the power to order someone who has caused offence to stop doing it, make amends by learning more about the other race and mending ties with them.
It will be similar to The Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act.
Photo courtesy of MCI.
Muslim nurses at public healthcare sector can wear tudung from November 2021
PM Lee said that the tudung issue is not just a matter for Muslims but a national issue.
The change in position can only be made after the government is certain that Muslims and non-Muslims understand and accept the change.
The government started the discussion over tudung wearing with Muslim leaders in 2014 and had another discussion in recent months.
PM Lee told the Muslim leaders in the recent meeting that "we were now ready" to allow Muslim nurses to wear tudung at work, if they want to, and he thanked them for managing this sensitive issue over the past few years.
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