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The trust between Singapore's political leadership and people, and between Singaporeans themselves, is a "key strength" that must be continuously nurtured and cherished, President Halimah Yacob said on Apr. 10 in Parliament.

She said that when such trust had gone wrong, many societies faced "deep divides" that were difficult to bridge.

Halimah elaborated:

"Instead of bringing people together, political parties aggravate rifts by divisive appeals for support from competing groups. Their political systems are stuck in gridlock. Consequently, trust in government and its institutions plummets, making recovery even harder."

Singapore cannot afford to let this happen, she added.

Conversations in Singapore must be constructive

President Halimah was delivering the President's Address, which is drafted by the government of the day.

The president further noted that people will always have different views in an open and diverse society.

While such views must be debated honestly and robustly, the conversations must also be constructive, respectful, responsible and based on sound facts and analysis, Halimah said.

"Our interactions with one another must be anchored on mutual respect and trust, and a shared goal of advancing the larger public interest. In this way, we can work through our differences, enlarge our common ground, and draw strength from our diverse perspectives. "

The president said that Singapore has built a "deep reservoir" of social capital and trust out of its diversity.

S'poreans should reflect on founders' values while commemorating centenary of Lee Kuan Yew's birth

Halimah was speaking at the opening of the second session of the 14th Parliament, with her speech serving as a broad summary of the government's focus for the remainder of the current term of office.

In her speech which focuses on the future of Singaporeans, she touched on a wide range of topics, such as rethinking Singapore's meritocracy, social welfare, future infrastructure and geopolitics.

Halimah called for Singaporeans to reflect on the values and principles of the founding generation of leaders while commemorating the centenary of Lee Kuan Yew's birth.

"We should reaffirm and uphold our shared values, while re-examining what needs to be updated and possessing the courage to break new ground.

Only then can we can forge ahead confidently, firm in our footing and sure of our destination."

The country is now in a much stronger position than when it first started in 1965, as it is now armed with crucial resources and much better poised to overcome its vulnerabilities, Halimah said.

"We are here today only because of what previous generations of Singaporeans did. They were willing to work hard

and make sacrifices, to give us – their children and grandchildren – a better life. We must uphold these same values and leave behind a Singapore that is better than the one today, for the sake of future generations."

Halimah thinks 4G leaders have proven themselves and must continue to strengthen bond with S'poreans

Halimah also highlighted that the trust between our political leadership and people must continue.

"Our collective experiences have strengthened the mutual trust between Singaporeans, and their confidence in our system of government. This virtuous circle relies on us partnering one another and working together to make the impossible, possible."

She said the leadership transition to the 4G team, who have proven their grit and ability in the Covid-19 crisis, is well underway.

"They must continue to strengthen their bonds with Singaporeans and work closely with them to write the next chapter of our Singapore Story," she said.

Halimah pointed out that the 4G team have engaged more than 14,000 Singaporeans over the past six months, continuing to deepen these engagements as part of the Forward Singapore exercise.

Strengthening the social fabric of Singapore

Halimah explained that the purpose of the Forward Singapore exercise is to reaffirm the core values the country holds dear – fairness, inclusivity, mutual support and the desire to give back to society.

She pointed out that Singapore must strengthen its social fabric, with every Singaporean feeling that they have a stake in this country,

The government will thus work on expanding opportunities throughout life for every Singaporean, regardless of their starting points, and strengthen social safety nets, Halimah added.

This includes combating the stratification of society and preventing the entrenchment and persistence of privileges over generations.

The government will also strengthen the skills future ecosystem to enable every citizen to do a significant skill reboot during their working lives.

Apart from these, the government will also renew and transform the urban landscape, such as strengthening the distinctive cultures and heritages of different neighbourhoods to nurture Singapore's identity as a multi-racial and multi-religious nation.

Singapore must adapt itself to a "dangerous and troubled" world

The president pointed out that Singapore is entering an increasingly "dangerous and troubled" world.

She said that as the Covid-19 pandemic recedes, Singapore still faces the following external challenges:

• The war in Ukraine which has major ramifications for the security of countries worldwide.
• The intensifying rivalry between the U.S. and China which has the possibility of accidents spiralling out of control.
• The reshaping of the global order by strategic geopolitical rivalry, with major powers more focused on unilaterally securing their own advantage rather than strengthening the multilateral system.

Against such a backdrop, smaller countries like Singapore are experiencing growing pressures to take sides in the form of foreign influences and disinformation campaigns.

Therefore, Singapore must adapt to the reality in which the international norms underpinning peace and prosperity are under severe strain, Halimah emphasised.

"As a small nation, we must take the world as it is, not as we wish it to be. But we are far from powerless on the international stage by acting together with like-minded partners, both big and small."

To protect itself, Singapore will continue to build a network of friends to advance shared interests and continue to strive to preserve its independence, she said.

Singaporeans must also close ranks and stay united regardless of race, religion or political affiliation and never allow external parties to divide the country, Halimah added.

Maintaining Singapore's economic strength

Singapore is also facing a more uneven playing field and tougher competition as governments in major economies provide substantial fiscal support to develop strategic industries and strengthen their industrial bases, Halimah cited.

She said while Singapore cannot compete head-on with major powers to control key technologies and industries in the global industry, it can be more agile and nimble and respond more effectively to new challenges and opportunities.

The president reiterated that the country must remain connected to the world, entrench its position as a business hub, develop the talents and skills of people throughout their careers, and continue to attract foreigners with entrepreneurial networks and expertise.

Government action should not result in a greater sense of entitlement or dependency

However, the president said that more government action should not result in a greater sense of dependency or entitlement.

Instead, Singapore should reinforce individual and family efforts and bring forth contributions from other stakeholders to participate in nation-building.

These stakeholders include committed businesses which champion socially responsible and sustainable practices, a passionate civil society which advocates their visions for a better society, and an active citizenry that takes ownership of its issues.

She noted:

"In particular, our youths show strong interest to take action and initiate change on issues they care about, like mental well-being and sustainability. We will engage the ideas, dynamism and energy of our young Singaporeans."

The president added:

"Ultimately, our refreshed social compact is about a shared understanding of how we relate to and support one another in our next phase of nationhood. By pooling our individual expertise, experiences and resources, we can achieve better outcomes for ourselves, our fellow citizens and our nation, Singapore."

Background

The President's Address is a major speech marking a new session of Parliament.

Though it is delivered by the President, it is typically crafted by the government of the day to outline the priorities and policies for the new term of Government.

This tradition is a legacy of the Westminster system of government.

At the State Opening of Parliament in the United Kingdom, the Queen, as the country’s monarch and Head of State, previously read out the Queen’s Speech which is prepared by the government.

With the accession of King Charles upon the death of Queen Elizabeth, it will be his turn to read out the King's Speech next.

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Top left screenshot via MCI/YouTube, right photo by Mothership