Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong delivered his final May Day Rally speech as PM on May 1, 2024.
The rally was held at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre.
In his speech, PM Lee looked back at various policies implemented during his premiership to help Singaporeans, including those in the lower-income bracket, in areas such as housing, healthcare and education.
He also touched on what he described as "hard truths" that will remain relevant to Singapore amidst increasing geopolitical tensions, climate change and technological advances — social cohesion, long-term planning and political stability and trust.
PM Lee also took time to highlight the symbiotic relationship between the government and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), as well as his personal connection with the union.
He then concluded his speech on a note of confidence about handing over his premiership to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and how he will continue to support his successor's team.
Economy is growing, support measures expanded
PM Lee said the government's strategies to transform and upgrade the economy have paid off.
He pointed to investments in promising sectors, such as biotech, IT, transportation, and financial services.
This has resulted in a diversified economic base, along with a climb up the value chain for the country, going from factories and production lines to research and development in pharmaceuticals and nano-technology.
"Now we are keeping up with dramatic breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence (AI)," he said.
PM Lee also highlighted how the government has expanded support measures for Singaporeans, such as CDC vouchers and other forms of assistance.
Quality of life has improved
PM Lee also noted how economic growth has delivered better jobs and higher wages for Singaporeans.
In addition, the quality of life has improved across the board, including for those with lower incomes.
He cited Punggol 21 as an example of how new Housing Development Board (HDB) towns have been developed from desolate locations.
The government is also rejuvenating older housing estates through various upgrading programmes which ensures that they do not turn into slums or ghettoes.
This includes the introduction of schemes such as Silver Zones and Friendly Streets to slow traffic down for the benefit of older residents.
And while there have been disruptions to the housing programmes such as the Covid-19 pandemic, which delayed construction, HDB has been working to get things back on track, he said.
Eight in 10 households to be within a 10-minute walk of a MRT station by 2030
The Prime Minister also touched on improvements in public transport and noted that the MRT map used to only have two colours: red and green.
It has since added four more lines with another two lines on the way.
By 2030, eight in 10 households will be within a 10-minute walk of a train station, he said.
PM Lee also noted that at one point, Singapore had an issue with rail reliability with the trains breaking down "too often", but said the situation has improved "significantly". He said:
"We know that nowadays our trains are as reliable as, or better than most other MRT systems in the world. Surveys rank it amongst the best."
Higher chance of surviving a heart attack in Singapore compared to the rest of the world
As for Singapore's healthcare system, PM Lee pointed out that for older Singaporeans, they can get it at a "subsidised and affordable" fee within a reasonable period of time.
He cited the example of how the Singapore healthcare system manages patients with heart attacks, noting that upon arrival at the A&E department of a hospital, it takes an average of around 50 minutes to have a tiny balloon inserted into the heart artery to save one's life.
Known as the "door to balloon" time, Singapore's average time of 50 minutes compares favourably to the 90-minute international standard.
"It means that in Singapore, if you have a heart attack, which unfortunately many people do, you have a much better chance of being treated in time and staying alive," he said.
The country can also be more assured that the healthcare system will be able to take the load from another pandemic as it is up to scratch, he added.
An improvement in the quality of education
On the topic of education, PM Lee said the government has transformed Singapore's education system, took a broader and more holistic approach, and promoted lifelong learning.
Government subsidies have been increased to make preschool fess more affordable for every family which has resulted in increased preschool attendance.
Students are also no longer limited to "traditional" arts and science courses with many schools now offering specialised programmes in music, dance, sports, robotics – including in neighbourhood schools.
"In Singapore, unlike in some other countries, your postal code does not determine your destiny," he said.
The Prime Minister also highlighted how nearly half of each cohort graduates from one of Singapore's autonomous universities.
Programmes to help the needy in Singapore
PM Lee also spoke at length about programmes that had been implemented during his premiership to help the needy in the country.
He said:
"When I was sworn in as PM, I promised to build a more inclusive Singapore. One where it's not every man for himself, but everyone working together to make things better for all of us. We innovated boldly in social policies, just as we did in education and health care."
This includes ComCare, to bring together Singapore's various social programmes and enhance them further, Workfare to supplement the incomes of lower-wage workers, and the Progressive Wage Model to improve wages and skills in a sustainable way.
Other policies include KidStart, which gives an extra boost to kids from disadvantaged homes, ComLink+ for uplifting vulnerable families living in rental flats, as well as various healthcare-related schemes such as MediShield Life and CareShield Life, along with retirement-related schemes such as Central Provident Fund (CPF) Life, Silver Support, the Majulah Package, along with measures for the Pioneer and Merdeka generations.
Expressing gratitude for Singaporeans who do their part for society
The Prime Minister also took the time to thank those who had contributed to Singapore's society in various ways.
This included PAP Member of Parliament Denise Phua and her efforts to build up Pathlight, Singapore's first austism-focused school, and her co-founding of the Purple Parade movement to celebrate the abilities of people with disabilities.
He noted that attitudes in society have shifted:
"Singaporeans have become more ready to step up to help those in need.
There's less stigma attached to people with disabilities. Parents are more willing to accept that their kid has special needs and to seek and receive intervention early on.
People with special needs have many more enabling opportunities and this is a big part of leaving no Singaporean behind."
PM Lee also hailed teachers, healthcare workers, public transport crew, Home Team and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel for their dedicated work ethic and motivation.
"These are people who have not just a job, but a vocation, and a passion to serve," he said, adding:
"Ours the society that takes pride in whatever we do and makes a point of doing it well. A society that egalitarian and meritocratic in its ethos, where those who have done well feel a sense of duty to give back to the society that nurtured them."
"This fundamental mindset permeates our whole society," said PM Lee, saying these fundamentals helped Singapore weather the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.
He also said Singaporeans "worked together and trusted and looked after one another" amid the Covid-19 pandemic, and that the country emerged as " a stronger people, a better society, a more unified nation".
During both crises, the government drew on the reserves and were aided by the unions to help businesses and workers.
Singapore is highly regarded throughout the world
PM Lee said Singapore is highly regarded throughout the world, in advanced countries in the West and in developing ones in Africa and Latin America.
However, Singapore must also continue to maintain its reputation through "active, creative, and principled diplomacy". PM Lee said this is why Singapore has spoken up on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war.
Singapore has also settled longstanding issues with its neighbours such as the Malayan Railways land deal with Malaysia, and the Expanded Framework Agreements with Indonesia.
Singapore's identity is not static
PM Lee then turned to speak about "hard truths" which would be relevant for the years ahead.
He touched on social cohesion as the first of three imperatives, noting that race, language and religion are the traditional fault lines in Singapore's society.
While Singapore has made "huge efforts" to develop a shared Singapore identity, along with a multiracial and multireligious society based on meritocracy and equal opportunity, the country will always be subject to the pull of external forces.
"We cannot disavow our diverse ethnic roots and religious affinities: Chinese Singaporeans with China, Indian Singaporeans with their various ancestral homes in India, Malay Singaporeans with the rest of our region, and with the global Muslim Ummah."
While these can be vulnerabilities, the country also does not want to lose such rich cultural and historical heritages, he added.
Racial and religious harmony will therefore always be a work in progress, PM Lee pointed out.
Apart from these, Singapore must also be conscious of other potential divisions in their society such as the "haves" and the "have-nots", "Singaporean-born" and "naturalised" citizens, "conservatives" and "liberals", and current and future generations.
Hence, this is why the government decided to act on the tudung issue and the repeal of Section 377A.
The government's aim is to foster compromise and enlarge the common space with as much as consensus as possible, he said.
Long-term planning is a responsibility of every government in the country
PM Lee's second imperative was that of long-term planning. He said that this was the responsibility of every government in the country.
Many countries are consumed by immediate problems or political crises, and lack the support or the bandwidth to think further ahead.
However, the PAP government has always planned and acted for the long term, deliberately and systematically, he said.
The Prime Minister cited the development of Marina Bay Sands, where the rally was held, saying that the government started thinking about reclaiming land in the Marina Bay area as early as the 1960s.
He also cited ongoing projects to build Terminal 5 at Changi Airport and the Tuas megaport as examples of such planning.
Singapore's mindset must therefore be as such:
"Thinking long term, working towards it with patience and determination, and building lasting strengths for Singapore, way beyond our own generation, for the next 50 years, for the next 100 years."
Singapore's political system is anchored on trust between people and the government
PM Lee's third imperative was political stability and trust.
PM Lee said trust between the people and government is the basis of Singapore's political system.
When Singaporeans elect a People's Action Party (PAP) government, the government then works to maintain people's trust and support.
He added:
"[The PAP government] shows, through words and through deeds, that it has the nation’s best interests at heart, and is improving your lives. And therefore at each election, 15 times in a row, the PAP has won a renewed mandate, fair and square, and continued to deliver results for Singaporeans."
Should Singapore's politics be "fractured", the country will not be able to sustain long-term planning and effort.
It is also not necessary for Singapore's political system to to "fail outright" for Singapore to get into trouble, he explained.
"Even if we just become ordinary, average, we will already be in serious trouble," he said.
The country has no resources or hinterland and is only 700 sq km. He said:
"If our politics becomes like other countries, we will end up worse than other countries, not the same as them, but worse off.
Graver still, if our system malfunctions – becomes beset by populism, tribalism, nativism, or obsessed by short term gains, like some other countries, then we will certainly be sunk.
All our reserves will not last very long, nor will they count for much... Therefore, it's crucial that all of us uphold this ethos of exceptionalism and excellence; it's crucial that we maintain political stability."
A personal connection with the labour movement
PM Lee also recalled his encounters with the labour movement as a child, noting that union activists would visit his home for meetings and how he took pride in the fact that his father was their legal adviser even though he did not understand what it meant at that time.
The Prime Minister also brought up NTUC's Modernisation seminar in 1969 which replaced an adversarial approach of unions versus employers, with a cooperative, tripartite one based on trust and confidence.
The government also formed the National Wages Council (NWC), which established a constructive process for tripartite annual wage negotiations, and ensured workers had their "fair share" of economic growth.
This habit of mutual cooperation and trust came into play in 1985 when Singapore experienced a sudden severe recession.
PM Lee added that with the help of NTUC, the government was able to persuade workers that a CPF cut was unavoidable and it would help secure their jobs.
This tripartism has since proved helpful during subsequent crises such as the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic, PM Lee said.
Union is transforming itself
In the meantime, the union is transforming itself to remain relevant by reaching out to graduates, professionals, platform workers, and the self-employed.
NTUC has formed Company Training Committees in hundreds of firms, to plan and execute training and upgrading programmes together with the employers.
It has also reached out to young workers, even while they are still in post-secondary institutions, through nobody Enjoys being Ordinary (nEbO) and Young NTUC.
He also noted how the union has elected three female NTUC Presidents, and nurtured the first female President of Singapore.
Handing over to DPM Wong
"My fellow Singaporeans, this is my 40th year in politics. It's been my great honour to have served you including as your Prime Minister," said PM Lee.
He then spoke about the upcoming handover, saying:
"As I prepare to hand over Singapore in good order to my successor. I feel a sense of satisfaction and completeness.
I've done my duty and I'm very happy that I chose this path of public service all those many years. ago."
PM Lee then concluded his speech by expressing gratitude to those who supported him as he ran the country, and expressed confidence in DPM Wong's team.
"I have every confidence in Lawrence and his team. The 4G will have their hands full dealing with issues which will arise and realising their Forward SG agenda. I ask all Singaporeans to rally behind them and work together to make Singapore succeed for your sake."
Top photo by Daras Singh