TAKING SINGAPORE FORWARD
Mr Lee also said the government understands the challenges ahead and has worked out plans to take Singapore forward amid the uncertainties, just as it has done for so many decades.
“We continue to support you on immediate cost-of-living concerns, especially families who need help the most,” he said, citing measures such as the S$300 (US$221) in CDC vouchers distributed in January, on top of the S$800 disbursed last year.
Singaporeans have also received GST vouchers, U-Save rebates, and public transport vouchers, with further support to be announced in the upcoming Budget, he added.
Housing remains a key priority, he said, noting that the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has caught up with the backlog caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The government remains on track to launch more than 100,000 flats by this year, counting over five years since 2021. The new Standard, Plus, and Prime framework will help ensure Build-To-Order (BTO) flats remain affordable and available to all, he said.
Beyond immediate issues, Mr Lee also outlined other investments to secure Singapore’s future.
“Investing in people – in your education, training, and upskilling. So that our youth and workers have the skills to remain competitive and secure good jobs, even as the economy is transformed with new technologies with robots, with AI,” he said.
The government is also investing in infrastructure projects, including Changi Airport Terminal 5, Tuas Megaport, new train lines such as the Thomson-East Coast Line and Cross Island Line, and new hospitals and community care facilities like the recently opened Woodlands Health Campus, he added.
A decades-long reclamation project, Long Island, will also be developed along the East Coast to safeguard Singapore from rising sea levels.
“Most importantly, we are also investing in our social fabric, through Forward SG,” Mr Lee said, adding that “programmes like ComLink+ and the Fresh Start Housing Scheme will uplift our vulnerable and enhance social mobility”.
He also highlighted SGSHARE, a national regular giving programme linked to SG60 and Community Chest, which aims to spur volunteerism and strengthen bonds among fellow Singaporeans.
“We are building a Singapore: Where every citizen belongs, where everyone will have every opportunity to succeed, no matter what their starting point in life, and where all share a sense of participation and purpose, and where we take ownership of our nation’s future together,” Mr Lee said.
“None of these good things will happen by themselves,” he said. “It requires a capable, caring government with the foresight to look ahead, and the courage to do the right things.”
“And a people who will stay united, and be willing to work with the government over the long term.”
