Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivered his National Day Rally last night, and in his speech, he spoke about the recent spate of “controversial issues” involving political figures, and how they have not delayed the timetable for the renewal of leadership.
He assured Singaporeans that his succession plans are back on track, and reiterated his confidence in Deputy Prime MInister Lawrence Wong and his 4G team, as well as urging people to give them the fullest support now and after they take over.
Snippet of PM Lee’s speech
Forward Singapore
Our nation must navigate carefully in this increasingly troubled landscape. There is no ready playbook, there is no model answer. I am glad that DPM Lawrence Wong and the 4G team have taken it upon themselves to chart out where Singapore will go from here. They launched Forward Singapore in June last year, to refresh our social compact. They have held dialogues with thousands of Singaporeans who shared their ideas to tackle various issues.
For example: how to equip our people with the skills to succeed; how to improve care for the vulnerable; and how to strengthen our solidarity as one people. The Forward Singapore report will be published later this year. It will be a compass to help Singapore navigate through the stormy seas.
Financial support for the retrenched
Despite the dark clouds, the world still offers many opportunities for those who dare to seize them. In my Malay speech just now, I spoke about promising new sectors such as the digital economy. I also shared that the Government will give more support to workers – to help you adapt and upskill, to stay ahead of the game.
Our Forward SG plans include financial support for workers who lose your jobs, while you upgrade your skills. It will be a temporary safety net to help you meet immediate needs, to free you to upskill and train, as you prepare yourself for a good long-term job. So long as you are willing to make the effort, the Government will go the extra mile to help you.
Succession
As we prepare for the future, one crucial task is leadership renewal. As you all know, my original plan was to hand over and step down as Prime Minister by 2022, before my 70th birthday. But the pandemic disrupted this plan. I promised Singaporeans that I would see the nation through the crisis, together with both the current and the 4G leadership. Now COVID is behind us, and my succession plans are back on track.
Recently, several controversial issues have drawn Singaporeans’ attention. I have spoken about them in Parliament, and in my National Day Message. We dealt with each of them thoroughly and transparently. Let me assure you: these incidents will not delay my timetable for renewal. We are on track.
More and more, my task is to support the 4G team and their agenda. I want to get them off to the best start possible. They are increasingly setting the pace. My themes in this Rally are all Forward SG themes. The 4G will soon wrap up the Forward SG exercise, but their journey is just beginning. Our nation’s future depends on them, working as one with you to take Singapore forward.
Trust in Lawrence Wong
I have every confidence in Lawrence Wong and his team. We share the same core convictions – that we are stewards of Singapore, entrusted with the immense responsibility to lead and care for our nation; that our time as stewards is transient, but we are building a Singapore for the ages; and that our best service to this nation is to hand over a better, stronger Singapore to those who follow us. My team and I are deeply grateful to you for standing with us through thick and thin. Please give Lawrence and his team your fullest support too, now and after they take over.
Closing
The Singapore story has been an unlikely one from the start. Our nation is still young, and we will always be tiny. We will forever be an unlikely nation, created out of the sheer collective will of our people. Nobody expected us to survive, much less to flourish. But each time, we beat the odds; each time, we showed the world what Singapore can be.