Speech by Minister Chan Chun Sing at the Debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President

Speech by Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence Mr Chan Chun Sing at the Debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President on 26 September 2025

1.             Mr Speaker Sir, I rise in support of the Motion.

2.             Over the course of the week, many have spoken about how we can become a “We First” society.

             a.    Many have suggestions on how our Government can do more or better.

             b.    On behalf of the Government, I would like to thank everyone for your suggestions.

             c.     Our Public Service will certainly study all these suggestions, especially the new ideas.

3.             As I listened to all the speeches, it struck me that all of us share the same objectives.

             a.    We want a fairer society.

             b.    We want to give opportunities to everyone, regardless of their background.

             c.     We want a Singapore that will not only survive, but thrive.

             d.    And most importantly, we want to give our best to the next generation.

4.             We may differ here and there on some details, and those we can discuss. Sometimes, our differences are not as large as we make them out to be. And certainly, none of us have a monopoly on care, compassion or fairness — that we can agree.

5.             But ultimately, true victory for us is not about winning arguments in this house. True victory for us is winning the trust of our people, uplifting lives and delivering a better future for all of us. In Chinese, we would say, “口舌之争, 胜负一时, 行动耕耘, 造就一世”.

6.             As the Prime Minister said during his National Day Rally speech, a “We First” society is not something the Government can force or direct.

             a.    It will be up to all of us, as fellow Singaporeans, to encourage each other to step forward and take responsibility for one another.  

             b.    As mentioned, “We First” does not mean there is no place for individual aspirations or expressions. Instead, it is about mobilising the full spectrum of our society’s capabilities, creativity and commitment to overcome our challenges ahead.

7.             Our Government will continue to lead where it must and can. We will strive to do more and do better.  But having said that, we are realistic enough to know that our Government cannot do it all, and certainly not alone.

             a.    We aspire to evolve from delivering for Singaporeans, to also delivering with Singaporeans.

             b.    I always remember this — taught to me since young.

                          i.     No one can do everything. 

                          ii.     But everyone can do something. 

                          iii.    Together, we can overcome anything. 

c.     In his speech earlier, Mr Zhulkarnain spoke about chess and its life lessons for his son and Singapore. It inspired me to think about the game of weiqi, a board game played with white and black pieces. The aim of the game is to fence off more territory than the opponent. However, unlike chess, weiqi pieces are the same and are used similarly in the game. Just like the weiqi pieces, our individual efforts may be insignificant, but together, all of us play a part and any one of us can be that strategic piece in the evolving formation to win the game as the circumstances evolve. Perhaps, that is the Singapore that we can all aspire to. 

8.             Today, I will share my reflections on ways we can deliver with our people and progress towards a “We First” society. 

Secure our place in a changing world  

9.             Let me first start with security. The world has changed. Yes, the world will change even more and faster in the years to come. We must prepare ourselves for a much wider range of scenarios than ever before, including dangerous discontinuities.

             a.    We should not count on assumptions that have guided us for decades.

             b.    Nor should we expect other countries to respect international laws and norms as in the past.

10.          The question is, how do we anticipate, pre-empt and respond collectively? I say collectively, because I think all of us can and need to contribute. And if I may, I can suggest four lines of effort for all of us:

             a.    First, understand the world deeply,

             b.    Second, create propositions for us to remain relevant,

             c.    Third, maintain our cohesion, and

             d.    Fourth, uphold our principles.

11.          Let me begin with understanding the world deeply. Compared to the past, we can now access much more information and travel more widely.  However, we must not fall into the trap of our own echo chamber to confirm our own biases. There will also be no shortage of external influences that attempt to shape our views and hopefully our positions. To safeguard ourselves from being pulled apart in different directions, we will need to:

             a.    Understand our own interests;

             b.    Read and think deeply;

             c.    Speak widely to different people to understand their perspectives and agenda; and also to

             d.    Access contents with discernment.

12.          We have seen this being played out over the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the situation in the Middle East, and even closer to home, in the conflicts and contestations that have happened of late. Only when we deeply understand ourselves, and the world we are operating in, can we come up with propositions that are relevant for our partners so that we can add value in the relationship.

             a.    It is a discipline to not just view or read what the search engine algorithms throw at us.

             b.    It is also a discipline to seek out fresh perspectives with all the people we meet in our travels, to hopefully bring back new ideas and stress test our own assumptions.

                          i.     This is why I have consistently encouraged our students in the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and our public service officers who have the opportunity to travel overseas, to go beyond the beaten path, go beyond the guided tour that the embassy can organise. I do not need them to write long reports when they come back. They just need to come back with a fresh perspective, a new idea that can enrich us.

                          ii.     I learned this when I was younger and deployed to Indonesia after the fall of Suharto — our greatest fear was what would happen to this big country. We made it a discipline to travel out of Jakarta at least seven days a month. We made sure that we covered as many provinces and regional commands as we could — making new friends, understanding the diversity of perspectives, and never kidding ourselves that just because we had been to Jakarta and Bali, that therefore we understood Indonesia.

                          iii.     And today, that same principle must apply. Just because we have been to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, it does not mean that we understand China; and just by going to California and New York does not make us an expert in the US.

                          iv.     With my recent trips to both China and the US, we could understand and appreciate the diversity of views and the complex dynamics, even within the country. If we do not understand or appreciate this deeply, we will not be able to come up with value propositions that will make us relevant.

13.          However, while we adapt our approaches, we must remain a consistent and principled partner where we can continuously strengthen our relevance for others to want to partner us. I am sure we want to partner everybody, but that is different from others wanting to partner us. And this applies in the security and economic domains.

             a.    While we will not take sides, we must take positions based on principles — principles that best promote Singapore's long-term survival and success.

             b.    We are ultimately responsible for our own destiny.

             c.     But we must earn our right to determine that destiny.

             d.    Only when we are successful, can we have the right to choose our path, and not be held ransom or hostage by others. Then we can truly say that we will neither be bribed nor bullied. That is something that we have to earn.

14.          Foreign policy is not about balancing, calibrating, and remaining neutral. 

             a.    Being neutral and principled are two different concepts. Neutrality is a dangerous concept for small states. Trying to maintain neutrality and balancing without principles will only invite contesting larger powers to put more pressure on us to try and shift our “balancing point”. 

                          i.     You can imagine if two giants are pulling at us, and if we are just trying to maintain neutral. When one side squeezes us a bit harder, we move a bit to that side. What would the other side do? It would just encourage them to squeeze us just as hard, so that we move back to this balancing position.

                          ii.     And that is why I always encourage all Singaporeans to make a nuanced but important distinction — not saying that we are neutral, but that we are principled.

15.          How then can we remain relevant, and earn our right to be principled, and be valued on the global stage?

             a.    We need to have our own perspectives and not be a mouthpiece or proxy for others.

             b.    We need to develop capabilities that cannot be easily replicated by others — the ability to think and execute long-term, the ability to build trust internally and externally, the ability to foster cohesion amidst diversity.

             c.     But ultimately, we need real capabilities – in all domains from economics to defence – for others to see value in working with us.

16.          External parties have asked me what makes the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) strong. Our disciplined investment in equipment and people over the years have certainly helped. But to me, the biggest advantage the SAF has over many others is that we can draw upon the talent and energies of our entire nation.

             a.    The best operational and technical ideas do not just come from our regulars, technicians or scientists.  They come from all over — our Full-Time National Servicemen (NSFs), our Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) and even our pre-enlistees.

                          i.     Today if you fly the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in the SAF, you will be using a console that is like the PlayStation console. This idea came about many years ago from our pre-enlistees. They helped us to design the systems, even before they came into National Service (NS). And when they came into NS, the system was ready for them.

                          ii.     When I was a young officer, the first person to introduce computers into our battle planning process was not a regular. He was an NSman working in Apple, and he was wondering then why we were still using pen and paper.

             b.    That is the power of the SAF, drawn from our people. This is a concept of all of us chipping in, a mindset of “Delivering With”, to build defence capabilities ahead of time.

17.          For the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the SAF, we will continue to spend wisely and consistently.

             a.    As warfare is redefined, we will make judicious decisions on what to buy, what to build and what to co-develop with partners. We will also need to evolve our capability development and acquisition processes to deliver at speed. Timeliness, rather than perfection, matters more very often.

             b.    By strengthening indigenous capacities and capabilities and developing unique value propositions, we will position ourselves as a partner of choice in capability development, technology innovation and supply chain resilience.

                          i.     Today, this is exactly what DSO, Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and ST Engineering are doing. We aim to go beyond a buyer-seller relationship whenever we deal with others.

18.          Ultimately, our strongest defence and our strongest deterrence is not any weapon system. It is our collective will to fight for what we believe in. Together, we must contribute as a whole of nation to safeguard our future.

19.          Every one of us is in some way MINDEF. And every one of us is also an ambassador, acting on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), when we interact with the rest of the world to share with the world what we stand for, how we do business and why they should trust in us.   

Earning our Place in the World

20.          Let me now move to economics, which is not so different. We also must earn our keep. No one deals with Singapore out of charity or sympathy. We also need to create our own value propositions. This means deeply understanding market needs and identifying what I call “acupuncture points” that make it harder for people to bypass us. 

             a.    Many members in this house would be familiar with our experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. I was then Minister for Trade and Industry. During the crucial moments, very often, my team and I had to call up partners to ask people to sell us essentials. And even if we had money or more money than others, we did not always get what we wanted. Only when we had what our partners needed, could we trade for what we wanted. It is a lesson that will be seared in the minds of all the officers of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) for generations to come.

             b.    That is why when the Economic Development Board (EDB) goes out and competes for investments, it is not just about making more money. It is about making ourselves a critical node that cannot be easily bypassed, so that in times of need, we will have what others need, in order to get what we want.

21.          For our economy to be more resilient, many have talked about the need to diversify. Yes, we agree. However, we must also be aware that diversification comes with risks. It requires resources and it requires our ability to attract and work with talent beyond our own.

             a.    Imagine if Singapore only focused on one or two sectors, then we would have enough of our own people to staff all those positions in these one or two sectors and achieve critical mass.

             b.    But when we say that we want to diversify our economy for us to be more resilient, when we say that we want to give more options to our younger generation to chase their dreams in diverse sectors, then we need many more sectors. And we have to admit that it will not be easy for us to achieve critical mass in all these sectors, unless we are able to network with the global talent to complement the best in Singapore.

             c.     And this is why, we must continue our efforts to make sure that we remain an attractive partner for others to want to work with us. We must continue to grow our homegrown talent so that we can remain an attractive partner. If we do not have people that can match up to the best in the world, I am not sure many people will want to partner us.

             d.    But there is also an opportunity amidst the crisis now. As the world becomes a more dangerous place, our attractiveness to talent can actually reinforce our competitiveness. 

             e.    This is an opportunity for us. But we will need to carefully balance our needs of integration with competitiveness. It is not a binary option of zero or one. It is about balance, and this will be a topic I am sure we will come back to in this House for many more times to come. It is about balance, and never about a binary option.

22.          On the other hand, when long standing platforms or networks no longer work, we will have to set up alternative networks to uphold a more integrated global trading and investment system.

             a.    Many years ago, we pioneered comprehensive Free Trade Agreements that went beyond traditional tariff reductions to encompass services, investment, and regulatory cooperation.

             b.    When the digital economy demanded fresh approaches, we led the creation of the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), establishing new standards for cross-border data flows, digital trade, and technological cooperation.

23.          Now, as the support for free trade and globalisation frays, we will work with likeminded partners to create new plurilateral and multilateral networks. For example, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Gan Kim Yong has just announced the Future of Investment and Trade Partnership to support open and fair trade. This is our little contribution to try to uphold the global free trade order, which is in our interest.

24.          As tariffs and retaliatory tariffs reshape trade and investment flows, there is also an opportunity for us if we can position ourselves as a reliable and resilient partner.

             a.    Many companies are now talking about their plus one strategy. We aim to be their plus one.

             b.    We can expect to win some and lose some. 

             c.     However, I believe we can still be net positive if we play to our strengths. And we have seen this already being played out in various sectors that I have visited — in the aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) sector and the semiconductor industry. We win some, we lose some, but we can be net positive.  

25.          To do so, we will double down on our man-made competitive advantages. It is often said that Singapore has no natural resources. But Singapore has many man-made competitive advantages.

             a.    First, we will continue to invest in our education and workforce – not just for the first 15 years, but for the next 50 years beyond the school years – by uplifting everyone to embrace the latest technological tools to enhance our productivity.  

                          i.     Artificial Intelligence (AI) is part of this important effort — we have a programme called “AI for Everyone”, just like what we did for the computerisation drive in the late 80s and early 90s.  

             b.    Second, our ability to uphold the rule of law for investors to have the confidence to mobilise their capital, aggregate their talent and protect their IP here. This will remain important and more so than ever before.

             c.     Third, having a stable government and forward-looking Public Service, so that investors can be confident that we think and execute long-term.  This is especially for investments like pharmaceuticals and semi-conductors that require a long gestation period.

26.          To conclude this section, we are actually also all part of the EDB and MTI. Whenever we interact with people overseas, we will also need to pitch for Singapore. I can understand the concerns that many of us have on the job security front. But the best strategy for us is to make sure that we continue to attract good quality investments, so that our people can continue to have the diverse opportunities that they would aspire towards. And all of us, at every opportunity, will have to chip in.

Ensuring no one is left behind and Respecting Diversity

27.          On the social side, let me say that Singapore’s success has never been about economic growth alone. Ultimately, economic growth needs to translate into growing the overall pie for Singaporeans, creating good jobs and enabling all Singaporeans to improve our lives. 

28.          Every one of us aspires to do better. We also want our next generation to do even better than ourselves. It is only human nature for parents and grandparents to want to give our best that we can do for our children and grandchildren.

29.          However, we must not forget that our successes are not just because of our hard work and abilities. It is built upon our society and the help we received along the way, which enabled us to achieve what we have.

30.          And therefore, when we are successful, all of us must remember that we have responsibilities towards those who are further behind.

31.          As societies mature and become more developed, there is always the risk that resources, as well as disadvantages, get passed on from generation to generation. This accentuates inequality and reduces social mobility, and stratification happens.

32.          We see this happening in many countries throughout history, but I think that all of us in this House will be united in saying that we don’t want to see this happening in Singapore.

33.          This is what makes Singapore special, and therefore, the more successful we are, the greater the dangers we face, and the more we need to double and redouble our efforts to break this intergenerational transfer of disadvantage, which many Members have spoken about. As Minister Desmond Lee said yesterday, we will do what we can as a Government. We will try to do more and do better.

34.          Over the years, as Minister Desmond Lee has said, we have rolled out various programmes:  KidSTART, UPLIFT, Comcare, ComLink+. You name it, we will try. We are doing this not just in the early years of a child's life. We are systematically combing through the entire life cycle of a person to see how we can help everyone who needs the help to break that cycle.

35.          It is never-ending work. In fact, the more successful we are, the more we need to try. But we must also see things in context. Our challenge is not so much that the people in our society are left behind, that they are not catching up with the world.

36.          If you look at the statistics, our challenge is slightly different from others. Our challenge is that our gap is not a result of the bottom falling way off the chart. In fact, 80 per cent of our students are above the global average. 90 per cent of our students are above the global average in terms of math and science. Our gap is the result of the top being even further.

37.          That tells us two things. First, we should never cap the top, but we must keep lifting the bottom. Second, we must not make our own children feel that just because they are relatively behind, that somehow they have failed themselves or failed us. 

38.          Our average is way beyond the global average. Even the students from our so-called neighbourhood schools, as some of you would describe them, are generally above the global average. We hosted the International Summit on the Teaching Profession last year. When other people hosted us, they showed us their best school — one school. When we hosted them, we showed them 10 schools every day — any school they chose, we would allow them to walk into the school.

39.          Many of them asked us, “Are you showing us your best school?” We said, “No, we are just showing you the diversity of our schools. We will show you schools from Raffles Institution to Northlight, because all of them will have different challenges, and we will have different curriculums for all of them.”

40.          In fact, someone remarked that he was most impressed, because in Singapore, your zip code does not determine or overwrite your genetic code, as in some other countries.

41.          But having said this, we are not done. All these programmes by themselves, will not be enough. Each of us – even those who may not feel we have the most – can and must contribute in our own ways to support those with less, and to uplift the less privileged to keep our society mobile.

42.          And this is why we mobilise the time, talent and treasures of people to complement what the Government and taxation already do. 

43.          This reminds all of us that we have agency and responsibility towards one another.

44.          As we hear the calls to do more for various groups, each one meritorious in its own right, we must also be clear-eyed that because resources are finite, we will need to come to a societal consensus about who we should help more.

45.          This means that some of us will have to moderate our expectations, because there are others who need help more than we do. 

46.          Everyone gets help and everyone gets something. But not all of us will get the same. And I am sure that Members of the House would also agree with me that it does not make sense for all of us to get the same. Different strokes for different folks; each according to our needs. I think all of us can all agree on this, so let us not be divided by invidious comparisons when this is actually executed.

47.          I’m sure members of the House would have this experience going around in your hawker centres and markets. Very often, someone would come up and ask “Minister or MP, why is it that this month, I didn’t get this payout that my neighbour got?”

48.          You can try your very best to explain why. But unfortunately, we are all humans, and very often invidious comparisons happen. If we are true to what we believe in, that we should do more to help those with less, then when we execute this, we must also help to explain this to everyone.

49.          In Singapore, we do not have a single yardstick for success. When I was the Minister for Education, I saw the diversity of talents among Singaporeans, and this is what makes our country resilient and special.

50.          As a society, we must truly respect and reward the diversity of strengths and celebrate excellence in multiple fields.

51.          All these have been said very often. What can we do? I have two humble suggestions. Maybe it is useful for us to start our conversations with our children, not with “What grades do you get in school?” or “How did you score compared to your peers?”

52.          I have always asked two questions whenever I met the students when I was the Minister for Education. First question is: “Can you tell me, what makes your special?” Because you can score however many A’s that you have, but if throughout your education process, if you do not know what your strengths and weaknesses are, and what makes your special, then I don’t think we have succeeded. And for a child to know that he or she is special is very important. It can be a life-changing experience.

53.          When I was in school, I thought my mathematics was so-so. One day, my teacher told me, “Your mathematics is quite good.” Suddenly, I was like, “Wow, my mathematics is quite good. I must study harder.” Simple words changed my life.

54.          The other question that I think we can encourage ourselves to ask our children, especially during Chinese New Year, Hari Raya and Deepavali, is not so much as “What have you achieved?” but “Where would you like to make a contribution?”

55.          For every Singaporean child growing up to know that regardless of your station in life, you can make a contribution because you have something special in you, and collectively each of us, just like the weiqi pieces, we will come up with that winning formulation. 

56.          So let us respect the diversity of talents, and let us encourage our children to understand what makes them special, and how each and every one of them can make a special contribution.

57.          Now, beyond government policies and institutions such as the Ethnic Integration Policy, NS and Schools, I think many members have also highlighted the need for us to enhance our interactions so that we truly get out of our comfort zone, to get to know people who are different from us, and more importantly, through this process, to try and find common ground based on mutual respect. This is something that is work-in-progress and something that as Members of Parliament, we all need to do.

58.          The Housing & Development Board (HDB) can build us the most beautiful houses and towns, but it is us, the residents, who will build the most heartwarming homes and communities.

59.          So let us not be trapped by this incessant comparison among ourselves. Yes, look at the right side of the bell curve to try to aspire to do better, but never forget our responsibility to those who are on the left side of the bell curve.

Governance

 60.          Now, let me move on to the issue of governance. Singapore has done reasonably well by most measures, but we must never be complacent. Our accomplishments are not predictions for future successes.

61.          There are many metrics on whether a country or a government has done well. Sometimes we get a good ranking. Let us not let it get into our heads. Sometimes, we don’t get such a good ranking, and it is time for introspection but also never let it get into our hearts and wear us down. There will always be room for us to improve, but what is most important is for us to have the confidence and conviction to do what we think is right for our people, by our people, and to see it through. 

62.          There is no shortage of good ideas on what different countries can do. But one of the most difficult things to do is to execute the average ideas consistently. Having average ideas executed consistently will beat that brilliant idea which is a flash in the pan. In Singapore, we have the privilege of being able to execute consistently for many years, and that was what I shared with my overseas counterparts when I was in MOE. My counterparts always thought that Singapore has some brilliant technology or system, but the truth is, whatever MOE can deliver today, we thank our predecessors, who have seen it through consistently for us.

63.          However, let us not be complacent.

64.          Take the example of the adoption of technology, digitalisation and artificial intelligence.

65.          Countries that once trailed us are now seizing opportunities to build momentum and to leapfrog ahead, with a key advantage being that they have fewer legacy systems.

66.          This is a stark reminder to us that if we stand still, we will fall behind.

67.          Therefore, the Public Service will endeavour to not just do things better, but to also do better things with our finite resources.

68.          An example is the way that the Government is serving citizens and businesses. Whether it is our ServiceSG Centres, the Municipal Services Office, or the new SME Pro-Enterprise Office, these are just ways we are working together across government — to make services simpler, more connected and more helpful for our people and businesses.

69.          Each of these reflects our determination to deliver greater value and do better things with our finite resources.

70.          On the other hand, we must not copy blindly but be bold enough to look for our own solutions. Our founding leaders and Pioneer Generation did exactly that, from introducing National Service to safeguard our sovereignty and security, to setting up the EDB to attract investments, and the HDB to provide affordable and quality homes. We did not copy others but found our own way.

71.          And even for something like the Central Provident Fund (CPF), we have continuously evolved it over the years, expanding from retirement savings to meet housing and healthcare needs, while providing stronger safety nets for the elderly and vulnerable. Each of these decisions took courage, clarity of vision, and a willingness to chart our own path and the conviction to see it through. It is not just as simple as just plucking an idea from some other country and copying it.

72.          Now, I come to the most difficult challenge. Delivering with our people will require a new approach from the government and a new understanding with our people.

73.          Delivering with our people means that our government must be prepared to engage even before all policy details have been finalised internally.

74.          On the other hand, our people must also accept that not everyone’s ideas will be adopted in full or in part.

75.          Let me share a little vignette I learned from Minister Vivian Balakrishnan when I took over then-Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) from him. The first thing he told me was: “Chun Sing, when you become Minister, you must consult widely. But remember, after you have consulted 100 people and you have chosen your idea, you must go back to the other 99 to explain to them why their ideas were not chosen. Each of them must be convinced on why their ideas were not chosen after they have given you their feedback.” That was 14 or 15 years ago, but I think that this still applies today.

76.          The other thing is this. As we evolve our processes and services at speed to achieve timeliness and relevance, we must also accept that we may not always achieve that perfect or flawless product or policy, if there was ever such a thing.  What matters most is to learn and keep improving fast, rather than let the pursuit of perfection paralyse us from timely deployment of new solutions. This is the spirit that the CPF Board (CPFB) and GovTech have taken. No one in CPFB or GovTech would claim that their products are perfect or flawless. They all know that they have to keep improving, but they also know that they have to be timely and relevant in their delivery. 

77.          As the challenges confronting Singapore are multi-dimensional, we will also need the Public Service to acquire new capabilities.

78.          The Public Service will continue to remain open and attract diverse talent, including mid-careerists, and provide opportunities for officers to gain exposure to the private and people sectors. Now, increasingly important, we must also expose our officers to the international organisations to understand how the world is evolving, and we must secure a place at the table where international rules are made. Otherwise, as the saying goes – we are either at the table or on the menu.

79.          From the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the 1970s to the recent debate on climate change, the biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction and the cyber domains, many new rules are made on the international front. We will need our people to be au fait with the developments in order to secure our interests.

80.          Next, after hearing all the good ideas, this government will have the difficult task of balancing our public finances.

81.          We have been fortunate to be able to keep our finances sustainable, while delivering high quality public services, because we run a tight ship.

82.          We have been prudent with our spending, saving a little year after year; invested these savings wisely and gradually built up our reserves; and instituted rigorous safeguards to protect the reserves – making sure that we only spent the money when we really needed to.

83.          However, as we have heard over the course of this week’s debate, we have heard many new ideas, many new demands, and all of that will ultimately translate into some form of resource needs.

84.          Hence, in this House, we must be judicious in deciding how to spend our public funds, and be honest with ourselves about the trade-offs.

85.          Everything we want to do more of means something less for other current or future needs.  We should not and cannot pretend that there is somehow, somewhere, a free lunch. We must also be honest with our own residents where those trade-offs are. 

86.          It also means making difficult political decisions, such as raising taxes when we need to – as we had done with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) increases – to ensure that our revenues continue to keep up with our spending needs.

87.          I can understand, I can appreciate the calls for us to spend more given our challenges. But I am always reminded of this. Let us think about it. Where did our reserves come from?

88.          Our forefathers started saving in the 1960s. In the 1960s, we had the British withdrawing its military presence from major bases east of the Suez Canal. My grandmother and her family lost their jobs overnight. In the 1970s, we had the two oil crises. In the 1980s, we had the economic recession. In the 1990s, we had the Asian Financial Crisis, and in the 2000s we had the Global Financial Crisis. Then we had of course, SARS and COVID-19 pandemic.

89.          Weren't those tough times? Did any of our pioneers say that life was too hard and therefore we would not save for the next generation? No, they didn't, no matter how tough those times were. And arguably, there were moments that were even tougher than now, but they have made it a point to save up for us and, today, we are benefiting from this.

90.          I think it is only responsible of us to similarly hold on to this spirit. Of course, the government will do what we can to spend carefully to take care of this generation, but let us not forget that we must also take care of future generations, although they are not here to cast their votes.

91.          That is what makes Singapore special, that we do not define success by how well we do for our generation only. We define our success by how well we enable the next generation to do even better than us.

92.          Our Changi Airport Terminals 1, 2 and 3 that we enjoy were built by the previous generation for us. Now, we are building Terminal 5 for the next generation. This is the spirit of Singapore.

93.          In the many Committees of Supply debates I have attended in this house, we have not had to make very difficult decisions on what to cut in order to fund what we want to do more. We have been fortunate. We have a growing pie, but it is not the natural order of things in most countries. Even so, we should maintain our discipline. Every grant, expenditure and subsidy has a long tail. Once committed, they will be hard to remove. In budget speak, or in MOF speak, we must not use up our white space, our future spending capacity, without considering the need to cater to unforeseen circumstances which will certainly happen from time to time – like COVID-19 or SARS.

94.          This goes back to where we started. We must focus on growing the overall economic pie for us to have the options and the luxury to make easier decisions.

95.          The challenges ahead will be different from those in the past, but the core principles remain: to anticipate change, to be bold, innovative and pragmatic in finding solutions that work for us, and keep building a fair, strong, and united Singapore for generations to come.

Conclusion: Our Values

96.          Mr Speaker, Singapore has come a long way in the 60 years since our independence. Our pioneer generation and founding leaders had built a nation upon the foundations of conviction, not convenience

97.          From the very beginning, we have faced challenges head-on, never shirking our responsibility to one another nor to future generations. Together, we have weathered storms, overcome adversity, and emerged stronger each time.

98.          Through crises such as the Asian Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, we stood together – government, businesses, community and citizens – supporting one another and overcoming the challenges and always promising one another that we will emerge stronger. These experiences have shown that our strength lies in our unity and ability to trust and work with one another.

99.          Recently, I gave out scholarships to Public Service Commission (PSC) and MINDEF recipients. I shared with them this simple message: “When I was awarded the scholarship, it was SG23. Nobody told me the challenges ahead.” Now, we are in SG60. I told this generation of scholars, “You are taking up the scholarship at SG60. Your job is to get us to SG100 and beyond.” I also told them that if they had a doubt, there is a cooling off period and they can decide not to take up the scholarship. None of them flinched.

100.       I am proud of them, because I did not promise them that if they get a scholarship with the PSC or MINDEF, that life would be a bed of roses. There is nothing that would guarantee us to get to SG100. I also told them that, well, if I'm so lucky to be able to see the fireworks at the Padang on the 9^th of August 2065, maybe they can spare me a pair of National Day Parade (NDP) tickets.

101.       To take Singapore to SG100 and beyond, we will need leaders at all levels of society – a nation of lions led by lions –  to have a strong sense of mission and the gumption to defy the odds; to remember our vulnerabilities as a nation but never be shackled by them; a people who dare to dream and innovate, and are willing to match their aspirations with our perspirations.

102.       Last but not least, we will need people who live by these values: that we will put our collective before self, putting the We before Me, and caring for one another, so that we can be truly proud that if you want to have the best opportunities in life, anywhere in the world, you want to be born in Singapore. 

103.       I thank all members for your vigorous and constructive debate over the course of this week. Your insights and ideas will help shape our policies and programmes going forward.

104.       As we chart our path towards SG100 and beyond, let us stand united in purpose in this House. For there will be no challenge too great, no obstacle too daunting, that we cannot overcome, together.

105.       Our commitment is, as everyone has said, to build a better future for everyone, including those Singaporeans who are yet to be born.

106.       Together, we will write the next chapter of Singapore’s history. This Government will not only deliver for Singaporeans, this Government will deliver with Singaporeans. Thank you very much.