Hold on to core values amid changes: PM Lee
Govt 'will manage pace of change to keep sense of belonging'
By Li Xueying, Political Correspondent
AS THE world changes, so too must Singapore.
But even as the country keeps reinventing itself to keep up with global developments, Singaporeans must hold fast to certain constants - their core values, Asian heritage and 'the national spirit' to overcome crises together, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
In his Chinese New Year message, where he traditionally also focuses on the importance of family togetherness, Mr Lee took stock of some hot-button issues that concern Singaporeans.
Some 'feel a sense of dislocation and unfamiliarity' amid the rapid changes.
While there are physical improvements such as the new Marina Bay skyline and upgraded housing estates, society is also changing on a more intangible level.
Younger Singaporeans have different attitudes and aspirations, he observed.
Also, the population has been augmented with a good number of new immigrants, he said, referring to the influx of foreigners in recent years.
Acknowledging that there has been some unease with these trends, he said that while Singapore cannot stay static, the Government 'will manage the pace of change so that we keep our bearings, sense of place and sense of belonging'.
It is important to hold fast to core attributes, he said.
'This means we have to preserve a Singaporean core in our society. We need immigrants to reinforce our ranks, but we must maintain a clear majority of local-born Singaporeans who set the tone of our society and uphold our core values and ethos.
'We are managing the inflow of foreigners who want to live and work here. Many want to become permanent residents and new citizens, but we will only select those who can add value to Singapore.'
Mr Lee did not specify the ideal proportion, but residents born in Singapore now make up 57.3 per cent of the population.
Meanwhile, Singaporeans also need to have enough babies to replace themselves. It has been 'extremely challenging' getting them to do so, he said, noting that the total fertility rate last year slid to a nadir of 1.16.
'I hope more couples will start or add to their families in the Year of the Rabbit,' he said. 'Chinese New Year is the time for families to come together in celebration, and more babies can only mean more joy in the years to come.'
In transmitting values and culture, Singaporeans also must keep their mother tongues alive, he said.
'Our bilingual education policy has helped to make us a global city and yet kept us an Asian society,' he said.
Thus, updating the teaching of mother tongue languages helps keep it current and effective. Measures such as focusing on interactive communication skills 'will help a new generation to use their mother tongue languages freely in a changing language environment', he added.
The community also has a role to play, Mr Lee said, noting the efforts of groups like clan associations and the Business China networking group to promote the use of Mandarin and preserve traditions. The Government encourages such efforts, as well as similar initiatives of the Malay and Indian communities.
Mr Lee was upbeat about the economy, noting that it 'roared in the Year of the Tiger'. Last year's growth was a record 14.7 per cent.
'The momentum is carrying into the Year of the Rabbit. Our prospects are good, boosted by robust growth in Asia and strong investment flows into Singapore,' he said.
But risks remain in the global economy, especially in the United States and Europe.
However, he noted that confidence in Singapore's economy, along with global monetary conditions, had the effect of driving up property prices - a key concern of Singaporeans.
Recent data showed that the bottom 20 per cent of households suffered disproportionately from higher housing prices. The Government has acted to cool the market, he said, but added that more would be done if necessary: 'We will keep housing affordable to Singaporeans, especially public housing.'
On the rise in prices on the back of inflation, he reiterated that the Government will strive to mitigate the impact in this year's Budget.
'After a good year last year, the Government has more scope to implement schemes to help Singaporeans cope with rising costs, especially lower-income households,' he said.
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Govt 'will manage pace of change to keep sense of belonging'
By Li Xueying, Political Correspondent
AS THE world changes, so too must Singapore.
But even as the country keeps reinventing itself to keep up with global developments, Singaporeans must hold fast to certain constants - their core values, Asian heritage and 'the national spirit' to overcome crises together, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
In his Chinese New Year message, where he traditionally also focuses on the importance of family togetherness, Mr Lee took stock of some hot-button issues that concern Singaporeans.
Some 'feel a sense of dislocation and unfamiliarity' amid the rapid changes.
While there are physical improvements such as the new Marina Bay skyline and upgraded housing estates, society is also changing on a more intangible level.
Younger Singaporeans have different attitudes and aspirations, he observed.
Also, the population has been augmented with a good number of new immigrants, he said, referring to the influx of foreigners in recent years.
Acknowledging that there has been some unease with these trends, he said that while Singapore cannot stay static, the Government 'will manage the pace of change so that we keep our bearings, sense of place and sense of belonging'.
It is important to hold fast to core attributes, he said.
'This means we have to preserve a Singaporean core in our society. We need immigrants to reinforce our ranks, but we must maintain a clear majority of local-born Singaporeans who set the tone of our society and uphold our core values and ethos.
'We are managing the inflow of foreigners who want to live and work here. Many want to become permanent residents and new citizens, but we will only select those who can add value to Singapore.'
Mr Lee did not specify the ideal proportion, but residents born in Singapore now make up 57.3 per cent of the population.
Meanwhile, Singaporeans also need to have enough babies to replace themselves. It has been 'extremely challenging' getting them to do so, he said, noting that the total fertility rate last year slid to a nadir of 1.16.
'I hope more couples will start or add to their families in the Year of the Rabbit,' he said. 'Chinese New Year is the time for families to come together in celebration, and more babies can only mean more joy in the years to come.'
In transmitting values and culture, Singaporeans also must keep their mother tongues alive, he said.
'Our bilingual education policy has helped to make us a global city and yet kept us an Asian society,' he said.
Thus, updating the teaching of mother tongue languages helps keep it current and effective. Measures such as focusing on interactive communication skills 'will help a new generation to use their mother tongue languages freely in a changing language environment', he added.
The community also has a role to play, Mr Lee said, noting the efforts of groups like clan associations and the Business China networking group to promote the use of Mandarin and preserve traditions. The Government encourages such efforts, as well as similar initiatives of the Malay and Indian communities.
Mr Lee was upbeat about the economy, noting that it 'roared in the Year of the Tiger'. Last year's growth was a record 14.7 per cent.
'The momentum is carrying into the Year of the Rabbit. Our prospects are good, boosted by robust growth in Asia and strong investment flows into Singapore,' he said.
But risks remain in the global economy, especially in the United States and Europe.
However, he noted that confidence in Singapore's economy, along with global monetary conditions, had the effect of driving up property prices - a key concern of Singaporeans.
Recent data showed that the bottom 20 per cent of households suffered disproportionately from higher housing prices. The Government has acted to cool the market, he said, but added that more would be done if necessary: 'We will keep housing affordable to Singaporeans, especially public housing.'
On the rise in prices on the back of inflation, he reiterated that the Government will strive to mitigate the impact in this year's Budget.
'After a good year last year, the Government has more scope to implement schemes to help Singaporeans cope with rising costs, especially lower-income households,' he said.
[email protected]
