SINGAPORE — Singaporeans from all walks of life will be invited to participate in a series of discussions, led by the fourth generation (4G) leaders and other Members of Parliament, on charting the Republic’s future, said Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat.
Wrapping up the debate on the President’s Address on Friday (May 18), Mr Heng said the Government will consult widely by reaching out to Singaporeans in different stages of life and across various occupations. It will also reach out directly to volunteer groups, different interest groups, and others who are actively contributing to society in their own ways.
“The fourth-generation leadership will listen with humility and respect. We will consider all views with an open mind, and adjust our course accordingly. We will communicate the thinking behind our decisions clearly. We will bring Singaporeans together and give everyone a role to turn good ideas into concrete action,” he said.
The Government will consolidate views aired in the House during the week-long debate before sharing further details on the dialogue series. These discussions which will form part of a wider effort to build Singapore’s future direction.
Last month, a separate series of dialogues were also launched to gather the views of young Singaporeans on important national issues. These ongoing Youth Conversations are part of a larger Singapore Youth Conference organised by the National Youth Council and the People's Association.
“Their views are important because they are our future. But we want to hear from others like the Gen X, Baby Boomers and Pioneers too,” said Mr Heng on Friday.
To move Singapore forward, the Government will continue to work on bringing out the best in its people, and forging a culture of partnership between various quarters in society.
But as the Republic gets confronted by increasingly complex challenges, the Government “will not have all the solutions”, said Mr Heng.
“We will need to harness the diverse strengths of our society, through leaders at different levels. By working together, we can achieve something greater than the sum of our parts… It is only when all parts step up, that we can best draw from diverse strengths across society to make a difference,” he said.
In 2012 and 2013, Mr Heng, then Education Minister, led a similar engagement exercise dubbed Our Singapore Conversation, where some 46,000 countrymen gave their take on a wide range of issues involving housing, healthcare, transport, education and social security, among others.
The Republic saw several policy shifts following that exercise, such as moves towards lifetime health insurance coverage for Singaporeans and permanent residents and an expansion of grants for public housing.
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