- Joined
- Jan 23, 2010
- Messages
- 1,746
- Points
- 0
'Please take good care of Singapore. It's a precious jewel'
PM Lee to young voters
By Elgin Toh & Jessica Lim
PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday encouraged young voters to come forward and shape Singapore according to their dreams and ideals.
But he also urged these mostly first- time voters to 'please take good care of Singapore' and think carefully about who they give their vote to in this general election.
To a crowd of young professionals at a lunchtime rally at Boat Quay in the Central Business District, he said: 'This country belongs to the young people.
'The older generation... we are building this so that you, the younger generation, can inherit it from us. And it's for you to build on it further, to improve on what we've been able to do, to change what is no longer relevant.'
As if handing over a priceless heirloom, he implored: 'Please take good care of Singapore. It's a precious jewel. Understand it, how it works, what the important components are, what the spirit of it is, how to make it better.'
His call comes ahead of Saturday's elections in which those born after Singapore's independence will make up one in two voters. It was one in three in the 2001 General Election.
Noting that these voters have a different world view from their parents, Mr Lee said: 'You're idealistic, you're questioning, you're looking for values to uphold, causes to believe in.'
He said that their parents, on the other hand, who may have put as many as 10 general elections behind them, are more likely to vote based on 'gut instinct and loyalty and long experience' of what they know works in Singapore.
'They know what can go wrong if you have a bad government,' he said.
He thus called on the young to consider three questions when casting their votes: 'What can each party offer? Who can serve you best? Whose plans will give you a brighter future?'
He also took the opportunity to thank members of Young PAP for engaging their peers, both online and in the real world.
First-time voter Clifford Goh, 29, agreed that his parents voted based on loyalty because they have enjoyed the security that the People's Action Party (PAP) Government has brought about.
'They are more in their comfort zone. We youth are a more risk-taking bunch, but that doesn't mean we'll vote for the opposition for the sake of it,' said the human resource consultant, a Marine Parade GRC resident who is still undecided.
He added that he would consider issues like affordability of public housing, transport system improvements and cost of living when he casts his vote.
Bank analyst Chong Chee Siang, 28, who was also at the rally, said the Prime Minister's speech could have addressed more issues that youth are specifically concerned about.
'We want to hear more about what the PAP would do to address our day-to-day concerns going forward, not what it has done so far.'
He listed these as the number of foreign talent coming here, the congested transport system and housing grants for those in the 'sandwiched' class.
[email protected]
[email protected]
PM Lee to young voters
By Elgin Toh & Jessica Lim
PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday encouraged young voters to come forward and shape Singapore according to their dreams and ideals.
But he also urged these mostly first- time voters to 'please take good care of Singapore' and think carefully about who they give their vote to in this general election.
To a crowd of young professionals at a lunchtime rally at Boat Quay in the Central Business District, he said: 'This country belongs to the young people.
'The older generation... we are building this so that you, the younger generation, can inherit it from us. And it's for you to build on it further, to improve on what we've been able to do, to change what is no longer relevant.'
As if handing over a priceless heirloom, he implored: 'Please take good care of Singapore. It's a precious jewel. Understand it, how it works, what the important components are, what the spirit of it is, how to make it better.'
His call comes ahead of Saturday's elections in which those born after Singapore's independence will make up one in two voters. It was one in three in the 2001 General Election.
Noting that these voters have a different world view from their parents, Mr Lee said: 'You're idealistic, you're questioning, you're looking for values to uphold, causes to believe in.'
He said that their parents, on the other hand, who may have put as many as 10 general elections behind them, are more likely to vote based on 'gut instinct and loyalty and long experience' of what they know works in Singapore.
'They know what can go wrong if you have a bad government,' he said.
He thus called on the young to consider three questions when casting their votes: 'What can each party offer? Who can serve you best? Whose plans will give you a brighter future?'
He also took the opportunity to thank members of Young PAP for engaging their peers, both online and in the real world.
First-time voter Clifford Goh, 29, agreed that his parents voted based on loyalty because they have enjoyed the security that the People's Action Party (PAP) Government has brought about.
'They are more in their comfort zone. We youth are a more risk-taking bunch, but that doesn't mean we'll vote for the opposition for the sake of it,' said the human resource consultant, a Marine Parade GRC resident who is still undecided.
He added that he would consider issues like affordability of public housing, transport system improvements and cost of living when he casts his vote.
Bank analyst Chong Chee Siang, 28, who was also at the rally, said the Prime Minister's speech could have addressed more issues that youth are specifically concerned about.
'We want to hear more about what the PAP would do to address our day-to-day concerns going forward, not what it has done so far.'
He listed these as the number of foreign talent coming here, the congested transport system and housing grants for those in the 'sandwiched' class.
[email protected]
[email protected]
