Singapore’s battle against COVID-19 has “strained fault lines” in society, and brought up difficult issues that the country needs to deal with, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his National Day message on Sunday (8 Aug).

Speaking in a video filmed at the Symphony Lake in the Botanic Gardens, Mr Lee noted that the fight against the “formidable” COVID-19 has seen many ups and downs.

“In Singapore, each time we think we are getting it under control, it has surprised us,” he added.

Touching on the Jurong Fishery Port cluster, which saw the virus spread to wet markets across the country, Mr Lee pointed out that the event has put unvaccinated elderly “at risk”.

“We had to tighten up again, to slow down transmission, protect our seniors, and buy time to vaccinate more people,” he added.

Mr Lee went on to say that many Singaporeans were “disappointed at this turn of events”, which felt like a setback after all the progress that was made. However, he assured that the goal was always to “protect both lives and livelihoods”.

“We have tried to strike this difficult balance through a combination of public health measures, social discipline, and financial support for families, workers, and businesses,” he said.

“We also depended on the heroic efforts of our healthcare workers and those supporting them. There are certainly areas where we could have done better. But ultimately, we have kept everyone in Singapore, including migrant workers, safe. Thankfully, very few lives have been lost to COVID-19.”

Touching on the country’s vaccination progress, Mr Lee stated that one per cent of Singapore’s population is getting vaccinated on a daily basis right now.

“More than two-thirds of our residents are fully vaccinated. Among our elderly, more than 85 per cent have received at least one dose. A higher proportion of our population is now better protected,” he elaborated.

As such, Mr Lee asserted that Singapore is in a “more resilient position”, adding that the country can now look forward to a “careful, step-by-step reopening” of the economy.

Noting that the battle against COVID-19 has “taken a toll” on the country, he highlighted the need for everyone to “watch out for one another”.

“Singaporeans have worked together, looked out for others, and relied on one another throughout this crisis. Our social cohesion has held. But we cannot take this for granted. COVID-19 has strained fault lines in our society, and brought up difficult issues that we need to deal with,” Mr Lee expressed.

He went on to highlight three issues that the country must deal with: helping lower-wage workers to progress, addressing anxieties over foreigners, and managing issues of race and religion.

Helping lower-wage workers to progress

“First, we must support our lower-wage workers. They have felt the impact of COVID-19 most acutely. Like all Singaporeans, lower-wage workers and their families have good and affordable healthcare, housing, and education,” said Mr Lee.

“They have found it harder to cope with reduced incomes and unexpected job losses, as they have less savings and buffer. We have therefore given them more help in this crisis,” he added.

As Singapore moves towards an increasingly skills-based economy, Mr Lee noted that lower-wage workers will need “more sustained support”.

“A tripartite workgroup has been developing proposals to improve their lives and prospects. These will build on Workfare and the Progressive Wage Model to boost their incomes and create new opportunities for upskilling and job progression,” he explained.

Mr Lee went on to say that real progress for lower-wage workers is an “essential part of inclusive growth”.

“In Singapore, no matter where you start in life, we want to make sure you and your children will have every chance to improve yourselves and move ahead,” he remarked.

Addressing anxieties over foreigners

The Prime Minister proceeded to address Singaporeans’ anxieties over foreign work pass holders.

To begin with, Mr Lee asserted that work pass holders help expand the country’s economy, and create more opportunities for Singapore.

“When we complement our own workforce with skills from around the world, more companies will invest here, and this then creates more jobs for Singaporeans. This is a virtuous cycle. Singaporeans understand this: that we need to welcome the talent and expertise that our economy needs,” he explained.

However, when the number of work pass holders is large, people would “naturally become worried” about competition for jobs, Mr Lee stressed, adding that the uncertainties of COVID-19 have worsened such anxieties.

“Work pass holders reinforce the team, but may also compete directly with their local colleagues. Sometimes the locals feel unfairly treated, for instance when they miss out on being hired or promoted,” he elaborated.

“Outside work, from time to time there are also social frictions, because some work pass holders and their families have not fully adapted to our social norms, nor fully integrated into our society.”

Noting that he understands these anxieties and problems, Mr Lee assured that the Government is looking into addressing them.

He continued, “We have to adjust our policies to manage the quality, numbers, and concentrations of foreigners in Singapore. If we do this well, we can continue to welcome foreign workers and new immigrants, as we must.

“Turning inwards is against our fundamental interests. It would damage Singapore’s standing as a global and regional hub. It would cost us jobs and opportunities.

“Most importantly, it goes against our values of openness, and of being accepting of others who are different from us. We uphold these values, because they have anchored us, and helped us progress over the years as a nation.”

Managing issues of race and religion

Singaporeans take pride being a “uniquely harmonious, multiracial society”, said the Prime Minister.

Issues of race and religion must be managed carefully, Mr Lee stressed, though he acknowledged that maintaining social harmony “takes unremitting work”.

“Our social norms evolve with each successive generation, shaped by different life experiences and aspirations. These norms are also influenced by external trends, because we are so open and connected to the rest of the world. Therefore, with every new generation, our racial harmony needs to be refreshed, reaffirmed, and reinforced,” he added.

Touching on the recent racist incidents that were widely publicised and amplified by social media, Mr Lee expressed that such incidents are “worrying, but they are not the norm”.

He noted that there are many happy interracial interactions that take place every day, but they seldom go viral.

“The negative incidents do not mean that our approach is failing. However, they illustrate how issues of race and religion will always be highly emotive, and can easily divide us. Therefore, such issues will always need close attention,” said Mr Lee.

He continued, “It is helpful to air and acknowledge these sensitive issues. We need to do this candidly and respectfully. It took several generations of sustained effort to bring our races and religions together, and grow the common space that we now share.

“This harmony did not result from every group stridently insisting on its identity and rights; it was the fruit of mutual understanding and compromise by all parties – the majority as well as the minorities.”

Mr Lee went on to say that Singapore must not “lightly give up this hard-won and delicate balance”.

“As our society evolves, we have to continually adjust this balance to maintain our social harmony. It is the Government’s duty to manage these issues on behalf of all Singaporeans, regardless of race, language, or religion. To do this, we will need your cooperation, support, and trust,” he added.

Conclusion

All these stresses and strains that the country has been facing “are not unique” to Singapore, said the Prime Minister.

Mr Lee stated that many other countries are “struggling with far deeper divisions”, adding that such issues are not completely new to Singaporeans as well.

He continued, “When Singapore became self-governing in 1959, different racial groups lived separately, attended different schools in different languages, and worked in different types of jobs and businesses. To help everyone appreciate one another’s cultures and practices, the newly elected PAP government organised a series of multicultural concerts.

“They were called the Aneka Ragam Rakyat, or People’s Variety Concerts. I remember my parents bringing me to watch the first Aneka Ragam Rakyat, which was held here at the Botanic Gardens. These concerts were an early start to our journey to becoming one people, one nation.

“Our nation building has come a long way since, but our journey continues.”

Mr Lee went on to say that new crises will arise from time to time, which will test Singapore’s resolve and unity.

Nonetheless, he asserted that COVID-19 has shown that the people can “face them with grit and determination, and stay as one united people”.

The Prime Minister concluded his National Day message saying, “As this year’s NDP theme song goes, ‘We did it before, and we’ll do it again!‘ I am confident that Singapore can keep on building a more harmonious society, a more prosperous economy, and a more successful nation for generations to come. Happy National Day!”