In his first official speech as the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lawrence Wong mentioned the word 'Singaporean' 14 times. This is very unusual and a departure from the official norm that avoids mentioning the word Singaporean in favour of things like locals and residents. And the words 'locals and residents' were totally left out in Lawrence's speech. Is this deliberate, is he saying something without saying it, that he would really be looking after the interests of Singaporeans? Another word that he missed out completely is foreign talent.
Would this speech by Lawrence Wong set a new direction in Singapore's policies that would be more Singaporean and citizen focused? Would Parliament and reports from ministries start to use Singaporeans in their data and statistics instead of locals and residents? Great effort has been made in the drafting of this speech and the words are carefully chosen to reflect his thinking. Could this be the first indicator of a departure from the foreign talent narrative and to differentiate Singaporeans from the foreigners ie PRs, locals and residents?
The last couple of decades of unquestionable policies in favour of foreigners may come into question, or maybe I am hallucinating. Would the interests of Singaporeans now be the top priority of Lawrence Wong? In his speech he kept repeating about looking after Singaporeans, about Singaporean identity, 'to uplift all Singaporeans, not just a few', 'And a Singapore that matters to every Singaporean.'
I am tempted to add the words, ha ha ha. Hope this is not necessary.
Singaporeans reading his speech may feel comforted, at least for the moment. What is important is the things that he will be doing to protect and uplift the interests of Singaporeans. Only time will tell. Just keep the fingers crossed that this is not just rhetoric as the Prime Minister of Singapore and Singaporeans...that he is not the Prime Minister of locals and residents. No one will be left behind! Or you die your business?
And these were the concluding paragraphs of his speech.
"My mission is clear: To continue defying the odds and to sustain this miracle called Singapore.
So that we can reach even greater heights. So that we can be a beacon of hope and unity for ourselves and our children.
My fellow Singaporeans, I ask you to join me and my team in our journey forward. Everyone will have a stake in our nation's progress.
Everyone will play a key role in shaping our future. Let us unite with common purpose and shared resolve.
Let us take Singapore Forward - Together."
8 comments:
Good morning Mr RB and All
Its would be also nice to hear the Pilot or the Chief Steward or Stewardess address when the plane had landed in Singapore- "Welcome to Singapore! Singaporeans you are already home and also hospitality to all other residents and passengers to Singapore"
Not like this lah!
"Welcome to Singapore.
All residents of Singapore you are now in Singapore. Enjoy your stay"
Meaning Singapore do Not belonged to Singaporeans and ALL are just Residents in this Red Dot Hotel.
Also he kept harping that Singaporeans would NOT be a minority in our own country.
Nice to that but in a way alamak still needed to have millions o foreigners in ah?
Have to what? What economy we have except our BTO pigeon holes lah!
Hello can make tons of ahem ahem!
Where to find such lucrative business?
Also spent so much on our MRT lines and needed millions of sardines passengers to make profits what!
Oops, going to advertise those ushers pushing and ramming the sardines into the packed trains soon.
Not bad you know.Can rumble rubble a bit pushing the dainty ladies.
But must wear gloves.
No offence.
Wait for them to split the statistics on Singaporean, PRs and others instead of lumping them under locals or residents, Singaporeans may die from shock.
The more afraid they are to release these data, the more frightening is the picture. By not wanting to tell the full story says a lot. They have a lot to hide from the Singaporeans.
Singaporeans is not a minority, never a minority?
Don't read too much into his speech, basically it is an election speech. Can't imagine how his & pinkies face will look like IF he lost the upcoming election. It must be really a sight to behold...:)
L Wong should make a declaration that Singapore is a nation of 3.4 million Sinkies, and not a nation of 5.9 million as always touted by foreign media such as Bloomberg, Reuters . . .
If I remember correctly, Lawrence Wong was the one who spoke his mind about framing policies to punish Opposition Wards from having access to estate improvements and keeping the opposition estates in poor condition compared to PAP wards. I could not find any of the article about this, but if my memory is faulty, I apologize. Nevertheless, the narrative is true.
Wong claimed that the more repressive the policies are against opposition wards, the more resentments the people of those wards will harbor against the PAP. More repressive stance against them will harden their resolve and the PAP cannot hope to regain such wards, as proven in Hougang. The most telling evidence must be the old man's presence at an election rally in Aljunied GRC years ago, talking about HDB prices, and yet losing that GRC ward to the Workers Party in a historical setback for the PAP.
Of course, the mainstream upgrading program was stopped years ago, after the puncturing of the myth that HDB flats will continue to increase in value after undergoing upgrading. When someone asked whether that still holds true when the lease of the flat reaches 99 years, the PAP leaders were stunned. The PAP knew the cat was out of the bag and stopped the main upgrading programs that they had leveraged on to win votes for years or even decades.
Over the years I have noticed discreet changes in the PAP Government's stand regarding Hougang, a constituency that I have lived in for close to 39 years. Lately there were lift upgrading, home improvement programs like toilet upgrading and other improvements in common areas. Suffice to say, that was one reason I voted Tharman, sorry for that, in the recent Presidential election, a move that I would never have done before in any election, of ever voting for the PAP or those connected with the PAP.
Hougang is now a different estate that even those who moved out earlier have noted the new environment unfolding before their eyes. My two kids who moved out to Punggol after their marriage have still expressed their fondness for the laid-back estate which they grew up in, every time they visit us.
It is interesting to watch and take note of what came out of the mouths of politicians especially when they choose to use the word Singaporean or choose to use locals or residents.
This will define who they are and whether they are for or against Singaporeans.
Can you imagine electing someone to represent and take care of your interests but day in and day out uttering locals and residents, NOT Singaporeans.
Talk is cheap, ACTION speak louder than words. Just a few nice word & sillyporean are easily conned. Most people went into politics with a heart of passion to make this country a better place, however once they tasted power/money, everything went out the windows (a good example is the Lee dynasty). Our pineapple is another example of people who can speak beautifully, look back & think for youreself what policy had he ever come out with that help the citizen.
Hi Anon 10.55
The MUP is a con job by the MND and the HDB.
Most flats owners paid about 14K just for a small hole annexed to the back of kitchen or nearby he bedroom.
They are subsiding the beatification of the exteriors of their estates and how much hassles and sufferings they undergone.
How much extra value to your flats?
Even Philip Yeo said its Stupidity!
Later they stopped this BS.
Better to tear down and build new ones less hassles and faster.
Heard from my friend that his relatives once stayed at Henderson Crescent and was supposed to be MUP.
They voted "NO" as most old folks and not much savings left.
Also old aiyo hassles for at least half a year.
Know what's the HDB did to them?
They were SERs and allocated units at opposite Tiong Bahru Plaza with 99 years leasehold.
Old offers lah.
After 5 years they sold at nearly 700 to 800 K for 3 rooms units.
Their daft neighbouring block voters "YES" and paid their price for their Stupidity.
Conned 14 plus K and kena stayed back with decaying lease.
Now you have SERs you chia lat.
Their scholars everyday like the Americunts only thinks how to sabotage and cull the dafts.
Not they have whats they called VERs that is Voluntary Estate Restlement.
They really very cunning I'm "keng" just like Bidamn who pretended to be Senile.
Going to have two Presidential Debates with Dotard Trump.
See how he goes. Good shows.
OK back yo VERs now they resettle you then you have to top up the balance used lease that you had already stayed in your old flat.
The calculations of the payment for the top up lease is calculated the present market value.
So may have to top up hundreds over thousands to have their 99 years lease.
If not then sorry you resettled by their Rules Bssed Orders and have to quit when your lease Is up.
Also you want to sell how, the buyer don't want lah alamak balance so short the lease and no value lah.
They already implemented the AMK case as Scrape Goat.
So this is gonna be the new offering for SERS and so don't be too happy now thinking strike lottery ah.
The Scholars trained by the Americunts knew how to keng one.
But OK as this be the new VERs that they be implementing years from now to those all old flats and especially those valuable centralised ones, don't worry there a catch that wee Sinkies can use to safeguard our properties.
As since they are called VERs that means it should be Voluntary and a Vote is needed whether to move or not.
So Sinkies must cooperate and all must voted "NO"
Then they cannot forcibly ordered us all to shift.
In the event that they wanted these locations, sure what's since they offered you all VERs must have some plans on.their minds, then they have to give us better terms in order to Kaput us.
Right or Not?
Wow maybe now their think tanks scholars will now brainstorm how to counter this move.
Cheers
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