President Halimah Yacob delivered a speech at the opening of the second session of the 14th Parliament on Monday (April 10)

She spoke about how far Singapore has progressed since it gained independence from Malaysia

Mdm Halimah said some societies have been divided by a lack of trust between the people and their governments

She said Singapore cannot afford to let this happen

The nation's 4G leaders should strengthen their bond with Singaporeans and work with them to "write the next chapter of the Singapore story", she said

The fourth-generation (4G) leadership team proved its ability and grit in the Covid-19 crisis, and must now work closely with Singaporeans "to write the next chapter of our Singapore story", President Halimah Yacob said on Monday (April 10).

In many societies, trust between the political leadership and the people has "gone wrong", leaving deep divisions which are difficult to bridge, Madam Halimah said at the opening of the 14th Parliament's second session.

“Instead of bringing people together, political parties aggravate rifts by divisive appeals for support from competing groups. Their political systems are stuck in gridlock. Consequently, trust in government and its institutions plummets, making recovery even harder,” she said.

“Their political systems are stuck in gridlock. Consequently, trust in government and its institutions plummets, making recovery even harder.

President Halimah Yacob on the internal divisions faced by some countries”

"We cannot afford to let this happen in Singapore," Mdm Halimah said, adding that Singaporeans should work out their differences with mutual respect and trust.

4G LEADERSHIP

Mdm Halimah said that the transition to the 4G leadership is not only “well underway”, but that they have also worked well together and "proven their ability and grit" through their handling of the Covid-19 crisis.

However, even though they have already been “engaging citizens widely” through the Forward Singapore exercise, Mdm Halimah said they must “continue to strengthen their bonds with Singaporeans".

As the country commemorates the centenary of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s birth, she said Singaporeans should reflect on the values and principles of the founding generation of leaders, she said.

“We should reaffirm and uphold our shared values, while re-examining what needs to be updated and possessing the courage to break new ground. Only then can we forge ahead confidently, firm in our footing and sure of our destination,” she said.

Aside from emphasising the importance of trust between the political leadership and the people, Mdm Halimah spoke about how this must also be so between Singaporeans themselves.

CHALLENGES, SETBACKS

Throughout Singapore’s nation-building journey, she said the country has repeatedly faced challenges and setbacks. Yet, it survived when few believed it would, she said.

“When we started out in 1965 (the year of Singapore’s independence from Malaysia), the journey looked so daunting, with so many problems to solve," she said.

"But with courage and determination, our founding leaders and pioneer generations tackled challenges head-on, one by one, and built this thriving metropolis.”

Singapore is now in a much stronger position, and better poised to overcome vulnerabilities and armed with crucial resources to “push forward with confidence, however stormy the weather”, she said.

And while the challenges from the founding years are behind it, Mdm Halimah said there are new challenges ahead, as the nation is faced with an increasingly dangerous and troubled world.

She spoke about the ongoing war in Ukraine, which will have major implications for the security of countries everywhere depending on how the crisis unfolds.

As for the intensifying rivalry between the United States and China, which has recently taken a turn for the worse, she said accidents can easily spiral out of control in ways no one can predict.

"Against the backdrop of great power rivalry, smaller countries like Singapore are experiencing growing pressures to take sides," said Mdm Halimah.

"We must do our utmost to resist such pressures. We have to close ranks and stay united, regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation, especially when it comes to core national interests."

Source:
courtesy of TODAY

by LOW YOUJIN

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