Last year, the world witnessed major changes as some countries departed from established systems and governance, while there were shifts in the relative powers of the bigger countries, amid unhappiness among people over lack of opportunities.

Amid these uncertainties, Singapore needs to continue to focus on social mobility for next generation, as it keeps a keen eye on the global situation, and stick to key guiding principles to avoid being seen as taking sides with any country, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing on Saturday (Feb 04).

Among the events that set off global shockwaves last year were the Brexit vote for the UK to leave the European Union, and the election of United States President Donald Trump.

Speaking at the Tanjong Pagar GRC and Radin Mas SMC Lunar New Year dinner, Mr Chan, who did not name any specific events in his speech, noted that the reason some countries decided to “risk it all” to choose new systems for themselves was because the fruits of the economy were not fairly distributed, or when there are insufficient opportunities for the middle class and the next generation.

This is a “dangerous situation”, particularly for countries like Singapore which deal with the world regularly, he added.

But even as countries moved away from their established systems, Mr Chan said Singaporeans must never make the mistake of assuming that these people are “illogical just because they have chosen something or someone that is not within our conventional expectations”.

Likewise, there will be tendencies for people to champion causes along racial, religious and language lines and overlay them with immigration issues.

To that end, Singapore will have to go beyond focusing on economic growth and take care of everyone in Singapore. “This is the reason why we must make sure the fruits of our growth is fairly distributed… this is also the reason why that for those who have been successful in this globalized world, it is our responsibility to ensure that we reach out and take care of those who might be less successful,” said Mr Chan.

He also stressed Singapore’s policy of meritocracy, where as long “as you are capable, so long as you are hardworking, you will have every chance to rise to the very top”. “That you do not need to worry that your progress in life will be hindered by your race, language or religion,” he added.

As the global balance of powers shifts, Singapore needs to “watch the waves and read the tide carefully”. The Republic is “neither pro country A or anti country B”. “We are just pro Singapore, everything that we do must start from the basic premise of what is in the best interests of Singapore,” he said.

Singapore also supports a stable, open and inclusive international order underpinned by the rule of law. This is why Singapore has supported China’s development and integration to the world order and pushed for several bilateral projects with China, such as the Suzhou Industrial Park, the Tianjin Eco-city and the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative, he added.

The same support is also extended to the United States’ continued engagement in this part of the world. "We want to be friends with both. The Pacific Ocean is big enough for us to find common ground, to work on common projects together,” he said.

Turning to Singapore’s belief in the freedom to navigate the sea and land space, he compared this to how neighbours living in the same Housing and Development Board block should be assured that they can move around without facing problems or be harassed.

Singapore will continue to try to “maximise partnerships” with big and small countries. And to identify “win-win projects”, the country will have to remain alert to what other countries’ interests and expectations are.

Likewise, Singapore will also have to stay successful on the security, economy and social fronts to stay relevant and to continue to partner other countries.

Turning to the economic situation in the year ahead, Mr Chan said local firms need to seek quality growth that is based on innovation rather than manpower. Adding that the “world must be our oyster”, Singaporean firms also need to be prepared to expand beyond the local market. "Unlike other countries, we have no option of closing our borders and thinking that our local market will be able to support our economy," he said.

He added: "We must remain open and connected with the rest of the world. Open to ideas, open to business opportunities beyond our shores, connected to people and connected to ideas."

Source:
courtesy of TODAY

by Siau Ming En

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