The city-state’s greying population and the rising cost of living present immediate challenges that must be addressed, but the most important responsibility of the government is to strengthen the economy for future generations, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Speaking at a National Day celebration dinner at Teck Ghee Community Club on Saturday, he said that seniors will be taken care of and help will be provided to cushion the impact of the rising cost of living here, so that no one is left behind as the nation progresses.
“They brought us here, we owe them a great debt of gratitude, and we want to make sure they’re all right in their golden years. And we must remember where we came from, how we got here.
“But our most important responsibility is to the future, to make sure that Singapore can make progress, to make sure that our children are well prepared, to make sure our economy is strong and Singapore is well defended. And we can move forward with confidence,” added Lee, who is MP for Teck Ghee ward in Ang Mo Kio GRC.
Such confidence will ensure a bright future for Singapore regardless of global events – be it a Covid-19 pandemic, tension between the great powers or a war in Ukraine, he said.
It is the focus for him now, and will be for his successors.
Reiterating the importance of active ageing mentioned during the National Day Rally on Aug 20, Lee pointed to an expanding network of Active Ageing Centres that provide services to help seniors stay active, healthy and socially engaged. The services will also be expanded.
Urging residents in Teck Ghee to participate, he said that activities such as zumba, yoga and taijiquan are conducted in the five Active Ageing Centres, community club and Residents’ Networks in Teck Ghee.
On Aug 20, he also announced an upgraded Enhancement for Active Seniors (Ease) 2.0 programme that includes wider toilet entrances and foldable shower seats for seniors in their Housing Board homes.
Roads will also be more pedestrian-friendly, with longer green-man signals to allow more time for older people to cross.
The move to make Singapore’s living spaces more senior-friendly will start with towns with the most seniors, such as Ang Mo Kio and Bukit Merah, before being expanded nationwide.
On Saturday, Lee said the Teck Ghee town centre will be more senior-friendly, with more ramps, rest points and shelters. In the silver zone, roads will be made narrower so cars have to drive slower.
A video commemorating founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew’s 100th birth anniversary was played during the dinner.
Reflecting on the values championed by Kuan Yew, Lee said: “Remember what he fought for, what he stood for, what he tried to achieve and what we should continue to work towards in the next generation and the next...”
Citing a memorable quote from Kuan Yew, Lee said: “One of the quotes from Mr Lee is talking about the leadership of Singapore. He says, ‘My deepest responsibility is not to the present and certainly not to the past. But to the future of Singapore’.” — The Straits Times/ANN
