Singapore must work hard to make a better future, highlighted Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (pictured) in his annual National Day Speech yesterday – touching on various issues facing Singaporeans today, including housing, public transport, healthcare and employment.
For housing, PM Lee stressed that the government has taken measures to reduce the waiting time spent for booking flats. The National Development Ministry is also looking into concerns over the growing number of singles who can only buy flats on the resale market.
In addition, he also mentioned the country’s two newest universities – the Singapore Institute of Technology and UniSIM, which will increase the annual intake of full-time university students by 3,000 annually by 2020.
However, he noted that the cost of building an inclusive society in Singapore would mean higher taxes although “not immediately, but certainly within the next 20 years”.
Mr Lee also appealed to Singaporeans to support population growth, citing plans by the National Population and Talent Division such as giving housing priority to couples with children, creating a Medisave account for every new born, providing paternity leave in some form, as well as improving the Baby Bonus scheme.
Aside from Mr Lee, three cabinet members – Heng Swee Keat, Education Minister; Lawrence Wong, Senior Minister of State (Education, and Information, Communications and the Arts); and Halimah Yacob, Minister of State (Community Development, Youth and Sports), also spoke during the rally.
Related Stories:
More spot checks to ensure safer construction sites
Hougang to finally get upgrading works