Singapore celebrates 60 years of independence, Prime Minister Wong calls for unity

In his National Day speech, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong recalled the city-state's difficult origins, which saw it rise “from Third World to First World” thanks to determination and cohesion. Faced with increasingly complex global challenges, he urged citizens to move quickly, innovate and renew the social contract, promising support for vulnerable families and more opportunities for all Singaporeans.

Singapore (AsiaNews) - Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, in his speech for National Day celebrated today, 9 August, struck a tone of resilience and unity with an eye to the future, declaring that Singapore will face a more turbulent and uncertain world with the same determination that has taken it from ‘Third to First World’ over the past 60 years.

Speaking from Padang, the historic site of the first National Day parade in 1966, the prime minister reminded Singaporeans of their nation's unlikely origins and the challenges that have shaped its destiny. Singapore's first head of state, Yusof Ishak, took office in Padang in 1959.

‘Sixty years ago, Singapore became a sovereign, democratic and independent nation,’ he said, recalling the proclamation of independence by founding leader Lee Kuan Yew. ‘We did not want to become independent. We were simply too small, too exposed, too vulnerable to go it alone. But circumstances forced us to do so.’

In 1965, the consensus among Singapore's founding leaders was that the island should be part of Malaysia in order to survive. Instead, after the separation, Singapore had to invoke ‘the resolve and will to survive as an independent nation’ despite its precarious position.

‘At many points, history could easily have taken a turn for the worse. Yet, against all odds, we made it,’ Wong said. ‘That is what makes today's celebrations so meaningful: we not only survived, but we prevailed and prospered when few believed we would survive.’

The prime minister recalled the challenges the city-state has faced: racial riots, British military withdrawal, economic recessions, terrorism and global pandemics.

‘Each time, we picked ourselves up, learned from our failures and found the strength and will to carry on. Above all, we remained united, even when powerful forces sought to divide us,’ the prime minister said. ‘Through trials, tears and tribulations, we have built a strong and free nation. We have built a home for all, regardless of race, language or religion.’

Looking ahead, Wong pointed out that the global climate has changed dramatically, and not for the better. ‘Three months ago, I spoke of a changed world. Since then, the situation has become even more serious,’ he said, citing new conflicts, deepening geopolitical tensions, hardening trade barriers and rising protectionist sentiments.

‘To put it bluntly, the global order that has enabled Singapore to prosper for decades is dissolving before our eyes. This is the world we must now navigate, a world that is more contested, more fragmented and more volatile than before.’

Although Singapore's economy has been resilient so far, ‘the outlook remains highly uncertain,’ Wong added, noting that the Singapore Economic Resilience Task Force, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, is implementing targeted measures to support businesses and maintain employment for Singaporeans.

But he stressed that the country must look beyond the immediate challenges. ‘We are renewing our economic strategy to strengthen our competitiveness, deepen our capabilities and secure our future in a very different world,’ he continued.

Singapore must remain ‘exceptional in our cohesion, our resolve, our performance’ and move faster, adapt quicker and innovate smarter than our competitors. This means embracing technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics and applying them meaningfully across the economy.

‘The pace of change will be rapid and not always comfortable. There will be disruption. Not everyone will find the transition easy,’ he warned. ‘But no one will face these challenges alone. This government will walk this path with you, just as we have done for 60 years.’

The prime minister pledged to expand opportunities for learning and upskilling, strengthen social safety nets and help Singaporeans recover from setbacks. ‘That is why I launched “Forward Singapore”: to renew our social contract and give every Singaporean the support and confidence to face the road ahead.’

Wong promised more measures to support low-income families and create more pathways for every Singaporean to succeed, ‘regardless of their starting point in life.’

‘This is a shared effort, involving everyone in “Team Singapore”. We are working with community groups, businesses, unions and many passionate individuals – all working together to come up with solutions, put ideas into action and make a difference on the ground.’.

As part of the celebrations, a special exhibition has been opened at the Orchard Library, showcasing the aspirations and hopes of Singaporeans for the future of the nation.“In the exhibition, you will see a collection of ground-up aspirations and wishes – each one reflecting a vision of what Singapore can be,” he said. “Let us turn these dreams into reality, and bring our hopes to life – in our homes, in our schools and in our communities.”

• Singapore
• independence
• 60 years
• Lawrence Wong