Fellow Colleagues

Union Representatives

I am happy that we are able to come together today to celebrate Singapore's 41st birthday. All the more so because we are gathered in the lovely Botanic Gardens – a place steeped in Singapore’s rich history and heritage.

2 The theme for this year's National Day is "Our Global City, Our Home" - a very appropriate theme as Singapore is not only a cosmopolitan city, it is also home to over 4 million people from different culture and races. At the Ministry of National Development, we play an important role in making Singapore a home for our people and a global city of distinction.

Providing a Home for Every Singaporean

3 What does a home mean to us? To most of us, it is a roof over our heads, a sanctuary we return to after a long day to spend time with our family and loved ones. Most of us are fortunate enough to own a home. But some of us are not so lucky. The Straits Times recently highlighted the growing income gap among Singaporeans. With this income disparity, there will continue to be a group of low-income Singaporeans who may not be able to afford their own homes.

4 To assist this group of Singaporeans, we have in place various housing schemes such as the Additional CPF Housing Grant and Rent and Purchase Scheme to help low-income families to own their homes. We have also resumed building 2-room flats as an additional housing option for the lower-income group. We will also help those second-timer households who wish to downsize to a smaller unit due to financial hardship.

5 By fine-tuning our policies, and expanding the range of housing options for all Singaporeans, they will continue to enjoy the pleasures of living in a HDB environment, to own their homes and have a stake in Singapore.

6 The elderly and residents with special needs are not forgotten. We are incorporating Universal Design in our new HDB flats and improving accessibility within the estates. BCA is also reviewing the Code for Barrier Free Accessibility to enhance inter-connectivity and elderly-friendly features across the island.

Enhancing Our Living Environment

7 In a larger sense, a home is more than a physical structure. It is also about the community and the environment we live in. To create a pleasant living environment, we are rejuvenating and revitalizing our older housing estates through upgrading programmes and en bloc developments.

8 We are also raising the bar on quality designs for our buildings and public spaces. Quality designs will not only beautify our environment, it can inspire creativity and pride. Raffles City and the Esplanade are just some of the buildings that we have come to identify modern Singapore with. Promoting architecture and urban design excellence is therefore an important part of our strategy to make Singapore an attractive city.

9 To meet the lifestyle and recreation needs of our people and those working in Singapore, we are improving our park facilities. The newly renovated Tanglin Core, where we are standing now, is one such example. NParks has added new attractions like the Herbarium and the Public Reference Centre. We are also bringing the park to the people by building an extensive network of park connectors.

10 To many people, Singapore is well known for its good food, from the humble hawker fare to international fine dining. MND role is to make sure that this food is safe and readily available. AVA has a comprehensive and integrated food safety system, which helps to safeguard Singapore’s international reputation as a food paradise.

Conclusion

11 In 41 years we have come this far – we have provided a home not just for our people, we have also attracted many global citizens to our shores. The good quality of Singapore's living environment with a comfortable, healthy, safe and yet vibrant lifestyle has attracted international talents and businesses to locate here.

12 Going forward, we must strengthen this competitive edge to enhance our position as a distinctive global city and meet the diverse needs of our people. We must capitalize on our unique character and strengths, and embark on forward-looking strategies that will make Singapore stand out.

13 Every one of us here today has a part to play. Let us all work together to contribute to the success of Singapore. I wish you a Happy National Day!

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