Significant progress on hot-button issues: PM

ARCHIVES 2013

By admin-s On Sep 25, 2013

(Today) – “So when an issue comes up, there is less willingness to say: ‘Well, this one I lose, but what to do, it is for the national good’. There is much more desire to say ‘How can this one hurt me, how can you take care of me if you want to do this,” said Mr Lee. “It is a different generation; I think attitudes have changed over the years.”

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday said the Government has made “significant progress” in addressing hot-button issues following the 2011 General Election, but called on Singaporeans to play a role in shaping the country they would like to see.

He felt that while the sense of identity, for instance, has strengthened among Singaporeans, the willingness to sacrifice individual concerns for broader national goals “is probably less” when compared to the previous generation.

“So when an issue comes up, there is less willingness to say: ‘Well, this one I lose, but what to do, it is for the national good’. There is much more desire to say ‘How can this one hurt me, how can you take care of me if you want to do this,” said Mr Lee. “It is a different generation; I think attitudes have changed over the years.”

The Prime Minister made these comments during Channel NewsAsia’s Ask the Prime Minister programme last night, during which he was asked a series of questions on wide-ranging topics concerning governance, forging a social compact and future challenges confronting Singapore.

On the hot-button issues of foreigners, housing and transport, Mr Lee said it “took a while both to manage the issues and also manage the sentiments, and get people to look at it in a more positive and constructive way” as the Government embarked on efforts to address these concerns.

On housing, Mr Lee noted that the Government has built “a lot of units”, reduced the queues for new flats and stabilised prices. “There is more assurance now that you can afford an HDB flat,” he said.

In public transport, the S$1.1 billion Bus Service Enhancement Programme has led to more than 200 new buses being introduced, resulting in fewer crowded services. “We still need to get some more buses on the roads, we still need to get more drivers hired, we are working at it,” he said.

“The trains will take a bit longer because the train upgrading, to get the new signalling laid, to get the new lines running, to get more trains, rolling stock to arrive, that will take a few more years, 2015, 2016, but we are making a lot, as much haste as we possibly can.”

Asked if there is one attitude among Singaporeans that he would like to change, Mr Lee said he had two. First, he noted how Singaporeans’ first reaction would be to turn to the Government to solve all problems. While the Government must think ahead, the Prime Minister also urged Singaporeans to think of what they can do to solve the problem together. “I think that is the more resilient, more sturdy approach which will see us through the long-term,” he said.

Second, he felt that Singaporeans should keep a closer tab on issues affecting other countries, beyond those happening here. He cited the recent terrorist attack in Kenya, which did not garner much attention in local media. Instead, the ceiling collapse at JEM shopping mall made the newspapers’ headlines here.