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SINGAPORE : Political watchers expect the Prime Minister's National Day Rally message to be about the role of Singaporeans, in making the country a "city of possibilities".
At the National Day Rally last year, PM Lee Hsien Loong told his audience that the issues he was raising were very important to Singapore, in the long term.
One of them is narrowing the widening income gap.
This is why the Workfare Income Supplement was introduced - to make up for reductions in employer's CPF contributions for low wage workers.
"This government believes that the best form of welfare is to give everybody a job, and the issue is, are the jobs paying better or less. Jobs at the bottom (bracket) are not paying and we need to try and stem that tide," said Dr Gillian Koh, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies (IPS).
"Another question is how are the middle-aged (group) doing in Singapore? If this band of people face a deepening sense of job insecurity, we need to watch out for that," Dr Koh added.
But so far, one initiative that has increasingly been used is the Workfare scheme.
"It will take time. At various interactions with residents, there are those who are not yet aware of it. But once we take the trouble to explain it to them, they see the significance and positive impact that Workfare can bring to their lives. There is growing confidence the economy will do quite well and that will mean better opportunities for everyone," said Josephine Teo, MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.
The Prime Minister's National Day Message generally sets the stage for some of the issues that Mr Lee would be expected to elaborate on during his extensive National Day Rally speech.
And one issue the government is definitely concerned about is the challenges that come with an ageing population in Singapore.
Another issue to tackle, especially given a more mobile population in the age of globalisation, is the evolving Singaporean identity or what PM Lee has called "heartware".
"The issue of the Singapore heartware is a very perennial problem. As to whether the Singaporean identity can remain fixed or stable, that would be a problem because you have many people that'll come in, become new citizens or new PRs. And their memories, histories and experiences would be very different from a Singaporean who's born in Singapore," said Dr Terence Chong, Fellow, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
"So their idea of Singapore will be very mixed, and what Singapore stands for will be very different and diverse among the old and newly-converted Singaporeans. It's a problem which we will have to grapple with and it's a problem which will stay with us," added Dr Chong.
Political watchers believe there's no one single policy that will transform the Singapore heartware.
They said what's needed is to continually engage the people in major decisions which impact their lives.
Another effort that must continue is to provide more opportunities for Singaporeans to work together, to transform the country and make it a special home.
MediaCorp's Radio and TV Channels will broadcast PM Lee's National Day Rally Speech 'live' on Sunday.
The Prime Minister's speeches in Malay and Mandarin will be broadcast from 6.45pm to 7.30pm.
Mr Lee's speech in English will start at 8pm. - CNA /ls
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