External threats aplenty, but a united nation will overcome them: PM Lee
PM Lee at the PAP lunchtime rally yesterday. Polling Day so happens to fall on Sept 11 — the day terrorists attacked the United States — ‘just to remind ourselves’ of the threat, he said. Photo: Ooi Boon Keong
SINGAPORE — As a small country, Singapore is prone to fallout from multifaceted external challenges, but the country will succeed with its mantra and “secret recipe” of staying as “one united” nation, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday (Sept 8).
From terrorist threats to political instability and the falling ringgit in Malaysia to how the haze affects foreign relations with Indonesia, Mr Lee reminded Singaporeans of the threats Singaporeans face outside of the country, a theme he spoke at length on at the National Day Rally last month.
“We are a small country. We are a little red dot. Life is never easy. For example, look at terrorism, look at ISIS,” he said at the People’s Action Party lunchtime rally at Raffles Place, referring to terrorist group Islamic State.
The Bangkok bomb attacks, which killed 20, including one innocent Singaporean, could be linked to terrorist groups in Poso, Indonesia, he said. “What do Indonesian terrorist groups want to do? Some of them are thinking about Singapore, not thinking like you and me, thinking of letting off bombs in Singapore,” he added.
“Will we stop them? We’ll do our damnedest. Can we be absolutely sure nothing will ever happen, nobody can be absolutely sure,” he said.
But these are real dangers Singaporeans must remember, said Mr Lee, adding that Polling Day also happens to fall on Sept 11 — the day terrorists attacked the United States — “just to remind ourselves”, he said.
Mr Lee also sounded caution on the falling ringgit in Malaysia — now RM3 to S$1 — as the country’s weakening economy could have a spillover effect on investor confidence in the whole of South-east Asia, including Singapore.
He then pointed to the anti-Bersih rally coming up on Sept 16, which happens to fall on the late founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s birthday and which has a strong racial undertone. “It’s a coincidence, but just think about the contrast: For us, it’s our founder’s birthday, for Malaysia, it’s a time of tension and unease,” he said.
Singapore’s next-closest neighbour, Indonesia, is also a cause for concern amid the ongoing haze, as there are those in the community who are not as cooperative about solving the problem.
Singapore’s 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index readings exceeded 100 yesterday afternoon, entering the unhealthy zone for air quality.
“We are helping, working with them, offering to help them. But basically they have to solve the problem. The government is cooperative, (but) attitudes among the community (are) something different,” said Mr Lee.
“Whenever there’s haze blowing to us or to Malaysia, somebody in Indonesia will say ‘these people are so ungrateful, (for) 11 months we supply them fresh air, never charge for oxygen. One month haze already so unhappy’.”
Their attitude, Mr Lee noted, is that Singapore being a little red dot should know its place in the world.
“So that is the way the world is. We can handle it, we have dealt with it for 50 years even when we had two infantry battalions, we managed to see through and to get here.
“Today, with the SAF (Singapore Armed Forces), with the Home Team, with all of your support, with a good Government, I think whatever the haze, whatever the Bersih or non-Bersih, we made Singapore succeed in Singapore. How do we do that? We do that by staying one united people. It’s been our formula, it’s been our mantra. Actually, it’s our secret recipe. Why is it secret? It’s not that people don’t know it, but people cannot do it. We can do it.”
