New generation has ‘responsibility to open fresh chapter for S’pore’

SINGAPORE — The new generation of Singaporeans has a responsibility to renew the country by opening a new chapter, and creating new possibilities and frontiers, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said.

At the same time, “we must hold fast to the values that have made us successful”, he said in his speech at the May Day Rally on Tuesday (May 1).

These values include the instinct to plan ahead and the drive to do better. “The sense of mission – that we are building something special together, in Singapore. The duty of stewardship – that we are responsible not just to the present, but also to generations to come,” Mr Lee said.

He reiterated that this shared responsibility or sense of mission is the nation’s strength. “It is how we will show others – and show ourselves too – that Singapore will always have what it takes to endure and to succeed. This is how Singapore will remain a successful nation, for many more years to come,” he added.

Mr Lee noted how the pioneer generation “toiled and built up our nation from scratch”. Succeeding generations took up the baton, weathered the crises and journeyed Singapore from Third World to First World status, he said.  “The new generation will have its challenges and problems to deal with, its own sacrifices to make, its own aspirations and responsibilities to fulfil,” he said.

Within the labour movement, there is a changing of the guard amid a renewal which Mr Lee described as part of the leadership transition that the country is undergoing.

“The 4G political leadership is learning on the job, taking on more responsibilities, and preparing for succession,” said Mr Lee. “At the same time, a younger generation of union leaders is being groomed, learning from the elders, in time to take over the reins.”

As younger leaders take over in the Government and the labour movement, “they must renew the trust between (both sides), and renew their commitment to the tripartite partnership”, Mr Lee said.

Recounting how the Government, employers and unions have worked together over the decades to surmount “daunting, sometimes even overwhelming” challenges, Mr Lee stressed that tripartism is “fundamental to Singapore’s survival and success”.

NTUC DEPUTY CHIEF TO 'WALK THE GROUND' WITH WORKERS

It was announced last week that Cabinet Minister Ng Chee Meng and Senior Minister of State (National Development and Trade and Industry) Koh Poh Koon would  join NTUC as deputy secretaries-general from Tuesday, while outgoing labour chief Chan Chun Sing will helm the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Speaking to the media, Mr Ng and Dr Koh said strengthening tripartism will be a key priority, as they reiterated the importance of collaboration among unions, businesses, and the Government in the face of economic disruption.

Mr Ng, who was Education Minister (Schools) for about three years, is expected to take over leadership of the labour movement. Dr Koh will retain his portfolios in the ministries.

Mr Ng said: "Tripartism is a core tenet of Singapore's success, and today is a good day for us to be reminded of that.. As you know, our economy is transforming... My foremost (priorities are) how to help our workers look at opportunities, upskill themselves and, through the Labour Movement, also find new opportunities, new jobs, not just for today, but for tomorrow."

Reiterating the need to for the NTUC to "do more", "do better" and "do together" in his address to the audience, Dr Koh said his dual roles facilitate integration among the tripartite partners. "If we do not have a clear distinction between one to another, it actually facilitates the flow of information, the flow of ideas, and makes the working relationship much more harmonious," he said.

He added that the Government's 23 industry transformation maps, developed as roadmaps to address industry-specific challenges and deepen partnerships, are also platforms to bring various stakeholders together and "break down silos".

"Going forward, what we want is to create even more integration of the three partners together, so that there are actually fewer friction points, so that from ideation to execution, it will be much more natural," said Dr Koh.

Both leaders said it was important, amid various disruptive forces, to help workers gain confidence for the future.

Dr Koh plans to work with his team to highlight "positive examples" of individuals, firms and industries that have adapted well to change.

The healthcare sector, for one, has learnt to evolve with technology as "part and parcel of everyday work lives", he said. "(This mindset) is something I think is worth communicating and sharing, so that you get it all into our DNA, and then we don't see change as something that is (to be feared), but something to be welcomed, to be progressive," said Dr Koh, who is trained as a colorectal surgeon.

Mr Ng plans to walk the ground to get a better grasp of the needs, challenges, and aspirations that workers face, so as to help create better work prospects and continuous opportunities for them to upgrade their skills.

He said: "(I hope we can be) confident of our future, with a clear-minded sense that there is much more work to be done, but we can do it together. If we work smart, work together, we can find the solutions and progress, and forge a better living for ourselves."

Asked when he will be handed the baton of labour chief, Mr Ng would only say that he had "discussed a timeline" with Mr Chan, but did not reveal any dates.