SOCIAL SUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY
Singapore will do more to assure those in the broad middle group and the vulnerable so that they can meet their needs and not be left behind, Mr Wong said on Monday.
He highlighted some key areas that are currently looked at such as support for the unemployed, lower-income families, vulnerable groups and seniors.
Those who are unemployed will receive help with their day-to-day needs, as they go about skills training and job search, while the support for lower-income families will enable and empower them to move forward, uplift their wages and close the early gaps in their children’s lives.
There will also be support for vulnerable groups including persons with disabilities as well as seniors in terms of their long-term care, living arrangements and retirement needs.
A renewed sense of solidarity is also needed to underpin Singapore’s refreshed social compact, Mr Wong added.
While surveys conducted suggest that overall trust in Singapore remains high, there is still scope for improvement at the local and neighbourhood levels, the Deputy Prime Minister said.
The country must continue to find ways to strengthen this sense of trust between people in Singapore, said Mr Wong.
“We want every group to celebrate their own cultures and traditions, as these are part of their roots and identity.
“At the same time, we encourage everyone to look beyond your own communities, to come together, and to expand the common ground we share as Singaporeans.”
This must be done “deliberately and purposely” to facilitate more inter-group interactions, he said.
“Such interactions are deeply personal decisions. The government cannot force it to happen. Therefore there are no easy policy interventions,” he added.
In his speech, Mr Wong said Singapore’s social compact is “not forged by confrontation or coercion or asserting the rights of one group over another”, but rather built through regular interactions, accommodation and compromise, as well as mutual respect and fellowship.
“The Singapore way is not insular, it’s not tribal. It’s always open, inclusive and big-hearted,” added Mr Wong.