Breaking Down Singapore's 2022 National Day Rally Speech

On the 21st of August, 2022, at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivered his speech at the National Day Rally, outlining his government’s stance on several fundamental issues.

In Singapore, the National Day Rally is a key political event, and the speech given often highlights the country’s political agenda in the short- to long-term. 

In this week’s article, we will be discussing the key takeaways from his speech. More specifically, we will be discussing the Prime Minister’s points on COVID-19, geopolitical relations, rising inflation, and Singapore’s Long Term Plan Review, and the repeal of Section 377A.

COVID-19

In terms of COVID-19, Prime Minister Lee Hsien announced that due to the pandemic’s slowdown and stabilising public health conditions, masks will only be required on public transport and in healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. 

“Everywhere else, outdoors or indoors, masks will be options,” said the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister also introduced the COVID-19 Resilience Medal which would be given to either teams or individuals who have contributed to COVID-19 relief efforts. 

Geopolitics

In relation to geopolitics  the US and China’s deteriorating relations presents a challenge to the external environment. Prime Minister Lee Hsien citing their opposing ideologies and systems of government yet China’s increasing dominance in the world. 

Issues such as disputes on trade, cyber espionage, Hong Kong, tensions in the South China Sea, and tensions surrounding Taiwan were of particular concern. The Prime Minister also touched on how the war in Ukraine will lead to greater “geopolitical contestation in the Asia-Pacific region,” owing to worsening relations between the US and China, and the significance of the two belligerents, Ukraine and Russia, in the great power competition between the US and China.

This great power competition could be further exacerbated as more and more countries, such as Japan and Australia, become involved. Thus, the Prime Minister urged Singaporeans to be psychologically prepared for any potential future conflicts.

Rising Inflation

Prime Minister Lee also points out the implication of the War in Ukraine has on rising inflation rates worldwide. In particular, the significant rise in the cost of living has become a key concern to Singaporeans, Lee states. 

The War in Ukraine has seen gas and oil prices surge, leading to a follow-up surge in gas and electricity bills. However, the government has issued support to low income families through means such as the S&CC rebates, U-Save Rebates, and CDC Vouchers. 

Consequently, the Prime Minister has called for Singaporeans to focus on “economic upgrading and restructuring, redoubling transformation efforts; encourage workers to upgrade their skills at every opportunity.” 

Long Term Plan Review

The Urban Redevelopment Authority has also been developing the Long Term Plan Review. A key point in the Review revolved around the redevelopment of Paya Lebar which is scheduled to begin in 2030.

Prime Minister Lee states that the Paya Lebar will feature 150,000 new properties which would be adequate for homes. Essentially, this relieves concerns for Singaporeans who worry that housing will not be readily available in the future.

”We must never stop imagining and building the future Singapore for the next generation and beyond,” declared Prime Minister Lee.

Section 377A

Singapore will also be repealing Section 377A, a long held statute that criminalised sexual relations between men.  However, the government will continue to uphold the basic, legally-prescribed definition of marriage which currently only permits marriage between a man and a woman, as defined in the Women's Charter.

Conclusion

As has been the case in years past, the National Day Rally was a key event for all Singaporeans. It served as a look into what Singapore would be like in the years to come. 

In this year’s Rally speech, Prime Minister Lee spoke about the government’s new COVID-19 policies, its concerns about heightening geopolitical tensions, government response to rising inflation, the Long Term Plan Review, and the repeal of Section 377A, among other things.