Show the world what S’pore can be: PM Lee

SINGAPORE — As the nation celebrates its Golden Jubilee this year, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has called on the young people of Singapore to “make the most” of the opportunities offered to them, as the Republic and its citizens look ahead to the next 50 years.

In a speech delivered at the Youth Celebrate! event at the Sports Hub’s National Stadium yesterday, Mr Lee told the crowd of mostly young school children “to make Singapore a shining red dot in the world”, and that their successes would give Singapore much to celebrate at SG100.

“What will the next 50 years be like? I say, it depends on you. Go for it,” said Mr Lee. “Whatever we can do to prepare you, we have done — stable society, homes for everybody, good schools everywhere, jobs for your parents, opportunities ahead. Now, make the most of what you have: Stretch your limits, help one another, work with your fellow citizens as one Singapore team. Show the world what Singapore can be.”

Co-organised by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) to celebrate SG50, Youth Celebrate! saw more than 4,100 performers and athletes from all MOE schools, as well as Special Education schools and Institutes of Higher Learning, coming together in a showcase of youth and their achievements in sports, arts and the uniformed groups.

The event also marked the official opening of the S$1.33 billion Sports Hub, which had a soft launch in June last year.

Added Mr Lee: “I hope in 50 years’ time, we will have another celebration like this in the Sports Hub, and many of you will be here again. Get a good education in school, pursue ambitious, successful careers, bring up happy families of your own, and make Singapore a shining red dot in the world. Chase that rainbow.

“Today, just by coincidence, after the rain cleared this evening, there was a beautiful rainbow above the Sports Hub. It was a rainbow for all of us. Go for it, then we will have many reasons to celebrate SG100, then we can come back to the stadium and say, we lived our lives well.”

The Sports Hub and its guests were clearly in a celebratory mood yesterday, as the facility hosted two record-setting feats by creating the largest floating Singapore flag, and for the most number of laps swum in one hour at the OCBC Aquatic Centre.

Young footballers from Seng Kang Secondary and Hong Kah Secondary also got a rare chance to compete on the stadium pitch yesterday in the National Inter-School Football Championships ‘C’ Division quarter-final, with Seng Kang winning 1-0.

Goalscorer Muhamad Rozaidi Subadi, 14, said playing in the 55,000-seater stadium was a moment he would never forget.

“I am speechless and shocked. One day, I want to score goals at the National Stadium regularly as a national footballer,” he said.

The highlight of yesterday’s event was the sealing of a time capsule by Mr Lee, who contributed a framed copy of yesterday’s speech.

Containing 50 symbolic items of Singapore’s sporting aspirations, the time capsule will be placed at the Sports Hub waterfront and unearthed 25 years later, when Singapore celebrates its 75th anniversary.

Four national athletes — 2015 SEA Games gold medallists Shanti Pereira (athletics) and Muhammad Nur Alfian Juma’en (silat), swimmer Zachary Tan, and para-sailor Jovin Tan — also contributed items to the time capsule.

“I feel honoured to be part of history-making. Contributing my pair of running shoes is very symbolic, and I hope that people will continue running and chasing their dreams,” said 18-year-old Pereira, who won gold and bronze in the women’s 200m and 100m respectively at the Games.