Watch: Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s ministerial broadcast on ‘a stronger and more cohesive society’

In the fifth in a series of national broadcasts by government leaders on Singapore’s post-pandemic future, Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam will be speaking about “a stronger and more cohesive society” at 7.30pm on Wednesday (June 17).

Watch it here: 

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, kicked off the series on June 7, when he sought to assure Singaporeans that an "even stronger and better Singapore" will emerge from the Covid-19 crisis, as he underlined how and why the country “will not falter in its onward march”.

Mr Lee outlined three reasons he thinks Singaporeans can still secure a bright future for themselves:

• Singapore's economic strengths and international reputation, and its connectivity with the global flows of trade, investment, capital and people 
• The country has had a head start in preparing for the uncertainties ahead
• The Government has programmes and plans to cope with the challenges

Last Sunday, Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing laid out the Government's plans to prepare for the future even as it tackles immediate challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. He noted that while other countries have had to "tighten their belts", Singapore will continue to invest in its people's future.

Mr Chan said: “We cannot save every job and every business, but we will take care of every Singaporean.” 

The third in the series which aired on June 11, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean spoke about Singapore's resilience in a changing external environment. He said the Covid-19 pandemic is not only the “largest and most complex” crisis which he has faced in more than four decades of public service, it is also the first major crisis for many among a new generation of ministers, civil servants and other professionals on the frontline.

But, he noted, Singapore has evaded the social tensions that have hindered the efforts to fight the coronavirus elsewhere, with Singaporeans stepping forward to do their part during the circuit breaker by helping others in need and keeping others safe. And this social resilience has been just as important as economic resilience and crisis preparedness in helping Singapore through the Covid-19 crisis, he said.

In his speech, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong had  spoken about Singapore's short- to long-term moves to combat the “formidable and invisible enemy” in Covid-19, as he sketched out the realities that the country would face in prioritising both lives and livelihoods.