Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced several new initiatives to support Singaporeans in his National Day Rally speech on Aug 23.
The key messages were:
Childcare support
- Working parents will be entitled to more childcare leave. Under the new arrangement, every working parent will get eight days with one child aged 12 or below; 10 days with two children and 12 days with three or more children;
- Every child will receive S$2,000 in Child Credits each year from age 1 all the way to 16, and will also receive annual Edusave top-ups during primary and secondary school. When they turn 17, another S$10,000 will be added to their post-secondary education account;
- Over the next few years, a lowering of full-day childcare fees at government-supported preschools to S$150 a month, and infant care fees to S$300 a month is also being planned;
- In housing, first timer families applying for a new flat will receive one additional ballot chance for every child they have or are expecting.
New plans for islands
- Pulau Semakau, Pulau Bukom and Pulau Sudong are among islands that could be merged through planned land reclamation to create a new “Western island” in coming decades for a new generation of industries, power generation infrastructure and defence needs;
- Access will be improved to a part of Sentosa’s western coastline that is home to rich marine life and unique geology like distinctive coastal cliffs, while preserving its natural character. Next to Sentosa, on Pulau Brani, a new Downtown South resort will be built after port operations move out;
- Studies are under way to see if it is feasible to build undersea tunnels linking the mainland to Pulau Tekong, and make it easier for people to reach Singapore’s largest offshore island. More reclamation works at the southern end of Pulau Tekong are also in the pipeline;
- Long Island project involves reclaiming land tracts that will create about 800ha of land off the East Coast.
Singapore’s focus when it becomes ASEAN chair
- Singapore will focus on deepening regional integration and strengthening partnerships beyond the region to make ASEAN a more effective single market when it takes on the ASEAN chairmanship in 2027.
Team of Malay/Muslim office holders and MPs to be strengthened
- Current team is working well and taking forward initiatives such as the Committee for Economic Resilience, which was announced in April to prepare Malay/Muslim workers and businesses to adapt to changes to the economy;
- M3 – the tie-up between self-help group Mendaki, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore and the People’s Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council – has been expanded to M3+, bringing more partners and resources on board.
