Edwin Tong Chun Fai
Singapore
“These questions have been answered in the reply to Questions Nos 26 to 31 for Oral Answer on today's Order Paper. [Please refer to "Addressing Issues Identified in Legal Profession Sustainability Study", Official Report, 7 July 2026, Vol 96, Issue 32, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time secti…”
“I am answering in my capacity as the Minister charged with the responsibility for the People's Association. The Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers Scheme was first introduced in June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic with two key objectives: one, to help Singaporean households cope with daily expenses; and two, to support hawker…”
“If the incident is a result of bilateral obligations relating to data protection and inviolability of equipment not being complied with, then the Government will consider all available legal and diplomatic options, in accordance with the bilateral RTS Link treaties, as well as the relevant international law.”
“In 2024, community sentences under part 17 of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 (CPC) were imposed in 86 criminal cases handled by the State Courts.”
“It is a five-minute journey across both ways; and with the availability of closed circuit television coverage and the real-time monitoring that will be done by the officers on both sides, we did not think that this will be necessary.”
“The Ministry of Law will provide an oral reply to this Parliamentary Question, together with other Parliamentary Questions which have been filed on this topic at the next available opportunity.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,221 lines we hold for Edwin Tong Chun Fai, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 45.
“Under the current framework for the regulation of moneylenders in Singapore, a platform operator may lend money to its platform workers as an exempt moneylender under the Moneylenders Act. In order to be granted an exemption, the proposed lending must be assessed to have potential benefits to borrowers, such as providing an avenue of safe credit to meet a specific need, while also having sufficient safeguards in place to protect borrowers. GFin Services (GFin), a subsidiary of Grab, is the only platform operator currently permitted to lend money specifically to Grab's platform workers under this exemption framework. The Government imposes on GFin various restrictions on lending, as conditions of the exemption, including limits on permitted fees and debt service ratios, which are generally more stringent than those applying to licensed moneylenders. There are also legislated limits on credit facilities, in particular caps on the loan quantum, for exempt moneylenders. Beyond these, GFin must additionally implement safeguards, such as an internal credit scoring system to assess the maximum loan a platform worker can take and various support initiatives for platform workers facing challenges in making repayments.”
“I am answering in my capacity as the Minister charged with the responsibility for the People's Association. The Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers Scheme was first introduced in June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic with two key objectives – (i) to help Singaporean households cope with the cost of living; and (ii) to support hawkers and heartland merchants. In line with the policy intent, our aim is to onboard hawkers and merchants in the Housing and Development Board (HDB) heartlands, such as those in the National Environment Agency-managed centres and HDB heartlands, including shops which offer daily goods or services. However, there are instances where few or no heartland merchants are found within or near residential areas. In such locations, we have onboarded, on a case-by-case basis, small businesses that provide goods and services needed by residents. In 2023, we responded to residents' requests to further alleviate their expenses by widening the usage of CDC Vouchers to supermarkets. However, only half of the vouchers received could be used at supermarkets, and the remaining half were for use at heartland merchants. This balanced approach meets both the needs of residents, as well as supports our heartland businesses. To date, we have onboarded over 23,000 hawkers and heartland merchants on the CDC Voucher scheme. The CDCs will continue to work closely with key partners, including the Federation of Merchants' Association, Singapore (FMAS), Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore (HECS), and various merchant and hawker associations, to onboard eligible merchants in the heartlands.”
“I am answering in my capacity as the Minister charged with the responsibility for the People's Association. The Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers Scheme aims to help Singaporeans households cope with the cost of living and support hawkers and heartland merchants. Since October 2021, CDCs have been engaging hawkers, both halal and non halal, as well as merchants in the heartlands and onboarding them onto the Scheme. CDCs also work closely with associations like the Federation of Merchants' Association, Singapore and Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore as well as various merchant and hawker associations, to reach out to the merchants and hawkers. To date, we have onboarded over 23,000 hawkers and heartland merchants on the CDC Voucher scheme. The CDCs will continue to reach out to a broad spectrum of heartland merchants and hawkers so that Singaporean households can benefit from more options to spend their CDC Vouchers.”
“Mr Speaker, I am answering in my capacity as the Minister charged with the responsibility for the People's Association. The Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers are in fixed denominations of $2, $5 and $10 precisely because they give Singaporean households the flexibility to spend their money easily. Up to 15 vouchers can be stacked together for payment if used digitally. But it is also precisely for this reason that we have designed the system so that the less digital-savvy residents, especially the seniors whom Ms Mariam Jaafar spoke about, can use the vouchers with confidence. With fixed denomination, it will help reduce the chance of errors when residents pay for their goods and service using their CDC vouchers. In fact, we have conducted user experience before deciding on the denominations. For the CDC vouchers to be used at hawkers and heartland merchants, the fixed denominations of $2, $5 and $10 allow residents to make purchases at different hawkers and heartland shops. For example, residents may patronise minimarts or mom-and-pop shops, to purchase groceries or other essential household items, and services, such as dental clinics or hair salons. For the CDC vouchers to be used at supermarkets, the larger denominations of $10, or $20 for SG60 Vouchers, will come in handy as the purchase amounts are typically larger due to the nature of goods sold at supermarkets. Singaporean households spent around $2.3 billion between the launch of the digital CDC Vouchers Scheme in December 2021 and July 2025 – $1.26 billion at participating hawkers and heartland merchants, and $1.04 billion at participating supermarkets.”
“Countries around the world have different approaches to dealing with the issue of deepfakes. Singapore similarly takes the issue seriously. The Government recognises that deepfake technology can be misused to harass or cause other online harm to individuals. In this regard, the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Digital Development and Information will be introducing new legislation and measures to enhance online safety. These include empowering victims of online harms, including those arising from deepfakes, to obtain relief and seek accountability from those responsible for such harms. In Singapore, the primary purpose of our copyright law is to support innovation and incentivise creativity, by granting creators a bundle of rights to control the use and dissemination of their works, rather than regulate the misuse of technology that gives rise to online harms. Beyond copyright, other aspects of our intellectual property laws may be used where deepfakes result in specific harms under those laws. These include the common law action of passing off, in cases involving misrepresentation arising from digital replicas of identifiable individual traits without consent.”
“I am answering in my capacity as the Minister charged with the responsibility for the People's Association (PA). The PA's mission is to foster social cohesion and connect the Government to people. It does this through a wide range of programmes, some of which take place at shared community spaces, such as our community clubs (CCs), for residents to bond and connect. PA plans for each CC to serve approximately 15,000 households, or 50,000 residents, as an approximate guide. Factors, such as population profile and growth, geographical and other site considerations, availability of alternative facilities as well as long-term community needs, will be taken into account when considering the size and scale of a CC and where it should be located. Barring new towns and divisions under development, PA endeavours to ensure that every resident has access to a community club within a reasonable radius, whether it is standalone CCs, co-located CCs, Integrated Community Hubs, or void-deck community centres. On occasion, when there are divisions without a CC, such as when the division is comprised of a new town or estate, PA will set up other community facilities, such as the Residents' Network Centres, located at the local precinct level to provide immediate community touchpoints for residents. Upcoming developments have been previously publicly announced to the media include Bukit Timah Integrated Development, Heart of Yew Tee and Tampines Boulevard Community Club.”
“The Government will appoint persons as grassroots advisers (GRAs) whom it has the confidence in, to help lead the grassroots organisations and volunteers to perform the above roles. GRA must be able to do all of the above, including explaining the Government policies honestly, help the Government govern, which is a key part of the role of the Civil Service, by assisting to implement Government policies on the ground. However, PA does not conduct any political activity with any political party. PA does not allow its events or venues to be used for partisan purposes by any political party, nor does it allow them to be used for religious and/or unlawful purposes. The PA's mission is as stated above. And in discharging this role, PA provides common spaces at which PA runs its programmes and activities, including community facilities for members of the public to utilise for social and recreational activities. PA's spaces and activities are open to every resident, regardless of which constituency they reside in, their background and political affiliation. This principle ensures that PA facilities serve the broader community while fulfilling our statutory mandate.”
“I am answering in my capacity as the Minister charged with the responsibility for the People's Association (PA). PA is set up to serve the Government of the day as a Statutory Board under the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. Its mission includes fostering social cohesion and racial harmony, connecting the Government to the people, people to people and the people to the Government. PA also canvasses views and feedback on Government policy, taking care to explain Government policy to people, as well as assist in the implementation of such policy. The PA's role is manifold. It includes, amongst other things, the last mile connection on the ground, explaining Government policies and the reasons for such policies, which, as an illustration, can range from the need for tax increases to explaining how the progressive tax system works and the application of Housing and Development Board policies. In doing so, PA also gets people to support initiatives of the Government, which, as an illustration, can range from healthier lifestyle choices, helping to protect oneself from scams, supporting local businesses and also explaining initiatives announced during the Budget and at other speeches; helping to build a more united Singapore and a more harmonious society, improving race relations and build strong links across religious lines; and helping to build stronger local communities through a variety of events. All the functions that PA undertakes, whether through events, programmes or activities at any of the spaces and facilities run by PA, is consistent with the above stated role, to serve the Government of the day and implement Government policies.”
“I am answering in my capacity as the Minister charged with the responsibility for the People's Association. The Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers Scheme aims to help Singaporeans households cope with the cost of living and support hawkers and heartland merchants. In 2023, we responded to residents' requests to further alleviate their expenses by widening the usage of CDC vouchers to supermarkets. However, only half of the vouchers received could be used at supermarkets and the remaining half were for use at heartland merchants. Around $2.3 billion has been spent since the launch of the digital CDC vouchers scheme in December 2021 and July 2025 – $1.26 billion at participating hawkers and heartland merchants; and $1.04 billion at participating supermarkets. The separate hawker and heartland merchant category and supermarket category serve to strike a balance between supporting Singaporean households with their daily expenses and supporting hawkers and heartland merchants.”
“I am answering in my capacity as the Minister charged with the responsibility for the People’s Association. The Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers Scheme was first introduced in June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic with two key objectives: (i) to help Singaporean households cope with the cost of living; and (ii) to support hawkers and heartland merchants. In line with the policy intent, our aim is to onboard hawkers and merchants in the Housing Development Board (HDB) heartlands, such as those in the National Environment Agency-managed centres and HDB heartlands, including shops which offer daily goods or services. However, there are instances where few or no heartland merchants are found within or near residential areas. In such locations, we have onboarded, on a case-by-case basis, small businesses that provide goods and services needed by residents. To date, we have onboarded over 23,000 hawkers and heartland merchants on the CDC Voucher scheme. The CDCs will continue to work closely with key partners, including the Federation of Merchants' Association, Singapore, Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore, and various merchant and hawker associations, to onboard eligible merchants in the heartlands.”
“The Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers Scheme was first introduced in June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic with two key objectives: (i) to help Singaporean households cope with the cost of living; and (ii) to support hawkers and heartland merchants. In line with the policy intent, our aim is to onboard hawkers and merchants in the Housing and Development Board (HDB) heartlands, such as those in the National Environment Agency-managed centres and HDB heartlands, including shops which offer daily goods or services. However, there are instances where few or no heartland merchants are found within or near residential areas. In such locations, we have onboarded, on a case-by-case basis, small businesses that provide goods and services needed by residents. To date, we have onboarded over 23,000 hawkers and heartland merchants on the CDC Voucher scheme. The CDCs will continue to work closely with key partners, including the Federation of Merchants' Association, Singapore, Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore, and various merchant and hawker associations, to onboard eligible merchants in the heartlands.”
“The Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers Scheme aims to help Singaporeans households cope with the cost of living and support hawkers and heartland merchants. However, there are instances where few or no heartland merchants are found within or near residential areas. In such locations, we have onboarded, on a case-by-case basis, small businesses that provide goods and services needed by residents. To date, we have onboarded over 23,000 hawkers and heartland merchants to the CDC Voucher scheme, including those who successfully appealed. The CDCs will continue to work closely with key partners, including the Federation of Merchants' Association, Singapore, Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore, and various merchant and hawker associations, to onboard eligible merchants in the heartlands.”
“The Government remains committed to ensuring that the CDC vouchers scheme best serves Singaporean households and boosts our local businesses. We will continue to monitor and review its implementation from time to time, to ensure its reach and effectiveness.”
“The Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers scheme was first introduced in June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic with two key objectives: to help Singaporean households cope with the cost of living; and to support hawkers and heartland merchants. In line with the policy intent, our aim is to onboard hawkers and merchants in the Housing and Development Board (HDB) heartlands, such as those in the NEA-managed centres and HDB heartlands, including shops which offer daily goods or services. However, there are instances where few or no heartland merchants are found within or near residential areas. In such locations, we have onboarded, on a case-by-case basis, small businesses that provide goods and services needed by residents. In 2023, we responded to residents' requests to further alleviate their expenses by widening the usage of CDC vouchers to supermarkets. However, only half of the vouchers received could be used at supermarkets and the remaining half were for use at heartland merchants. This balanced approach meets both the needs of residents, as well as supports our heartland businesses. The spend rate for the 2024 tranche of CDC Vouchers was 97%. In a January 2025 survey, 98% of residents responded that there were "enough participating merchants" near their homes to patronise and spend their vouchers. To date, we have onboarded over 23,000 hawkers and heartland merchants on the CDC voucher scheme. CDCs will continue to work closely with key partners, including the Federation of Merchants' Association, Singapore, Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore and various merchant and hawker associations, to onboard eligible merchants in the heartlands.”
“The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) will work with community and private partners to optimise state assets to meet national needs, including to drive social outcomes through innovative use and re-use of spaces. Examples include the multi-generational co-living space at Commune @ Henderson and the social innovation hub at The Foundry. SLA is also developing a Digital Conveyancing Portal to digitalise property transactions to improve convenience, transparency and security for buyers, sellers, law firms, banks and real estate professionals. MinLaw remains committed to engaging Singaporeans and working closely with the legal fraternity and stakeholders to strengthen access to legal services and grow opportunities in the legal sector. Together, we will realise our vision: A Trusted Legal System; A Trusted Singapore.”
“MinLaw will expand outreach and support for civil legal aid and criminal defence aid, working with lawyers, social service agencies, volunteers and the broader community. We are enhancing the Community Disputes Management Framework and improving tribunal processes to help neighbours resolve disputes more quickly and peacefully. Singapore’s reputation as a trusted legal services hub strengthens our global standing. MinLaw will continue to build thought leadership and deepen international partnerships through events like the Singapore Convention Week. We will also review our international arbitration laws to keep Singapore competitive for dispute resolution. MinLaw will maintain a strong core of Singapore lawyers and legal practices, complemented by foreign practitioners and other industry experts, to sustain Singapore’s competitive advantage. We will support the growth of all legal professionals by strengthening legal education across the legal industry, updating training requirements and rolling out a new skills framework developed with the legal sector. Our Legal Innovation and Future-Readiness Transformation Initiative will help law firms adopt legaltech solutions and embrace the use of AI and technology to support their work. We are refreshing our IP Strategy 2030 to attract more IP and intangible asset (IA) activity. The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) will work with the World Intellectual Property Organization to help businesses grow globally through IP Management Clinics. IA valuation guidelines will be developed to help firms protect and monetise their IP. We will also introduce new guidelines for using copyrighted works in AI development to support innovation and protect creators’ rights.”
“The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) will continue to uphold the Rule of Law and public trust in Singapore’s legal system. We will improve access to justice, strengthen Singapore’s position as a global legal and intellectual property (IP) hub and make better use of state assets to support the country’s social and economic needs. The Rule of Law is key to public trust and Singapore’s continued progress. We will enhance our civil and criminal justice systems to meet changing societal needs, premised on a strong foundation in the Rule of Law. We will take steps to promote responsible online behaviour and create a safer digital space as social media and artificial intelligence grow in prevalence. MinLaw will study the need for a new agency to better support victims of online harm with an appropriate framework for relief. MinLaw will continue to make laws, legal processes and court procedures easier for Singaporeans to understand and use. We are reviewing digital Wills, improving how civil judgments are enforced and giving courts stronger powers to trace debtors’ assets. The Maintenance Enforcement Process will be expanded to deter non-payment. In family justice, we will deepen the therapeutic justice approach to support healing and family well-being, to reinforce social and legal outcomes. MinLaw will strengthen our insolvency framework to support economic stability. The new Simplified Insolvency Programme 2.0 will offer faster help for struggling businesses while protecting creditors. We are also reviewing the Debt Repayment Scheme to reduce abuse and help debtors better manage their finances. Access to justice is a core part of Singapore’s social safety net.”
“The People’s Association's (PA's) mission is to foster social cohesion. It does this through a wide range of programmes, some of which take place at shared community spaces, such as our Community Clubs (CCs), for residents to bond and connect. PA plans for each CC to serve approximately 15,000 households, or 50,000 residents, as an approximate guide. Where there is no CC within a constituency boundary, PA will assess and decide on suitable alternative arrangements to enable residents to be served by suitable common spaces for social and other activities. This is done in consultation with Grassroots Advisers and Grassroots Leaders as well as other Government agencies and partners, to decide on the arrangement, taking into account a variety of factors.”
“These were done with all the necessary regulatory approvals obtained and at the tenant's own cost. These improvements will become part of the property and can be retained for the benefit of the landlord upon the termination of the lease. In the period since July 2023, two trees with more than one-metre girth were felled and replaced at 26 Ridout Road and one tree with more than one-metre girth was felled and replaced at 31 Ridout Road. The health of the two trees at 26 Ridout Road had deteriorated, whilst the tree at 31 Ridout Road was struck by lightning and, subsequently, infected by disease. The necessary approvals for the felling and replacement of these trees were obtained from the National Parks Board prior to felling.”
“The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) does not typically make public information on works carried out on specific residential state properties. Nonetheless, given that 26 Ridout Road and 31 Ridout Road are currently occupied by Minister K Shanmugam and Minister Vivian Balakrishnan respectively and there has been public interest on this matter, relevant information on the works carried out on the two properties are set out below. SLA carries out building maintenance and inspection works to the residential state properties it manages to ensure that the properties remain tenantable in the longer term1. These works are part of SLA's obligations, as the landlord, to ensure that the properties are in reasonably good condition so that tenants are able to reside in these properties safely2. For residential state properties that are subject to conservation requirements, like 26 Ridout Road and 31 Ridout Road, specialised building maintenance and inspection works are carried out in accordance with the relevant conservation guidelines to protect their heritage value3. In addition, in line with an established framework, SLA also carries out maintenance and other works as it is legally required, as the landlord, to do. This is done for all its tenantable properties, including those at 26 Ridout Road and 31 Ridout Road. During the tenancy term, tenants are responsible for the general day-to-day maintenance of the building and facilities and for all land within the tenancy boundary. Tenants are also generally allowed by SLA to carry out improvement works on their property during the tenancy. In this case, since July 2023, the tenant of 26 Ridout Road has carried out various substantial improvement works on the property.”
“The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) does not typically make public information on the renewal of tenancies for specific residential State properties. Most tenants will consider this private information. Nonetheless, given that 26 Ridout Road and 31 Ridout Road are currently occupied by Minister K Shanmugam and Minister Vivian Balakrishnan respectively and there has been public interest in the matter, relevant information on the renewal of the tenancies of the two properties are set out below. The house on 26 Ridout Road is subject to a Tenancy Agreement of 3+3+3 years commencing in June 20181. In line with SLA's prevailing guidelines, the tenancy was renewed for a third three-year term commencing in June 2024, with an increased rental that was assessed by SLA's professional valuers based on prevailing market rates. The renewal rental rate, on a per unit floor area basis, falls within the range for renewal transactions for other heritage bungalows in the Ridout Road estate from the third quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2024. The house on 31 Ridout Road is subject to a Tenancy Agreement of 3+3+2 years commencing in October 20192. The second three-year term commenced in October 2022 and has yet to be completed.”
“The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Creative Cities Network's (UCCN's) guidelines stipulate that each city can be recognised in only one creative field at any given time. As Singapore has been designated as a Creative City of Design under UCCN, we currently have no plans to seek UCCN recognition as a City of Gastronomy. The Government continues to promote our food and beverage offerings globally through various initiatives, as outlined in the written answer by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry for the Sitting on 26 February 2025. [Please refer to "Plans to Promote and Support Local and Heritage Food and Beverage Operators in Singapore and Overseas", Official Report, 26 February 2025, Vol 95, Issue 153, Written Answers to Questions section.]”
“The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and the National Arts Council (NAC) do not track the number of K-pop training academies operating in Singapore. NAC does not currently fund any of such academies. Singapore's dance scene has a wide range of artists and groups spanning many genres. This includes ballet, contemporary, jazz and traditional and so on. MCCY and NAC recognise the growing interest in K-pop and the various training institutions that have emerged to cater to this interest. We encourage all training academies to adhere to best practices, policies and regulations in education and training. This includes prioritising the physical and mental well-being of trainees as well as encouraging collaboration across genres to create innovative new works that our audiences can enjoy.”
“In allocating resources for sporting facilities, the Government aims to provide Singaporeans with convenient access to affordable public sports facilities so that they can enjoy sports as part of a healthy and active lifestyle, and for recreation. These include a variety of facilities from SportSG's 21 comprehensive sport centres with gyms and swimming pools spread across Singapore to the People's Association’s over 100 community centres or clubs across Singapore and numerous free-to-play sport spaces located conveniently in our housing estates. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and Sport Singapore will also continue to work with the Ministry of Education to provide more access to sporting and recreational facilities on top of the current 393 operational facilities under the Dual Use Scheme, and collaborate with other agencies to meet the evolving needs of the community. The Sport-in-Precinct (SIP) facilities is one of several types of sporting facilities for the public. Across Singapore, we currently have 10 completed SIP facilities, including in Boon Lay, Sembawang and Sengkang. There are plans for the development of more SIP projects. We will announce the plans for these SIPs when the plans are firmed up. Planning and including the siting for public sport facilities, including SIP facilities, is done at the national level, considering a range of different factors. These include, the nature of facilities already available, a site's proximity to other existing and upcoming locations of sports and recreational facilities, availability of suitable sites, town population size and popularity of sports. The cost of an SIP facility depends on several factors, such as market conditions at the time of tender and the size and type of facilities being built.”
“We also launched the spexEducation Undergraduate scholarship and CPF top-ups to our spexScholars, both in August 2024.”
“We also launched the spexEducation Undergraduate scholarship, gave CPF top-ups to our spexScholars, both in August 2024. [Please refer to "Committee of Supply – Head X (Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth)", Official Report, 10 March 2025, Vol 95, Issue 161, Budget section.] [(proc text) Written statement by Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai circulated with leave of the Speaker in accordance with Standing Order No 29(5): (proc text)] I wish to make the following factual correction to my speech at the Committee of Supply debate during the Sitting of 10 March 2025. My statement should read as follows:”
“The idea is to consolidate all into one campus so that end-to-end the support for junior as well as senior athlete, from the time you start education until you graduate from school, but remain in the sport, all of that can be centred into one venue, one campus, for a holistic and specialised training regime for all our athletes.”
“Sir, Mr Xie asked if the merger would affect existing staff and in particular, whether there would be retrenchments, the short answer is no. We intend to rationalise and strengthen the sporting support and as you heard me say in my speech earlier, we intend to first merge SSI with NYSI, and both of them support the athlete, one in the junior level, the other at the senior level, but the technical support – sports science, nutrition, sports medicine, we intend to harness the synergy as well as the economies of scale for both of these agencies into one. We will be serving the same number of athletes, if not more at the junior level, as well as at the senior level. You heard me also say just now that we intend and have gone upstream in terms of our spexPotential to open up the pool of athletes that will qualify for spexPotential and support them earlier on their journey. So, if anything is to come out of this, it is in fact serving more athletes than less and to also grow the expertise in areas such as sports administration, sports management and also sports science. We have an intention to grow the number of sports scientists per capita number of athletes that we have in Singapore. So, really the move is one in the mode of expanding rather than contracting. On Mr Xie's point about the impact of sports school and the merger, the intention is for sports school to provide the educational arm of an athlete's journey. So, if you think about it in terms of where it is today: today's Sports School sits in Woodlands; SSI sits in Kallang; we have the NSA spread across Singapore with some training facilities in Kallang, and others outside.”
“As we move closer towards that, we will also have residential facilities at the Kallang Alive space, where the Sports School will sit together with our training centres, and the intention is not just to bring foreign coaches to come in and train with us, but also foreign teams to come in, site in Singapore and spar with us on a more regular basis. All of these would help to level up the playing field and expose our athletes to greater competition. That leads me to the Member's second question. We currently have limitations in terms of space, given the programmes, some of which Mr Giam is aware of. But when we have the Sports School at the Kallang Alive Masterplan space ready, redeveloped, we intend to expand beyond 10 programmes, and we are currently studying which of our top-tier sports ought to train in this space, having regard to performance, pipeline and other criteria for each of the sports.”
“Sir, Mr Giam is right. We do want to push our athletes beyond the local sphere, and those who surpass the standards that are being offered locally, we want to push them overseas, because the more you push them into difficult environments where they have to level up, meet better opponents, stronger opponents, the better prepared they will be. So, our principle has always been to drive our athletes to train and if necessary, compete overseas as much as possible. Earlier on in his speech, Mr Giam mentioned two of our badminton players. They train overseas regularly. They compete overseas regularly. In fact, they are still on the road after the German Open. So, these are some examples. At the middle tier, what we do is to organise training trips overseas where possible. We group them together, whether as an NSA-initiated exercise or in some cases where ActiveSG has academies, we group them together as academy-initiated exercise. But we try and take the initiative to take them overseas for greater exposure. In other cases, on occasion, we bring in foreign coaches to lend their expertise on local soil. That allows us to have more outreach, and we touch more trainees and more athletes can benefit from the presence of foreign coaches. Again, from time to time, NSAs, when they identify a good foreign coach to come in, either at the developmental level or at the high-performance level, we also support the NSAs to hire these coaches to bring even bigger impact to the pipeline. So, these are among some of the measures that we take to expose our athletes, the junior ones as well as the senior ones, to a greater variety of different training environments, as well as to foreign input and foreign thinking on the sport. I talked about the Kallang Alive Masterplan.”
“I thank Ms Chandradas once again for her impassioned plea. She has been pushing several points and I appreciate that very much because she comes from the perspective of someone who is engaged with the arts industry, understanding the needs and oftentimes, coming to Parliament to portray those needs. I appreciate that very much. On her specific point, I understand the point she made about appreciating artworks, visual artworks and one way of doing that, of course, is to buy those artworks. We made a distinction for books because it is quite different. It is much harder to appreciate books. It is a personal item. It is less of an investment, unlike visual art. And so, we decided that, given the policy around Culture Pass to create more of a community around appreciation, where you can come together and you can partake in the appreciation as a group, we felt that it was more appropriate to leave the purchase of artworks out of this programme. You can still take part in exhibitions, galleries, there can be events that centre around visual arts. But we decided to not include the Culture Pass for the financial purchase of visual artworks for the reasons I have outlined.”
“Sir, I thank Mr Darryl David for his encouragement and his interest in the area of design. As I said, we are studying the feasibility of the site for such a museum. That would include also the concept, the curatorial element and direction, as well as the kinds of exhibits, both permanent as well as temporary, that we will have. But in my speech earlier, I gave an idea of the kinds of designs that we are thinking about – fashion, jewellery, architecture, industrial, furniture – all of which have Singaporeans' involvement in one form or another. I would say, last year, as a side trip to the Venice Biennale, I visited the Milan Design Week as well and saw one dedicated booth for Singaporean designers to showcase their exhibits. And I saw quite well-designed and well-functioning furniture designs by Singaporeans. That is one area that we can think about because we do have very well-regarded and well-known designers in that space. Likewise, in jewellery, as I mentioned, and also in fashion. So, overall, we will think about this as a combination of both permanent designs that will resonate with the Singaporean audience, but also temporary ones that allow regional and international designers to anchor their exhibitions in Singapore. As I said, to create a hub and a centre of gravity for the design space in Singapore and, through Singapore, for the region as well.”
“Sir, the event arrangements for the Lady Gaga concerts that will be held in Singapore in May, or that will be scheduled for May, were handled directly by Kallang Alive Sport Management (KASM). They negotiated directly with the artist and her team, including Live Nation. No Government grants were given to secure this event. This was a purely commercial arrangement between the artist and the venue, and an agreement was entered into. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] I would add, Sir, that KASM pushes for events like this to take place at the Sports Hub to bring a diversity and a range of different events to Singapore, including top-class marquee events, but at the same time there is a good mix, as I have explained in my speech of local events, sporting events that take place at the Sports Hub, including community and school events. Together, collectively, they enrich the vibrancy of the Sports Hub and make the Sports Hub more accessible to Singaporeans.”
“Let us embrace the challenges ahead with the same pioneering spirit that has brought us this far. And together, let us continue weaving our national tapestry – strong, diverse and uniquely Singaporean – into the next great chapter of our story. [Applause.]”
“The Singapore of tomorrow will not be built by chance, nor by circumstance. It will be built, instead, by all of us – by every artist who expresses our identity, every athlete who pushes the limits of excellence, inspiring us, every young Singaporean who steps forward with a vision and with a voice. Over the past five years, I have had the privilege of working alongside my MCCY colleagues in shaping a more inclusive, vibrant and united Singapore. Just as we have done in the past, we have strengthened the ties that bind us, we have championed a Singaporean identity that is confident and outward looking. Through our shared national experiences, we have woven a richer, more interconnected national tapestry, one that tells the story of our people, our passions and our aspirations. This tapestry, however, is still being woven. It is in every Singaporean who comes together – on the field, in the theatre, in our community spaces – to share in something greater than ourselves. It is in the stories of our pioneers that we preserve, the dreams of our youth that we nurture and the sense of belonging we create for every Singaporean. At MCCY, we will continue to stitch all of these threads together, to champion the arts, so that our culture remains vibrant and our stories are told; to elevate our sports, so that our people can excel, aspire and inspire; to empower our young people, so that they do not just inherit our future but actively create it. But this future is not for MCCY alone to build. It belongs to all of us. So, I say this to every Singaporean: your dreams matter, your contributions count and your actions shape our shared destiny. So, let us go forward with confidence, with courage and with conviction.”
“With curated volunteering opportunities across a spectrum of different causes, including children, families, seniors, education and sports, we have served more than one million beneficiaries. We will also support ground-up initiatives from the community through Our Singapore Fund (OSF). This fund serves as the seed to kickstart meaningful ideas for Singaporeans, by Singaporeans. For example, OSF has helped The New Charis Mission, a non-profit, to expand the reach of "The Unlabelled Run". The run brings together groups of different backgrounds, with the aim of building an inclusive and compassionate society. Originally started to support ex-convicts in their reintegration journey into society, this event has since expanded in 2024 to support the special needs community as well as the elderly runners, with the aid of OSF. The Unlabelled Run is just one of the many success stories of OSF. Since OSF's launch in 2016, about $8 million in funding has been disbursed to over 700 citizen-initiated projects, across areas, such as enhancing neighbourhoods, developing digital literacy and building resilient communities. And we look forward to supporting even more of such ground-up projects. Madam, as we stand at the threshold of SG60, we do so as a people forged by resilience, woven together by shared experiences and bound by the unwavering belief that we can build a better future, if we build it together. Because of the tenacity of past generations, we are more than just a city. We are a nation, a home, a people who dare to dream, dare to persevere and dare to rise above challenges. SG60, therefore, is not just a time for celebrations. It is a moment for reflection, for renewal and for re-commitment. As we honour our past, we must also look ahead to the next bound of our journey.”
“We will have multiple layers of support converging around the athlete, supporting them through their journey, from youth right through to senior levels and we will, with this programme, be able to hit the ground running once the physical development of the new Kallang Alive Masterplan is completed. Madam, shifting gears slightly, as we progress through SG60 this year and look beyond, we also want Singaporeans to lead and own our future. So, let me conclude my speech with some brief points on the community. In times of crisis, particularly during COVID-19 or the global recession or even in our daily challenges, Singaporeans have shown remarkable generosity, spontaneity, spirit, in both small and big ways, to care for and help each other out. We want to tap on this innate generosity, this strong spirit, as it speaks to the essence of who we are as Singaporeans. As we move forward in SG60 and beyond, it is therefore crucial that we continue to nurture this spirit of contribution and make sure that no one is left behind. It is this sense of empathy and care for fellow citizens that is the hallmark of a progressive and inclusive society, one where we look out for one another as fellow citizens. To do so and push this along, we are partnering with the National Council of Social Service on the SG SHARE programme. This programme multiplies the impact of modest donations over a period of time, to support various social service programmes under the Community Chest. Beyond monetary donations, we also encourage more Singaporeans to volunteer for causes which are meaningful and which matter to them.”
“As Members will know, it will take a few years for the home of Team Singapore to materialise under the Kallang Alive Masterplan. But we intend to jumpstart the process now. While we may not be able to speed up its physical redevelopment and construction, we can, nonetheless, start now to organise ourselves around an integrated structure, designed to push Singapore's sporting excellence to new heights. Let me explain this in some detail. We intend to introduce a new entity that will house all our dedicated sports institutions under one umbrella. We will first integrate SSI and NYSI in April. This will enhance our end-to-end service delivery to our athletes across the youth and senior spectrum. Thereafter, in a few years' time, we will consolidate this with the Singapore Sports School into a new entity. While the Sports School will remain as a school and retain its brand and identity, this consolidation will more closely integrate Sports School with the rest of the high-performance sporting ecosystem. We will also streamline touchpoints with stakeholders involved through an athlete's life, such as parents and NSAs. We will then be able to develop a centrally-coordinated pathway that can provide better visibility and assurance to our athletes. We will grow and retain our talents in sport science, sport medicine, administration as well as burgeoning sports technology, which we will harness. By having more professional development opportunities to rotate them across sports and profile, and sometimes, it is useful to deploy our sport scientists across different sports, to gain more experience. That is what we will do. These moves will collectively strengthen and deepen the integration between the key aspects of high-performance sport.”
“For those who may have reached the crossroads between sports and some other career, we have significantly enhanced our athlete support policies, for instance, to name a few, we went upstream to support athletes with performance potential beyond the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and welcomed the first batch of spexPotential athletes in April 2024. We also launched the spexEducation Undergraduate scholarship, gave CPF top-ups to our spexScholars both in August 2024. [Please refer to "Clarification by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth", Official Report, 10 March 2025, Vol 95, Issue 161, Correction By Written Statement section.] These are changes that help to prolong the livelihood and the period of competition at the highest level for our athletes. And they are the latest in our series of efforts that we have made to strengthen high-performance sport in Singapore. Over the years, we have consistently refined this approach, ensuring that athletes have the right infrastructure, adequate resources and multiple opportunities to excel. And these developments are not just one-off adjustments. They represent a concerted, strategic, long-term commitment to building a sustainable and thriving sports ecosystem. As I mentioned earlier, we will have the home of Team Singapore as part of the Kallang Alive Masterplan, where all the elements of high-performance sporting development will be integrated in one campus, so athletes can stay, train, study, compete and repeat, until excellence becomes intuition. They will also have dedicated access to sport science and nutrition and supported by the relevant NSAs. This will significantly strengthen the pillars on which sporting success in Singapore can be advanced.”
“That is why, over the years, we have reshaped and refined our sporting policies and programmes to help mitigate, minimise, if not, remove these trade-offs, enabling our athletes to develop, to train, to compete and to flourish, at the highest levels. We start when they are young. We tap into the sports co-curricular activities in mainstream schools, starting with primary schools, which are often our youths' first exposure to sports. We cast the net wide, to identify as much talent as possible at a young age. That answers Mr Giam's point, which I agree with, that we should start when the athletes are young. We also do it through ActiveSG Academies and Clubs, which SportsSG manages, where we first identify, and then nurture young athletes across a wide range of sports, ensuring a healthy and regular pipeline of talent. And for those who have set their minds on sport from a school age, we have the Singapore Sports School that provides a dedicated specialist environment to support both education and training. We have also made this available to high-performance athletes regardless of the school that they are studying in. So, you might be in a different school, but you can come into Sports School for a period or for a season to train for a programme and go back to your original school thereafter. 4.15 pm We have also put in place a comprehensive sport science and medicine program through the National Youth Sports Institute (NYSI) and Singapore Sport Institute (SSI). Ensuring our athletes can manage both the pressures as well as the physicality of high performance sport.”
“It would increase public understanding and appreciation of the importance of good design. It would also serve as a hub for experiential learning, academy-industry partnerships and a creative laboratory for design practitioners and overall, boost the growth of Singapore's design sector, which can also be an additional engine in our arts economy. The Old Saint Joseph's Institution building at the heart of the Bras Basah Bugis historic district is a good location and a site for such a museum, which we are currently considering. We envisage that this new design museum could become a centre of gravity for designers, practitioners, and creatives in the district, coming together as a hub, drawing energy and synergy from the surrounding arts, culture and heritage institutions. We are currently studying the suitability of the site for a Design Museum and will share more details when ready. Let me turn to the second point on sports. Mr Gerald Giam can be assured that we have and we will continue to strengthen our quality high-performance sporting ecosystem, for Singapore athletes. Mr Giam spoke of structures and pathways. So, let me elaborate on structures and pathways that we have previously put in place and which we will continue to put in place. Madam, we might have a small population base, but we are committed to a system which can identify the best of them and bring out the best in them. We know that being a full-time athlete in Singapore can sometimes be tough, balancing intense training with competition schedules, often overseas and at the same time, the athlete having to meet other life priorities, often requiring sacrifices to be made. But it is also rewarding and fulfilling and many of our athletes strive to reach their peak of their potential.”
“But Madam, there is one area where we see untapped potential and that is in the area of design. Design is a key strength of Singapore. We have after all been a UNESCO Creative City of Design since 2015. Our people-centric urban design is renowned around the world. Our designers have gained international acclaim, with many working at the highest levels around the world. For instance, in the realm of fashion, we have Andrew Gn, who is based in Paris but very well-known internationally. He will be exhibiting in the US later this year, the first retrospective of a Singaporean designer overseas. In addition, Singapore-based jewellery brand State Property Fine Jewellery, founded by Afzal Imram as well as Lin Ruiyin, has been worn by the likes of Lady Gaga and Michelle Obama. In the realm of architecture, Kampong Admiralty, designed by homegrown architecture firm WOHA, won World Architecture Festival's World Building of the Year in 2018. And in industrial design, Hans Tan's works have been collected by major international museums, such as M+ in Hong Kong and Cooper Hewitt in New York. We already have strong programmes to groom the next generation of design talents, such as those at UAS, which include cutting-edge programmes, such as Biophilic Design and Design for Social Futures. We should showcase and promote their talents even more. But let me also add that design is not just about aesthetics. Good design makes our lives better, can be a key driver of innovation, value creation and international branding for Singapore businesses. With that in mind, we think that a Singapore Design Museum could be a key addition to our growing arts and heritage landscape. This museum could showcase the best of Singapore's design and the talents of our designers to the world.”
“Let me speak about two areas, the arts and sports and our plans to push the envelope a little further. In the arts, we now have a vibrant ecosystem of world class, creative and dedicated practitioners. I would regard them as being amongst the best globally. This success stems from years of careful planning and investment in our arts community. Through strategic initiatives like the Arts and Culture Strategic Review and Our SG Arts and Heritage Plans, we have set up clear, multiyear plans with strong foundations and have also taken a special care to nurture talent at every level. We have established institutions, like the School of the Arts and more recently, the University of the Arts Singapore (UAS) to shape the next generation. We provide career resources and on-the-job training through platforms, such as the NAC's Arts Resource Hub, particularly for the many freelancers who contribute so much and thrive in the arts community. We have made further commitments to supporting our arts and heritage community to allow them to thrive even more, by unlocking spaces for experimentation and presentation, such as at Kampong Java, by preserving heritage businesses through the work of the Inter-Agency Taskforce on Heritage Businesses, Traditional Activities and Cultural Life, which Senior Minister of State Low will speak about. And finally, by catalysing funding with initiatives, such as the $100 million top-up to the Cultural Matching Fund to encourage private patrons to support the arts and heritage. Today, we are proud to have world-class institutions like the National Gallery and the Singapore Art Museum for visual arts, The Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay for performing arts, and the National Museum of Singapore and Asian Civilisations Museum, amongst others, for heritage.”
“We have hosted a range of sporting and community events that we never had before at the Sports Hub, such as the Let's Celebrate 2025 New Year Countdown, HYROX, Harmony Fest, and the Singapore Tennis Open, to name a few of the recent ones. We have also brought in top-tier global artistes, both western and eastern, into Singapore, for multi-night concerts. And Members might know, we just announced this morning that Lady Gaga will be performing at the Sports Hub for a few nights in May. This, Madam, did not happen by chance. The Kallang Alive Sports Management team has worked hard and worked innovatively to bring such events into Singapore, and we will continue to hustle and bring in the best events across sport, entertainment and lifestyle to Singapore. With this wide spectrum of events across different genres, our 2024 event attendance increased by more than 50% compared to the year before, in 2023. We have reclaimed the Sports Hub as a place for all Singaporeans and will continue to do so with the Kallang Alive Masterplan. On the Masterplan, Members might recall that the Kallang Alive Masterplan was first announced by Prime Minister at last year's National Day Rally. As part of this plan, we will also be developing a new indoor arena and have precinct enhancements. This will enable us to host more sporting, lifestyle and entertainment events, and also increase the vibrancy of the precinct with community sporting facilities and programmes. These developments will complement our plans for the home of Team Singapore, a topic of which I will return later in my speech. Third, Madam, we will continue to open up more pathways for Singaporeans to chart their own successes and reach their own full potential.”
“So, I encourage all eligible Singaporeans to use their credits before they expire in December 2028. That is quite a bit of time, enough time for you to get engaged with the arts fraternity. We do not intend to impose a penalty for no-shows, but I do urge everyone to attend the offerings you have purchased so as not to forfeit the credits. Finally, let me say to Ms Chandradas that the Culture Pass initiative was born out of a lot of feedback and views given to us by the arts community. They gave us a lot of views. Many of them were constructive. We worked on them. We tested it on them. And we had a dialogue with the arts and heritage community and we have therefore come up with our Culture Pass. It is in a form that I think is workable, but we will continue to take feedback from users on its implementation. Alongside the SG60 ActiveSG credit top-up and the SG Culture Pass, we will also have a busy and bustling calendar of events to bring Singaporeans together over shared experiences. In October, the Singapore Biennale 2025 will bring art outside of traditional museum spaces and into the public realm. Mr Sitoh Yih Pin can be assured to know that we will be leaning forward to provide a diverse portfolio of events at the Sports Hub. Madam, it has been about two years since we took back the Sports Hub. At that time, we made a commitment to bring in more community and sporting events, and to transform the Sports Hub into a vibrant space that all Singaporeans can enjoy and identify with. Since then, we have fulfilled this and done much more. We saw an all-time high in the number of National School Games Finals held at the Sports Hub.”
“This, Madam, is also why we focus on in-person experiences for the Culture Pass, rather than virtual experiences or purchases of artworks or art materials. In-person activities create opportunities for all Singaporeans to come together and create a community around art appreciation. That said, we recognise that in some cases, for example, in the literary arts, the primary mode of appreciation is through the written word, through books. The Culture Pass will, therefore, be available to support the purchase of SingLit books with the credits. Madam, the Culture Pass levels the playing field for our local arts and heritage practitioners to come together and compete for and attract and gain new audiences. So, let me reassure Ms Usha Chandradas that we will continue to ensure that diverse groups of all sizes will have fair access to the programme. We will pull all eligible offerings onto a single website, which will help publicise events from different groups. And this helps the smaller groups who might not be able to afford the resources to publicise, gain additional mindshare and publicity. There are some understandable concerns that some parties may take the opportunity to profiteer. But I believe that with the wide array and variety of programmes to choose from, it suits basically everyone, whoever has a local offering, in arts and culture and heritage, will be on the programme. We think that arts groups will be incentivised to price their offerings competitively, reflecting their true value. But at the same time, having said that, we will also continue to monitor and review the effectiveness of the scheme. We are looking at utilisation and healthy utilisation would be one important indicator.”
“To Mr Sitoh Yih Pin's question, it is my hope that this will ignite a passion for more arts appreciation amongst Singaporeans and inculcate in as many Singaporeans as possible, a lifelong interest in the arts and a deeper appreciation in their own heritage. Let me also thank Ms Usha Chandradas for her typically passionate support for the arts and for the Culture Pass. She had also raised several queries during the Budget debate and earlier when she spoke. I will address the Culture Pass questions. My colleague, Senior Minister of State Low Yen Ling will address the other queries that the Member has raised. As I said, our aim is for the Culture Pass to impact as many Singaporeans as possible, especially those who have not attended or do not usually attend local arts and heritage events. We want to change their outlook and hopefully, through the programme and the experience that they go through, catalyse a permanent interest in the arts amongst them. Therefore, the credits will not be transferrable to another person or directly donatable to arts charities. But they can be used to purchase tickets for family and friends so that they can go together and enjoy the programmes together. Ms Hany Soh suggested for us to extend the scheme to younger Singaporeans. We do not currently have plans to do so. That is because younger audiences will be able to benefit from arts education and outreach programmes that are embedded into schools, which NAC supports. Parents will be able to use their credits, however, to bring their children along for local arts and culture events. We hope that, overall, this can encourage Singaporeans to come together to engage in a shared experience of our local arts and culture.”
“To increase accessibility and awareness of our disability sport programmes and activities, not only for the disability community, but also for the broader public – to drive greater awareness, as well as stronger inclusion. We will continue to reduce barriers and create more incentives to drive greater participation. With this in mind, as part of SG60, we will be topping up the ActiveSG account with a further $100 credit. We hope this will further encourage sport participation across more community segments. Mr Neil Parekh, who just spoke a moment ago, will be glad to know that previous instances of credit top-ups that took place in 2014 and more recently, in 2023, were positively received, with about two in three ActiveSG Members using the credits within a year of the top-up and the announcement. With this SG60 top-up, we hope that we can push on, to enhance mass sports participation, so that all Singaporeans can live better through sport. 4.00 pm Madam, in his Budget speech, Prime Minister announced the SG Culture Pass. Madam, this is a very significant move, to build a stronger affinity and appreciation for the arts and culture in Singapore, and through this programme to also bring people together through this shared appreciation. With the Culture Pass, all Singapore Citizens,18 years and above, will receive a $100 credit to encourage them to take part in and experience local arts and heritage offerings. The Culture Pass is an integral part of our Arts Plan 2.0, aiming to foster a deeper connection and appreciation between the Singapore audience and the arts and heritage in Singapore. At the same time, this programme also seeks to strengthen the support for our own local practitioners.”
“Through "Project Citizens – The First Million", we will collect stories of our pioneering first citizens, and share them through the Founders' Memorial to inspire future generations of Singaporeans. Our nation's strength lies in our people. Our shared values, as well as our collective experiences – these are what bind us together. We have witnessed this in so many moments that we have had. I am sure many of the Members here will have their own account, but just last year, we saw religious leaders coming together, engaging in a historic interfaith dialogue with the Pope, or our residents enjoying arts in their own heartlands, as some of you have spoken about, through our programme, ArtsEverywhere@CDC or athletes surpassing themselves at the Paris Olympics and Paralympics and the many school and community events at the Sports Hub, which have brought people together and many more. These, and other shared moments are the foundation of our identity as "We, the people of Singapore". In our highs, we celebrate together; in our lows, we support each other. At MCCY, we will build on them and we will remain committed to creating opportunities and occasions for more Singaporeans to come together to experience such moments. In 2023, we opened the largest ActiveSG gym in Singapore at Bukit Canberra, bringing us closer to our goal of making sports a way of life for everyone. We now have 28 ActiveSG gyms in Singapore and 21 ActiveSG Sport Centres. We are progressing on our plans to add other gyms and sports centres around Singapore. We have also reimagined the Disability Sports Masterplan.”
“Thank you, Madam. Madam, the Singapore Spirit lies at the heart of our nation. It binds us and it drives us forward as one people. At MCCY, we serve as the custodians of this spirit; nurturing our nation's heart and soul, transforming Singapore from a city into a home – one where everyone, regardless of their background, can contribute to our shared story. Whether it is in the arts, heritage or culture, or in sport, music or religion – these are all strands of the Singapore spirit. Collectively, they make up the Singapore identity – one that is richly woven into a multi-ethnic tapestry. The challenges ahead – both internal and external – will be daunting; which is why we think that now, more than ever, we need to nurture and strengthen the Singapore spirit. At MCCY, we will double down on our efforts to serve Singaporeans and build a society that can stand united and strong, embodying "We, the people of Singapore", enabling our diverse aspirations to shine and building our shared future, together. I thank the Members who have spoken. They have given us much to think about by way of ideas and suggestions. My colleagues and I will respond to as many as possible in our speeches. Over the years, we have built a strong united nation founded on key values, like resilience, openness and self-determination. Mr Sitoh Yih Pin and Mr Darryl David said, "SG60 is an opportunity to reflect on our past." We agree. "We should celebrate our shared values and prepare for the future. Our pioneers embodied these values and etched them into our national fabric." Indeed, we should document and celebrate the stories of these pioneers, to preserve the values that make Singapore, well, uniquely Singapore.”