SINGAPORE: In his last May Day speech as Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong highlighted a number of successes Singapore has had during his leadership.
He also noted that the succession came at a “very challenging” time and asked Singapore to rally behind incoming Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and the fourth generation (4G) of People’s Action Party (PAP) leaders.
“I have done my duty, and I am very glad I chose this path of public service all those years ago,” PM Lee said at the May Day Rally, expressing “a sense of satisfaction and completeness.”
The Prime Minister, who has been in public service for 40 years, added, “I have strived to lead you and to govern Singapore in the way you deserve, to mobilise Singaporeans to show what we can do together.
I have also prepared a leadership team to succeed me that deserves your confidence and support.”
Among Singapore’s achievements during his tenure, he spoke of the country’s economic growth through diversifying its economic base.
“We climbed the value chain, going from factories and production lines to research and development in pharmaceuticals and nanotechnology. Now we are keeping up with dramatic breakthroughs in AI,” he said.
PM Lee also talked about how far Singapore’s transport system has come, saying, “Nowadays our trains are as reliable as, or better than, most other MRT systems. Surveys rank it amongst the best in the world.”
Similarly, he noted the high standard of housing, saying that older estates are kept up-to-date and updated, even fitted specifically to cater to an older population.
“This is why, unlike public housing projects elsewhere in the world, our HDB estates never turn into slums or ghettos,” he added. And as expected, PM Lee also put in a good word to the team that he would carry on the work he had done.
“I have no doubt that the next team and their successors will conceive more creative and ambitious projects, which will challenge us, inspire us, and take our country to the next level,” he said.
Noting the sizable challenges they’ll face, he added:
“I ask all Singaporeans to rally behind them and work together to make Singapore succeed, for your sake. That is our path forward:
For each generation to steward Singapore to the best of its ability so that the next generation can take over a better Singapore and lead our nation onwards and upwards.” /TISG
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