NATIONAL DAY RALLY SPECIAL EDITION MCI (P) 031/10/2021

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2022

Moving
Singapore
forward
Discussions, development
and drive will steer
the nation through
uncertain times.
2 NATIONAL DAY RALLY 2022
MASKS OFF IN MOST INDOOR
SETTINGS, AND IN SCHOOLS
With the country’s Covid-19 situation
stabilising, the Government will re-
duce mask requirements further.
Singaporeans will soon be able to
go mask-less in most indoor settings,
returning to almost pre-Covid-19 nor-
mality.
Masks will be required only on pub-
lic transport, where people are in pro-
longed close contact in a crowded
space, and in healthcare settings such
as clinics, hospitals, residential and
nursing homes, where there are vulner-
able people, said PM Lee.
Schools in particular should not re-
quire students to wear masks in class.
Children need to see the facial ex-
pressions of their teachers and of one
another, as this is crucial for their learn-
ing and development.
Following his Rally speech, the
multi-ministry task force handling the
pandemic announced that these new
regulations would kick in from today.
The further easing of Covid-19 rules
comes as the population has become
more resilient against the virus, due to
high vaccination rates and more peo-
ple getting infected, said the Ministry
of Health.
GLOBAL TENSIONS
PM Lee called on Singaporeans to be
mentally ready for disruptions to the re-
gion’s stability.
Singapore’s external environment
has become very troubled amid wors-
ening United States-China ties and Rus-
sia’s invasion of Ukraine, said PM Lee.
In particular, the relationship be-
tween the US and China is getting
more tense.
The two powers are divided over
many issues, he warned. This includes
their rival ideologies and systems of
government, China’s growing influ-
ence in the world, as well as many spe-
cific problems, including trade dis-
putes, cyber espionage, and the South
China Sea.
Most recently and worryingly, there
have been sharply escalating tensions
over Taiwan. Yet the two superpowers
need to work together on many press-
ing global issues, said PM Lee.
He said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
also has profound implications for the
world and for Singapore.
Singaporeans should expect more
geopolitical contestation in the Asia-
Pacific, and Singaporeans must get
themselves prepared psychologically,
said PM Lee.
There is also a need to take national
service seriously, and keep the Singa-
pore Armed Forces and Home Team
strong and credible.
“If we do not defend ourselves, no
one is going to defend us on our be-
half,” he said.
But the bottom line is that Singa-
poreans must stay together as one
WHAT IS THE
NATIONAL DAY RALLY?
The annual address delivered by
Singapore’s prime minister takes
stock of the country’s progress
the year before, and maps out its
direction for the future.
Major policies are also an-
nounced during this important
speech.
The Rally originated as a pri-
vate meeting. Founding Prime
Minister Lee Kuan Yew delivered
the first National Day Rally
speech on Aug 8, 1966, to a se-
lect group of community leaders
(above). The speech was released
to the media only two weeks
later.
In 1971, Mr Lee decided at the
last minute to have it televised
live to the nation.
Since then, the Rally has be-
come a fixture on the political cal-
endar, held always on the first or
second Sunday after National
Day on Aug 9.
The speeches are usually deliv-
ered in Malay, Mandarin and Eng-
lish.
This year’s Rally is the 10th
year since 2012 that a sign lan-
guage interpreter conveyed the
prime minister’s speech, and the
sixth year that captions, open or
closed, were provided by na-
tional broadcaster Mediacorp so
that viewers who are deaf or hard
of hearing could read what he
said.
Keeping S’pore
in the loop
change these policies or the definition
of marriage.
Turn to page 9 to read more
ECONOMIC
CHALLENGES AHEAD
Inflation was already becoming a prob-
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivered the country’s annual lem before the war in Ukraine because
National Day Rally speech that outlines the country’s achievements of the global Covid-19 pandemic, but
the war made things worse by pushing
and maps out what plans there are for the future. DEBRA ANN up energy prices worldwide and caus-
ing shortages and price spikes in grain
FRANCISCO summarises the significant announcements. globally.
The Government is doing every-
thing necessary to support Singapore-
ans, in particular the middle- and
lower-income families, and will do
more if the situation worsens, PM Lee
assured.
Turn to pages 6 to 8 to read more
NEW HOMES TO BE
BUILT IN PAYA LEBAR
An estimated 150,000 new public and
private homes can be built in a future
town in Paya Lebar after Paya Lebar
Air Base relocates in the 2030s.
The Urban Redevelopment Author-
ity said the site would comprise hous-
ing and recreational facilities, provide
space for businesses, which would in-
crease employment opportunities, and
tap the area’s aviation history.
Turn to pages 14 and 15 to read more
ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE
DEVELOPMENT: TERMINAL 5
AND TUAS PORT
Work on Terminal 5 at Changi Airport
will restart after a two-year pause
brought on by the pandemic, said
PM Lee.
The new terminal will serve about
50 million passengers a year, more
than T1 and T3 put together.
PM Lee delivering his National Day Rally 2022 speech at ITE College Central in Ang Mo Kio on Aug 21. He said that a strong sense of national identity is needed The design of the terminal will draw
to hold Singaporeans together and give meaning to nation building. PHOTOS ST FILE, KEVIN LIM
on lessons learnt from the pandemic
and allow spaces to be converted for
united people and never allow them- gapore would repeal Section 377A of poreans to be respected and ac-
testing or the segregation of high-risk
selves to be divided, whether by race, the Penal Code, which is a law criminal- cepted”, he said.
passengers.
religion, income, social differences or ising sex between men. Yet, the Government intends to up-
The features will make the airport
place of birth, he said.
Explaining the rationale for repeal, hold and safeguard the institution of more resilient and able to handle fu-
he noted that societal attitudes to- marriage, said PM Lee.
ture pandemics more nimbly. T5 will
Turn to pages 4 and 5 to read more wards gay people have “shifted appre- Only marriage between a man and a
also be greener and more energy-effi-
ciably”. woman is recognised in Singapore, he
cient, said PM Lee.
SECTION 377A TO BE
There was a need to “find the right said, and many national policies, such Also, the mega Tuas Port began op-
REPEALED, AND MARRIAGE way to reconcile and accommodate as public housing and adoption rules, erations last December, with two
TO BE PROTECTED both the traditional mores of our soci- rely on this definition. berths opened. When fully opera-
The Prime Minister announced that Sin- ety, and the aspiration of gay Singa- The Government does not intend to tional, the port will have 66 berths
MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES 3
spanning 26km and be capable of han-
dling the largest container ships.
Phase 1 of Tuas Port has just been
completed.
Turn to pages 12 to 15 to read more
NEW INITIATIVES TO ATTRACT
TOP TALENT FROM AROUND
THE WORLD
The ministries of manpower and trade
and industry and economic agencies
will be announcing new initiatives to at-
tract and retain top talent from around
the world.
Singapore has attracted the interest
of many talented individuals and inter-
national companies because of its
trusted brand of quality, reliability and
efficiency and its track record in tack-
ling Covid-19.
The country must seize the opportu-
nity to secure its place in the post-
Covid-19 world, said PM Lee, but
needs to do more, especially in sectors
with good potential, to get people to
come here.
Getting the right talent will help the
country excel as a hub of innovation,
entrepreneurship and growth.
It will also make Singapore’s own tal-
ent want to stay here and build a dy-
namic and outstanding nation, he said.
Turn to pages 10 and 11 to read more
IMPORTANCE OF A
STRONGER NATIONAL UNITY
Taking pride in being Singaporeans
and having a stronger sense of na-
tional identity was among three “en-
during imperatives” that PM Lee high-
lighted in his speech.
He also emphasised the need for a
strong sense of national identity to
hold Singaporeans together and give
meaning to the country’s nation build-
ing.
He hopes this will be one of the out-
comes of the ongoing Forward Singa-
pore exercise, which was launched by
Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence
Wong on June 28.
The nationwide exercise will engage
citizens on shaping and strengthening
Singapore’s social compact for its next
phase.
Turn to pages 10 and 11 to read more
The Straits Times
4 NATIONAL DAY RALLY 2022
Being prepared for the effects of global challenges
Our external environment has become ‘very troubled’, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally on Aug 21.
He said: ‘Better get real, and be psychologically prepared.’ ANG YIYING looks into some external issues that are creating tension, not just for other places, but Singapore too.
US-CHINA RELATIONS
WORSEN OVER TAIWAN
In his Rally speech, PM Lee said: “United
States-China relations, which set the tone for
global affairs, are worsening.
“The two powers are divided over many is-
sues – their rival ideologies and systems of gov-
ernment; China’s growing influence in the
world; many specific problems, including trade
disputes, cyber espionage, the South China
Sea, Hong Kong; and most recently and worry-
ingly, sharply escalating tensions over Taiwan.”
The background: After the Chinese Civil War
ended in 1949, the governments of the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland
and the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan
both claimed to be the legitimate government
of China.
Communist China has long regarded Taiwan
– which has been self-ruled since 1949 – as a
breakaway province that is part of its territory.
China has strongly opposed any move that
seems to recognise Taiwan and gives it a sense
of international legitimacy.
Such moves include high-profile overseas vis-
its by Taiwanese officials, or visits by foreign of-
ficials to Taiwan.
China has vowed to eventually “unify” Tai-
wan with the mainland, using military force if
necessary.
China’s military build-up in recent years has
largely been oriented towards such a mission.
Recent tensions: On Aug 4, China began con-
ducting a series of military exercises around Tai-
wan.
These drills, which included live firing mili-
tary exercises in areas surrounding Taiwan,
came a day after the end of a visit by United
States politician Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.
The US House of Representatives Speaker
was the highest-ranking American official to
visit in 25 years.
Mrs Pelosi’s trip came at a sensitive time:
China-US relations were strained due to a
trade war and questions over China’s alleged
human-rights violations, among other things.
Her visit was met with outrage from Beijing.
It also warned that the trip threatened stability
in the region.
Mrs Pelosi’s two-day visit was part of a high-
profile Asian tour, during which she also called
on Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and
Japan.
The Singapore perspective: In April, PM Lee
said that he hoped the US and China will be
able to talk about and manage their differ-
ences peacefully, so that countries in the Asia-
Pacific can continue to prosper.
A very important factor for an international
framework in which every country can survive,
develop, compete and work together is the
Taiwanese civilians in tactical gear and replica
weapons taking part in an urban warfare workshop
in Linko district, New Taipei City, in June.
US-China relationship and whether the super-
powers can manage their differences peace-
fully, said PM Lee.
The ability to talk frankly about some of their
differences would enable them to maintain
long-term and stable bilateral ties, so that the
world – and the Asia-Pacific region especially –
can benefit and take care of its own livelihood
and future, he added then.
PM Lee said at the Rally of the tensions be-
tween US and China: “Yet the US and China
need to work together on many pressing
global issues, including climate change, pan-
demics and nuclear proliferation.
“Their tense relationship is making this al-
most impossible. This is bad news for the
world.
“President Joe Biden and President Xi Jin-
ping recently held a long video call. They
agreed to meet in person. But neither side ex-
pects relations to improve any time soon.
“Furthermore, we must all hope that there
are no miscalculations or mishaps, which can
make things much worse very quickly.”
How this affects Singapore: Strained US-
China relations affect stability in the world and
also the South-east Asian region.
For instance, Singapore is dependent on
WHAT PM LEE SAID AT THE RALLY
“We can expect more geopolitical contestation in the Asia-Pacific.
Some countries will choose a side. Others, like Singapore, will try our
best to avoid being caught up in major power
rivalry.
“Our region has enjoyed peace for so
long that it is hard for us to imagine
things being different. But look at how
things have gone wrong in Europe,
how suddenly and quickly.
“Can you be sure that things
cannot go wrong like that in our
region too? So we must get real,
and we must get ourselves
prepared psychologically.”
PHOTOS AFP, CMG FILE
A woman gathering her belongings from a
heavily damaged residential building in
Kharkiv. More than six million people have fled
the fighting in Ukraine and a similar number
are displaced within the country.
trade and if US and China engage in a trade
war – a situation in which countries try to dam-
age the other’s trade by imposing tariffs or quo-
tas – that would affect Singapore’s trade as
well.
RUSSIA’S WAR ON UKRAINE
The background: On Feb 24, Russian forces in-
vaded Ukraine by land, air and sea. Russian
President Vladimir Putin announced that this
was a “special military operation”.
Mr Putin said the operation was to protect
people, including Russian citizens, subjected to
“genocide” in Ukraine.
Many countries in the West have called the
accusation “absurd propaganda”.
The situation: A number of countries, includ-
ing Singapore, imposed sanctions on Russia.
However, Russia’s war on Ukraine is still ongo-
ing.
The war has also created deep hostility be-
tween Russia and other states, especially the
US and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
(Nato), a military alliance of 30 countries in Eu-
rope and North America.
The Singapore perspective: The invasion vio-
lates the United Nations Charter and funda-
MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES 5
mental principles of sovereignty and territorial
integrity, which are particularly important to
Singapore given that its existence and security
relies on countries upholding these principles,
said PM Lee.
In March, Singapore strongly condemned
Russia’s actions, and imposed sanctions on the
exports of military and technological goods, as
well as financial measures.
PM Lee said that while most Singaporeans
understood the Government’s position, some
have questioned the need to offend Russia, to
side with the US, or for Singapore to stick its
neck out.
He said Singapore was not siding with the
US and neither was the Republic against Rus-
sia.
“But we have to be firm in our position and
defend fundamental principles robustly. We
cannot be ambiguous about where we stand.
We believe the sovereignty and territorial in-
tegrity of all countries, big or small, must be re-
spected.
“These principles are existential for all na-
tions, but especially so for a small nation like
Singapore,” he said.
Singapore has consistently opposed the ap-
proach of “might is right”, said PM Lee.
“If we do not stand firm and take a clear
stand on the Ukraine crisis, should Singapore
be invaded one day, no one will speak up for
us,” he said.
How this affects Singapore: Although the war
is happening in Europe, it also affects security
in the Asia-Pacific.
It has complicated already-strained US-
China relations – the US, like most of the west-
ern world, condemns Russia’s actions, while
China has refused to condemn Russia over the
war – as well as relations between China and
America’s partners in Asia, like Australia and
Japan.
On another level, Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine has led to a chain reaction of commod-
ity shortages and spiralling prices.
Higher energy and food prices have affected
the world, including Singapore.
The Straits Times, Reuters, Bloomberg, AFP,
Oxford Languages, United Nations
GLOSSARY
L Trade war: A situation in which countries try
to damage one another’s trade by imposing
tariffs or quotas.
L Sovereignty: The authority of a state to
govern itself or another state.
L Territorial integrity: The principle that
sovereign states have the right to defend
their borders and the territory in them and
that other states should not attempt to
promote border changes or make border
changes through force.
 6 NATIONAL DAY RALLY 2022
INFLATION IN SINGAPORE
Global challenges causing
prices to spike everywhere
IN explains inflation and asks different groups of people how it has affected them directly
I
magine that you have $5. Five years ago,
you could buy a milkshake, burger and fries
with that amount at an eatery.
Now, with that same amount, it can pay
for only a burger and fries or a burger and milk-
shake in the same eatery.
In a nutshell, that is how you would feel the
effects of inflation – the same amount of money
now gets you less. It is a general rise in the
prices of goods and services without, however,
an improvement in their quality.
WHAT CAUSES IT?
There are two main causes of inflation.
The first is when the demand for goods and
services in an economy rises more rapidly than
Managing expenses of a
new household taking
some getting used to
This year is turning out to be a year of adjust-
ments for Mr Sean Tan, 27, and Ms Rachel
Chan, 26.
Not only are the newlyweds, who tied the
knot about five months ago, learning the
ropes of household management, they are
also doing so in the midst of rising inflation
that has led to higher prices in many areas.
Early in their marriage, the couple said
that the concept of budgeting “went out of
the window” as they were reacting to the
payments they needed to make in relation to
their wedding and purchase of a flat.
The pair both work as IT executives –
Mr Tan in a non-governmental organisation,
and Ms Chan in the pharmaceutical industry.
Now that the pair have settled into mar-
ried life, they are paying closer attention to
their household expenditure.
And they are definitely noticing the
higher prices.
Mr Tan said: “First thing that gave us a
shock was our utility bills, definitely. Electric-
ity, water, gas prices have all gone up.
“The electricity bills have risen around
8 per cent over the past six months. We defi-
nitely feel it because no matter how much
we try to cut (our usage), the price is still
about the same.”
The couple planned their initial budget af-
ter talking to other homeowner friends and
had expected their bills to be in the same
range as those of their friends’.
So when their bills came out to be more
than they expected, their first reaction, as
the capacity to supply them.
The second is when the cost of of production
and raw materials increases due to reasons such
as short-term supply shocks.
They may result from unexpected events. For
instance, droughts that may kill off crops, result-
ing in a limited supply of certain crops and,
hence, high prices for a short period of time.
WHAT IS CORE INFLATION?
When reading about inflation, you may come
across the term “core inflation”.
This refers to the long-term trend in changes
in prices of goods and services, excluding items
which have volatile or seasonal pricing.
Every country defines core inflation slightly
Mr Tan and Ms Chan, who tied the knot about five
months ago, are adjusting their lifestyles to ensure that
they do not overspend. PHOTO COURTESY OF RACHEL CHAN
they laughingly put it, was to question:
“Where did that come from?”
The pair have taken steps to mitigate that.
To cut down on their electricity usage, for
example, Ms Chan goes to the office more
often nowadays, while Mr Tan uses the fan in-
stead of the air-con when working from
home. The couple also do not use the air-
con at home very often.
The increasing prices of groceries have
also caught their attention.
Even though they are still spending the
same amount per grocery run – around $100
each time – they have noticed that they are
getting fewer items now for the same bill.
One way they cope with that is to portion
their food items.
differently. Most countries would exclude cer-
tain categories of food or energy where prices
fluctuate greatly.
Core inflation here excludes the costs of pri-
vate transport and accommodation. Singapore’s
core inflation last month went up 4.8 per cent –
its highest level since November 2008 when it
was 5.5 per cent.
The reason: It is driven by higher prices of
food, retail and utilities.
Scan or click on this
QR code to watch a
video that explains
inflation.
For example, when they purchase meat,
such as minced pork, they portion it out for
use over four or five meals.
Ms Chan also often buys their non-perish-
able items, such as cleaning supplies and toi-
let paper, in bulk online as it is cheaper to do
so.
Mr Tan said: “I guess we are adapting
along the way, but there’s no doubt that we
feel the pinch of inflation.”
Ms Chan added that they “stopped
spending as liberally as we used to”.
For example, they have stopped going
out to eat as much, choosing instead to cook
at home.
This includes cutting down on cafe and
restaurant visits after they got married and
Mr Tan, who had previously purchased a cof-
fee machine, joked that he instead “brought
a cafe home with me”.
The couple, who use a car owned by
Mr Tan’s parents, also take certain steps to
address higher petrol prices.
Whenever they have to refuel, they try to
go to one particular petrol station that offers
good savings.
As it is not located near where they live,
they will plan activities or outings in that area
so that they can fill the car’s tank at the same
time.
Ms Chan said: “I guess it is a bit more in-
convenient, but it kind of cuts down on the
costs (of petrol).”
Even hanging out with friends no longer
means going out nowadays, as their friend
group also prefers to stay in, something that
Ms Chan said “helps everyone”.
“It’s very easy, when going out with
friends, to spend $100 in a day. But when we
stay at home, even if we order delivery, it will
not be that expensive,” she added.
Nur Syahiidah Zainal
Small business
owner counting the
changing costs of
selling and buying
Since she first started her busi-
ness around two years ago,
Ms Monica Saranya Selva De Roy
has had to re-evaluate her busi-
ness expenditures often. Top of
her list are staff salaries and deliv-
ery costs.
The 29-year-old owns Haircare-
ByMon, a two-year-old brand
that sells homemade Ayurvedic
hair and body oil.
She pays her logistics partner
for each domestic package al-
most 45 per cent more now than
what she used to pay when she
first started out.
And the cost for overseas deliv-
ery is also “another thing that has
dramatically increased”.
She now pays about 30 per
cent more to deliver her products
to Australia, for example.
The hands-on business owner,
whose duties include business de-
velopment, marketing and liais-
ing with vendors, tracks her busi-
ness expenditure herself and said
that “costing is my least favourite
topic”.
Ms Monica said: “Initially, all I
wanted to do were the basic
things and run a small home busi-
ness, but things get very serious
very fast.
“They can quickly get out of
hand if you don’t look at every-
thing. Like if you don’t read the
Ms Andelina Chong, who lives alone, noticed that her grocery-shopping
bills have gone up by as much as 30 per cent over the past year.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDELINA CHONG
Turn to page 8 to read about how a large family is coping with inflation and also why the GST increase helps the nation in the long term
MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES 7
Ms Monica has two staff on her
team, who handle duties such as
brewing the oils, packaging the
products and monitoring the in-
ventory.
There is the pressure of costs
there, too, because “their pay in-
creases every year, it just goes
without saying”.
Ms Monica said that, apart
from inflation affecting the
amounts she pays her staff, the
amount of work they do as busi-
ness ramps up also increases.
“No matter how efficient you
try to keep the process, the
minute it’s a home business, you
pack everything yourself, you
bubble wrap everything your-
self,” she mused. To manage ris-
ing costs, Ms Monica has tried to
switch suppliers in certain areas,
such as those she gets raw ingre-
dients from.
However, she hangs on to ven-
dors who provide exceptional ser-
vice, such as her international lo-
gistics provider.
In this case, Ms Monica said
that although she could always
The hands-on business owner, whose duties include business development, marketing and opt for a cheaper provider, she
liaising with vendors, tracks her business expenditure herself and said that “costing is my
least favourite topic”. PHOTO COURTESY OF MONICA SARANYA SELVA DE ROY
would “never do that because I
would just not get the speed, the
accounts, you can easily be bleed- ents that she uses in her prod-
promptness of the deliveries, and
the service”.
ing (money).”
Another major business expen-
ucts.
These ingredients, which still She also tries not to keep a
diture for her is the cost of one of remain fairly inexpensive for now,
also last her a long time.
large supply of raw items on hand
so that they are not wasted.
her key raw ingredients: oils.
Giving an example, she said: “The supply and the demand
The base of her hair oils in- “If I buy one packet of neem pow-
clude coconut oil, castor oil and always have to be in check, be-
der or a packet of curry leaf pow- cause (the business) runs from
olive oil, which are “fairly expen-
der, that one packet would easily home… I cannot order too much
sive”. last me about eight months to a
in bulk... So that balance is some-
However, the increasing prices year and I would have probably
of these oils are balanced out by spent something ridiculously times very hard to manage.”
those of the rest of the ingredi- small.” Nur Syahiidah Zainal
She also looks out for special promotions
Prudent spender and and deals for necessities, especially for items
habitual saver making such as cleaning products where she feels
switching brands does not affect her quality
changes so she can fulfil of life.
her housing goal “I am very concerned about inflation and
whether it affects my ability to make my tar-
get savings,” she said.
Ms Andelina Chong, who is in her 40s and As someone looking to upgrade her hous-
works as a manager in the insurance indus- ing by buying a resale three-room flat, she
try, has a habit of tracking her monthly ex- said: “I am making a lot of effort to manage
penses.
my expenses.”
She lives alone in a two-room Housing For instance, to make sure that she still
Board flat, and spends about $600 a month spends the same amount overall despite ris-
on groceries, dining out and food delivery ing prices, she has switched from some of
services. her more expensive, branded skincare prod-
However, she noticed that her grocery- ucts to more wallet-friendly drugstore
shopping bills have gone up by as much as brands.
30 per cent over the past year. Said Ms Chong: “With inflation, I need to
To manage this increase, she has cut back sit down and ask myself, is this a necessity?
Or can I switch to something cheaper? That
and chosen other options. For instance, she
no longer buys paper kitchen towels and in- is how I look at it.”
stead uses a regular cloth. Ang Yiying
 NATIONAL DAY RALLY 2022 MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES 8

Spending on family
needs going up
but parents still coping
Inflation is hitting Ms Sarina Noor, 42, on
two fronts – one as a mother and the other
as a small business owner.
The supervisor of a Kindergarten Care
centre – her main job – has made some
changes to her family’s routine to cope with
rising prices.
For instance, her family has switched en-
ergy providers, opting for one that offered
better savings than their previous provider,
due to more competitive pricing.
Ms Sarina also now prepares more meals
at home.
But even then, she gets less bang for her
buck when she buys groceries.
Ms Sarina and her husband, who works in
the healthcare industry, have three children
aged between seven and 13.
Her husband’s mother lives with them,
and the family also has a domestic helper.
She said: “Nowadays, going to the mar-
ket doesn’t just cost us $50 any longer. It can
easily go up to $80 just for one simple dish.”
She gave the example of cooking the noo-
dle dish, mee soto, for her family to eat over
the course of one day. Just buying the ingre-
dients for that simple dish can easily set the
family back by around $70.
The family has also cut down on going
out, choosing to spend more time together
at home instead.
Ms Sarina – who previously held a job with
better pay – said that while her children are
“getting used to it”, they still ask her about
weekend plans sometimes.
She said: “We used to go all out for the
children previously, take them wherever they
wanted to go on the weekends, because we
had the means then. However, it is very diffi-
cult now.”
When they do go out now, they are more
careful to go to attractions or do activities
where they do not have to spend any or
much money.
One of the family’s biggest monthly ex-
penditures is their car.
Used to ferry all the family members to
their various destinations each day, it is
something that they “cannot do without”.
After doing the calculations, Ms Sarina
said that it “makes more sense” for the fam-
ily to own a car as they would be spending
more on public transportation otherwise.
She added: “It’s really a necessity, a need,
for us instead of just a want.”
A full tank of petrol for the seven-seater
vehicle usually sets them back about $150,
and that lasts for about a week and a half.
But now that the land border with
Malaysia is open, Ms Sarina sees their spend-
ing on petrol coming down slightly as she
and her husband are now able to go across
the Causeway to refuel their car.
To boost their finances, Ms Sarina also
runs a home-based food business in which
she takes orders for shepherd’s pies during
weekends.
But she is feeling the pinch in this enter-
prise too as the prices of the ingredients
that she uses have gone up.
For example, the price for 1kg of chicken
is now $11, when it used to cost her only $8.
However, she has chosen to not raise the
prices of her shepherd’s pies, which range
between $10 and $25, for now.
She had asked some of her regular cus-
tomers for their feedback on the prices, and
many indicated that they preferred the
prices to stay where they are now.
Ms Sarina also did not wish to turn off any
first-time customers who may be deterred
from ordering if she increased her prices.
While she can still make a decent profit
from the current setup, it is not something
that she can sustain in the long-term if the
prices of the raw ingredients continue to in-
crease.
“They (customers) may not know of our
struggles, and of the costs that we have to
take into consideration,” she said.
Nur Syahiidah Zainal

GST support heartland shops and hawk-

ers, he said.
To date, more than 18,000 heart-
increase land merchants, hawkers and cof-
fee shop stalls have joined the

needed to scheme.
Most households have also
utilised their CDC vouchers, with
deal with close to $180 million spent so far.
Other forms of support have

rising also been given progressively,

PM Lee said. He cited the example
of a married couple with two chil-

healthcare dren living in a three-room Hous-

ing Board flat.

and social They will receive support almost

every month, amounting to $3,700
over 12 months that includes:

spending Most households have utilised their Community Development Council vouchers, with close to
L Cash payouts of $1,400 this
month.

T
he impending goods and
services tax (GST) increase
is necessary as Singapore’s
population is ageing
rapidly, said Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loong in his Mandarin
speech at the National Day Rally
on Aug 21.
Singapore must be prepared to
take better care of the elderly, in-
cluding providing more medica-
tion subsidies to reduce the bur-
den of healthcare costs on older
Singaporeans and their families.
More hospitals, polyclinics and
other facilities also have to be built
so that they can access medical ser-
vices.
$180 million spent so far. They were distributed not only to help households defray some daily
expenses, but also to support heartland shops and hawkers.
All these mean that Singapore’s
healthcare and social spending is
increasing sharply.
One in six Singaporeans is aged
65 and above. By 2030, this num-
ber will increase to one in four,
with mature estates seeing their
population grey earlier.
Turning to Covid-19, PM Lee
said Singapore has been able to
cope with the pandemic better
than some other countries be-
cause of prudent financial manage-
ment and sufficient reserves.
The Republic should continue
to save for a rainy day and plan for
the future, he added.
CMG FILE PHOTO
The planned GST increase will
take place in two stages – from
7 per cent to 8 per cent on Jan 1
next year, and from 8 per cent to
9 per cent on Jan 1, 2024.
Acknowledging that many are
worried about the rising cost of liv-
ing, PM Lee assured Singaporeans
that the Government has taken
steps to help, and will provide
more support if necessary.
For instance, the Community
Development Council (CDC)
vouchers that have been distrib-
uted not only help households de-
fray some daily expenses, but also
L About $190 in U-Save and
S&CC rebates in October to help
pay for utilities and service and
conservancy charges.
L $200 of CDC vouchers next
January, on top of the $100 of
vouchers distributed in May.
L $300 to be credited into their
MediSave accounts in February
next year.
PM Lee said everyone will re-
ceive some support, but the
amount each family receives will
depend on its income level and
housing type.
Adapted from “GST hike needed to
take care of rapidly ageing
population” by Chin Soo Fang,
The Straits Times, Aug 22, 2022
NATIONAL DAY RALLY 2022
Safeguarding marriage
as society changes
BY SERENE LUO
A
law that makes sex between men
a criminal offence will soon be no
more.
Known as Section 377A of the
Penal Code, the law was laid down by the
British in the 1930s. While it was one that
reflected the moral attitudes and social
norms of that time, it has in recent years be-
come a controversial law.
On Aug 21, Prime Minister Lee Hsien
Loong announced in the National Day Rally
that “the Government would repeal S377A
and decriminalise sex between men”.
Repealing a law means to revoke or nul-
lify it.
At the same time though, the Govern-
ment intends to keep its “family-oriented
approach”, and “uphold and safeguard the
institution of marriage” by amending the
Constitution.
Read on to find out more about what
this means for Singapore.
WHERE DID THIS
LAW COME FROM?
It was introduced in 1938 by the British
colonial government.
Similar laws were put in place in territo-
ries ruled by the British empire around the
world, including India and New Zealand.
Some of these countries have since re-
pealed such laws over the years.
In 2007, Section 377A – which carries a
jail term of up to two years – was discussed
in depth. The Government at the time said
it would not enforce it so as not to oppress
gay men.
WHY IS IT BEING
REPEALED NOW?
For one thing, the Government does up-
date laws and practices from time to time,
“to reflect evolving social values and
norms”, said PM Lee, citing the wearing of
tudung by nurses in hospitals as one such
issue.
Fifteen years later, “attitudes have
shifted appreciably”, he added.
“In many societies, including Singapore,
gay people have become more accepted
for who they are, instead of being shunned
and stigmatised.
“They are our fellow Singaporeans...
They too want to live their own lives, partici-
pate in our community, and contribute fully
to Singapore.”
While differing views still exist, from a
“law-and-order” point of view, there is no
justification to prosecute people for private
sexual behaviour between consenting
adults, he said.
At the same time, most Singaporeans do
not want a drastic change in societal
norms, such as the definition of marriage,
or even what is shown on free-to-air TV.
Outside the Registry of Marriages building is a sculpture with the words “Real Love Works”. Originally the name of a
campaign run by the then National Family Council, the phrase has since become synonymous with the registry.
DID YOU KNOW?
● This is not the only law that has been re-
pealed in Singapore’s history.
In 2016, the Penal Code (which generally
addresses criminal offences like cheating, as-
sault and robbery) underwent an extensive
two-year review. One of the changes that
came about as a result of the review was
more protection for vulnerable victims, such
as those with intellectual disabilities.
● The Constitution is a set of principles by
which a state or organisation is ruled, espe-
cially in relation to the rights of the people
it governs.
“We will maintain our current family-ori-
ented approach, and the prevailing norms
and values of Singapore society,” said
PM Lee.
By amending the Constitution to protect
the definition of marriage, “this will help us
repeal Section 377A in a controlled, care-
fully considered way”.
Together, these two moves are an “ac-
commodation”, to balance the different
views among Singaporeans, said PM Lee.
“I believe it is the right thing to do...”
He added: “But in a society where di-
verse groups have strongly held opposing
views, everyone has to accept that no
group can have things all their way.”
WHAT IS THE EDUCATION
MINISTRY’S STAND ON THE
REPEAL?
After the announcement at the Rally, the
Ministry of Education released a statement.
MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES 9
CMG FILE PHOTO
It said: “Our education policies and cur-
riculum will remain anchored on Singa-
pore’s prevailing family values and social
norms, which the majority of Singapore-
ans want to uphold. These include the fam-
ily as the cornerstone of our social fabric,
and marriage between a man and a
woman.”
Furthermore, “sexuality education
taught in our educational institutions will re-
main secular, based on traditional values,
and sensitive to the multiracial and multi-re-
ligious make-up of our society”, the
spokesman said.
“All students will learn and practise val-
ues such as mutual understanding, respect,
and empathy for everyone. Bullying and
cancel culture must not take root in our edu-
cational institutions and society.
“Our educational institutions will con-
tinue to partner parents to guide our chil-
dren, and provide counselling and socio-
emotional support to all students accord-
ing to their needs,” the spokesman said.
WHAT COMES NEXT
The matter will be debated fully in Parlia-
ment before the repeal or constitutional
change is enacted.
In the meantime, PM Lee called for all
groups to “exercise restraint, because that
is the only way we can move forward as a
nation together”.
“I hope the new balance will enable Sin-
gapore to remain a tolerant and inclusive
society for many years to come.”
The Straits Times, Cambridge Dictionary
10 NATIONAL DAY RALLY 2022
Your input has a part to
play in the nation’s future
In order to better
understand the needs of
citizens, the Government
is collecting views that will
help it craft policies that
are relevant and inclusive.
SERENE LUO reports.
I
magine the development of the nation as
a marathon, and you and your friends are
about to grab the baton as you represent
Singapore’s future.
But you will not be taking the same route
as your parents or predecessors.
You are continuing the journey they
started. You will encounter new obstacles that
may cause you to stumble, but you will also
see new sights that will expand your world
view.
Amid all those, what values will you con-
tinue to hold on to, and what do you envisage
your homeland and home to look like and do
for you?
Enter the Forward Singapore exercise.
The year-long engagement is to better un-
derstand the needs of Singaporeans now and
renew the social compact – a shared under-
standing of one another’s roles in a society.
That is because people’s aspirations and
expectations have changed, as Singapore’s
economy grows, and as social trends change.
In his National Day Rally speech, Prime Min-
3 vital
areas that
will power
the nation’s
prospects
ister Lee Hsien Loong said: “The conversation
is to build consensus on the kind of Singapore
we want to see...
“What specific goals should we set for our-
selves? What do we need to do, what trade-
offs do we have to make? How can we rally ev-
eryone to realised our shared vision?”
At a dialogue session on Forward Singa-
pore earlier this year, Deputy Prime Minister
Lawrence Wong said: “A big part of this exer-
cise is precisely about you (the youth).
“We will engage you on the areas you are
interested in, on the areas of concern,
whether it is about sustainability, new technol-
ogy trends, arts or music.”
FORWARD SINGAPORE EXPLAINED
The six pillars or topics of the Forward Singa-
P
rime Minister Lee Hsien Loong listed
three long-term, important and ur-
gent things that need immediate at-
tention in his Rally speech, calling
them “enduring imperatives for Singapore”.
PM Lee also said that he hoped people
would better appreciate these after the For-
ward Singapore exercise.
L ”First, we must take pride in
being Singaporeans,
strengthen our national
identity, and understand
where our national interests
lie.”
Many external forces threaten to rend Singa-
pore apart.
The country is made up of different groups of people with
different needs and lifestyles. For instance, some want an
environment that is family-oriented, some are concerned
about staying healthy, and some are looking to start new
careers.
PHOTOS ST FILE, CMG FILE
pore exercise to be discussed are:
1. Empower: Economy and jobs
2. Equip: Education and lifelong learning
3. Care: Health and social support
4. Build: Home and living environment
5. Steward: Environment and fiscal
sustainability
6. Unite: Singapore identity
Each of these areas will be led by a minister
from the country’s fourth-generation of lead-
ers.
The exercise will last for about a year, and a
report will be prepared around the middle of
next year.
While all of these topics will eventually mat-
ter to you – as you will very soon grow up and
inherit this nation, the one possibly of most
relevance now is that of “Equip”.
Some are malicious, like disinformation or
fake news, others could be nationalistic views
or tensions.
“We need a strong sense of national iden-
tity to hold us together, and give meaning to
our nation building,” said PM Lee.
L ”Second, we must stay open
and connected to the world.”
Many countries are beginning to turn inward
and protectionist, which is to look out for
themselves first.
But Singapore cannot afford to keep to it-
self, said PM Lee. “It is impossible for us to
grow or make everything we need ourselves.
Nor can we consume everything we produce,
whether computer chips or pharmaceuticals.”
Singapore is a small nation with a limited
domestic market. Just see how tourism and re-
Consider this: Your grandparents came
from an era when most people completed
only secondary education, and just a select
few could afford to or qualify to seek higher
education.
Your parents, who are mostly born in the
1970s to 1990s, had more choices, with many
of them now holding polytechnic diplomas
and university degrees.
There were also more ways to finance fur-
ther education, whether it was through bor-
rowing from one’s parents CPF or taking a
bank loan. Many more people in your par-
ents’ generation also hold advanced degrees
or had studied overseas.
Now, your generation is facing an exciting
new world. New industries and skills are
emerging – from artificial intelligence to de-
velopments in the biomedical field – and
there are others that might not even exist
now, but will do so by the time you enter the
workforce.
tail suffered during the pandemic when Singa-
pore’s borders were closed to foreign visitors.
“To make a living, we will always require for-
eign investments, overseas markets, and ex-
cellent transport and communications links
with all parts of the world.”
L ”Third,we must build a
world-class talent pool in
Singapore.”
When it comes to top talent, we can never
have enough, said PM Lee – and it will make
all the difference.
No wonder that countries all over the
world are fighting for such people. This in-
cludes Germany, which allows skilled foreign
professionals to live there even before they se-
cure a job, and the United Kingdom, which in-
This will likely mean that you will be the
generation of adaptability, and one of life-
long learning.
You may find yourself retraining to switch
careers more often than your parents did.
This trend will bring with it its own high-
lights and challenges.
For instance, who will finance the in-
creased amount of training or schooling?
How will education for children and
teenagers change to take into account these
trends in the workforce and economy?
Are there also mental health and psycho-
logical needs of the population to consider
when implementing such changes, for in-
stance?
That is why it is important to bring up your
concerns and ideas at this stage, so that the
points are recorded, and the collective needs
of the population will be considered in any
new policies or thrusts made.
Additional reporting by Gevitha Anbarasu
troduced a special visa for graduates of the
50 top universities worldwide to live and look
for jobs there.
Estonia, for instance, offers a digital nomad
visa, for freelance and remote workers so peo-
ple can legally work from there.
In 2021, Australia’s short-staffed hospitality
industry even started offering free flights and
A$1,000 (S$970) vouchers to lure such work-
ers to its shores.
“Singapore cannot afford to be creamed
off, or left behind,” said PM Lee.
One way is to look for foreign talent who
can help build and stimulate certain industries
that Singapore wants to be known for.
For instance, when Singapore wanted to
develop biomedicine in the 1990s, Mr Philip
Yeo scoured the world for top researchers
and scientists and made personal visits to con-
vince them to move to Singapore.
Fondly called “the whales”, the top talent
MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES 11
YOUTH VIEWS
“
As someone who works in psychology, I think
that making mental health care more accessible
could help Singaporeans. I think we are
considered a stressed, unhappy people. (We
need to teach) Singaporeans how to care for
themselves not just physically but mentally.
I think, (for physical health) we do such a
good job at this, telling people to get their
check-ups, there are so many apps for this. But
it would be nice to see a little more of this
focus put on mental health as an all-round
system of care for Singaporeans.”
Ms Nicole Anushka Nazareth, 23, research assistant
“
As a biracial Singaporean, I feel that it is key
that we continue to remember and embrace
our multicultural society in our everyday lives...
Strengthening our national identity will allow us
to forge forward and tackle the subsequent
challenges in our Forward Singapore agenda.
A Singapore that fully embraces our
multicultural beginnings and community would
be an ideal future where I would be free to aim
for my ambitions without worry or doubt about
who I am, or where I come from.”
Mr Nasri Sadi, 28, university undergraduate
“
Nowadays, the world is changing and
uncertain. It’s more important to know who we
are and what we stand for in this uncertain
world.
I would like to see a Singapore that is more
self-sustaining, whether it is in food supply, or
against rising sea levels. Singapore is so small,
we need to prepare for the future.
Even more important to me, is a Singapore
that stays together, no matter what societal
trend comes at us.”
Mr Chan Juun Kit, 23, undergraduate at Singapore
Management University and vice-president of SMU’s Student
Association
also mentored and trained local talents, which
Mr Yeo called “the guppies”. These “gup-
pies” have grown up and helped to enlarge
and improve Singapore’s biomedical industry,
PM Lee said.
“Those with special talents and skills are
looking for places to move to, where they and
their families feel safe and welcome and
where they can make an impact.
“Businesses want to invest in places where
the talent is, where the politics and policies
are stable and where the system works,” he
said.
Soon, the Ministries of Manpower and
Trade and Industry, as well as the economic
agencies, will announce new initiatives to at-
tract new talent.
And if Singapore is a shiny hub of “innova-
tion, entrepreneurship, and growth”, local tal-
ent will want to stay here too, said PM Lee.
Serene Luo
12 NATIONAL DAY RALLY 2022
Tracing the nation’s
shipping heritage
S
ingapore’s location has always been one of the
trump cards to its success as a port city.
For a long time now, the nation has been a
key player along the East-West trade route due
to its position at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula.
HUMBLE ORIGINS
Singapore’s importance as a port city can be traced back
as far as the late 13th century, when the island was known
as Temasek.
At the time, a prince from Palembang known as Seri
Teri Buana (also known as Sang Nila Utama) had estab-
lished a port settlement on the northern banks of the Sin-
gapore River, an area often referred to as the Old Har-
bour.
As one of many port cities that had sprung up along
the Strait of Melaka, Temasek faced stiff competition
from its rivals as they all sought to service the ships that
carried traders around the region.
A change in China’s maritime policy at the time saw an
increase in the number of Chinese ships calling on port
cities in South-east Asia, as merchants searched for
goods that they could bring back home to sell.
At that time, many of these ports were selling similar
goods, but the merchandise from Temasek were often
seen to be of better quality.
Temasek also acted as an intermediary.
Not only did it procure goods from nearby regions,
such as South Johor and the Riau Archipelago, to be ex-
ported to other countries, the island was also the main dis-
tributor of foreign products – brought in by ships from
China, South-east Asia and India – to the neighbouring
lands.
However, the shine of Temasek eventually declined as
the 14th century saw the rise of Malacca as the main trad-
ing port for the region instead.
For some time, there was no significant settlement or
port at Singapore – until the 19th century.
BRITISH COLONIAL INFLUENCE
In 1819, the British arrived on the scene.
Quick to grasp Singapore’s potential as an entrepot,
they began to lay the foundations for a city that took ad-
vantage of its strategic position to become a giant in the
global shipping routes.
Back then, Singapore was a free port.
This meant that ships from all over the world did not
have to pay the fees that the town, harbour, port and
dock would usually collect.
They were also able to trade freely in Singapore, as cus-
toms fees were placed on only selected goods, such as
tobacco, opium, alcohol and petroleum.
That, coupled together with its strategic location and
natural deep-water harbour of the Singapore River, led to
an influx of vessels calling at its port.
Above: Boats, tongkangs and bumboats at the Singapore River in 1961.
These small boats were used to move cargo to and from larger ships that
were anchored out at sea.
Below: Jurong Port opened in 1965 to handle the bulk cargo used by
the industries located in the Jurong Industrial Estate.
MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES 13
To cope with the increasing demand and traffic boom
along the Keppel Harbour waterway, Singapore an-
nounced the opening of the King’s Dock in 1913.
At the time, it was the second-largest dock in the
world.
Queen’s Dock was subsequently added in 1957.
To cope with the increase in cargo handling, mechani-
cal advancements also began to replace manual labour at
the harbours in 1874.
In 1879, land was reclaimed at Telok Ayer to allow for
the construction of new roads between Keppel Harbour
and the Singapore River. This was to deal with the conges-
tion problem along existing roads caused by the increase
in the volume of cargo being transported.
In 1905, the Straits Settlements government took over
control of the dock and wharf businesses.
At that point, the Singapore Harbour Board was
formed to control and expand the facilities of the port,
which by 1932, was made up of the wharves at the Singa-
pore River, Telok Ayer Basin and Keppel Harbour.
Enhancements were made to the facilities at the port,
too. For example, the wooden wharf frontage was re-
placed with concrete ones.
However, during the Japanese Occupation, Singa-
pore’s port facilities were badly damaged, and the equip-
ment and machinery fell into disrepair as no maintenance
work was carried out.
When the war ended, this caused much difficulty for
the Harbour Board as it tried to rebuild the port for pas-
senger and cargo services.
“
Our seaport and
MODERNISATION OF SHIPPING HUB
In 1964, the Singapore Harbour Board was replaced by
the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA).
airport play a critical Between the 1960s and 1970s, much of the port devel-
role putting us on the opments came hand-in-hand with the rapid industrialisa-
tion going on in Singapore at the time.
global stage. They Jurong Port opened in 1965 to handle the bulk cargo
connect us to the used by the industries located in the Jurong Industrial Es-
world, and keep tate.
The PSA also took over and converted the former
Singapore a thriving
British Naval Base Store Basin into Sembawang Wharves
business and trading in 1971, while Pasir Panjang Wharves began operations in
hub. That is why we 1974.
have always taken the When the Tanjong Pagar Container Terminal opened in
1972, it became South-east Asia’s first container terminal.
long view, and When the Pasir Panjang Container Terminals opened –
continuously improve first in 2002, then in 2012 – both stages heavily featured
All the island’s existing the latest port technology to meet the evolving needs of
our sea- and air-ports.” container terminals, such as the
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Pasir Panjang Container the shipping industry.
Terminals, would be Also in 2012: The Tuas Port project was announced.
National Day Rally 2022 consolidated into one mega
port in Tuas (top) by the 2040s. Under the project, all the existing container terminals
PHOTOS ST FILE, MARITIME AND
PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE would be consolidated into one mega port in Tuas, mark-
ing a new phase for the Port of Singapore.
Ten years on, the move to Tuas has already started. For
Within just a few years of its establishment, Singapore It was also home to Singapore’s first graving dock. example, all container operations in Tanjong Pagar have
already moved.
became a shipping powerhouse in the region. Simply called Dock no. 1, it was built in 1859, followed
By the end of the year, three more berths will start oper-
In the 1840s, steamships that required the use of coal eight years later by Dock no. 2. These docks were where
ating at Tuas Port, bringing the total number of berths
began calling at the port to refuel and Singapore became ships were repaired and maintained. open there to five as the authorities gradually increase op-
a key coaling station for such ships. In 1869, the Suez Canal in Egypt opened, creating a erations at the mega port.
The already-overcrowded river began to be even more “shortcut” for ships moving between the Atlantic and the Tuas Port will be fully completed in the 2040s. PSA is
congested, which led to the establishment of New Har- Indian oceans. expected to move all its operations at Tanjong Pagar, Kep-
bour, a deep-water berth otherwise known as Keppel Har- With the journey from Europe to Asia shortened, this pel and Brani terminals to Tuas by 2027, and from Pasir
bour. led to an increase in the number of ships calling at Singa- Panjang Terminal by the 2040s, freeing up prime water-
Wharves, warehouses and coal stores quickly began to pore for repairs and to refuel, as well as for the transfer of front land for residential and business use.
open up around New Harbour. cargo. The Straits Times, historySG, Infopedia, roots.gov.sg
 Centre Zone

CHANGI EAST URBAN DISTRICT

• Located at the doorstep of T5, the Changi East Urban • A masterplan for the district will be drawn up in
District will be a new business and lifestyle destination, consultation with the Ministry of National Development,
creating more jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans. the Urban Redevelopment Authority and other agencies.
14 NATIONAL DAY RALLY 2022 MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES 15

Changing
Two major infrastructure projects TUAS PORT
greener sustainable aviation fuel made from used feed-
stock. The aviation industry believes that such sustainable
Using T5 as an example, how would you make your
school “pandemic-ready”?
NEW TOWN AT PAYA LEBAR
were talked about at this year’s • Another
fuel must
threebe
emissions
widely
berths
target
at used
of
Tuas for
net
Portair travel so as to meet its
zero by 2050. ___________________________________________________
Illustrative
Rally: a new airport terminal and will open by the year end, bringing
the total number of berths open at
concept plan

land use
WHY IT MATTERS ___________________________________________________ TAMPINES EXPRESSWAY
a future town the mega port 5toisfive.
Terminal more than just another airport terminal.
• All container operations
The aviation at was one of the worst-hit industries
industry ___________________________________________________
BUILDING AN AIRPORT SUITED FOR Tanjong Pagar
during theterminal
Covid-19 have already
pandemic.
PANDEMIC TIMES moved to Tuas.
This Operations
latest terminal isata signal to the world that Singa- ___________________________________________________ HOUGANG
Singaporeans will soon have another world-class airport Singapore’
poreshasthree other terminals
recovered –
from the effects of the pandemic, and AVENUE 7

to meet
terminal to look forward to, with the new Changi Airport perhaps there is no better
Keppel, Brani and Pasir Panjang – way to say that than with an in- ___________________________________________________
Terminal 5 to be opened in the mid-2030s. vestment into a brand-new mega terminal that is capable
will also be consolidated there in HOUGANG
The design of the new terminal is also a sign of the pre- of serving 50 million passengers a year. 2. Can you make your home greener, just like T5? What AVENUE 3
the next 20 years.
vailing times. It will have features that enable the airport to T5 will be bigger than T1 and T3 put together. physical changes can you make to it, without spending any
handle future pandemics. • When fully completed,
Its up-to-date Tuas should
design Port also reduce the impact of money?
The airport’s structure can be divided and operated as will be the world’ s
future pandemics.largest fully

future
smaller sub-terminals when needed. It also has spaces that automated Thisport.
is an admission that the world may not have seen a. _________________________________________________
can be converted into quarantine or testing facilities dur- the last of pandemics, but at least Singapore will be more

Building for the future

ing pandemic times. ready to deal with them. ___________________________________________________
This new terminal will be able to scale operations up This terminal is also about the next generation
Changi of Singa-
and down easily, and isolate passengers from different poreans, with its green features and its location
Airport next to the b. _________________________________________________
flights to decrease the risk of cross-infection. Changi East Urban District, a business and TAMPINES
T5 lifestyle destina-

needs
AVENUE 10
In addition, passenger touchpoints will be contactless, tion. Paya ___________________________________________________
and ventilation systems can be activated to increase fresh
A mega port in Tuas, a pandemic-ready Changi Airport
air orTerminal
reduce the 5 mixing
and aofnew townthere
air when in place of of air-
is a threat ACTIVITIES
Lebar Changi East
Air Base Urban District c. _________________________________________________ Bedok
Paya Lebar Air Base. These are the key infrastructure projects
borne disease.that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong 1. A lotTuas
of thought went into making T5 “pandemic- Reservoir
highlighted in his National Day Rally speech as examples of how will
The terminal Singapore is building
also be greener for the
and more next
energy effi- ready”, Port
with features like sub-terminals and quarantine fa- ___________________________________________________
generation and beyond. Here is what to expect in the next 20 years.
cient. It will be ready for viable alternative fuels, including cilities.
Scan or click on this QR code to read BARTLEY ROAD EAST
more about the benefits the new
TERMINAL 5 Terminal 5 will bring to the country. • About 150,000 new homes can be built in the space
(https://str.sg/subt).
• The design of Changi Airport • The terminal, which is expected to serve about 50 million • Passenger touchpoints will be contactless and there will left behind by Paya Lebar Air Base when it relocates to
Terminal 5 was reviewed to make it passengers a year when completed in the mid-2030s, can be split also be spaces that can be converted into testing or Tengah and Changi East in the 2030s.
more pandemic-resilient. into smaller sub-terminals to scale operations more easily. quarantine zones in future pandemics. Adapted from “NDR 2022: Changi Airport T5 to be more • The airbase's runway could serve as the new town’s
pandemic-proof, able to operate as smaller sub-terminals
when needed” by Clement Yong, The Straits Times Online,
central spine as a green connector or community
T3 space.
Aug 21, 2022
Jewel • The relocation of the airbase could also lead to the
THE SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR DEVELOPMENT redevelopment of Hougang, Marine Parade and
T1 AT FORMER AIRBASE Punggol, as building height restrictions in these
About 800ha of land in Paya Lebar will be freed up for neighbouring towns will be lifted.
housing and industries with the relocation of Paya Lebar
Air Base in the 2030s.
In its place, about 150,000 new public and private
homes can be built in the future town there. posed development of Paya Lebar, there are still plenty of
T4 T2
In June this year, the Urban Redevelopment Authority PHOTOS:
living spaces available here. SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS,
said the site would comprise housing and recreational facil- SINGAPORE INSTITUTE
Through long-term planningOF PLANNERS, CHANGIdesign,
and innovative AIRPORT Sin-
GROUP,
ities, provide space for businesses, and tap the area’s avia- MARITIMEmore
gapore is not just building AND PORT AUTHORITY
residential OF SINGAPORE
estates, but
tion history. also ensuring they are “liveable, greener,STRAITS TIMESsustain-
and more GRAPHICS
The housing capacity alone at Paya Lebar is roughly the able”.
size of Punggol and Sengkang combined. The development of these new estates will take place
The relocation of the airbase also means that building over the next decades, at a time when you may be taking
height restrictions in the area can be removed. This, in the steps towards owning your first home.
turn, opens up many opportunities for the full use of space
not just for Paya Lebar, but for neighbouring towns like ACTIVITIES
Hougang, Marine Parade and Punggol as well. 1. The plan for Paya Lebar is a good example of an innova-
One idea for the development of Paya Lebar involves us- tive way to make use of space. What other examples of
ing the airbase’s 3.8km-long runway as the town’s central the creative use of space have you come across? This can
spine and see it transformed into a green connector or be in school or even your home. Discuss your points with
Tanah Merah community space between towns. your partner.
Ferry Terminal
Flanking either side of the spine could be public and pri- 2. If you could have it your way, what would your dream
vate housing, and that could become something that is estate be like? Describe your dream estate in words or, if
Changi East Ground T5A T5B T5C Changi East unique and memorable to Paya Lebar. you like, sketch it out (include details such as amenities,
Urban District Transportation Industrial
Centre Zone Paya Lebar is just one example of the type of new es- green spaces, housing, and sustainable features).
tates that Singapore is building, which aim to be more live-
able, greener, and more sustainable than those that came Scan or click on this QR code to read
before. Others include the Greater Southern Waterfront, more about the planned
which extends from Pasir Panjang to Marina East, and the redevelopment of the Paya Lebar Air
CHANGI EAST URBAN DISTRICT Jurong Lake District. Base (https://str.sg/plb).

• Located at the doorstep of T5, the Changi East Urban
District will be a new business and lifestyle destination,
creating more jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans.
• A masterplan for the district will be drawn up in
consultation with the Ministry of National Development,
the Urban Redevelopment Authority and other agencies.
WHY IT MATTERS
A common perception that many people may have is that
our growing population is living on a small island with fi-
nite space, and that we will soon run out of places to live.
That is only partly true. As you can see from the pro-
Adapted from “NDR 2022: 150,000 homes can be built in
future town at Paya Lebar Air Base, says PM Lee” by Lee Li
Ying, The Straits Times Online, Aug 21, 2022
Lesson activities by Jeff Ang

TUAS PORT NEW TOWN AT PAYA LEBAR

• Another three berths at Tuas Port Illustrative
will open by the year end, bringing concept plan
the total number of berths open at TAMPINES EXPRESSWAY
the mega port to five.
All container operations at
16 NATIONAL DAY RALLY 2022
QUIZ
Everyone is a leader, but
how well do you lead?
A
re you a natural leader like Captain
America, a reluctant one like Iron-Man
or one still finding his way like Thor?
Everyone is a leader at some point
in his or her life, even without superpowers.
You assume a leadership role once you make a
decision for others or take on the responsibility
to see that a task is finished.
The good news is that leadership can be de-
veloped.
Some people are more natural at it than oth-
ers, but they would fall behind those who put in
an effort to hone it. The not-so-good news is
that leadership is made up of numerous skills
(see sidebar) that are connected to one an-
other, so there is no easy way to be a good
leader.
IN has put together a quiz for you to check how
close you are to fulfilling your leadership poten-
tial.
Pick the answer that matches what you
would most likely do.
1. Your teacher asks you to stand at
the school gate to note down who is
more than 10 minutes late for school.
Among the group of latecomers is a
member of your CCA. He looks at you
and grins.
A. You grin back and write his name
along with the rest.
B. You look away and “forget” to include
his name in the list.
C. You stare at him and try to decide if
doing your duty will take a toll on your
friendship.
2. The deadline for your group’s his-
tory project is fast approaching, but
progress remains slow.
A. You outline a plan and then divide
and distribute tasks according to your
members’ strengths.
B. You stay up night after night to com-
plete the work.
C. You text your members memes that
emphasise the value of hard work.
3. During a lesson on racial harmony,
the teacher asks each of you to share
an experience or thought on the issue
if possible.
A. You have no personal experiences, so
SMALL NATION NEEDS A BIG
EMPHASIS ON LEADERSHIP
In his National Day Rally speech on Aug 21,
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said good
leadership is non-negotiable if Singapore is
to deal with the geopolitical dangers and
economic uncertainties ahead, and build
for the long term.
PM Lee said: “A small country like Singa-
pore has zero margin for error. Not just Sin-
gapore’s continued success, but our very
survival, depends on us having the right
leaders.”
This is why the Republic needs leaders
with integrity, dedication and competence;
leaders with the conviction to make the
tough calls and do the right thing, even if it
may cost them some votes; and leaders
whom people can trust.
you instead share your view on the im-
portance of being open-minded.
B. You want to share, but hesitate to do
so because public speaking is not really
your thing.
C. You talk about a story you heard from
a neighbour, share about a movie you
watched last night, then end with a joke.
4. You meet a new person and you find
her to be someone you would like to
hang out more with.
A. To find a connection, you talk to her
about your hobbies and the music you
listen to every day.
B. After observing her for a while, you
talk only about the things she likes.
C. IRL you do what you think she likes,
but when online you revert to being your-
self.
5. A project you and three others de-
signed won a district award and a re-
porter asks you what winning means to
you.
A. You make sure each member high-
lights his or her contributions individu-
ally. Then, you gather the group for a
team photo.
B. After you explain your role in the
project, you offer to have your picture
taken while holding the award.
“We cannot afford any compromise on
this,” said PM Lee, adding that the country
needs to keep working hard to find the
right people to serve the nation, and to
help these people do their best for Singa-
pore.
PM Lee also highlighted two other fac-
tors besides high-quality leadership that
are fundamental to Singapore’s success – a
united people and high trust between the
people and their leaders.
“We may have the best-laid schemes,
but without these three fundamentals, they
will come to nothing,” he said.
Adapted from “Good leadership
non-negotiable for Singapore, says PM Lee”
by Kok Yufeng, The Straits Times, Aug 22,
2022
C. As a group, with you in the lead, you
talk to the reporter about the project.
Later, you hold the award during the
photo-taking session.
6. During a meeting of a CCA in which
you are in charge of, one of your ju-
niors suggests a new way of doing
things.
A. After discussing it with your fellow se-
nior members, you decide to use the
new way because, though it would take
some getting used to, it is better.
B. You like how things are because you
are familiar with them so you ignore the
suggestion.
C. You ask your junior many questions
and then call for a seniors-only meeting
so the decision is not left up to you.
7. A friend is having trouble adjusting
to the heavier school workload and
confides in you.
A. You listen until he stops talking, then
you share your experience and how you
cope.
B. While he is talking, you cut in with ad-
vice. After he is done, you tease him to
lighten the mood.
C. As you listen, you are thinking of solu-
tions. Once he is done, you talk non-
stop for 30 minutes.
8. The annual class decoration contest
is coming up.
A. You encourage those who did not par-
ticipate actively last year to pitch in be-
cause they will have fresh ideas.
B. You volunteer to be part of the clean-
up crew.
C. Last year’s concept was so good, so
you suggest reusing it. After all, there
are still some leftover decorations in the
storeroom.
9. During a class gathering, there are
not enough chairs around the table for
people to sit and eat.
A. You take away all the chairs and ar-
range the food buffet style.
B. You are among the first to sit and eat
while others wait their turn.
C. You mark out toothpicks to ballot for
the seats.
MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES 17
11 TRAITS OF A LEADER
A good leader has a mixture of skills and
characteristics. Each quiz question in the
article highlights a corresponding trait in
the list below.
1. Integrity: The quality of being honest
and having strong moral principles.
2. Ability to delegate: To give part of
your work, power or authority to some-
body in a lower position than you.
3. Communication skills: The activity or
process of expressing ideas and feelings
or of giving people information.
4. Authenticity: The quality of being true
or what you claim to be.
5. Gratitude: The feeling of being grateful
and wanting to express your thanks.
6. Learning agility: Having a mindset to
learn and be open to new ideas.
7. Empathy: The ability to take into consid-
eration another person’s feelings or experi-
ences.
8. Vision: To think about or plan with
great imagination and intelligence.
9. Creativity: The ability to come up with
custom or unique ideas that suit a situa-
tion.
10. Flexibility: To be adaptable and not
be stuck in a single mode of thinking or do-
ing things.
11. Dependability: Having the mindset to
do what is needed.
RESULTS
Mostly As: Yup, there it is
You have the mindset of a leader. How-
ever, keeping up these standards will
not be easy, so do give yourself a break
once in a while.
A quote for you to keep in mind is:
“It’s okay to admit what you don’t know.
It’s okay to ask for help. And it’s more
than okay to listen to the people you
lead – in fact, it’s essential.” This was
said by Ms Mary Barra, chief executive
ST ILLUSTRATION CHNG CHOON HIONG of General Motors.
Mostly Bs: Work on it
10. One of your CCA committee mem- Somewhere inside you is a leader, but
bers is down with Covid-19. you have to do some digging to let that
character out.
Leadership is a trait that can be devel-
A. You reassign his duties so he does not
oped so you will be fine in the long run if
need to worry. you work on it.
B. You give him new duties he can do A quote for you to keep in mind: “The
while he is at home. most dangerous leadership myth is that
C. You ask him to find somebody to leaders are born – that there is a genetic
factor to leadership. That’s nonsense; in
cover for him while he is out of action.
fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are
made rather than born.” This was said
11. There is a class outing coming up by Mr Warren Bennis, organisational con-
and you are in charge of ordering sultant and author.
snacks for the class.
Mostly Cs: I see it
A. During break time, you show as many There are flashes of leadership in your
classmates as possible a pre-prepared choices, but you need to develop some
parts of your mindset. Reflecting on
list of snacks that suit the budget for your actions would be a good start.
them to vote on. A quote for you to keep in mind is:
B. While in the canteen, you take note of “Before you are a leader, success is all
the popular snacks and buy those. about growing yourself. When you be-
C. In the class chat group, you spam pic- come a leader, success is all about grow-
tures of snacks and buy those people re- ing others.” This was said by Mr Jack
Welch, chief executive of General Elec-
act to. tric (1981 to 2001).
JJ Quek rd.com
 18 NATIONAL DAY RALLY 2022
Recognising Covid-19 heroes
During his National Day Rally speech on Aug 21, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted local heroes who stepped
up to do good during the pandemic, and also announced the creation of a new state award for community members
who have done similar deeds
TEACHER HELPED KEEP PUBLIC
SPACES SAFE FOR ALL
Mr Razali Puasa, a 41-year-old teacher, used to
see children playing all sorts of games at the
playgrounds and void decks near his home,
but the pandemic robbed the children in his
area of this community playtime.
He took the initiative to disinfect the play-
grounds and common areas around his block
to reassure families in the area that it was safe
for their children to play there, “and at the
same time, we also help (reduce the workload)
of the front-line workers”, he said.
He had observed that front-line workers,
such as cleaners, were being overloaded at
the time with new tasks such as sanitising lifts,
staircase landings and playgrounds.
“I think through this you also become hap-
pier, you get to know your neighbours better,
and you get to feel this kampung spirit,” he
said.
“If one person just does something small,
when you add all these acts together, it be-
comes something very meaningful.
“So for me, even though it’s a small gesture,
I think it’s important for us to take this initiative
and have the social responsibility to act on
things rather than complaining.”
LANGUAGE FLUENCY HELPS
VOLUNTEER REACH OUT TO PEERS
Madam Alice Chua, a retiree in her early 60s,
accompanied multiple seniors to their appoint-
ments during her volunteering stints at multi-
ple vaccination centres in East Coast.
As she speaks Malay and Chinese dialects,
she was able to help with translation, as well as
reassure them during their vaccinations.
“It’s an honour, not just for myself but as a
representative of all those who volunteered
during the Covid-19 pandemic,” Madam Chua
told The Straits Times.
CLEANER COOKED FOR HER
ELDERLY NEIGHBOURS
Madam Ruku Pakirisamy, 72, observed that
many of her elderly neighbours in Yishun were
PHOTOS CHANGI GENERAL HOSPITAL, MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION
too afraid to leave their houses during the pan-
demic, which made them listless and moody.
The part-time cleaner took it upon herself
to cook and deliver hot meals to her neigh-
bours.
She was inspired by her parents’ efforts to
create community spirit when her family had
lived in a kampung when she was younger.
DOCTOR MADE TIME TO CONNECT
WITH THE COMMUNITY
Dr Norhisham Main, from Ng Teng Fong Gen-
COVID-19
RESILIENCE
MEDAL
A new special state
award will recognise
the sacrifices and
public spirit of both
individuals and teams
who helped to directly
fight Covid-19 during
the pandemic.
The list of recipients
will be announced at
the end of the year,
and the award
ceremonies will be
held next year.
Those who made
exceptional
contributions may also
receive existing state
awards, such as the
Public Service Medal.
eral Hospital, went above and beyond his duty
as a medical professional outside of his work-
place.
Dr Norhisham is the president of the Muslim
Healthcare Professionals Association, and reg-
ularly helped to explain important Covid-19 in-
formation to the Malay/Muslim community,
even while dealing with heavy patient loads.
“It’s our duty and responsibility to serve our
community and get health back on track,” he
said.
Compiled by Andrea Goh
ACTIVITY: NOMINATE
SOMEONE FOR THE
COVID-19 RESILIENCE MEDAL
The task is to nominate an individual or group for
the new Covid-19 Resilience Medal.
Consider the jobs they did, as well as instances
that they might have gone beyond their duties,
persevered, or demonstrated bravery, among
other criteria.
1. Split the class into teams of four or five.
Each team will pick from the list of groups of
workers below, on a first-come, first-served basis,
FRONT-LINE MEDICAL WORKERS
These were the healthcare workers interacting di-
rectly with suspected and confirmed Covid-19 pa-
tients.
Even in the early days of the pandemic, when lit-
tle was known about Covid-19 and more serious
variants of the virus were dominant, these workers
continued manning their stations.
These doctors and nurses spent hours in hospi-
tal wards caring for patients.
BACK-END MEDICAL WORKERS
Behind every team of doctors and nurses is the
back-end support staff such as admin and IT staff,
who do things like admit patients and keep the sys-
tems running, laboratory technicians who process
things like blood tests and PCR tests, and cleaners
who keep the wards spick and span.
These oft-unrecognised members of the health-
care sector worked behind the scenes to keep our
healthcare systems running smoothly.
BUS AND TRAIN DRIVERS AND
OTHER PUBLIC TRANSPORT STAFF
Bus and train drivers faced increased risk during
the pandemic, as their jobs required them to re-
main indoors, drive large crowds and stay in air-
conditioned small spaces, for significant periods of
time.
However, many continued to work, ensuring
that essential workers and regular Singaporeans
still had access to public transport.
TAXI DRIVERS
In the early days of the pandemic, Covid-positive
patients needed to be transported to hospitals
and community care facilities, and using public
transport was out of the question.
As a result, many turned to taxis and other pri-
vate-hire car services, such as Grab. Like bus and
train drivers, these drivers faced significant risks
ferrying these patients around due to the small, en-
closed, air-conditioned spaces of their vehicles,
but many did so anyway.
MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES 19
or suggest a group not on the list. This list is not
exhaustive.
2. In your small teams, for 20 minutes:
L Discuss reasons why your group of workers de-
serves the medal.
L Consider information about the details of your
chosen group of workers (do research online if you
require more information).
L Prepare a short presentation of the reasons why
you are nominating this group.
3. After the 20-minute discussion, each group will
have five minutes to make the case, in front of the
class, for why its chosen group of workers should
be nominated for the medal.
TEACHERS
The workload of teachers increased during the
Covid-19 pandemic, as they had to prepare two
sets of lesson plans: one for in-person classes and
one for home-based learning, as well as perform
the role of contact tracing teams when cases ap-
peared in schools, without any additional man-
power support, among other things.
During the circuit-breaker period, many teach-
ers had to man schools for the students who
showed up, as their parents were essential work-
ers.
AMBULANCE DRIVERS AND PARAMEDICS
Many seriously ill and injured patients depended
on ambulance drivers and paramedics to get them
to medical facilities where they could be properly
treated.
Although these workers often had to come into
very close physical contact with patients, they sol-
diered on.
SUPERMARKET WORKERS
This group was instrumental in keeping Singa-
pore’s supply chains going, especially when
shelves were bare due to the panic buying during
the circuit-breaker period in 2020.
With frequent face-to-face interaction and close
proximity to customers, supermarket workers
faced considerable risk within the scope of their
jobs, but they persevered in keeping people well-
supplied even during the strictest lockdowns.
FOOD DELIVERY WORKERS AND DRIVERS
This workforce made sure Singaporean house-
holds – especially those that were not able to cook
for themselves – stayed fed during the lockdowns.
These workers often had to come into contact
with many customers – including those who were
sick with Covid-19 at home – and vendors, and
risked their safety in the process.
Alternatively, suggest your own nominees. Remember
to elaborate on their role in the Covid-19 pandemic,
and give reasons why they should be considered for the
medal.
 NATIONAL DAY RALLY 2022 MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES 20

STSchools @STSchools

ST SCHOOLS EDITOR Serene Luo JOURNALISTS Ang Yiying, Nur Syahiidah Zainal TEACHING SPECIALIST Debra Ann Francisco SUB-EDITOR James Jr Quek
ART & DESIGN Jaster Ngui, Marlone Rubio BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER David Tan CIRCULATION INQUIRIES Sherry Loh (call 6319-1039 or e-mail
cirschool@sph.com.sg)