New ‘Singapore Dream’ is more than just ‘material success’, No 2 leader Lawrence Wong says
- The 16-month ‘Forward Singapore’ feedback gathering exercise found Singaporeans were concerned about ‘fulfilment, meaning, purpose’, amid rising costs of living
- The report also featured what is seen as a tenet of Wong’s policy vision, to seek greater recognition of tradespeople in the city state
Singapore’s No 2 leader Lawrence Wong on Friday touted a recalibrated “Singapore Dream” that focused on citizens’ yearning for a more purposeful life instead of just material wealth.
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“This is not a top-down government agenda. This is very much a shared consensus, a co-created road map for our next round of nation building,” Wong said.
“That’s why I firmly believe the refreshed Singapore Dream is less about I, me, and mine; it’s more about we, us, and ours.”
Past prime ministers including Lee had launched similar large-scale feedback gathering exercises before they took on the nation’s top political job, and the findings of these initiatives served as a manifesto of sorts for their tenures in office.
A 180-page report on Forward Singapore’s findings was published on Friday. The document was co-authored by Wong and ministers from the PAP’s fourth generation or “4G” group.
The report said an area that constantly emerged during discussions was that the idea of a “good life” in the republic – now one of the world’s wealthiest places – had evolved.
“In the past, Singaporeans talked about the five ‘Cs’ – condo, car, cash, credit card and country club,” it said. While society still measured itself using the “same old yardsticks” of the size of pay cheques and property, younger people were embracing wider definitions of success, the report said.
“We seek a more inclusive Singapore Dream – one where we value every individual, support them in their diverse aspirations and pathways, and celebrate their achievements and successes together,” it said.
The report also touched on what is seen as a key tenet of Wong’s policy vision: for greater recognition of those who work in “hands” and “hearts” jobs – referring to professional tradespeople such as electricians and plumbers, as well as those working in healthcare, in what is fast becoming one of Asia’s super-aged societies.
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The report acknowledged sentiment among blue-collar workers that their jobs were seen in society as being beneath knowledge-based professions.
These workers “provide high quality and skilled services that are and will remain essential to our daily lives”, the report said.
“They also contribute to our collective higher standard of living. But they may not be as well regarded as those who are engaged in ‘head’ work, such as those holding knowledge-related, white-collar roles,” it added.
The government is studying ways to help citizens who attend vocational institutes of technical education to level up later in life by obtaining diplomas, including the costs of such studies, the report said.
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Prime Minister Lee, 71, in his annual policy address in August, said a previously delayed succession plan was “back on track” but did not give details on when he planned to hand power to Wong, a former career bureaucrat.
Wong was effectively elevated by the PAP to become Lee’s successor last year after the previous designated successor, Heng Swee Keat, 62, said in 2021 that he was putting himself out of the running for the prime ministership to allow someone younger to take the helm.
Lee previously said he planned to step down before he turned 70 – last year – but that plan was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
