National day is a time to celebrate and to reflect on our past and going forward as a nation.
We built our nation on the principles enshrined in our pledge – committing ourselves as “one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society based on justice and equality so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation”. These must remain as our fundamental principles moving ahead.
All of us treasure our homes. But there is no home without our country. And there is no country if we are not standing together as one people with a common identity and vision.
Being a first world country is not about having first-class hardware but an exceptional software that makes for a holistic and vibrant society. This software is our people, the only natural asset we have. Our success cannot be measured by how the top 10% fare but by how the bottom 10% of our society cope with their lives.
Here’s our birthday wish for Singapore:

Besides many more good years ahead, we wish for positive changes to make Singapore a more compassionate and caring nation with shared prosperity for our people, abundant opportunities for our Singapore core and decent livelihood for all, made possible through robust economic transformation and sustainable development.
Let’s celebrate and look forward to a more inclusive, compassionate society and a better Singapore.
Majulah Singapura!
