Photo: Roslan Rahman/AFP
Eurasia
11/08/2025 18:05
Singapore marked its 60th National Day on 9 August, Saturday, with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong reflecting on the nation’s improbable journey since independence in 1965. Speaking from the Padang, site of the first National Day Parade, he said: “This is what makes SG60 so significant — not just that we endured, but that we prevailed and prospered when few believed we would even survive.”
Wong recalled that independence was never intended, as Singapore’s leaders believed the country had to be part of Malaysia. “We were too small, too exposed, too vulnerable to stand on our own. But circumstances forced our hand,” he said. Despite fears of failure, Singapore overcame challenges including racial strife, the British pullout, economic crises, terrorism and pandemics. “Above all, we stood together… we built a home for all, regardless of race, language or religion,” he added.
Turning to the present, Wong warned that Singapore faces a more chaotic world, shaped by military conflicts, tariff wars, hardened trade barriers and deepening geopolitical tensions. “The global order that enabled Singapore to thrive for decades is unravelling before our eyes,” he said, adding that the country must navigate a “more contested, more fragmented and more volatile” environment.
While acknowledging difficult times ahead, he promised that Singapore would act decisively: “We will overcome our new challenges… we will shape the future we want with our own actions.” The Economic Resilience Taskforce, led by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, is already implementing targeted measures to support businesses and protect jobs.
Wong stressed the need to anticipate change and strengthen competitiveness, noting that other countries have greater resources and are willing to use economic, technological and geopolitical tools to their advantage. “To stay ahead, Singapore must remain exceptional — in our cohesion, in our resolve, in our performance. We must move faster, adapt quicker and innovate smarter,” he said.
Artificial intelligence and robotics will be central to sharpening the nation’s competitive edge, though disruption will be inevitable. “Not everyone will find the transition easy,” Wong admitted, but assured Singaporeans that “no one will face these challenges alone.”
He closed by linking these efforts to the Forward Singapore initiative, aimed at renewing the social compact and giving every citizen “the support and confidence to travel the road ahead.”
