“We are never done building Singapore,” said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, pledging that the government will continue to improve and make Singapore a better home for everyone.
In a seven-minute video posted on his YouTube account on July 27, PM Wong outlined the government’s plans to develop Singapore.
These include building the Greater Southern Waterfront and Long Island off the coast of East Coast Park, as well as efforts to green power supplies.
Here are the five takeaways gleaned from PM Wong’s sharing:
#1 Ensuring most Singaporeans live within a 10-minute walk to a train station
Growing up in Marine Parade, PM Wong described how proud his parents were to own a Housing and Development Board flat there. “It was a time of new beginnings for all who moved into the estate.”
Marine Parade’s story, built on reclaimed land, mirrors Singapore’s, one of “acts of faith turned into reality.”
Singapore likewise believed it could become an air hub and began commercial operations at Changi Airport in 1981. “Now we have Jewel, and soon we will have Changi T5,” he noted.
Similarly, Singapore wanted to be the world’s leading maritime hub and started a container terminal in Tanjong Pagar before such bulk shipping took off, he added. “Today, we’re building Tuas Port, which will become the world’s largest fully automated container terminal once completed.”
Singapore believed the island could be connected and livable, and opened the first MRT stations in 1987. “Now, we have an extensive rail network, and we are continuing to build more stations so that most of us will live within a 10-minute walk to a train station,” he said.
#2 Imagining and implementing bold plans
PM Wong said that the Government will continue to dream up new possibilities for Singapore, remarking that with long term planning, urban innovation and a can-do spirit, “we can imagine and implement bold plans”.
Citing the development of Marina Bay as an example, he noted the idea materialised after decades of systematic planning and hard work.
“But we are not done yet,” PM Wong stressed.
The Government will develop the space stretching from Marina East to Pasir Panjang, called the Greater Southern Waterfront. It is six times the size of Marina Bay.
“So, we will have many possibilities to reimagine our landscape and create new versions of city living, including better homes for Singaporeans.”
#3 The Long Island project: Protecting Singapore’s coasts, more recreational space for Singaporeans
PM Wong said building of Long Island off the coast of East Coast Park is a long-term project to prepare Singapore for rising sea levels.
He noted Singapore, as a low-lying Island, will be impacted by global warming and rising sea levels. The Government determined that building Long Island was a more optimal solution to shore up Singapore’s defence against rising sea levels, especially along beaches where the country is most vulnerable, compared to building a three metres seawall along the entire coast, he added.
Once reclaimed, Long Island will be about twice the size of Marina Bay, tripling the length of waterfront parks in the East Coast area. It will not only serve as a critical coastal defence but can also function as a freshwater reservoir and create more space for recreation and waterfront living.
#4 Securing more sustainable and efficient energy supplies
As a clean energy-disadvantaged country, Singapore faces considerable difficulties in greening its power supplies, which can significantly impact its economy, PM Wong cautioned.
He noted that Singapore is actively exploring other solutions like importing low-carbon hydrogen at this stage. But it remains very expensive, and they hope costs will decrease over time.
The government is also exploring geothermal power and monitoring the progress of nuclear technologies, which may be feasible to deploy here in the future, he said.
“These are existential threats. But we must have the confidence to turn these challenges into opportunities, and our vulnerabilities into strengths, as we have done in the past,” he added.
#5 Turning our constraints into our advantage
During Singapore’s early years, water was a critical constraint. Singapore developed NEWater and built its water industry, PM Wong noted.
He said clean energy will be Singapore’s next challenge to overcome, but within those difficulties lie opportunities for the Republic to find new breakthroughs.
“That is what the Singapore Story is all about. We are tiny and constrained in so many ways, but that is also our biggest advantage. It pushes us to come together as one people, to innovate and to think out of the box, to be audacious and ambitious and come up with bold, long-term plans.”
PM Wong stressed that Singapore is entering a new phase, and it excites him to imagine what the future holds for Singaporeans and the many opportunities they can unlock.
“This is our time to build the Singapore we want for the future. So, join me on this journey and let us build a better Singapore together.”
