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Be like the agile and nimble monkey: PM Lee

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SIngapore’s Prime Minister lee Hsien Loong Photo: Reuters/Olivia Harris

Acknowledging an uncertain economic outlook, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his 2016 Lunar New Year message called upon family values as he urged Singaporeans to continue helping one another.

Lee said the festive period is a time to remind ourselves of the importance of family, and how it is “our pillar of strength and support”, adding that the family is “the model of how we should relate to one another as fellow citizens, seeing one another as members of an extended Singapore family.”

The Prime Minister said 2015 saw a 13-year high in the number of Singaporean babies born, adding that he hopes Singapore will have more babies in the Year of the Monkey. There were 33,800 citizen births in 2015.

Adding that the government will continue to support Singaporean parents, he added, “Family is also about living a full life, experiencing joys and sorrows over a lifetime together with our loved ones.”

Lee also shared a Gov.sg video about MediShield Life, that tells the story of an old couple. The video has already been shared more than 13,300 times.

(Video taken from Gov.sg)


Lee recalled the outstanding Singaporeans he had met at a recent event who “humbled and inspired “ him, including a builder of schools for the poor in Southeast Asia and an ex-consultant who opened up his home to take care of at-risk youths.

“They were all ordinary Singaporeans, but they all did extraordinary things. They brightened life a little, motivated only to put right what they found wrong, and bring solace and hope to those who were suffering or needed help. By helping others, and inspiring many more, they have made a difference to Singapore and to the world.,” said Lee.

“That is what Singapore should be about. How we treat each other and what we are willing to do for one another defines who we are. This country belongs to all of us, and is what we make of it.”

Turning to the economy, Lee said that while the world economy is slowing and business sentiment in Singapore is “guarded”, the government does not expect a “severe downturn” on the level of the global financial crisis of 2008.

“The Government will continue to support businesses and workers as we restructure and upgrade. We must continue to strive to get on to the right path, so that we can prosper again when conditions improve, as they will,” said Lee.

He ended by urging Singaporeans to emulate a Chinese proverb 机智灵巧: “just as the monkey leaps onto higher branches to pick peaches, and through his wit and agility takes care of himself, and stays at least one jump ahead of others.”