<< Replace budget summary here >>
Download Budget Statement PDF (601 KB)I. Conclusion
- 180. Mr Speaker, 60 years in Chinese culture marks a full cycle of life. So in this SG60 year, we will complete one cycle, and we will enter a new phase of nation-building.
- 181. We must brace ourselves for new challenges in this next phase. There are dark clouds over the horizon. The world is in turmoil, and the situation is likely to get worse in the coming years.
- 182. But this is not the first time that Singapore has had to confront tough external circumstances. We’ve done so repeatedly over the last six decades, and so we can draw confidence from what we’ve been through together.
- 183. Consider the experiences of our pioneers. Like Mr Yau Jon Kiang, who is 75 this year and a resident in Yew Tee. In our early years of nation-building, he and his wife worked long hours in a canteen at the Tanjong Gul Camp at Tuas. They put food on the table for the SAF, as well as their own young sons at home. Times were tough, but they persevered.
- 184. Their never-say-die spirit lives on in the family.
- 185. Jon Kiang’s son, Joses, forged his own path to become a naval engineer with the SAF. He endured long stints at sea to serve and defend our nation. Determined to improve his family’s future, he pursued part-time studies and earned an engineering degree, while juggling work and family responsibilities.
- 186. His children are now entering adulthood, at 17 and 22. They have grown up in a more affluent Singapore, but they too face their share of challenges.
- a. His daughter Jamie started at Singapore Polytechnic just as the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
- b. Her school went online, and her daily activities were disrupted. But she did not let that get her down. She adapted and pushed forward, just as her father and grandfather had done before her.
- c. I met Jamie and some of her fellow youth leaders back in 2022, after we had battled Covid-19 for two and a half years; they were optimistic, resilient and full of ideas about how they can contribute.
- d. Since then, Jamie has graduated from Singapore Polytechnic as Valedictorian.
- e. Today, she is pursuing her Bachelor’s in Integrative Studies at SMU, while leading a non-profit to empower and support youths in tech. She hopes to work in the philanthropic sector to make a greater impact after graduation.
- 187. This is what the Singapore spirit is about.
- 188. At every turn, we have chosen determination over despair, innovation over stagnation, and solidarity over division.
- 189. Every generation has carved a path through its challenges, and paved the way for the next generation to go even further.
- 190. Budget 2025 sets out clear plans for us to continue this journey with confidence.
- a. It is a Budget for the future – tackling immediate challenges, while laying the groundwork for a stronger, more resilient tomorrow.
- b. It is a Budget for all Singaporeans. Because when Singapore thrives, every citizen benefits. Every Singaporean is supported from birth to old age, with more support given to those with less. No one is left behind.
- c. Importantly, this is a Budget shaped together with all Singaporeans – advancing our Forward Singapore efforts to build the Singapore we want, and empowering each of us to contribute towards our shared future.
- 191. The road ahead will not be without challenges, but I am confident that our best days lie ahead of us. Together, we can keep Singapore an evergreen oasis of stability, hope, and opportunity for all. So let us move onward together for a better tomorrow.
- 192. Mr Speaker, I beg to move.