ASEAN HEADLINE: SINGAPORE: We are never done building Singapore: PM Wong
WATCH VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hoYgtIJY2E
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SINGAPORE – Singapore will continue to dream up new possibilities and create bold, long-term plans to build a better home for everyone, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
In a seven-minute video posted on his YouTube account on July 27, PM Wong said in no uncertain terms that Singapore will be able to go further even as it matures, answering a question some had asked: “Have we reached our limits?”
“Let me assure you: We are never done building Singapore,” he said. “We will continue to improve and make Singapore a better home for all of us.”
Memento Maxima Digital MarketingThis will require long-term planning, urban innovation, and a “can-do spirit”, he said, recounting many good examples from the past.
He first talked about growing up in Marine Parade, which is built on reclaimed land. Some were worried it would not be safe and that the land would sink.
“But my parents were unfazed. They were just proud to have their chance to own their own HDB flat,” he said.
It was a time of new beginnings, and together, Singaporeans rekindled the kampung spirit in their new homes, he added.
He also said that the story of Marine Parade is the story of all of Singapore. “It is a story of acts of faith, turned into reality.”
Then there was the story about how Singapore believed it could become a regional air hub, and began commercial operations at Changi Airport in 1981. “Now we have Jewel, and soon we will have Changi T5,” he said.
Likewise, Singapore wanted to be the world’s leading maritime hub, and started a container terminal in Tanjong Pagar before such modes of bulk shipping took off, he said. “Today, we are building the Tuas Port, which will become the world’s largest fully automated container terminal when completed.”
The development of Marina Bay is another good showcase of how an idea that started in the 1960s turned into reality after decades of systematic planning and hard work.
“But we are not done yet,” PM Wong said.
He cited space from Marina East to Pasir Panjang, called the Greater Southern Waterfront, which is six times the size of Marina Bay that can be developed. It offers many possibilities to reimagine Singapore’s landscape and create new versions of city living, including better homes, he added.
However, there are many challenges ahead.
As a low-lying island, Singapore will be impacted by global warming and rising sea levels.
As a clean energy-disadvantaged country, it will also face considerable difficulties in greening its power supplies, which in turn can have a significant impact on its economy.
“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.
One long-term project to prepare Singapore against the threat of rising sea levels is the building of Long Island, off the coast of East Coast Park.
The reclaimed Long Island will be about twice the size of Marina Bay, tripling the length of waterfront parks in the East Coast area. It not only will serve as a critical coastal defence, but also can double as a freshwater reservoir and create more space for recreation.
On the decarbonisation of its power supply, PM Wong said Singapore does not have a range of renewable energy options – unlike many countries.
“We have solar power in Singapore, but because of our limited land, we are unable to deploy it at scale,” he said.
That is why the Republic is actively exploring other solutions like importing low-carbon hydrogen. It is also exploring the possibilities for geothermal power and monitoring the progress of nuclear technologies, which may be feasible for deployment here in the future, he said.
He urged Singapore to innovate and think out of the box despite its advantages due to its smallness. “We are entering a new phase. It excites me to imagine what the future holds for us, and the many opportunities we can unlock.”
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