TR EMERITUS

By Mah Bow Tan, National Development Minister Ever since I first mentioned that we are planning for a population of 6.5 million people, many Singaporeans have reacted with concern, some with alarm, at the thought of more people living and working in Singapore. They ask: Why do we need so many people? Will there be enough jobs for me or my children? Will there be enough land for housing, roads, parks? Will I be able to afford decent housing? Will the new migrants be able to fit into our society? These are all valid concerns and questions. Singaporeans are rightly concerned about their future and their children’s future. So is the PAP government. It is precisely because we are concerned about the future of Singapore that we are planning well ahead of time and working hard to secure a bright future for Singaporeans. As a schoolboy, one of the first things I learnt was that Singapore is a small country. I did not really realise how small until I became Minister for National Development, and saw how we had to fit in houses, schools, roads, reservoirs, parks, factories, offices, ports and airports etc into this tiny island we call home. We have not let our size limit our growth and affect our quality of life. Instead, we have used it to our advantage by being nimble. Our land constraint has compelled us to plan carefully for growth and to be innovative in how we make use of limited land. When you have less of something, you tend to make better use of it. As a result, we have enjoyed four decades of good economic growth and social development since independence, and built a modern, vibrant metropolis that is one of the most livable cities in Asia. Now, standing at the threshold of the next 40 years, we need once again to look ahead and determine the Singapore of the future. Our population was 1.9 million back in 1965 when we became independent. Today, it is 4.5 million. As we embark on our next phase of development, our population is expected to grow further.   Do we need a larger population? Most definitely. To grow and create more and better jobs, Singapore must remain open, competitive and relevant to the global market place. In such an economy, we need sufficient people with the right skills and experience. If we cannot get enough from our own people, we must supplement with skilled immigrants. A larger population and greater economic activity will bring about greater buzz, vibrancy and energy, which in turn will attract more people 
and new opportunities. Major global cities like London, New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong have populations ranging from about seven million to 12 million. So, too, newly emerging cities like Chengdu and Mumbai. These cities are abuzz with life and vibrancy. Singapore must remain competitive as a city in which people want to work and live. Is this a plus or minus for us? Will there be enough jobs for Singaporeans, with so many immigrants? Let’s remind ourselves that the reason we want to attract more skilled people to work here is so that we can create even more jobs. If we do not create more jobs, then it is no use worrying about whether there are enough jobs for Singaporeans. Foreigners and locals together can enlarge our economic pie, help it grow, create jobs, so that there is a bigger slice for everyone. Ultimately, let’s not forget that we are doing this for Singapore and Singaporeans. How many more people can we accommodate? Will there be enough land for so many people? What population we want will depend on many factors – our physical constraints, the quality of life we wish to maintain, how ingenious and resourceful we are, how well we welcome and integrate more immigrants into our midst, and the trade-offs we are prepared to make. Ultimately, we will have to decide on the Singapore we wish to have. A recent review of our long-term land use and transportation plan concluded that we have enough land to cater to a population of 6.5 million, if we are creative and careful in using our limited land, if we plan for such growth now and if we invest in the necessary infrastructure. If we look ahead, and start preparing now, we can create an exciting, dynamic, prosperous and livable first world city. These are some of the things the government plans to do: Housing: We will go beyond estate upgrading to rejuvenate our housing estates. We intend to comprehensively redesign some public housing estates to provide more greenery, greater convenience and comfort to the residents. And we will make sure that this new generation HDB housing will
remain affordable. Transportation: As our population grows, greater transportation needs will have to be met. Existing expressways will be upgraded, and new expressways added. We will improve our public transport system even more, including adding new rail lines.  In this way, we can reduce demand for land, and minimise the environmental and traffic impact of a larger car population.   Parks, gardens and water bodies: We do not want to live in a concrete jungle. We will build new parks islandwide as well as enhance existing ones and link them up with park connectors to make them more attractive and accessible. We are well on our way to creating three signature parks at Marina Bay. We will also be making better use of our waterways and water bodies. We will transform drains and canals into beautiful, flowing streams and rivers. New growth centres: We will develop new growth centres in areas such as Marina Bay, Orchard Road, Jurong and Paya Lebar. These new growth centres will bring more jobs and amenities, including to people living in the suburban estates. The Singapore of the future is an exciting one. I can see it in the eyes of the young people who work with me in putting these plans together. I can feel the enthusiasm in their voices as they talk about the future, their future. But plans are only as good as the paper they are written on – unless they can be made to happen. So long as we have a leadership that has the foresight to anticipate challenges, the determination and the political will to address them, and the ability to bring our people along to tackle these challenges together; and so long as we have a people that is willing to work hard, and work with one another, and with their leaders, we can together create a truly global city, which we can call home. Source: pap.org.sg  Read More →

The Young Lions have apologized for the mass brawl which broke out during their S-League match with Beijing Guoan two days ago at Jalan Besar Stadium, but nothing is heard from their opponents yet. In a press release, Young Lions team manager Eugene Loo said: "Such incidents are unacceptable and the players regret their actions. The discipline of our players is a top priority and we will cooperate fully with the disciplinary committee to ensure that appropriate action is taken." The eventful match was abandoned one minute from time following two mass brawls between players and officials from both teams following a series of skirmishes provoked by the PRC players. This is the first time in the 15 year history of S-League that a match has to be abandoned due to violence on the pitch. Newcomers Beijing Guoan is the most ill-disciplined team in the S-League having collective six red cards and 53 yellow cards this season - the highest number among the league's 12 teams. Both FAS and FIFA said they will investigate the brawl which has tarnished the image of the sports. [Join our Facebook discussion on this issue here] The fracas hit the international headlines and is reported in Reuters, the Mirror (UK) and Beijing Daily. Though the Singapore authorities have exerted pressure on the netizen to remove the original video clip showing the brawl, it has been reproduced everywhere in the world including on the Mirror here. The video depicted the PRC players enacting various acts of violence against the Singapore players such as stamping on an opponent's head who lay prostrate on the ground, delivering a flying kick to the head of another player and head-butting from behind. No arrests have been made by the Singapore police for "inciting violence and public disorder". In the meantime, Beijing Guoan has imposed a media blackout forbidding its team players and officials from speaking to the press. The Chinese papers claimed that the Young Lions started the scuffle first and accused the Singapore media of "biased" reporting.   Related articles: >> VIDEO: Big brawl between Young Lions and Beijing Guoan   Please join our Facebook discussion on this article here and invite your friends to do so as well to raise awareness among fellow Singaporeans.  Read More →

Ms Suraya delivers the SDP's Hari Raya message for 2010. She talks about the PAP disrupting Singapore's racial mix with its policy to flood Singapore with foreigners. Source: Submitted by SDP  Read More →