[Something New]
1. On National Day yesterday, I noticed many Singaporeans wearing red in the housing estate at Hougang and along East Coast Park. My wife, who had to go back to the office to do some work, noticed the same thing. Later in the evening, before the NDP, I asked some of the other ministers in the waiting room whether that was their observation too. To our surprise, everyone had the same experience.

2. Something strange, something new, is happening to our society. More than ever before, Singaporeans are wearing red for National Day not only when they are encouraged to for an event, but because they want to. Like the custom at Chinese New Year. Maybe it is because the economy is doing well which perks up the general mood.

3. I suspect it is more than that. There is a growing sense among Singaporeans that we are at last breaking through to a new level. The present economic growth reflects it. Although this is the fourth year of good growth, it is only in the last one year that the effects have spread everywhere. The job market has tightened and job-hopping is becoming common again. All this seems to vindicate the restructuring policies put in place since the Asian financial crisis.

4. Perhaps it is too early to know for sure. If indeed something fundamental is happening to our society, let's go with the flow. At NDP yesterday evening, the last song among Singapore as a city of possibilities struck a resonant chord. It caught a mood. It may spawn a movement.



5. Good times never last of course. At some point in the future, we will run into difficulties again and the strength of our society will again be put to the test. But we should think of how to make use of the present opportunities to strengthen our social fabric. There are groups in our society who are in danger of being left behind. We must not allow that to happen. Let us keep an eye out for each other. Spot families in difficulty and extend a helping hand to them. It is good that we now have a system to subsidize work so that those who don't earn enough get a boost.

Do also read my posts on Beyond SG