Held at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) Headquarters at Ang Mo Kio, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivered his National Day Rally 2022 speech to a live audience, for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
PM Lee started his National Day Rally 2022rally speech by thanking everyone in Singapore for the collective effort that we have all put in to guard ourselves against COVID-19. With confidence that Singapore’s healthcare system can cope with the pandemic, it was announced that masks would no longer be required indoors, except for public transport and healthcare settings where they are vulnerable persons.
Another contentious issue was addressed. Singapore will now repeal 377A of the Panel Code. Also, the government intends to amend the Constitution to protect the definition of marriage – recognised currently by law as taking place between one man and one woman – from being challenged constitutionally in the courts.
PM Lee also spent significant time addressing geo-political tensions around the world. Apart from US-China tensions, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has also created profound implications for the world and Singapore. This included rising inflation and supply chain shortage across the globe. As a country that relies heavily on imports for many essential goods, our cost of living has been impacted despite the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) move to strengthen the Singapore Dollar.
Beyond just the major headline announcements (repeal of 377A, no mask required for most indoor settings) that would likely catch the attention of most of us, here are 4 other highlights in the National Day Rally 2022 speech that could impact some groups of Singaporeans (for better or worse).
#1 Homeowners Around The Paya Lebar/Ubi/Eunos Area Can Look Forward To Major Development In The Decade Ahead
Anyone who lives or works in the Paya Lebar, Ubi, Eunos or even Tampines areas would be familiar with the sight and sound of airplanes. The decision to relocate the Paya Lebar Airbase will create a vast plot of land, with MND estimating that it can build around 150,000 new homes across both the public and private sectors. This is about the same number of homes combined today in both Punggol and Sengkang.
Commercial and industrial developments will also allow jobs to be brought close to this new town. All of these will likely be a boon to current homeowners who are living in towns nearby the base.
#2 Residents In Hougang, Punggol & Marine Parade Can Look Forward To Higher Plot Ratio Once The Airbase Is Relocated
As residents in Pasir Ris can testify, the problem with living near an airport is the strict height restrictions that are in place for buildings situated around the airport. For the existing Paya Lebar airbase, which is occupying a centralised location, this impacts the buildings in many nearby towns.
As highlighted by PM Lee, towns such as Hougang, Marine Parade and Punggol could enjoy redevelopment once the height restriction is removed, allowing URA to make much better use of the space.
#3 PM Commits To Do More If Cost Of Living Rises Further
To cope with inflation, the government has provided a slew of support measures such as cash payout, GSTV-U-Save vouchers, S&CC Rebate, CDC Vouchers & MediSave Top-ups to help Singapore families cope with the cost of living.
In 2022 alone, it’s estimated that a middle-income family with two young children, staying in a 4-room HDB flat, can expect an additional $2,200 in support from cash payouts, U-Save and S&CC rebates, CDC vouchers, and MediSave top-ups. A lower-income family staying in a 3-room HDB flat can expect about $3,700 in support.
PM Lee mentioned that while these grants will not be able to cover fully every cost increase, they will help lighten some of the burdens on Singaporean households.
More importantly, he also stressed in his National Day Rally 2022 speech that “if the situation worsens, we stand ready to do more.”
Two things can be inferred from his statement. The first is that we (and the government) should continue to keep a close look at inflation and be ready to do what it takes for us to combat it, including changing our consumption habits if required. The second is that we can expect the government to provide some support if things do worsen.
Read Also: How Singapore’s Inflation Rate Compares Against Other Countries For 1H2022
#4 Safe Distance Ambassadors Will Likely No Longer Be Required
At the peak of the pandemic, Safe Distance Ambassadors were a common sight everywhere we went. Whether it’s ensuring that people were wearing their masks correctly, getting them to mask up if they are no longer consuming food or even stopping people from gathering in large groups.
Thankfully, those days appear to be over for us in Singapore as PM Lee announced that masks would no longer be required except for public transport and healthcare settings where they are vulnerable persons.
This also means that Safe Distance Ambassadors are likely no longer required and this group of workers will need to find other jobs soon.
Read Also: 3 Changes That May Affect Gig Economy Platform Workers In Singapore
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