李显龙总理发表：2021年国庆献词（附中英文版全文）

新加坡国庆节

李显龙总理国庆献词

2021年8月8日

李显龙2021年国庆献词，华语版由副总理兼经济政策统筹部长王瑞杰宣读，以下是全文：

华语献词全文

各位同胞:

我现在就在植物园的交响乐湖。这是许多人喜爱的景点。我国正处于高警戒期间，所以这里不如以往那么热闹。即便如此，它仍是个受欢迎的休闲场所。

2019冠状病毒疾病

我们在对抗冠病的过程中，经历了不少波折。它是个很难对付的敌人。它不但在全球夺走了数百万条人命，还导致几亿人患病，波及无数的工作和企业。在新加坡，每当我们认为疫情已经受到控制时，新一波疫情又突然暴发。

最近，裕廊渔港出现大型感染群。病毒已经从渔港扩散到全岛许多湿巴刹，导致还未接种疫苗的年长者面对患病的风险。我们不得不收紧防疫措施，以减缓病毒传播的速度，保护我们的年长人士。这样，我们也能争取时间，让更多人完成疫苗接种。

许多人对于疫情的反弹感到失望、受挫。尤其是我国的情况先前已经取得良好进展。可是，我们始终以保护生命和保住生计为目标。要取得平衡的确不容易。不过，一系列的防疫措施、自律的民众，以及政府推出的多个纾困配套，再加上医护人员的付出和大家的支援，让我们能够应付各项挑战。我国在防疫方面肯定有可改进的地方，但总的来说，我们成功保障了民众和客工的安全。冠病的死亡率也很低。

如今，每一天接种疫苗的人数，相当于我国人口的百分之一。超过三分之二的居民已经完成接种；百分之八十五的年长人士则已经接种了至少一剂疫苗。更多人有了疫苗的保护，我们在对抗病毒方面就更加强韧。接下来，我们会按部就班，谨慎地开放经济，向新常态迈进。

与此同时，在这场抗疫大战中，大家都难免受到影响。我们现在更需要关心家人和朋友，看一看他们是否感到疲惫、忧虑，或者痛苦，需要援助。当我们自己遇到困难时，也一定要勇于寻求帮助。国人在面对这场危机中，通力合作、守望相助。虽然我们依旧紧密团结，但这不是理所当然的。冠病疫情给我国社会带来不少压力，也引发了一些需要我们解决的难题。

让我说明其中的三个问题。

低薪工友

首先，我们必须帮助低薪工友。他们在这场疫情中受到了最大的冲击。和所有国人一样，低薪工友与他们的家人享有负担得起的和良好的医疗服务、住房选择和教育机会。可是，他们的储蓄不多，这期间，有的工友收入还减少了，一些则不幸失去工作，处境就更加艰难了。因此，政府给予他们更多的帮助，以渡过这场危机。

长远来看，我国经济对技能的需求将日益增加，低薪工友需要我们不断地给予更多支持。由劳资政三方组成的工作小组不断制定一系列措施，来改善工友的生活和就业前景。这些措施会在就业奖励计划和渐进式薪金模式的基础上发挥作用，帮助他们提高收入，并为提升技能和职业发展带来新的机会。

让低薪工友的生活有实质提升是包容性经济增长的重要部分。在新加坡，无论您人生的起跑点在哪里，我们要确保您和您的孩子都有机会力争上游，改善生活。

外籍人士

第二， 外籍员工所带来的竞争，让一些国人感到焦虑。我们必须解决这个问题。外籍员工有助于促进新加坡的经济发展，为我国带来更多的机遇。引进世界各地的外来人才与技能，同本地的劳动队伍相辅相成，将促使更多企业在本地投资，进而为国人创造更多工作。这是一个良性循环。新加坡人都明白，为了我们的经济需要，我们必须接纳各地的人才与技能。

但是，当外籍员工的人数众多，人们难免会担忧找工作时面对竞争。冠病疫情造成的不确定性加深了国人这方面的忧虑。外籍员工和本地员工相得益彰，但也可能互相竞争。本地员工有时会觉得自己受到不公平的待遇，比如当他们失去受聘或升职机会时，就会有这种感觉。在职场外，一些外籍员工和他们的家人由于还没有完全习惯新加坡的社会规范，以及完全融入本地社会，偶尔就会跟国人发生摩擦。

我理解国人的担忧和这方面的问题，我们会调整政策，以更好地管理外籍员工的素质和人数，避免他们过度集中在某一些领域。如果我们处理好这些问题，我们能够继续引进外籍员工和新移民。这是必要的。排外会有损我国的根本利益，破坏我国作为国际和区域枢纽的声誉，最终也将导致我们失去工作和许多机遇。更重要的是，这同我们保持开放，接纳各种差异的价值观背道而驰。这些是我们维护的价值观，让新加坡不断取得繁荣进步。

种族与宗教

第三，我们必须谨慎处理种族和宗教课题。新加坡是个多元种族的和谐社会，在世界上独一无二，让我们感到自豪。然而，维护种族和谐是一项持续不断的工作。我们的社会规范会随着每一代人的不同经历和期望不断演变。而我国是个开放的国际化都市，与世界各地有联系，这些规范会受到外来思潮的冲击。因此，每一代国人都必须致力于促进种族和谐，重申它的重要性，还要更新种族之间的关系。

最近，一些涉及种族歧视的事件被社交媒体放大后，引起众人关注。这些事件虽然令人担忧，但不代表这些行为已经很普遍。其实，在日常生活中，各族之间也有许多愉快的互动，但这些好人好事却很少引起关注。这些负面事件不代表我们促进种族和谐的方式不管用。可是，这些事件体现了种族和宗教课题总是会引起情绪化的反应，很容易使我国社会分化。所以，政府必须不断密切关注这些课题。

讨论并正视这些敏感课题有利于社会的发展。讨论时我们应该互相尊重、坦诚相对。经过几代国人的不懈努力，我们今天才能够看到各种族、各宗教和睦共处，并且享有日益扩大的共同空间。这份和谐，有赖于我国各族群之间，不管是多数还是少数族群，大家互相理解、包容和妥协，以大局为重，而不是坚持维护自己的身份与权利。

这是个微妙的平衡，来得不易，我们必须小心经营，加以珍惜。我们要随着社会的演变不断调整，才能维持各族群之间的和谐。政府有义务代所有新加坡人，不分种族、言语或宗教，处理好这些课题。而我们需要全体国人的配合、支持和信任。

总结

这些社会问题并非我国独有。其他国家正面临更严重的分化。这些问题对我们来说也不陌生。早在1959年，当新加坡成为自治邦时，不同族群在不同社区各自生活，到不同语文源流的学校上课，在不同的工作岗位和行业打拼。因此，新组成的人民行动党政府就在新加坡各地举办了一系列多元文化综艺节目，以帮助人民能更好地理解彼此的文化和习俗。这些活动就是人民综艺节目，也称Aneka Ragam Rakyat。当年，李显龙总理和他的父母到植物园来，观赏在这里举办的第一场人民综艺节目。这些节目是我们塑造国民意识的开始。

这些年来，我们经历风雨、克服万难，才有今天的新加坡。接下来在前进的道路上，有时会出现新的危机，再一次考验我们的团结和毅力。我们在应对冠病危机时，展现了坚强刚毅、齐心协力的精神。就如今年的国庆主题曲写道：“我们曾经做到，也必将再次成功！”我有信心新加坡能不断建设更和谐的社会、更繁荣的经济、更成功的国家，让子孙后代安居乐业，让我国长治久安。

祝大家国庆日快乐！

英文献词全文

My fellow Singaporeans,

I am standing here at the Symphony Lake in the Botanic Gardens. This is a favourite spot for many of us. It is not quite as busy now because of the Heightened Alert, but it is still very popular.

COVID-19

Our battle against COVID-19 has seen many ups and downs. COVID-19 is formidable. Globally, it has taken millions of lives, sickened hundreds of millions of people, and disrupted countless jobs and businesses. In Singapore, each time we think we are getting it under control, it has surprised us.

Recently, we discovered a major cluster of cases at Jurong Fishery Port. The virus spread from there to wet markets all over Singapore. This put our unvaccinated elderly at risk. We had to tighten up again, to slow down transmission, protect our seniors, and buy time to vaccinate more people.

Many Singaporeans were disappointed at this turn of events. It felt like a setback after all the progress we had made. But our goal was always to protect both lives and livelihoods. We have tried to strike this difficult balance through a combination of public health measures, social discipline, and financial support for families, workers and businesses. We also depended on the heroic efforts of our healthcare workers and those supporting them. There are certainly areas where we could have done better. But ultimately, we have kept everyone in Singapore, including migrant workers, safe. Thankfully, very few lives have been lost to COVID-19.

Today, we are vaccinating 1% of our population daily. More than two thirds of our residents are fully vaccinated. Among our elderly, more than 85% have received at least one dose. A higher proportion of our population is now better protected. We are in a more resilient position. We can now look forward to a careful, step-by-step re-opening of our economy. This is how we can move into the new normal.

Meanwhile, the fight against COVID-19 has taken a toll on all of us. Now, more than ever, we need to watch out for one another, for signs of fatigue, distress or anguish among our friends and family. We should have the courage to ask for help ourselves if we need it. Singaporeans have worked together, looked out for others, and relied on one another throughout this crisis. Our social cohesion has held. But we cannot take this for granted. COVID-19 has strained fault lines in our society, and brought up difficult issues that we need to deal with.

Let me touch on three of these issues:

Lower Wage Workers

First, we must support our lower wage workers. They have felt the impact of COVID-19 most acutely. Like all Singaporeans, lower wage workers and their families have good and affordable healthcare, housing, and education. They have found it harder to cope with reduced incomes and unexpected job losses, as they have less savings and buffer. We have therefore given them more help in this crisis.

In the longer term, we will see an increasingly skills-based economy. Our lower wage workers will need more sustained support. A tripartite workgroup has been developing proposals to improve their lives and prospects. These will build on Workfare and the Progressive Wage Model to boost their incomes and create new opportunities for upskilling and job progression.

Real progress for lower wage workers is an essential part of inclusive growth. In Singapore, no matter where you start in life, we want to make sure you and your children will have every chance to improve yourselves and move ahead.

Foreigners

Second, we must address Singaporeans’ anxieties over foreign work pass holders. Work pass holders help expand our economy and create more opportunities for us. When we complement our own workforce with skills from around the world, more companies will invest here, and this then creates more jobs for Singaporeans. This is a virtuous cycle. Singaporeans understand this: that we need to welcome the talent and expertise that our economy needs.

However, when the number of work pass holders is large, our people naturally become worried about competition for jobs. The uncertainties of COVID-19 have worsened these anxieties. Work pass holders reinforce the team, but may also compete directly with their local colleagues. Sometimes the locals feel unfairly treated, for instance when they miss out on being hired or promoted. Outside work, from time to time there are also social frictions, because some work pass holders and their families have not fully adapted to our social norms, nor fully integrated into our society.

I understand these anxieties and problems. The government is addressing them. We have to adjust our policies to manage the quality, numbers and concentrations of foreigners in Singapore. If we do this well, we can continue to welcome foreign workers and new immigrants, as we must. Turning inwards is against our fundamental interests. It would damage Singapore’s standing as a global and regional hub. It would cost us jobs and opportunities. Most importantly, it goes against our values of openness, and of being accepting of others who are different from us. We uphold these values, because they have anchored us, and helped us progress over the years as a nation.

Race & Religion

Third, we must manage issues of race and religion carefully. We pride ourselves on being a uniquely harmonious, multiracial society. But maintaining social harmony takes unremitting work. Our social norms evolve with each successive generation, shaped by different life experiences and aspirations. These norms are also influenced by external trends, because we are so open and connected to the rest of the world. Therefore, with every new generation, our racial harmony needs to be refreshed, reaffirmed, and reinforced.

Recently, several racist incidents have gained wide publicity, amplified by social media. Such incidents are worrying, but they are not the norm. Many more happy inter-racial interactions happen every day, but these seldom go viral. The negative incidents do not mean that our approach is failing. However, they illustrate how issues of race and religion will always be highly emotive, and can easily divide us. Therefore, such issues will always need close attention.

It is helpful to air and acknowledge these sensitive issues. We need to do this candidly and respectfully. It took several generations of sustained effort to bring our races and religions together, and grow the common space that we now share. This harmony did not result from every group stridently insisting on its identity and rights; it was the fruit of mutual understanding and compromise by all parties – the majority as well as the minorities.

We must not lightly give up this hard-won and delicate balance. As our society evolves, we have to continually adjust this balance to maintain our social harmony. It is the government’s duty to manage these issues on behalf of all Singaporeans, regardless of race, language or religion. To do this, we will need your cooperation, support and trust.

Conclusion

All these stresses and strains that we have been facing are not unique to Singapore. Many other countries are struggling with far deeper divisions. Nor are the issues completely new to us. When Singapore became self-governing in 1959, different racial groups lived separately, attended different schools in different languages, and worked in different types of jobs and businesses. To help everyone appreciate one another’s cultures and practices, the newly-elected PAP government organised a series of multi-cultural concerts. They were called the Aneka Ragam Rakyat, or People’s Variety Concerts. I remember my parents bringing me to watch the first Aneka Ragam Rakyat, which was held here at the Botanic Gardens. These concerts were an early start to our journey to becoming one people, one nation.

Our nation building has come a long way since, but our journey continues. From time to time, new crises will again test our resolve and unity. But COVID-19 has shown that we can face them with grit and determination, and stay one united people. As this year’s NDP theme song goes, “We did it before, and we’ll do it again!” I am confident that Singapore can keep on building a more harmonious society, a more prosperous economy, and a more successful nation for generations to come.

Happy National Day!