Welcome Address by Radm Teo Chee Hean, Minister for Education & 2nd Minister for Defence Chairman Singapore 21 Committee, at the Launch of the Singapore 21 Vision, Sat 24 Apr 99, 6pm, Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza.


Good evening friends and fellow Singaporeans,

1. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the launch of Singapore 21, our vision for Singapore in the 21st century. 18 months ago Prime Minister Goh asked me to Chair the Singapore 21 Committee to strengthen the heartware of Singapore and to build a consensus about the kind of society that Singaporeans want for the future. Today is an important milestone in this process. It is both an end and a new beginning. The launch today of the Singapore 21 Committee's final report marks the end of the formal work of the Committee. But more importantly, it signals the launch of a new Vision for Singapore.

2. Let me take a few minutes to trace for you the process by which this vision has been developed, both to acknowledge the people who have contributed to Singapore 21 and to give you a better sense of what we have been trying to achieve.

3. The main Singapore 21 Committee comprised 10 Members of Parliament - 8 are elected MPs and 2 Nominated MPs. They in turn co-chaired 5 subject committees. The members of the subject committees came from a wide cross section of Singaporeans - in total about 66 people, who spent countless hours meeting with other Singaporeans, listening to their views, and debating among themselves about the kind of Singapore we want. Their discussions were structured around 5 apparent dilemmas or future challenges that Singaporeans will have to resolve, as individuals, families, communities and as a nation.


Five Dilemmas

4. These challenges were deliberately framed as apparent dilemmas to emphasise the need to look beyond single issues to the bigger picture. The 5 apparent dilemmas are: Less Stressful Life vs Retaining the Drive Needs of Senior Citizens vs Aspirations of the Young Attracting Talent vs Looking After Singaporeans Internationalisation/Regionalisation vs Singapore as Home Consultation and Consensus vs Decisiveness and Quick Action.

5. The discussions on the five dilemmas really proceeded as five parallel conversations about how we can work together to meet the challenges of the future. In the course of their deliberations, the Singapore 21 Committee spoke with thousands of Singaporeans in more than 80 forums, in mass seminars as well as small group discussions, some of which were carried over the broadcast media. We also conducted surveys and maintained a website soliciting views on the issues and concerns before the Committee. Many individuals and civic organisations wrote in or e-mailed the Committee with their views and suggestions. All in all, some 6,000 Singaporeans were directly involved in the Singapore 21 process. Many different views were expressed. There were many competing ideas, some unconventional, some incompatible with each other.

6. But from this diversity of ideas emerged common concerns, values, and views about the kind of society we should shape for the future. It was the task of the Singapore 21 Committee to bring clarity to these voices and to form and shape them into key ideas and recommendations which would enjoy the broad support of Singaporeans.

7. This was no easy task, and even in the main Committee there was considerable debate and sometimes disagreement. Everyone who wanted a say had their views heard, but not everyone' s pet ideas could be accommodated. At the end of the day a judgement still had to be made about what was in the national interest. But that is the very nature of a consultative process and consensus building in a plural society.


Five Key Ideas

8 From the many discussions, the S21Committee distilled 5 key ideas which help us to resolve our future challenges as expressed in the five apparent dilemmas. These 5 key ideas are:

o Every Singaporean Matters
o Strong Families : Our Foundation and Our Future
o Opportunities for All
o The Singapore Heartbeat
o Active Citizens : Making a Difference to Society.

These 5 key ideas provide a compass which will give Singapore society a strong sense of our bearings as we navigate the challenges of the 21st century. If we hold true to them, we will not lose our way.


The S21 Vision

9. These are simple yet powerful ideas. They are very ambitious, some would say idealistic ideas. Together they form a Vision of the Singapore we want - guiding us as individuals, families, communities and as a nation. The test of the Singapore 21 Vision is to ask yourself: Is this the kind of Singapore I want for myself and my children? I am confident that the vast majority of Singaporeans will say "yes", because these are their ideas, their hopes and dreams we heard for over a year.

10. If this is indeed the kind of Singapore we wish to see, I hope that all of us will work in our own way, and in our own spheres of influence to translate these ideas into action and reality. What will be crucial in this new phase is that every Singaporean, every organisation and every sector of society catch this vision and translate it into action, breathing life into Singapore 21.

11. It leaves me now to thank the many Singaporeans who have participated in the Singapore 21 process. It is Singaporeans like you, who care enough to get involved, who will make Singapore 21 a reality.