SINGAPORE: President Halimah Yacob's address to open the second session of the 13th Parliament was a reminder for the fourth-generation leaders and younger Singaporeans to forge a new compact as the country moves forward, analysts said.
In her speech on Monday night (May 7), Mdm Halimah said the newer leaders "will need to listen to the views and feelings of the people, and by their words and deeds, show that they have heard, yet never fear to lead and mobilise public opinion to support difficult policies in the long-term interest of Singapore".
Advertisement“This is how they will earn the right to lead,” she added. “That right cannot be inherited.”
National University of Singapore sociologist Tan Ern Ser told Channel NewsAsia in an email after the speech was delivered that the president was speaking of what the fourth-generation leaders need to do to "build a new social compact in a domestic environment characterised by a diversity of priorities and visions".
"I reckon she is also urging Singaporeans to work with the 4G leaders to co-create the new chapter in Singapore's nation-building," the associate professor added.
He also pointed out that while the speech laid out the Government's agenda during the second half of its term, the journey into the future - in terms of the policies, measures and programmes - has already begun.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"What has not quite begun is for the 4G leaders to build a new compact with a younger generation of Singaporeans," Assoc Prof Tan said.
Another political watcher, Dr Gillian Koh, also touched on Mdm Halimah's point that the younger leaders have to earn the right to lead.
Given that the fourth-generation leaders were tasked with drafting the Government's agenda for the President's address, this was "recognition" by them that they need to "engage more intently" with the generation that has grown up in Singapore's post-independence society, the deputy director for research at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) told Channel NewsAsia in a phone interview.
In a Facebook post in February, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had revealed how the President's speech will be drafted by the younger ministers, saying this "will give Singaporeans a better sense of them and their thoughts".
Asked how the younger leaders may reach out to Singaporeans, Dr Koh said the politicians will "need to know what this group of people who have grown up in post-independence Singapore are interested in".
"They need to know what is different (for this group) and what they care about," she explained, adding that one such issue could be the "case for egalitarianism".
Mdm Halimah had said in her speech that Singaporeans want to live in a fair and just society, one based on meritocracy, but one that also strives to leave no one behind.
To this, Dr Koh asked: "What do we do with those who get left behind even though they tried? Do we change the rules of the game for them?"
Assoc Prof Tan also said the need to address inequality and ways to enhance social mobility has been "heard a lot over the past two-and-a-half years", but it is still worth taking note because the "danger of entrenchment of poverty among the low income and the probability of downward mobility among the middle class continue to need close attention".
Ultimately, Dr Koh said the fourth-generation leaders will have to figure out at least one or two of these issues that really resonate with this demographic before heading for the next General Election, which is due by January 2021.
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