Channel NewsAsia - Monday, January
12
SINGAPORE : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday gave
Singaporeans the assurance that the government will do its part to
help, as the country grapples with the current recession.
He however added that an important part of the country’s
response will also be how the community itself reaches out to make
extra help and support available to fellow citizens when things are
tough.
Giving out hong bao to needy residents in his constituency is an
annual ritual for Mr Lee.
This time, at least 275 needy residents received S$100 in cash
and a S$50 NTUC voucher each.
Still, things have not been easy for some residents he spoke
to.
While Mr Lee was giving out hong bao to residents in his
constituency on Sunday, there was also attention about a possibly
bigger hong bao to be given out to all Singaporeans on Budget Day
at the end of the month.
One resident said: "I was retrenched. So was my husband last
month. Although we should not solely rely on the government for
assistance, we still hope we can find a job through their
help."
Another added: "Give money to people to buy things, then
businesses, (and) the economy can go up."
And while help will be given, Mr Lee cautioned against
over—reliance on handouts.
He said: "We are in this together...not as individuals or even
just as each family on its own, but as one big family which is the
Singapore family. But if everything depends on government schemes
and it becomes a matter of bureaucratic organisation and
entitlement, I think we will make this impersonal and we will
weaken ourselves as a society.
"And instead of having a sense of mutual support and warmth and
comradeship, we will cultivate a sense of reliance and ultimately a
society that will not be as strong as it should be."
And so, as the Year of the Ox approaches, the animal’s
characteristics — which Mr Lee described as strong but not
aggressive and completely dependable — will be the way that
Singapore hopes to get through this tough year. — CNA/ms
