总理表示，过去几十年，我们的日子很平静，可能渐渐的把种族和谐视为理所当然，因此失去一些敏感度。总理也点出少数族群租用房子和找工作的难处。雇主和屋主的偏好长久积累，或将演变成少数种族所感受到的偏见与歧视。总理希望国人继续互相包容和妥协，长久维持社会和谐与国家团结。#ndrsg

总理指出，政府会支持各族发扬和保留自己丰富的文化。我们应做好文化传承的工作，让年轻一代接受悠久历史的熏陶。我们不应失去文化的根，以免在这个变化急速的时代随波逐流。#ndrsg

PM Lee Hsien Loong is now delivering his English speech at the National Day Rally 2021. You can watch the speech live on the PMO YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/9I4Y3q_ERPA

Now, with 8 in 10 residents fully vaccinated and the COVID-19 situation under control, we must focus on the future. If we all do our part, we can keep our situation stable and return to a more normal life.

In many countries, the earnings of lower wage workers have stagnated. But in Singapore, they have seen their lives improve as the country progressed. The govt has helped upgrade their skills and made specific policies to raise their income.

The Workfare Income Supplement scheme (Workfare) is effectively a negative income tax. The government does not tax incomes of lower wage workers, but instead tops up their salaries in cash and CPF contributions.

The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) now covers lower wage workers in cleaning, security, landscaping and lift maintenance. It has raised their skills and productivity, and boosted incomes and job progression.

The Govt has accepted the 3 strategies recommended by the Tripartite Workgroup studying how to uplift lower wage workers:

1. Extend Progressive Wages to more LWWs
2. Require companies hiring foreign workers to pay all their local employees at least a Local Qualifying Salary
3. Accredit companies with a PW Mark

Of particular concern are delivery workers who work with online platforms like Foodpanda, Grab & Deliveroo. They lack the job protection that most employees have. MOM is studying this and will be doing consultations. We must address the issues and give these workers more secure futures.

The economic uncertainty caused by COVID-19 has intensified pressure on middle income Singaporeans. This can be seen in the growing restlessness over foreigners, particularly work pass holders.

Singaporean workers have valid questions about work pass holders that must be addressed. Singaporeans must be assured that EP and S-pass holders are of the right standard. All employees must also be assured of fair treatment at the workplace.

To deal with workplace discrimination more broadly, some of the TAFEP (Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices) guidelines will be enshrined in law, to give them more teeth and expand the range of actions that can be taken.

We must not give the impression that Singapore is turning inwards, and becoming xenophobic and hostile to foreigners. It would be disastrous for us, and it is not who we aspire to be. Instead, we must make it clear to the world that Singapore is determined to stay open, to earn a living for ourselves.

Race relations have come under stress during COVID-19. There have been more racist incidents, which have specifically targeted Indians, both work pass holders & Singaporeans.

These racist incidents remind us how fragile our harmony is. Racial harmony took hard work, sacrifice & wisdom, after our founding fathers resolved to forge one nation from the different races.

Singapore has become one of the few countries in the world where people of different races and faiths live peacefully together. It is a precious and rare achievement, but it is also a delicate balance.

The govt intends to pass specific legislation on Racial Harmony. It will be called the Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act. It will collect together in one place all the Government’s powers to deal with racial issues, but will also incorporate some softer, gentler touches.