A host of new initiatives and policies were announced in this year's National Day Rally, pertaining to parental leave, workers' support, housing, education and more. Are these enough to inspire changes in mindsets and shifts in perspectives among Singaporeans? We took to the streets to find out what people think - and which changes they're most excited about.
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Watch more: https://www.asiaone.com/video
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00:00For Singaporeans, we have to live with parents under the same rule for many, many years.
00:04We were very overwhelmed with all the schedule and the demands of taking care of a newborn.
00:09But too much restriction may discourage people from participating.
00:14In his first National Day Rally,
00:16Prime Minister Lawrence Wong expressed his commitment to serve Singaporeans,
00:21stating that Singapore needs a renewed social compact where every Singaporean feels there is
00:26hope and where all citizens know that they can get a fair shot in life and can get ahead
00:31if they make the effort and work hard.
00:33To build a more inclusive Singapore,
00:35PM Wong articulated a need for major resets in policies and Singaporeans' mindsets.
00:41During National Day Rally 2024, he announced policy changes in key areas pertaining to workers,
00:48families, housing, education and sports and infrastructure.
00:53Asian One conducted an audience poll on sentiments toward
00:56PM Wong's National Day Rally speech and received 1,175 valid responses.
01:04We started off by asking respondents about the announcements that they were most looking forward to.
01:09The five that topped the charts were the SkillsFuture JobSeeker Support Scheme,
01:14building of more BTO flats ahead of demand,
01:17increased HDB housing grants for lower-income groups,
01:21the upcoming infrastructure developments along the southern coast
01:25and the enhancements to paternity leave and shared parental leave.
01:29The most anticipated new scheme will see involuntarily unemployed lower- and
01:34middle-income workers receive up to $6,000 in financial support for up to six months.
01:4167% of all survey respondents agreed that this was a step in the right direction
01:46and across occupation groups,
01:48respondents who were in non-management positions were the most likely to hold this view.
01:53The changes to make housing more accessible and affordable for Singaporeans
01:57also had high levels of agreement among our survey respondents.
02:02The enhanced housing grant, previously capped at $80,000,
02:07has been increased, with eligible first-timer households receiving up to $120,000
02:13and eligible first-timer singles receiving up to $60,000 in EHG.
02:20Separately, singles will also get priority when buying a house to live with
02:24or near their parents starting mid-2025.
02:2874% of all survey respondents agreed to varying extents
02:33that this move is a step in the right direction,
02:36with respondents aged 35 to 44, whether single or married,
02:41more likely to do so compared to respondents in other age groups.
02:46To better support parents in managing their work and family commitments,
02:50working parents with newborns can enjoy 30 weeks of parental leave,
02:55paid by the government, from April 2026.
03:00Over half of all respondents either agreed or held neutral sentiments
03:04that this policy shift would encourage parents to have more children.
03:08This enhancement, including government-paid paternity leave,
03:12flexible work arrangements and more,
03:15are part of the government's holistic efforts
03:18to provide stronger caregiving support for parents.
03:22A slew of new facilities for both the community and Team Singapore,
03:26as well as a brand new 18,000-capacity arena,
03:29was announced under the Kalang Alive Master Plan.
03:32To this, 75% of all respondents expressed positive emotions,
03:38such as joy and anticipation.
03:41The Gifted Education Programme will be discontinued in its current form,
03:45and the Way Higher Ability students are supported will be refreshed.
03:49This is intended to provide opportunities
03:51for every child to excel and realise their full potential.
03:5579% of all survey respondents agreed to varying extents
04:00that this will help more students to realise their potential.
04:04With majority of the respondents reacting positively
04:07to the recent National Day Rally announcements,
04:10we set out to discover which announcements
04:12Singaporeans on the streets are eagerly anticipating.
04:16Changes in the GEP.
04:17The schema regarding the 6,000 after retrench.
04:21I'm excited about the increased parental leave.
04:24The new enhanced housing grant.
04:26I think it can be actually very helpful for all the job seekers
04:28because they might actually not have any income anymore.
04:31For those people, they already retrenched,
04:34then they maybe need to upgrade themselves
04:37so that they have opportunity to get another job as soon as possible.
04:42I feel that it's better in that way
04:43because they won't take the money and run off,
04:45so they can instead pursue a career,
04:49then get the money as a reward.
04:50There will always be the necessity for requirements
04:56in any governmental scheme,
04:58but too much restriction may discourage people from participating.
05:04The Sunoco is more popular
05:05because it's generally a place that is small, high-end.
05:09I think it will be very popular to Singaporeans,
05:12but at the same time, it depends if it's affordable or not.
05:15It's good because it's a highly populated area,
05:18so I guess young kids or people going around will see it
05:21and will probably get more interested in sports.
05:23I think I just hope for more people,
05:25maybe my age or more youth, being active.
05:28To me, I feel like Kallang is that sports place.
05:31It's nice having one centralised area for it.
05:33I mean, our national stadium is there.
05:34We've had a lot of history with stadiums over there also.
05:36I think it's great that there's some place that I can bring my kids to,
05:40to be active and be healthy on the weekend.
05:44I think it's good because
05:46you mentioned that the concert can drive Singapore's progress.
05:49For Singaporeans, we have to live with parents
05:52under the same roof for many, many years.
05:54I think it will be very good
05:55because, for example, for singles like me myself,
05:59if I actually get a house at 35
06:01and then I have to wait for five years to get a BTO,
06:03then it means that I'll be leaving myself later on,
06:06which is 40 years old.
06:08My son is coming to 40.
06:09He's not married.
06:10He is thinking about getting a flat.
06:13Whatever the government can do, it will be beneficial.
06:17With the new enhanced housing grant,
06:18I guess more singles will be able to get housing,
06:22especially their parents.
06:23So I think it's a great opportunity for them to get a flat that they want.
06:28It's a great step in the right direction
06:30because when I had my first child,
06:32I had 16 weeks of maternity leave
06:35and we were very overwhelmed with all the newborn,
06:38the schedule and the demands of taking care of a newborn.
06:41So I think when I went back to work,
06:43I was actually very emotionally not prepared also.
06:47So I think these few extra weeks will really come in handy.
06:50Encourage some people,
06:51but not everyone will be affected by it.
06:53But I guess it's better than nothing.
06:56I think with the new scheme,
06:58students now don't really have to relocate.
07:00Yeah, more students now will be able to pursue more opportunities.
07:05I think there's a lot of stress on the children
07:08to actually enroll in all these extracurriculars.
07:11Then all this is to specifically prepare themselves for the programmes.
07:15So I think it will be less stress for the parents
07:18to get the children to cover so many courses in K&N
07:22rather than they actually focus on their child's interests.
07:25Yeah, I think it's a good step
07:26because it kind of gets rid of the stigma against certain schools
07:30or which school is elite and which school isn't.
07:33So it kind of allows students to be more diverse
07:37in the sense of intellectual abilities.
07:39I think it's a good thing.
07:41You develop a sense of belonging in that primary school.
07:44It's your first major school,
07:45so you will obviously have a lot of friends there
07:47and it will be a difficult thing to take a big step
07:49and change your school just for the gifted programme.
07:51So yeah, I think it's a good thing.
07:53For the announcements related to housing,
07:55respondents we spoke to were receptive to the increased housing grants
07:58and welcomed the inclusion of singles to the priority list
08:02when applying for BTOs near their parents.
08:05Respondents were also receptive to the eligibility criteria
08:09for the SkillsFuture JobSeeker Support Scheme.
08:12They stated that it is the individual's responsibility to find a job
08:15but welcomed the support provided
08:17as individuals would still need time to get back on their feet.
08:22The enhancements to paid parental leave were generally met with optimism,
08:26with respondents appreciating the changes in policies
08:29to make Singapore more family-friendly.
08:32However, some respondents thought that the enhancements
08:35would need to be coupled with more holistic support
08:37from the workplace and the community to nurture healthier families.
08:42Of the people we spoke to about the slate of education initiatives announced,
08:46all of them responded that the changes announced were a step in the right direction.
08:51Respondents also said that it encourages more diversity among students
08:55due to their different capabilities and backgrounds.
08:58So, what do you think?
09:21you