A Tribute to Our Founding Generation - The First Million Citizens

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Good afternoon. I am happy to join you for this meaningful showcase of Project Citizens – The First Million.

2. SG60 is an opportunity to reflect on the values that brought us here and reaffirm our commitment to continue building an even better Singapore. There is much to learn from our founding generation, in particular their values like resilience, hard work, and determination.

3. This is why we embarked on Project Citizens, to capture the stories of our founding generation. Stories that bring to life their values which have shaped Singapore, and their grit and determination to build a new nation.

   • Their stories offer us priceless insights into Singapore’s early years – when questions of citizenship, economic survival and multicultural harmony hung in the balance.

   • In 1966, close to a million people queued at registration centres across Singapore to receive their pink ICs. Some of them are here with us today. With that decision, they would be citizens of Singapore, and no longer also British subjects or citizens of the Federation of Malaysia.

   • Given a choice to stay or to go, our founding generation chose to stay and to be called Singaporeans. They chose to call Singapore home and overcome an uncertain future as one people, one nation, one Singapore, regardless of race, language or religion. Together, they overcame the odds and built the Singapore we cherish today.

   • Take for example Mr Dileep Nair’s story. On the day that separation was announced, he was attending his aunt’s wedding in Singapore. He recalls mixed feelings of pride and apprehension, as independence was thrust upon Singapore.

     • Many of his father’s colleagues left Singapore for the UK. But his parents chose to stay because of their friends and family here.

     • Mr Nair had childhood friends from different races. He recalls with fondness how his Chinese friends would welcome him into their homes for Chinese New Year reunion dinners. These deep friendships have remained to this day.

     • It is Mr Nair’s strong conviction that multiculturalism goes beyond tolerance and pleasantries. It requires our active participation and genuine acceptance.

   • Another senior who deeply values Singapore’s racial harmony is Mr Mark Wong Kim Yong, who lived through the racial riots of 1964.

     • He vividly recalls an encounter after school where he feared for his life, and had to hide from rioters just to get home safely.

     • Today, Mr Wong is an active volunteer in grassroots and community organisations, where he organises initiatives to bring communities together, such as buka puasa gatherings to share the tradition of breaking fast together.

   • At this juncture, please join me in putting our hands together to thank our seniors for all that they have done for Singapore.

4. Having achieved so much in the past 60 years, a key question is: how do we pass such valuable life lessons and values of our seniors like Mr Nair and Mr Wong to young Singaporeans? We choose to enlist the help of everyone, especially younger Singaporeans, in the process of engaging and learning from our founding generation and documenting their life stories.

5. In this spirit, let me share the three initiatives under Project Citizens that Singaporeans can participate in.

6. First, the Senior Engagement Programme is happening at community locations across Singapore.

7. Second, Project Citizens will be brought to our neighbourhoods, through pop-up installations at venues like community hubs and libraries.

   • These interactive exhibitions will travel to 26 locations island-wide till March 2026, to showcase our history and invite Singaporeans to pay tribute to the founding generation.

     • Stories and scenes from Singapore’s early days, such as queues at NRIC registration centres, shed light on how our founding generation chose to become Singaporeans and made important contributions to Singapore.

   • The pop-ups are also conversation starters about what citizenship means to us today and invite us to think about the future Singapore we want to build for our children.

     • Parents can use the conversation kits to discuss their reflections with their children.

   • We invite all Singaporeans to visit as a family and pen a note to thank our grandparents and great-grandparents for their contributions to Singapore.

8. Third, an interactive experience called Not Mere Spectators: The Makings of Multicultural Singapore will be held at the National Gallery Singapore from October this year to March 2026.

   • Through the use of art and interactive media, this experience brings to life the dilemmas and tensions faced by our founding generation in forging one nation out of many people.

     • When we think about how multiculturalism came to be a cornerstone of our national identity, we often think about pivotal events like the racial riots of 1964. This experience turns the spotlight on lesser-known aspects, showcasing the lived experiences of Singaporeans and how multiculturalism was consciously fostered by both the Government and our citizens.

   • At the same time, visitors will be challenged to explore its relevance to our contemporary experiences of multicultural Singapore:

     • For instance, how do we further strengthen bonds and friendships across race, language and religion, in a digital world with AI and misinformation, and how do we learn to live together as one people, and make diversity a source of unity.

   • We are not mere spectators, but active participants forging a culture of multiculturalism that is uniquely Singapore, where everyone can come together and celebrate our unity in diversity.

9. To everyone here, thank you for being a part of our efforts to honour the contributions of our founding generation. Your work keeps their legacy alive, and inspires future generations of Singaporeans.

10. I would like to especially thank:

    • Our seniors, who have shared your stories generously; we have much to learn from you; and;

    • Our volunteers who have contributed your time to Project Citizens; thank you for your dedication and commitment.

    • Your contributions to Project Citizens will shape the content and stories captured in the Founders’ Memorial.

11. Let me end with a quote by one of our founding leaders, Mr S. Rajaratnam: “Being a Singaporean is not a matter of ancestry, but of choice and conviction”.

    • This captures the essence of Project Citizens.

    • Singapore’s future is built by those who make the conscious choice to step forward to contribute, just like what our founding leaders and generation did.

    • And every contribution, big or small, counts. Each choice, each story, shapes our future together, and builds our Singapore of tomorrow.

12. We have an exciting afternoon ahead, and I look forward to speaking with all of you. Thank you.