Encouraging our young to dream big for the future of Singapore

Good morning, 

Boys and girls

Ms Tan Su Shan
Group Head of DBS Consumer Banking Group

Ms Elaine Ng
CEO of National Library Board

And our guests here,

1. Thank you for coming to Boon Lay. Thank you for coming here bright and early in the morning all the way to Boon Lay for this event.

2. It’s a very meaningful event. I think it’s the biggest writing project for the whole of Singapore ever for kids, with so many young children coming together to write. And that’s one reason why it’s meaningful.

3. Secondly, it’s also meaningful because it is SG50. As Ms Tan said just now, it’s Singapore’s 50th birthday. So all of you are coming together to write something about what Singapore will be like in 50 years time.

4. I think it’s very good that we’re asking you to write and not adults like Ms Tan or myself or your parents even. Because number one, I’m not sure if we will be around in 50 years time. Even if we are, I think we will be ancient by then. And so you are the ones who will be around in 50 years time, to enjoy Singapore in 50 years time. So that’s very important.

5. And number two, I think if you ask adults to think about adults in 50 years times, we tend to think from our own experience, from what we have experienced before. And so we extrapolate from our past, from today and then say, “Cannot lah, this one, I don’t think Singapore can be like that in 50 years time. Because we didn’t have this in the past, so I don’t think it’s possible in the future.”

6. So we tend to be more limited whereas children, like all of you, I think, have boundless imagination. You’re not limited by anything. You dream big, you dream of everything and anything is possible and indeed, in 50 years time, many things change, many things are possible. We ought to hear from you what is possible in 50 years time.

7. You know, some children have already started writing their thoughts. I thought it will be good to share with you the things I picked up from what the children have already written. So these are some examples I have.     

8. This is from Shu Yue, who is a Primary 3 student. Shu Yue says that Singapore in 50 years time, she imagines houses that extend into the waters and soar a hundred storeys into the skies. I think that’s very ingenious because you know, we don’t have enough land in Singapore. So in the future, 50 years time, it is entirely possible you have HDB flats from the water and all the way up to the sky, hundred stories high. Then we can have more people too.

9. Priscilla, a Primary 5 student, talks about having “interactive 3D libraries, advanced prosthetics for the disabled, and machines that can custom-make our clothes”.  So it is a different vision. I think it is a vision of technology, we talk about how smart nation can be for Singapore in 50 years time.

10. Zhi Ying, who is a Primary 6 student, talks about having a place where “everyone can share their belongings without being afraid that others will not return it”.  So it’s a different vision but it’s a vision that talks about gracious and generous Singapore where everyone can share their belongings and you won’t be afraid people won’t return it when you share it with them. So people are kind, people are warm-hearted and generous.   

11. So these are just three very short snippets from three children. And I think they already present to us wonderful visions of what Singapore can be in 50 years time. One, a Singapore that is able to overcome our resource constraints. Second, a Singapore that is innovation driven, a smart nation. And third, a Singapore which is gracious, generous and warm-hearted in spirit where we can count on one another. And I think that it’s wonderful to hear these three stories. I’m sure there are many more from the children contributing stories of what Singapore can be in 50 years times.   

12. I know that when I was in primary school I was incapable of writing stories like what they are doing. So I think that is wonderful that our children today have this opportunity and are able to dream big and dream of Singapore in 50 years time. And I think it is not something we should just brush aside and say that this is a children’s project. Because in 50 years time, many of the things they are dreaming of may well come true. 

13. Because, think about it, 50 years ago in 1965, I don’t think anyone dreamt that Singapore could be what it is today. We were swamp lands, we were mud flats. But we had people who were prepared to dream big and work hard. And that’s why we have today’s Singapore.

14. So what can Singapore be in 50 years time? I think we must continue to keep Singapore as a place where we may be small but we have big dreams. And a place where dreams come true. And we will continue to work hard to make these dreams come true. 

15. So, I encourage all our children to dream big, dream of all the different possibilities for Singapore, for your future. If you can dream big but also work hard to make your dreams come true, then I think all of us in Singapore will be assured of a brighter future. And when we celebrate Singapore’s 100th birthday, it will be an even bigger celebration than SG50 is this year.

16. Thank you very much for being here. Let’s give our children all a big round of encouragement to thank them and I look forward to your book when it’s published in September.