SG60 an opportunity for S’poreans to reflect on shared values, renew commitment to country: PM Wong

SINGAPORE – Singapore will mark 60 years of independence in 2025 with a series of celebratory events, and its people are being asked to pitch in for the occasion.

The milestone is also an opportunity for Singaporeans to connect with one another, reflect on shared values and renew their commitment to the country, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Nov 4.

PM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, soft-launched the SG60 celebrations at an event to mark the 60th anniversary of Community Club Management Committees (CCMCs).

It was organised by the People’s Association (PA) at One Punggol and attended by about 700 CCMC chairpersons and grassroots leaders.

As the country approaches its 60th birthday, there is much to be grateful for, said PM Wong.

This is amid an era where there is a lot of complexity and turbulence, and some parts of the world see violence and conflicts while other countries face great uncertainty, as well as division and a lack of trust among their people, he added.

“We are very blessed and fortunate that a lot of these negative elements are not here in Singapore. Are things perfect? Of course we are not perfect. There is nothing that is perfect here on earth. But the point is, we can keep on doing better and we can keep on improving,” said PM Wong.

The theme of SG60 is Building Our Singapore Together, according to the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY).

It is meant to build on the Forward Singapore exercise, while celebrating the nation-building journey and allowing citizens to reflect on shared values such as multiculturalism, boldness, resilience and openness.

Programmes throughout the year will encourage Singaporeans to reflect, uphold and live out these values, said MCCY.

Examples include Chingay, Exercise SG Ready, Singapore World Water Day, Racial and Religious Harmony Month, the Singapore Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, and Project Citizens – The First Million, a Founders’ Memorial tribute to the founding generation.

There are also platforms to engage the public, such as the SG60 Youth Engagements organised by the National Youth Council and PA, and consultations under the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Draft Master Plan Exhibition.

CCs continue to bring Singaporeans closer together

Referring to the SG60 programme, PM Wong said: “All this is core and central to the work of PA, the CCs, and the CCMCs, so naturally all of you will be among our key partners for SG60.

“Beyond PA, there will be other organisations… who would like to do something for SG60. We welcome your participation too.”

He noted that the role community clubs (CCs) play in society has evolved.

CCs helped to strengthen community bonds and foster social integration in Singapore, as a newly independent country, said PM Wong, who is also chairman of PA.

Their physical facilities as well as programme offerings have adjusted to the changes in society, catering to diverse and modern interests, he noted.

But beyond the buildings, CCMCs have been the driving force behind the CCs since the committees were first formed in 1964.

With the help of CCMCs, today’s CCs can do even more, and reinvent and refresh themselves, said PM Wong.

He announced two PA initiatives that will launch in 2025 to foster community-led innovation, and support more ground-up initiatives.

First, 10 CCs will be part of a pilot to develop community innovation spaces. These can be used for activities like brainstorming sessions and capacity-building workshops, to develop creative solutions to local issues, said PM Wong.

“Our aim is to build a broader community platform, where residents and partners can come together to address shared challenges. We hope this will give residents a stake in their own community, a greater sense of ownership and a stronger sense of belonging,” he added.

In addition, PA and the CCMCs will organise a Community Innovation Hackathon in the first quarter of 2025.

Residents, volunteers, tech experts and others will work together to identify and analyse local issues, and develop innovative and practical solutions.

Addressing the audience, PM Wong said: “All of you… recognise (that) problems are what motivate you to step forward, to solve the problems, to tackle the challenges with your fellow citizens and to make things better.

“Instead of a culture where we point the finger and blame others, instead of waiting for others to solve the problems for us, we take ownership, because we are all Singaporeans together and we strive to make things better for ourselves and our fellow citizens.”

He added that he hoped their actions would inspire more Singaporeans to do the same.

“I hope that SG60 will be a time for all of us to renew our commitment to Singapore and to take our nation forward towards a better and brighter shared future.”

This article was originally published on The Straits Times. Its inclusion on this website is solely for education purposes.