{"id":80835,"date":"2026-08-30T22:14:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T14:14:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=80835"},"modified":"2026-08-30T22:14:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T14:14:01","slug":"ndr-2026-gives-sporeans-reasons-to-be-confident-in-the-future-despite-external-uncertainty-analysts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=80835","title":{"rendered":"NDR 2026 gives S\u2019poreans reasons to be confident in the future despite external uncertainty: Analysts"},"content":{"rendered":"


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SINGAPORE \u2013 The central theme of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong\u2019s third National Day Rally speech<\/span><\/a> on Aug 23 was that Singapore will continue to manage change skilfully, including in the way it supports parenthood amid changing aspirations, said political analysts.<\/p>\n

At a time of considerable uncertainty, PM Wong\u2019s Rally provided a careful assessment of how Singapore will deal with both geopolitical and technological risks on its own terms, and to find opportunities amid the tumult, they added.<\/p>\n

The speech had a \u201ctenor of defiance that amid the global pall of doom and gloom, Singapore can and must be exceptional, with a quiet optimism for the future\u201d, said Singapore Management University law professor Eugene Tan.<\/p>\n

Mathew Mathews, who is head of the Social Lab at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a strong emphasis on giving Singaporeans greater confidence about the future, at a time when there is considerable uncertainty and change around us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The undoubted star of this year\u2019s Rally was the set of announcements on how the Government will boost childcare leave<\/span><\/a> and financial support for parents of young children here, in a major reset of family support measures.<\/p>\n

Independent political observer Felix Tan noted that supporting families has been a growing policy priority in recent years, but the latest measures suggest an even greater effort to ease some of the pressures associated with raising children.<\/p>\n

Such measures, which also include lower pre-school fees, have understandably been welcomed by many, he noted. \u201cClearly, Singapore\u2019s persistently low total fertility rate has become an increasingly pressing concern for the Government, and these policies reflect an attempt to make starting and raising a family less burdensome.\u201d<\/p>\n

IPS\u2019 senior research fellow Gillian Koh said the lifting of the income ceiling for young couples to access Build-To-Order<\/span><\/a> and executive condominium flats further indicates \u201chow far and wide\u201d the state is prepared to go to promote marriage and parenthood.<\/p>\n

Analysts and MPs said these were a significant step forward to help not only would-be parents, but also many existing ones who feel stretched between juggling work and being a parent.<\/p>\n

MP for West Coast-Jurong West GRC Cassandra Lee said the moves send a very strong signal to employers to demonstrate that they play a significant role as well, especially given the prime minister\u2019s announcement that the Government will cover the cost of all statutory child-related leave, reducing the financial burden on firms.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe next step is more critical because we need to see whether employers are able to implement it,\u201d she said. \u201cWe don\u2019t want a situation where we lift the weight off parents and shove it on the next colleague, who may be single or a caregiver for elderly parents.\u201d<\/p>\n

National Trades Union Congress president K. Thanaletchimi said the initiative is now with employers to improve their processes, and to use technology to better support their workers.<\/p>\n