SINGAPORE: In an uncertain and troubled world, Singapore must respond by working together as one nation to face future challenges, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on 14 September.
Speaking at Ci Yuan Community Club in Ang Mo Kio GRC, where he serves as one of the MPs, Lee highlighted the role of community spaces in fostering strong bonds.
He said initiatives promoting mutual understanding and care between individuals exemplify the spirit of working as one people.
“Whatever we can do to help one another a little bit more, where nobody is alone, where everybody feels together,” he added.
Lee was addressing some 1,600 residents from Ang Mo Kio and Hougang during Ci Yuan Day 2025, which marked the community club’s 10th anniversary.
The highlight of the event was the Bag-to-School programme, which provides lower-income students in the Ang Mo Kio-Hougang ward with free school essentials.
Launched in 2018, the programme served more than 60 students during this year’s celebration.
As part of the initiative, the children took part in a mock marketplace, using play currency to “purchase” school items.
The exercise, guided by volunteers from Bowen Secondary School and ITE College Central, aimed to teach financial literacy and budgeting alongside their caregivers.
Lee commended the volunteers, saying that helping out is a way to pay it forward, contribute meaningfully, and connect with the community.
Ang Mo Kio GRC MPs Darryl David and Jasmin Lau, Yio Chu Kang MP Yip Hon Weng, and Central Singapore District Mayor Denise Phua also attended the event.
“This year’s Ci Yuan Day reminds us that nation-building is never done alone.
It is about coming together – young and old, from every walk of life – to build brick by brick, a Singapore where every voice matters and every contribution counts,” said David.
Mixed public reactions online
Netizens shared mixed reactions to Lee’s remarks on “one nation” under The Straits Times’ Facebook post.
One user expressed frustration at what was seen as overused political slogans, saying that phrases like “working together” or “in this together” are repeated in every speech and national event, leaving the user feeling bored.
Others questioned the concept of “one nation” in light of Singapore’s growing population of foreign and new citizens.
One user wrote, “One nation? Where real citizens are treated as 2nd class and new citizenship is given out like toilet papers.”
Some also asked how unity could be achieved when ordinary people were struggling while leaders continued to draw millions in yearly salaries.
There were also calls for community spaces to reflect inclusivity.
Some suggested that if Singapore is truly to be “one nation,” opposition MPs should be allowed to participate in People’s Association events, and community clubs should be non-partisan to give all MPs fair access to their constituents.
Another user referenced Lee’s earlier remarks on 9 September, when he said national identity may not be the sole or most important marker for many citizens, commenting, “This was the same guy who just days ago said national identity is not the most important.”
Several netizens stressed that if Singaporeans are to be united, the government should prioritise helping locals first rather than focusing on outsiders, with one user adding, “That’s how it is meant to work together as TRUE Singaporeans.”
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