[ad_1]
SINGAPORE: Calling COVID-19 not only a public health issue but also a political one, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said political leadership is needed to persuade people to maintain security measures when the number of cases is low.
In a speech at the elections of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the Popular Action Party (PAP), Mr. Lee, who is the secretary general of the PAP, said that although the situation is under control, the country has to put itself in a position where you can open up more with confidence.
“We cannot just relax the current restrictions and expect COVID-19 cases to remain low,” he said.
Greater openness will increase the chances of getting more new cases, Lee said, so Singapore should maintain its safe distancing measures.
It also has to continue to refine its safeguards, such as improving its contact tracing and testing regimes, to deal with cases that arise. This will minimize the danger of large outbreaks as the country opens up.
Then Singapore will be able to enter Phase 3 without “suffering a great second wave of infections and returning to a more normal life” of larger social gatherings and pleasure trips.
Opening safely is “a very, very delicate act,” Mr. Lee emphasized, noting how many other countries have tried but failed when COVID-19 numbers dropped and opened with very little precaution.
Cases shot up again and there were second closings. “But by then, people had become tired and cynical about the restrictions,” he said.
“They were less stoic, less lenient with the measures and more resentful of the authorities. Instead of solidarity and resilience, there was rebellion and recrimination ”.
“People turned against their governments, blaming them for poor results. Sometimes rightly, sometimes wrongly. But they are angry; it didn’t matter, ”he added.
MANAGE THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF COVID
The economic consequences of COVID-19 are also something the government has to deal with, Lee said.
On the one hand, there is great concern that the crisis will disproportionately affect low-income families and undo years of progress to improve their lives and social cohesion.
Mr. Lee promised that the Government will pay special attention to this group and the problem of inequality, not through “simplistic slogans or half-proposals”, but “practical support measures” such as the Progressive Salary Model and Workfare .
“This is fundamental to the PAP’s raison d’être. It is the purpose of our existence as a party. We started as a party of workers and unions, fighting for the upliftment of the people, of all the people, and especially of the vulnerable among us, ”he said. “We will always stay true to that purpose.”
Another concern that worries people is competition from foreign workers, Lee said. He said he “fully understands” these pressures.
“Singaporean workers need to feel confident that the government will help them defend themselves against competition from foreign workers or competition from abroad, and ensure that they are treated fairly compared to foreign workers. Otherwise, we will have a lot of distress and social tension even if we get the economy to work again, ”said Lee.
But at the same time, the government also has to convince its citizens that the best way to protect them is to remain open to talent and companies that provide jobs and opportunities; what Mr. Lee told the PAP cadres is “a very delicate balance to strike.”
“This is an important political task,” he said. “Leadership is needed. It takes courage. We must not hesitate. “
The government will continue to help workers and businesses through its policies such as the Employment Support Program and tax refunds for foreign workers, he said.
He is also trying to create new jobs by helping companies transform and attracting more investment, Lee added, noting his attendance at the recent launch of Hyundai Motors’ research and development facility in Jurong. It will make electric cars here.
“Singapore hasn’t produced cars for a long time. We used to have a small Ford assembly factory along Upper Bukit Timah Road (but) in 1980 that factory closed … but electric car manufacturing is different from traditional car manufacturing. It’s high tech, deeper skills, more automation, ”he said.
He went on to highlight how “everything works” in Singapore, and that “everyone expects it.” He added that Singapore’s workforce has an “excellent reputation”, the society is cohesive, the government is efficient and politics is stable.
“So even in this depressed economic climate, many investors are setting up offices, factories and headquarters in Singapore, and are expanding their presence here.”
“The lesson is that even when the sky is gray, there are rays of light,” he said.
“We must seek them out, make the most of them and, with our own efforts, create even more promising opportunities for ourselves.”
