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Mr Lee Hsien Loong was sworn
in as Singapore's 3rd Prime Minister at the Istana today.
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Here is Mr Lee's swearing-in
speech:
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Let's Shape Our Future
Together
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Mr President,
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Friends and Colleagues,
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and my fellow Singaporeans,
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I am deeply honoured to be sworn
in as the Prime Minister of Singapore. I am grateful for your support, and
will do my utmost to serve you and Singapore.
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English Translation of Malay
Speech
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Tonight's occasion belongs to all
Singaporeans. Through our hard work and dedication, we have together built a
cohesive and progressive nation that is founded on principles of meritocracy,
social justice and compassion. We worked hard to achieve our shared dream of a
better future for all Singaporeans. All of our communities have progressed. We
have helped those who needed help.
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The trust that you have placed in
Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Goh Chok Tong who have both discharged their duties
admirably, is now given to me. I am humbled by this honour. I will do my best
to rise to the challenge. And so I ask you to work with me to build a
Singapore that will care for all our citizens, educate all our children well,
and give everybody full opportunities to fulfill their aspirations.
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The future holds many challenges
and opportunities. We will take the good and the bad together and we will
succeed as a nation. As you Prime Minister, I will work hard to achieve what
is best for all Singaporeans. Let us shape our future together.
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English Translation of Mandarin
Speech
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When Mr Goh asked me to stand for
elections in 1984, I was reluctant. I was then serving the army as a regular.
I was a single parent, with two young children. Entering politics was not in
my mind. But Mr Goh persuaded me. He has guided me since as a mentor and a
friend, for which I am personally grateful.
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Tonight, I take over as Prime
Minister from Mr Goh. I feel deeply honoured to take on this challenging
responsibility. Today's Singapore is different from the one Mr Goh took over
in 1990 when he became Prime Minister. I will strive to fulfill the
aspirations of our new generation. At the same time, we will take care of
older Singaporeans who helped to build today's Singapore.
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Let us continue to build on the
foundations laid by Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Goh Chok Tong. Let us grow our
economy, and create more good jobs for our people. Let us make Singapore our
best home. Let us shape our future together, so that we all feel a sense of
belonging, and we can all live fulfilling lives in a good home in Singapore.
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English Speech
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Friends and fellow Singaporeans
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Entering Politics
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When Mr Goh persuaded me to enter
politics in 1984, It was a big change from the army. I had gone to university
on government scholarships, and benefited from the Singapore system. As a boy,
I had watched Singapore become independent. Then, as a young man, I saw it
grow against tremendous odds, and strengthen year by year. Those were my
formative years, and it left a deep impression on me.
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I wanted to contribute to the
Singapore story. Entering politics was a way to do this, and to repay the
obligation which I felt. Since then. I have served in the government with Mr
Goh for twenty years.
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Tribute to Mr Goh Chok Tong
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I am indebted to Mr Goh for his
guidance and support through these years as colleague, friend and mentor. As
Prime Minister, Mr Goh has fulfilled his promise to keep Singapore thriving
and growing. But he has done much more. He built a strong team, involved
Singaporeans in the issues which affected all of us, and brought us all closer
together.
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Today's Singapore is quite
different from the country that Mr Goh took over in 1990. It still bears the
imprint of Mr Lee Kuan Yew and the founder generation, but it has grown and
matured with Mr Goh's softer touch. Today's Singapore is more vibrant and
open, more resilient and cohesive. It is in sync with the times, and ready for
tomorrow's challenges. In his own quiet way, Mr Goh has transformed
Singapore.
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Tonight, on behalf of all
Singaporeans, I thank Mr Goh Chok Tong for his sterling and selfless service
to the nation, and for his lasting contributions to Singapore as Prime
Minister.
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The Fabric of Our Nation
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I am deeply conscious of my
responsibility as Prime Minister. I thank my Cabinet colleagues for choosing
me, my fellow Members of Parliament for having confidence in me, and my fellow
Singaporeans for supporting me and my team. I will strive to be a Prime
Minister for all Singaporeans.
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I am glad Singaporeans from many
backgrounds are here to join me for tonight's ceremony - community leaders and
nationals servicemen, teachers and nurses, hawkers and taxi-drivers, business
leaders and artists, and many others.
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I would also like to acknowledge
the many more Singaporeans who are watching this ceremony over television, and
especially the residents of Ang Mo Kio GRC and Teck Ghee, who have supported
me loyally for these twenty years. Tonight's occasion belongs to all
Singaporeans.
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Together, you represent the
diversity and richness of our nation. You symbolise our commitment to join our
hands together to weave the different multi-coloured threads of our lives into
the Singapore tapestry - the fabric of our nation.
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We are one nation together,
building a future for ourselves and our people. As we prosper, all communities
will progress and no one will be left behind. We will look after the less
educated and the elderly who have helped build Singapore. And we must also
have a place in our hearts and lives for the disabled, who are our brothers
and sisters too.
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A New Generation
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This political transition is not
just a change of Prime Ministers, or of a Cabinet. It is a generational change
for Singapore, a shift to the post-independence generation in a post-Cold War
world.
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The majority of Singaporeans today
were born after 1965, after independence. They grew up in a different
Singapore, compared to their parents. My government will stay in tune with
their needs and aspirations. We must tap the energy and minds of our people,
and involve them in the choices which affect their lives. That way, every
citizen can have a hand, in big ways and small, in shaping our common future.
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The next generation of leaders
must come from our post-independence generation. Mr Goh Chok Tong was scouting
for talent long before he became Prime Minister in 1990. This was how I
entered politics in 1984, in my early 30s, together with four ministers1 now in
my Cabinet, plus the Speaker. This process of renewal has continued with each
successive general election.
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Hence, leadership succession will
be one of my top priorities. We must continue to search for young Singaporeans
in their early 30s and 40s to rejuvenate the team, to inject new perspectives
and to prepare for leadership succession at all levels - ministers, MPs, at
the grassroots, in the trade unions.
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Therefore, do not wait to be
invited to tea, but step forward to make a difference to yourselves, to your
fellow citizens, and to Singapore. Let us shape our future together.
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An Open and Inclusive Singapore
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We may be a small island but we
are a global city linked to the whole world, offering exciting opportunities
and experiences. We are an open, multi-racial, and cosmopolitan society. We
enjoy a good reputation in the world. Because we have come far, we can now set
higher goals for ourselves, and fly higher.
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We want to build a vibrant and
competitive economy. That is the way to create good jobs, and improve the
lives of all our citizens. Without the resources that come from growth, we
cannot achieve much. But prosperity is not our only goal, nor is economic
growth an end in itself.
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We all want to educate our
children well. As we prosper we can afford to invest more in our young, and we
will do so. We want our young to think independently, to explore with
confidence, and to pursue their passions. We must nurture them into
stout-hearted, upright adults. Education is not just about training for jobs.
It is about opening doors for our children, and giving them hope and
opportunities. It is more than filling a vessel with knowledge - it is to
light a fire in our young people. They are our future.
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We will continue to expand the
space which Singaporeans have to live, to laugh, to grow and to be ourselves.
Our people should feel free to express diverse views, pursue unconventional
ideas, or simply be different. We should have the confidence to engage in
robust debate, so as to understand our problems, conceive fresh solutions and
open up new spaces. We should recognise many paths of success, and many ways
to be Singaporean. We must give people a second chance, for those who have
tasted failure may be the wiser and stronger ones among us. Ours must be an
open and inclusive Singapore.
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Even as we pursue individual
ambitions, we must also deepen our sense of common purpose and identity. We
can stand tall only if we stand together. Our years in school and national
service, our shared joys and sorrows, our attachment to familiar places, our
bonds with family and friends - all these reinforce our sense of being one
Singapore family.
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Already a Singaporean is readily
recognisable anywhere in the world. We must continue to widen our common
ground, and care for one another. Our unity gives us the resilience to weather
every storm and thrive as an independent nation.
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Adapting to a Changing World
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Our future is full of promise, but
we must be prepared for the unexpected. In a globalised world, we must rethink
our assumptions, take bold and fresh approaches and adapt nimbly to changing
conditions.
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We depend on a stable and peaceful
Asia and will have to stay alert for signs of danger in the region or the
world. A mishap in cross-straits relations can derail growth throughout Asia.
The war on terrorism can strain our social and religious harmony. We must help
our less educated, older workers to learn new skills so that they can stay
employed and look after their families. And we must deal with complex and
sensitive issues such as the ageing population, immigration, and encouraging
more Singaporeans to get married and have more babies.
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We will overcome each new
challenge, as we have always done - by recognising it, by putting our minds
together to find imaginative solutions and by tackling the problems resolutely
as one people. Only then can we rise above our problems, and bring our people
and our country to a higher level.
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Writing the Next Chapter
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Our prospects are brighter than
ever before. Our economy is growing strongly again. We are well-positioned at
the centre of a continent which is on the move. There are plenty of
opportunities for all of us if we make the effort, take calculated risks and
stay united. Singaporean companies and businesses are all over South-east
Asia, China, India and, increasingly in the Middle East and further afield. As
a nation we are stronger, more cohesive, and have more resources than ever
before. The future is ours to make.
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Let us strive to keep Singapore a
haven in an uncertain world, open to all for business, safe for citizens and
friends, a welcoming home that gladdens our hearts every time we return from
our travels.
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Let us build a nation where every
citizen has a place, where all can live in dignity and harmony, and where we
all have the opportunity to raise our children and realise our dreams.
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Let us be a dynamic city that is
open and inclusive, a meritocratic society that is compassionate and caring,
and a confident people with clear minds and warm hearts.
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Join me to write the next chapter
of the Singapore story. Work with me to make Singapore a home we love, a
community we belong to, and a country we are proud to call our own.
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1 Dr
Lee Boon Yang, Mr Mah Bow Tan, Mr Wong Kan Seng, Mr Yeo Cheow Tong
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Source: Singapore
Government Press Release 13 Aug 2004
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Mr Lee Hsien Loong sworn in as Prime Minister
