REACH 127 - President Halimah Parliament 2020 speech (SK)
25 Aug 2020 (2pm - 8pm)
REACH
[1:52 pm, 25/08/2020] +: Dear contributors
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REACH
[2:00 pm, 25/08/2020] +: π’Topicπ’
What was your key takeaway from the Address by President Halimah Yacob?
In her address for the first session of the Fourteenth Parliament, President Halimah Yacob spoke about the major changes in the world, and what we must do to tackle them together as a nation. She noted that the global and domestic situations have changed, and there would be no going back to the status quo. For Singapore to continue to succeed, we would need to understand the changes happening, rethink our problems and improve on the current situation.
President Halimah Yacob outlined the Government’s directions in its new term. The various Ministries will elaborate on these plans this week, and they will be debated next week. Key items on the agenda are: Securing Jobs for Singaporeans, Building a Fair and Just Society, Strengthening our Singaporean Identity and Evolving Singapore’s Politics.
π https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/president-spells-out-how-govt-will-lead-spore-in-time-of-major-change
π https://www.istana.gov.sg/Newsroom/Speeches/2020/08/24/Address-by-President-Halimah-Yacob-for-First-Session-of-the-Fourteenth-Parliament
π https://www.gov.sg/article/president-halimah-yacob-securing-our-future-in-a-different-world
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[5:14 pm, 25/08/2020] ☸️ Danny εΏ: Singapore need to reboot our air hub, tourism and external market - in order for our Economy to move back to positive territory.
Singapore need to reboot our air hub, tourism and external market - in order for our Economy to move back to positive territory.
[5:24 pm, 24/08/2020] ☸️ Danny εΏ:
Europe is my proposed 3rd target.
*I am thinking of ASEAN as my 2nd target - as part of the step up "ring-fence safe tunneling"*.
Straits Times
25 Aug 2020
S'pore, Indonesia foreign ministers to meet, discuss leaders' retreat
"They agreed to boost tie-ups in the digital economy and in the industrial parks, *tourism and infrastructure sectors, as well as strengthen the flow of trade and investments*."
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[5:54 pm, 25/08/2020] ☸️ Danny εΏ: Straits Times
Straits Times
Singapore must rethink problems, evolve policies to suit a changed world, says President Halimah at Parliament opening
PUBLISHEDAUG 24, 2020, 8:52 PM SGT
SINGAPORE - Singapore stands at a time of great change, and the country must rethink its problems and evolve its social models and policies to suit the new circumstances, President Halimah Yacob said on Monday (Aug 24).
Sketching out the challenges facing Singapore in its new chapter and the need for a renewed consensus, the president noted that the new term of Government begins under the shadow of Covid-19, *which has sharpened global fault lines and disrupted the stable international order under which Singapore has long thrived*.
The pandemic has *fuelled a new wave of protectionism and this is "especially challenging for Singapore, as we make our living by doing business with the world*," she said in her speech outlining the Government's plans and policies in its new term.
"*For Singapore to continue to succeed, we need to understand these changes in our external and domestic environments, rethink our problems and improve on our status quo*," said Madam Halimah.
For instance, *Singapore could not take its hub status for granted*. There was an urgent need to transform the economy and push for sustainable growth and a greener future.
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(1) The President has accurately pointed out that the virus pandemic has greatly skew and impact the external market, the travel and relationship among overseas Countries - which many are our vital stakeholders --- that fuel our External Economy (which make up of 3 times the size of our GDP for growth).
(2) The virus pandemic has caused a sesimic halt to our External Economy - causing a negative 5 to 7% GDP growth - as overseas Countries are unable to travel, tours, fly and do business --- with many lockdown due to pandemic.
(3) However, I feel that the pandemic will soon come to an end in 1 to 2 years time - when vaccines will finally emerged and stop the rampant virus damage to the World Economy.
(4) What is a more worrying trend -- that greatly disrupt our External Economy - is the sesimic SuperPower geopolitical tussle --- that are tearing World collaboration and cooperation apart that may cause more damaging impacts to our External market, global supply chain, tech development, trade relationship and global finance.
(5) This development is already hitting our external economy - before the covid strike.
(6) While we regroup and reboot our policies to tackle the impact cause by the virus pandemic --- which i feel the virus effect will be short term - maybe another a year or 2 - the virus effect will subside and dies off when vaccines and treatment emerge ---- the Superpower geopolitical tussle - that tear the Global economy, trade, investment, technology, breaking up internet, social media into 2, finance, travel wtc- will be more damaging to Singapore and the World.
(7) Having say so, we need to understand the root cause of the Superpower geopolitical tussle - is it :-
a. Personal indiscretion - where a person is more interested to be elected than to govern - and picking up an adversary to be the "whipping boy" - to win election?
b. Or is it something more structural and more deep seated --- that is the widespread consistent views of the lawmakers.
(8) Understanding the underlying reasons and root cause of the Superpower geopolitical tussle - will determine how we reboot, regroup our policies to transform our Economy and propel our growth into positive territory - and navigate the rough seas amidst the geopolitical rough sea.
(9) A narrative emerge after observing the many US sanctions taken against China - trade war, tech company sanctions etc.
- "The real reason why US want to economically strangle China - not because of communism.
But because China do too well economically in finance, as manufacturing hub, in silk road, in technology development, in trade, in global supply chain, in social media etc."
- "China has beaten US in its game of capitalism - and outclass US in many aspects that US previously reign supreme.
Communism is just a label use by US to unify US calling of the West to stand by its side to sanction China in a bid to blunt China's advancement and development."
(10) If the above narrative hold true --- Singapore will need to fine tune our foreign policies, trade policies, external economy etc --- to take into account the sesimic geopolitical tussle ---- "not just confine to the impact cause by virus pandemic only".
(11) Because whoever the new Leader elected - the above narratives - will translate into more hostile external environment to operate cause by geopolitical tension and not by virus pandemic (which is short term).
(12) The President speech did not cover this -- but understandably, diplomatically is not appropriate to do so.
But behind the public, the civil service and the Government - must take into account this development - which is more damaging to our External Economy than the short term virus pandemic.
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