SINGAPORE: Young people in Singapore should not feel like they are under pressure to take certain routes in their lives, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Saturday (Aug 24).
“My dream for all of you is … for you to find your own path. Don’t feel like you have to conform,” he said at the inaugural Youth Policy Forum at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, in which around 1,000 youths participated.
“Excel, strive and be the best that you can be in whatever you choose,” said Mr Wong, who is also Finance Minister. “If you have that attitude, if you have that mindset, the government will want to support you in whatever you are doing.”
The government wants to help young people develop and grow to be the best versions of themselves, whether that be in arts, sports, research or business, he said.
“We want to encourage all of you to chase your rainbow, and we will be there to support you and cheer for you every step of the way,” he said.
But young people also need to be ready to work hard and do their part because things will not fall into their laps.
“There may even be stumbles and setbacks along the way, but embrace all of that – the setbacks, the failures. That can only make you stronger if you embrace it in the right spirit,” said Mr Wong.
In the process of chasing their dreams and realising their full potential, however, the Prime Minister encouraged the youth to think of other Singaporeans.
“Part of realising your dreams must be to help one another succeed, because we only succeed when we succeed together as one people,” he said.
Mr Wong said that life should not revolve around “me, myself and I”, or we will never be happy or satisfied.
“We will never be content if it’s all about me, me, me, because ultimately, fulfilment comes through us serving a higher purpose and a greater calling,” he said.
The government wants to provide more opportunities for young people to make concrete and practical contributions to causes that they feel strongly about, he added.
At Saturday’s event, organised by the National Youth Council, youth panels that were formed last year unveiled their preliminary recommendations on improving financial literacy, increasing awareness of job opportunities in Southeast Asia, building a safer digital world and improving recycling.
The public can give feedback on the panels’ draft recommendations, which will be submitted to government agencies by the end of the year. The government will respond to the recommendations in the first half of 2025.
“We are very serious (about considering the recommendations), that’s why I’m here,” Mr Wong said at the forum, drawing laughter from the audience.
He said that the panels, which began their work in November and involved 120 youths, were just one way to get young people involved in contributing to Singapore’s development.
“We will think about future platforms, opportunities for you, and there will be many more,” he said. “The point is, there will be a way for young people like yourselves to contribute, not just for your own goals, not just for your own aspirations, but to larger public life, to shaping the society that we want to have in Singapore.”
