𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡.

Before Lawrence Wong got to the part where he read the letter from the Saudi evacuee, he was giving his firm affirmation about how this administration will not abandon anyone.

And this is true: Singapore does not abandon anyone.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢 𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰, 𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞.

Remember Covid-19? Singapore launched repatriation flights all over the world to bring Singaporeans home. And when they were back, we housed them all in hotels for quarantine.

During Covid was also when we saw the extent of nation’s ability to help. Literal cash was given out to those directly affected. Rental waivers, cash payouts and grants was distributed quickly and easily to keep livelihoods afloat during shutdowns.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢 𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐠𝐞𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐜 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞. The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport was modified to look like a commercial airliner, complete with military personnel playing the role of air stewards.

On ordinary days, our policies are written to help first, talk money later.

If you are sick, public hospitals will treat first, sort out payment later.

For the truly down and out, there are programs to shelter rough sleepers. For children, there are programs to ensure kids get meals, textbooks, uniforms so schooling continues regardless of family income.

At KK Hospital, all parents-to-be are introduced to KidSTART. Lower-income families will then receive proactive home visits, developmental monitoring, and support, not just reactive help.

𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩.

𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐭.

You can protest, and scold the rich all you want…but at the end of the day, if you want to help, you need money.

And this administration’s moral alignment is to help. We jealously guard our assets because you never know when and for how long Singapore needs rescuing.

𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐰𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐡 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐚, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

No matter where in the world you are, no matter how dire the circumstance. Singapore will help.

We can.

And we will.