World news | Singaporeans cannot deny ethnic roots with China and India: PM Lee

Singapore, May 1 (PTI) Multi-faith, multinational Singaporeans cannot deny their diverse ethnic roots with China, India and religious affinities, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Wednesday as he called for cohesion in his last major speech before stepping down from the leadership of the prosperous city-state in two weeks.

“Social cohesion is important and race, language and religion are traditional fault lines that will never disappear for Singapore. While tremendous efforts have been made to build a shared Singaporean identity, the country will always be subject to external forces that pull different segments of the population in different directions,” Lee said while delivering the keynote speech at the May Day Rally.

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“We cannot deny our diverse ethnic roots and religious affinities – Chinese Singaporeans with China, Indian Singaporeans with their various ancestral homes in India, Malaysian Singaporeans with the rest of our region, and with the global Muslim ummah,” Lee said as he impressed the citizens. of a prosperous island nation located in the heart of Southeast Asia.

“They may be vulnerabilities, but we still don’t want to lose this rich cultural and historical heritage,” said 72-year-old Lee.

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“Racial and religious harmony would remain a work in progress, but Singapore must also be aware of other potential divisions.

“This includes tensions between the haves and have-nots, Singapore-born and naturalized citizens, political conservatives and liberals, and current and future generations, who could be politically exploited,” said Lee, who will hand the premiership to his deputy Lawrence Wong . on May 15, said.

Singapore’s system is anchored on a strong foundation of trust, and the People’s Action Party (PAP) government is working hard to maintain this, he said. “That is why the PAP has won a renewed mandate 15 times in a row in every (general) election, fair and square, and continued to deliver for Singaporeans.”

Former prime ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong built a system that would go beyond their own terms, and Lee said his successors should do the same.

“And while the country’s system will evolve over time, it must evolve in a way that continues to serve Singapore’s interests. This trust between the people and the government is necessary to maintain long-term planning, another necessity that the PAP government has always upheld,” Lee said.

Reflecting on his two decades as Prime Minister, Lee spoke about the progress Singapore has made under his tenure, saying Singapore has become “much better off”.

“I have done my duty and I am very happy that I chose this path of public service all those years ago,” said Lee, who also celebrated his 40th year in politics.

(This is an unedited auto-generated story from the syndicated news feed. Staff may not have edited or edited the content recently)