Chinese New Year Message 2018 by PM Lee Hsien Loong

Chinese New Year is about family. The many Chinese New Year traditions passed down from generation to generation are steeped in family values. Families gather on Chinese New Year’s eve for reunion dinners (团圆饭). Even those who are abroad will make an effort to connect with their families back home, and celebrate this special occasion together. We stay up through the night to see the year in (守岁) for our parents’ longevity, and give our children red packets (压岁钱) for good fortune. These customs reflect the enduring hopes of every generation, that our aging parents live well in their silver years, and our children grow up happy and successful, in a peaceful and prosperous world.

Honouring our seniors and nurturing the young are not just limited to individual families; they are values and attitudes which hold our society together. As a people too, we should look after the elderly as we are the beneficiaries of their labours, and care for the young who carry our hopes for the future.

Our population is aging. We are working to enable Singaporeans to lead active and meaningful lives in their silver years. This means creating strong social support and community networks, keeping elders socially engaged, and building up healthcare systems and services. It is not just younger generations taking care of their elderly parents, but today’s generation looking ahead and providing for our older selves of tomorrow.

PM Lee handing out hongbaos to Teck Ghee residents. (MCI Photo by Kenji Soon)

At the same time, we strive to give our children the best chances in life. We are fortunate to live in Asia – a dynamic and fast growing region. We should prepare ourselves to seize the many economic opportunities around us. We should make full use of new technologies, to progress with our partners and neighbours. We will help our young to uncover their diverse talents, and invest heavily in them through education and training, so that when they grow up they can strike out on their own, build their own families and careers, and fulfil their aspirations and dreams. We will invest in Singapore, to build our city and infrastructure, and upgrade our living environment and economy, so that the next generation can continue to create new possibilities, prosper and flourish.  We should uphold our time-tested Asian values of thrift, self-reliance, and leaving something more for our children, instead of burdening them with their parents’ debts.  We must always think beyond the immediate and beyond ourselves, to look and plan over the horizon on behalf of future generations.

Some recipients of the 2018 Teck Ghee Bursary and Edusave Awards. (MCI Photo by Chwee)

I hope you will reflect on these issues in quieter moments over the festive season, in between celebrating with friends and family. The Government too will not stop thinking about what it needs to do, to ready our society for these challenges. Minister Heng Swee Keat will deliver his Budget speech on Monday, immediately after the holiday weekend. These issues guide the thinking behind the Budget. Let us build our shared future together, so that generations of Singaporeans can look forward to more prosperous and joyous Chinese New Years.

As we usher in the year of the Dog, let us be dogged in our efforts to create a better Singapore and a brighter future for our children. Let us also cherish the blessings of kinship, thank our elders for what they have done for us, shower our children with love, and create more shared happy memories with our families.

Happy Chinese New Year! 祝大家狗年兴旺，万事如意!

As we usher in the year of the Dog, let us be dogged in our efforts to create a better Singapore and a brighter future for our children.

PM Lee Hsien Loong

2018年总理新春献词

农历新年交织着阖家团圆的温馨和喜悦，对华族家庭来说是一个重要的节日。许多新年的传统习俗，都包含了尊老爱幼等核心家庭价值观。大年除夕，全家老少欢聚一堂、共享团圆饭。即使远在他乡的游子，也尽量赶回家，或通过其它方式同家人联系，一起欢度佳节。除夕夜，我们彻夜不眠，为家中长辈守岁、祈福，也给家中幼儿派发压岁钱，祝愿他们岁岁平安。这些传统习俗世代相传，承载着每一代人不变的期许，希望世界和平、国泰民安，年迈的父母能安享晚年，子女也能健康、快乐地成长，事业有成。

然而，尊重长辈和培育我们的下一代，不该只是自家的事，我们应该把这些美德推广到更大的社会空间，以凝聚社会。所谓“老吾老，以及人之老；幼吾幼，以及人之幼”，作为社会的一份子，我们应该发挥“博爱”精神、推己及人。除了照顾曾为社会做出贡献的年长国人，我们也必须好好栽培年轻的一代，因为他们肩负着我们的希望和未来。

随着我国人口老龄化，我们需要确保国人在步入黄金岁月后，仍过着活跃、有意义的生活。因此，我们必须打造完善的社会援助体系和社区网络，为年长国人提供支援，也确保他们不与社会脱节。我们也有必要提升医疗保健体系和服务，让国人获得良好的照顾。在鼓励年轻国人照顾年迈父母的同时，我们也寄望他们未雨绸缪，为自己的晚年生活做好充分的准备。

所谓前人种树，后人乘凉；我们也应该竭尽所能，把最好的留给下一代。我们很幸运，身处在一个充满活力又快速发展的区域，机遇处处。只要我们把握时机，善用新科技，并同伙伴国和邻国合作，就能实现共同繁荣。因此，我们会帮助年轻一代，发掘他们多方的才能，同时大量投资在教育和培训上，让孩子们长大后能抓紧机遇，施展才华，实现远大的理想和抱负，并且建立自己的家庭和事业。为了打造更美好的家园，我们会投资在城市和基础设施的建设上，改善国人的居住环境，并提升经济，让下一代能够继续创造新的机遇，大有作为，过着富足的生活。我们也应该秉持传统的亚洲精神，克勤克俭、自力更生。我们需要高瞻远瞩，为我们的子子孙孙谋划将来，让他们拥有美好的未来，而不是债留子孙。

俗话说：一年之计在于春。在这新春佳节，我希望国人能找个机会让情绪沉淀下来，静静地思考上述的课题。无论是照顾好年长的国人，或是帮助下一代迈向美好未来，大家不妨想一想自己能为新加坡这个大家庭做些什么？政府也会努力不懈，想方设法，带领国家应对未来的挑战，让国人过更好的生活。财政部长王瑞杰将在农历新年后的第一个星期一，发表今年的财政预算案声明。我们希望通过今年的预算案，鼓励国人同心协力，携手打造我们共同的未来，让世世代代的新加坡人，都能快乐地迎接一年又一年的农历新年。

在我们准备欢迎狗年到来的当儿，我也希望国人能效仿狗儿爱护家庭、不畏艰难、不屈不挠的精神，为我们的孩子打造一个更美好的家园和更灿烂的未来。让我们怀抱感恩的心，珍惜亲情的可贵，感谢长辈为我们做的一切，疼爱我们的子女，和家人共同创造更多美好、开心的回忆。

最后，祝大家新年快乐、狗年兴旺、万事如意！