A strategy for a thriving people
Mr Speaker,
The world has fundamentally changed. It is a new world fraught with peril, but awash with opportunity. One that needs a new strategy to not just survive the challenges ahead, but to thrive despite them. A strategy built on security, investment, and trust in our people.
The ground beneath our feet is shifting
Two great forces define our current moment: the great re-ordering of global power and the artificial intelligence revolution transforming how we work. Together, they represent a convergence of challenges that invite a rethinking of how we approach governance and policy.
The World Economic Forum projects that 22% of jobs will undergo structural change by 2030. This is not some distant threat; it is a near-term reality already reshaping our economy. But this AI wave is fundamentally different from previous technological revolutions. Where past disruptions primarily hit the factory floor, this one targets the boardroom, the artist’s studio, the claims desk. From administrative assistants to software developers, from graphic designers to even chief executives—AI capabilities can now match many tasks performed by these workers.
In Singapore, this threat is amplified by our unique economic structure. Nearly two-thirds of our workforce are PMETs, precisely the demographic most exposed to AI displacement. Researchers from the International Monetary Fund believe that 60% of jobs in advanced economies will face AI exposure, but for Singapore, this figure is probably higher still. Half of these jobs could benefit from AI integration, boosting productivity and wages. But the other half face automation, creating downward pressure on wages and hiring in these sectors.
Singapore’s success to date comes from world-class execution of a sound playbook. But as we chart the course for tomorrow, we must question if yesterday’s maps are still relevant for these new waters.
Security: the foundation for a new era
Mr Speaker, I acknowledge the Government’s and Prime Minister’s focus on assurance and cost of living. I agree with the diagnosis, but temporary reliefs are insufficient for the systemic challenges ahead. In our era of AI-driven disruption, we should acknowledge that our existing social safety nets are ill-equipped for the scale of change ahead. A stronger, permanent foundation of security is required. This is not charity—it is the cornerstone of national competitiveness.
The impact of this AI revolution can already be felt. Recent surveys of US employers showed 25% of AI users expected to hire fewer workers in the next six months, versus just 10% who intended to hire more. We can already see the same early warning signs here in Singapore. Younger workers, lacking the tacit knowledge that accumulates with experience, are particularly vulnerable to task replacement from AI. This is not a hypothetical disruption. After my party colleague Eileen and I put out a call for feedback a couple of months ago, we have heard from many young Singaporeans, who have shared their stories about struggling to start their careers, struggling with the job search, as well as underemployment concerns.
So the first pillar of our new foundation must be Redundancy Insurance for the AI age—not merely job seeker support, but a comprehensive scheme designed for workers facing the reality of career churn in the digital economy. 40% of your last drawn salary, capped at 40% of Singapore’s prevailing median income, for up to six months. The scheme will be funded by small equal contributions from employers and employees amounting to 0.1% of your monthly salary. Not to put that in perspective, for a median income earner that is just over five dollars a month, of which only half is paid by the worker. This creates a true safety net that catches everyone. One that gives workers the confidence to explore new opportunities rather than clinging desperately to dying industries.
This represents a profound shift in how we should think about support for the unemployed. In the AI age, career transitions will become the new normal, not the exception. Workers need the security to retrain, to upskill, to reinvent themselves without the spectre of destitution haunting their choices.
Housing security must also evolve to acknowledge changing aspirations and economic realities. BTO prices should be pegged to a house price-to-income ratio of three for first-time applicants. We should also offer 70-year lease options at lower prices for those who prefer affordability over asset appreciation. The BTO access age for singles should be lowered to 28, and grants should be equalised for single parents who face unique challenges in building stable homes.
Housing is not merely shelter. It is dignity, stability, and the foundation upon which families build their futures. As someone who has navigated this journey myself recently, I know the anxieties that many young Singaporeans face. When we cannot settle into our first homes until our thirties, we are denied the chance to put down roots—to plan for families—to contribute fully to society’s fabric.
Just as a home provides foundational security for the family, our economy also requires its own form of security. Platform work has emerged as the primary economic buffer for this era, offering a crucial bridge for those transitioning between traditional jobs. The Platform Workers Act is a commendable first step to shore up this vital economic buffer. But it stops short of addressing algorithmic management—the digital boss that controls every aspect of the platform worker’s existence.
Concerns about a ‘digital boss’ are not new, but the AI revolution brings a new urgency. These black-box algorithms determine job allocation, pricing, performance evaluation, and even disciplinary action. Recent advancements mean that they could become supercharged —rendering them even more powerful and even more inscrutable than before. Workers deserve to know when AI systems have made decisions about their lives and livelihoods, and they also deserve the right to human review as a fundamental backstop. We cannot allow the digital economy to become a digital dystopia where human dignity is sacrificed at the altar of algorithmic efficiency.
The freedom to explore and chase one’s dreams should not be the exclusive playground of the bold or the privileged. By strengthening our foundation of security, every Singaporean will have the licence to try new things. Because should you fail, you will not have too far to fall.
Investment: the engine of opportunity
But Mr Speaker, a strong foundation of security is only the first step. To truly thrive, we must build upon it. This brings me to the second pillar of our strategy: investing in our people.
The Government has rightly focused its efforts here through SkillsFuture, and recent updates like the Level-Up programme for mid-career workers are positive developments. The ambition is correct. But for all the good intentions, there remains a persistent ‘last-mile disconnect’ between training and employment.
Many workers still see SkillsFuture as a supermarket of courses—a system that provides plenty of choice, but sometimes lacks clear pathways to career advancement. We hear from those who have diligently completed courses, only to find their new certificates hold little currency with employers—who still prioritise degrees and linear work experience. This is the paradox of our current system: we have built a comprehensive architecture for upskilling, but we have not yet solved the problem of market recognition.
The challenge, therefore, is one of pace and integration. Last year, the former Minister for Education articulated a vision for stackable micro-credentials and cross-recognition between our Institutes of Higher Learning. We must accelerate this vision.
To start with, as we continue to push our Institutes of Higher Learning to grow their micro-credential offerings, the existing Careers & Skills Passport should evolve from a simple library of certificates, into a dynamic, living credential. A system where micro-credentials from any Institute of Higher Learning can be seamlessly stacked over time. Allowing adult learners to build towards a formal, credible qualification awarded by one of the universities or other IHLs. Backed up by the collective reputations of our renowned institutions, this would go a long way to bridging the disconnect between adult learners and employers. This acknowledges the busy, unpredictable reality of adult life and provides a flexible pathway for all Singaporeans to stay relevant.
Secondly, we must address the skills gap afflicting our fresh graduates. We possess world-class universities, but we hear of a persistent concern from both employers and graduates themselves. A gap between academic excellence on the one hand and the practical skills that are needed in the modern workplace.
Our Polytechnics and the Singapore Institute of Technology have proven the value of structured work-integrated learning as a core part of the tertiary curriculum. Given this success, we should push for work-integrated learning to be the norm for as many tertiary students as possible, ensuring our graduates enter the workforce ready to contribute from day one. A targeted grant to help our local SMEs offset the costs of providing such placements could be a powerful catalyst. But crucially, payouts should be structured to incentivise retention and discourage exploitation. This ensures our graduates enter the workforce with the practical, real-world skills that the AI age demands.
Finally, as we pursue our national AI strategy, we must also ensure its benefits are democratised. SMEs should continue to receive assistance to adopt AI tools. AI literacy should be woven into our school curriculum, and students should be encouraged to command it as a creative and analytical tool. SkillsFuture credits should cover subscriptions to AI assistants and tools, ensuring that all Singaporean workers, regardless of their means, are able to utilise the latest and best tools to drive their own productivity.
But above all we must continue to be vigilant to ensure AI serves our workers, not replaces them. In an age of AI, our people’s ability to learn, adapt, and apply knowledge is our single greatest competitive advantage. The right investments in our people will ensure that AI’s promise translates into better wages and better jobs, not just higher profits for shareholders.
Trust: the courage to be bold
Yet, even the best-laid plans for security and the most ambitious investments in our people will fall short if they are not built on a foundation of mutual respect. And this requires the final, and perhaps most crucial pillar of our strategy: Trust.
Mr Speaker, I welcome the President’s focus on trust as a national priority, but we must be more courageous in our definition of what trust means in a mature democracy.
To truly thrive, trust in Singapore must become a two-way street. We have long been asked to trust the government’s judgment, wisdom, and intentions. In this new era, the government must also learn to trust its people with information, with genuine dialogue, and with the fundamental dignity of participation.
Trust is demonstrated through transparency in governance, and that’s why the Workers’ Party has called for a Freedom of Information Act, which shows we trust citizens with the information necessary to hold the government accountable. When the government holds data that could inform public debate, it should be shared. When policies are formulated based on evidence, that evidence should be accessible to scrutiny.
Trust is also demonstrated through genuine dialogue rather than managed consultation. Defending robust debate shows we trust the wisdom of our people to engage with complex issues and reach sound judgements. The current Parliamentary committee system, while useful, lacks the teeth necessary for true legislative scrutiny. The Workers’ Party again calls for establishing Standing Select Committees for each ministry, with Members of Parliament from all parties properly resourced to provide meaningful oversight. The government should share information openly with these Committees, not jealously guard it as proprietary knowledge.
But the deepest trust of all is demonstrated through permissive discourse. When differences of opinion are tolerated—nay celebrated—in our society, in civil discourse, in the media, in politics. It is why we believe that when disputes over facts arise in our public square, our independent courts and judges should have oversight on what is, or is not, a falsehood.
Trust is, after all, a two-way street.
A strategy for a thriving people
Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister has spoken of the need for us to be a ‘We-First’ society. It is a call we can all get behind. But as we heed this call, it is our duty in this House to give this vision meaning for the people we serve.
So if by ‘We-First’, the Prime Minister means a secure Singapore where every family has an affordable home and a robust safety net to catch them when they fall, then we are on the same page.
If by ‘We-First’, he means investing deeply in the skills and boundless creativity of every Singaporean, then we can work together.
And if by ‘We-First’, he means trusting our people with the freedom to explore, create, and find their own path, then we can take heart.
These three pillars—security, investment, and trust—form the foundation of a strategy for a thriving people. A compass for our next chapter. And a promise about the society we can become.
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I support the motion.
