2026 Chinese New Year Message by PM Lawrence Wong

Please see below for the Chinese translation of the English transcript.

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Tonight, families across Singapore will gather with loved ones to bid farewell to the Year of the Snake, and welcome the Year of the Horse. We will sit down for reunion dinners and stay up late to wish our parents good health and long life. We will give red packets to our children, and share well wishes for the year ahead.

This is what Chinese New Year means to us. It is a celebration of our traditions and heritage, but above all, of family. It is a time for generations to reconnect and renew the bonds that matter most.

Families shopping for Chinese New Year decors at Chinatown. (MDDI Photo by Ngau Kai Yan)

Families are the foundation of our society. When our families are strong, Singapore is strong. This is why supporting families – young and old – remains a key priority for the Government.

We are working to give families, especially parents with young children, greater assurance and support. In this year’s Budget, we have taken further steps – from CDC vouchers for every household to additional credits for every child. Beyond the home, we are making pre-school more affordable and accessible. We are also helping parents navigate new challenges, including guiding their children’s use of technology. Our goal is clear: to give every child a good start in life, and to support families at every stage of their journey.

At the same time, Singapore must be a place where our seniors can age with dignity and purpose. Through Age Well SG, we are reshaping our neighbourhoods, so that seniors can continue living independently, and stay connected to their communities. Ageing well also means staying active and engaged. This is why we are working with employers to redesign jobs and supporting our seniors to refresh their skills, so they can contribute meaningfully for as long as they wish. We are also strengthening support for retirement, so that Singaporeans can enjoy greater peace of mind in their later years.

Supporting families at every stage of their journey, and giving every child a good start in life. (MDDI Photo by Kendrick Wong)

When we take care of our families, we strengthen the bonds that hold our society together. This spirit should extend beyond our homes to our neighbours and communities. I’m heartened to see more Singaporeans stepping forward, especially our youth.  Many are volunteering and championing causes ranging from sustainability to mental well-being. We will continue to support and encourage them. Together, we can build a society where we look out for one another, and act with a strong sense of collective responsibility.

Many youths are stepping forward to support mental well-being, foster racial and religious harmony and encourage sustainability. (MDDI Photo by Terence Tan)

This Chinese New Year is especially meaningful, as our Muslim friends will also be marking the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan.

The coming together of these two occasions reminds us of the beauty of multicultural Singapore – a society where different cultures, traditions and faiths live together in mutual respect. This harmony did not happen by chance. It was built patiently over generations through mutual respect, trust and understanding. These are values we must continue to uphold and pass on.

Our harmony must be actively renewed, and not taken for granted. Each generation has a responsibility to strengthen it – through how we live, interact and treat one another. Let us continue to enlarge our common space, deepen our shared bonds, and celebrate our diversity as a source of strength.

Singapore is a multicultural society where different cultures, traditions and faiths come together. (MDDI Photo by Kendrick Wong)

This year, we welcome the Year of the Fire Horse. In the Chinese zodiac, the Fire Horse is associated with change and movement. It reminds us of the world we are living in – where geopolitical currents are shifting, and technology is reshaping our lives.

These changes can feel uncertain and unsettling. But the Fire Horse also symbolises resilience and strength of spirit. Let us face the year ahead with adaptability and confidence, ready to reimagine what is possible for ourselves and for our country. Then we can turn challenges into opportunities, and continue moving forward as one people.

I wish everyone a happy Chinese New Year, and a year filled with good health, peace and prosperity.

Festive light-up displays marking the Year of the Horse at Chinatown. (MDDI Photo by Kendrick Wong)

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2026 年总理新春献词

今晚，家家户户齐聚一堂，在这个除夕夜辞旧迎新，为农历蛇年画上圆满的句点，一同迎接马年的到来。我们和家人一起吃团圆饭，其乐融融；孩子们守岁到深夜，为父母祈福，希望他们健康长寿；长辈发红包，祝愿晚辈快高长大、事事顺心。

农历新年不仅是庆祝华人传统文化的节日，更是合家团圆、代代同堂的温馨时刻，让一家人维系最珍贵的情谊。这就是农历新年的意义所在。

家庭是社会的根基。家家户户幸福安稳，新加坡才能蓬勃昌盛。因此，帮助处于不同人生阶段的家庭，无论老少，始终是政府的首要任务。

我们正致力于为不同的家庭，尤其是家中育有年幼孩子的父母，提供更全面的育儿援助和保障。今年的财政预算案，政府宣布了更多措施，包括为每户家庭提供社理会邻里购物券，以及为每一位孩童提供额外补助券。我们也将推出新措施，让更多孩童能接受学前教育，并减轻家长的学费负担。此外，我们也会帮助父母应对新时代的育儿挑战，包括如何引导孩子妥善使用科技。政府的目标很明确，就是要让每个孩子都拥有良好的人生起跑点，并让各个家庭在每个人生阶段都能得到适当的帮助。

同时，新加坡要成为一个让年长者能活得有尊严、有意义的地方。通过乐龄SG计划，我们正在重新塑造社区邻里，让年长者能继续独立生活，并与邻里保持紧密联系。另外，年长者也应该保持活跃，积极参与劳动。所以，我们与雇主合作，重新设计适合年长者的工作岗位，也支持他们学习新技能，只要他们有意愿，都能够继续发光发热，贡献社会。我们也正在加强退休保障，让国人能更放心地安享晚年。

当我们悉心关爱我们的家庭时，整个社会的凝聚力也会跟着加强。我们应该爱屋及乌，让这份关爱延伸到邻里和社区。我很欣慰看到越来越多国人都在积极回馈社会，特别是年轻一代。许多年轻国人踊跃参与义工服务，积极推动环保、心理健康等各种社会议题。这是我们必须继续支持并推广的。只要大家齐心协力，我们就能建设一个互相关爱，共担责任的美好社会。

今年的农历新年也别具意义，因为我们的回教徒同胞也将在年初三迎来神圣的回教斋戒月。

这两个时节的相遇让我们感受到新加坡多元文化的魅力。我们的社会汇聚了不同的文化、传统和信仰，这种和谐并非偶然，而是通过我们世世代代相互尊重、信任和理解慢慢建立起来的。这些社会价值观是我们必须继续维护和传承下去的。

我们也必须积极维护这份和谐，绝不能视为理所当然。每一代人都有责任通过我们的生活和交流方式，加强这份和谐。让我们继续存异求同，扩大我们的共同空间，深化共同纽带，珍惜我们的多样性，并以此作为我们力量的源泉。

今年，我们将迎接丙午火马年的到来，这一年也称为“赤马年”或“双火马年”，是火气最旺盛的马年。在华人生肖中，火马象征改变和行动力，这恰恰反映了我们目前所处的世界局势——全球地缘政治格局不断地变化，而科技也正在重塑我们的生活。

这些改变或许会让人感到忐忑不安，但火马也象征着坚韧不拔和坚毅不挠的精神。让我们以灵活的应变能力、满满的信心，重塑我们和新加坡的未来。这样，我们就能化挑战为机遇，举国同心，向前迈进。

在此，我祝全体国人龙马精神，岁岁平安，万事如意，新年快乐！