PM Lee Hsien Loong at the Teck Ghee Lunar New Year Dinner 2010

亲爱的德义区居民

大家晚上好！

我很高兴能够再次跟大家一起庆祝农历新年，一起迎接虎年。

在新的一年里，我们的经济有了新的气象。世界的经济情况逐渐好转了。贸工部把今年的经济增长预测调高到4.5%到6.5%之间。如果我们加一把劲，拼一拼，今年应该会远比去年好。

但是，世界局势难以预料，我们还可能会遇到一些风浪。所以我们不应该掉以轻心。未雨绸缪，以防万一，总是最明智的做法。

譬如，政府最近很密切注意房地产价格的走势。房地产市场还未出现泡沫的现象，不过价格涨得很快，整个市场相当兴旺。政府因此采取了措施，让市场适当地降温，以免失控。及时防止泡沫的出现，日后就不必紧急刹车。市场一旦过热，就很难避免采取激烈的抑制措施。房价涨得太快，或者涨到一般人无法负担的水平，都不是好事，因为泡沫迟早会破灭。另一方面，房价下跌得太厉害也会造成问题，因为这将损害到许多房产拥有者的利益。

政府将继续确保人人都买得起政府组屋，这是我们一贯的政策。为了让人民拥有自己的组屋，政府向来挖空心思，确保人人都能受惠，宏茂桥居民是这项政策最好的见证人。在座各位的组屋的价值多年来渐渐上升。这是因为我们的政策有效，使新加坡保持繁荣昌盛。同时，组屋翻新政策也为组屋增值。如果我们同心协力，使国家保持繁荣安定，各位的组屋也将继续稳健地升值。

请好好保管这份资产。不要急着脱手套现。你的组屋是一份珍贵的资产，使你的生活更有保障。它可用来应付年老时的生活需要。如果你有足够的储蓄，还可选择将房子留给儿女。

这使我联想到另一问题：许多人有房产，但是却没有子女。我担心不嫁不娶的人有增无减。许多年轻人选择不结婚，或者迟婚。许多夫妇推迟生养孩子的计划，有些可能因此错过生育孩子的机会。结果，新加坡人去年的生育率下降到1.23；华族的情况最糟，下降到1.09。

新加坡人的价值观改变很大。许多亚洲社会都面对同样的问题。在中国，父母代子女相亲已经不是新鲜的事。中国年老一代担心子女工作忙碌，忽略人生大事，因此主动地替他们寻找伴侣。孩子不成家，他们就没孙子抱。这是很现实的问题。他们在着急的情况下，纷纷到公园替孩子相亲。

中国的年轻人也感觉到压力。每逢过年，他们的压力特别大。在外工作的子女必须回家向父母报告。身边没带着男朋友或女朋友的人，就必须忍受父母的唠唠叨叨。结果，中国近年来出现了一个全新的行业：那就是租一个男朋友或女朋友回家过年。他们在网上登广告求租女友或男友，并且说明每天的酬金。

我相信新加坡的年轻人也面对一些压力，不过还没到求租男女朋友的地步。其实，向年轻人施一点压力不是坏事。不过，更重要的是鼓励和帮助。生养孩子不简单。年轻夫妇如果能够得到父母或亲人的协助，自然会更愿意多生育。这也是家庭生活可贵的地方：亲人之间互相帮助，互相扶持，为家族不断增添生力军。趁着新春佳节，让我们感受家庭的温暖，并且一起努力加强家庭的凝聚力。谢谢！

Residents of Teck Ghee,

Wish you all a Very Happy Year of the Tiger!

Economy looks better this year. Conditions worldwide are improving. MTI just raised forecast for 2010 to 4.5% – 6.5%. If we work hard, this should be a much better year than last year.

But risks and uncertainties remain. Hence we must not get carried away. Instead, let us stay prudent, and try to put something aside for emergencies.


For example, the Government is concerned about the property market getting carried away. No bubble yet, but prices are rising sharply, and the mood is exuberant. So we decided to cool things down a bit, before the situation became serious. Better to pre-empt a bubble, rather than acting late and having to take more drastic measures. It is no good for housing prices to rise too sharply, or beyond what people can afford to pay, because sooner or later the bubble will burst. But falling housing prices will cause problems too, to the many Singaporeans who own their homes.


We will make sure that homes remain affordable to Singaporeans. AMK residents are best proof of what the Government has done to help Singaporeans to own their own homes. You hold an asset that has steadily gained in value over many years. Because our policies have kept Singapore prosperous. Because of the upgrading projects carried out by the Government. If we work together to keep Singapore stable and prosperous, then your homes will continue to be an appreciating asset.


Please take good care of this asset. Do not think of selling it prematurely to make a quick buck. Your home is an important investment for the future. It can help to see you through your old age. Or if you have enough savings, you can pass on the home to your children.


This also means you need to have children to pass your home to. But I worry that not enough Singaporeans are starting families. Young people are marrying later or not marrying at all. Couples are delaying having children, sometimes till too late. Hence our TFR fell to 1.23 last year, or 1.09 for the Chinese!

This reflects fundamental changes in our society. Many Asian societies face similar challenges. You know of “Parents’ Match-making Sessions” in China. Chinese parents worry that their children are leading increasingly busy lives and have no time to date. If their children cannot find suitable partners, then they will not have grandchildren. Hence they are meeting in parks, to match-make their sons and daughters.

Young people in China feel pressured too. Especially during this period, when young people working in Chinese cities return home for the Lunar New Year. They have to endure their parents’ nagging them to hurry up and bring someone home. So some young people decide to bring home make-believe boyfriends and girlfriends. They advertise for such “positions” on Baidu, and pay day-rates for the “services”!

I am sure young Singaporeans feel some pressure too, but thankfully not to the extent that they have to rent someone to bring home. In fact a bit of social pressure is useful. But more important are encouragement and support from families. Young people will be more ready to start families, if they know they can count on their parents and relatives for advice and help. This is what family is about – warmth, mutual support and carrying on the flame. Let us all work to strengthen families in this Year of the Tiger.

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