PM Lee Hsien Loong at Bukit Timah 55th Anniversary Celebration (Bt55)

Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon
Residents, grassroots leaders and Advisors of Holland-Bukit Timah GRC and Bukit Panjang SMC

I wish Bukit Timah a happy 55thbirthday!

I am happy that residents and grassroots leaders from the entire Holland-Bukit Timah GRC as well as Bukit Panjang SMC are here to celebrate with Bukit Timah residents — 10,000 people in total. The theme tonight, quite aptly, is "Hand in Hand".

Younger residents may wonder why Bukit Timah ward is already 55 years old when the nation is just turning 45 this year. Bukit Timah was one of the constituencies in the first Legislative Assembly elections in 1955 when Singapore was still a colony. It was one of the four wards that the PAP contested, and one of the three that it won.

Back then, Bukit Timah constituency covered a huge area – most of the Western part of Singapore. As we developed the rural areas, and the population grew, one constituency after another was carved out, e.g. Jurong, Bukit Batok, Clementi and Ayer Rajah. Today’s Bukit Timah is much smaller, part of Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, and home to some 42,000 residents, but its name links us to a significant part of our history. The ward itself has also been transformed. It has become a modern and vibrant suburb, with HDB estates, private residential neighbourhoods, industries and businesses.

A succession of committed and capable Advisors and grassroots leaders have worked tirelessly to spruce up the environment and improve services for residents. For many years, the constituency was served by Mr Chor Yeok Eng, PJG. He handed over to Dr Wang Kai Yuen. The current MP, Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon took over after the last GE.

Mrs Yu-Foo has built on what her predecessors had achieved — raised close to $6 million to help fund improvements, built two wellness centres to cater to the needs of the elderly, established a new childcare centre last year, with another one to follow by the end of this year, and made numerous other upgrading and extensions to benefit residents.

There are many more good things to look forward to. The construction of the Downtown Line 2 MRT station at Beauty World is underway. This will especially benefit residents who live in the Toh Yi area. The upcoming development of the Jurong Lake District will inject new colour and vibrancy into the region

This ward has every reason to be proud of its long history and steady progress. I am sure Bukit Timah will continue to do well in future. As long as our country is stable, and our economy is competitive, and our people are united, we will make progress year after year.

I wish you all an enjoyable evening!

* * * * *

李显龙总理于武吉知马区55周年庆祝会上华语演讲

符喜泉女士

各位居民、各位来宾，大家晚上好

首先，让我热烈祝贺武吉知马区成立55周年

a. 我很高兴这么多居民热烈参加今晚的庆祝会。据我所知，今晚有将近一万人欢聚于此
b. 在座的居民和基层领袖，不仅来自武吉知马区，还来自荷兰—武吉知马集选区和武吉班让区，使今晚的活动更热闹，更有意义
c. 今晚庆祝会的主题是“手牵手”，这很能说明这个活动的意义

年轻的选民也许会问：新加坡只有45岁，为什么武吉知马已经55岁了？

a. 当新加坡在1955年举行第一次立法议会选举时，武吉知马区是其中的一区
b. 55年前，新加坡还是英国的殖民地
c. 当时的立法议会选举，人民行动党到四个选区竞选，结果夺下三个选区，武吉知马是其中的一个

那时的武吉知马是个很大的选区，占了我国西部面积的大部分

a. 政府开始发展乡村地区之后，武吉知马区的一部分逐渐地被分割出来，成了后来的裕廊、武吉巴督、金文泰和亚逸拉惹等地方
b. 今天的武吉知马区的面积小得多。它成了荷兰—武吉知马集选区的一部分，居民大约有4万2000人
c. 不过，武吉知马区的成立，在新加坡建国历史上留下重要的一页
d. 多年来，这个选区逐渐脱胎换骨
e. 现在，它是个现代化和富有朝气的好地方；有政府组屋，也有不少私人住宅和工商业设施

历届的国会议员和基层领袖都很能干，都尽心尽力，不断地改善这个地方的设施和服务，为居民创造一个舒适的生活环境

a. 曹煜英先生是政坛前辈。他在武吉知马区服务许多年
b. 他的继承人是王家园博士
c. 符喜泉女士是现任议员。她在上届大选接过棒子

过去几年，符女士很有建树

a. 她筹了600万元，作为改进区内设施和服务的经费
b. 她为年老居民设立了两所保健中心，又称为“乐龄关怀中心”
c. 去年，她设立了一所新的托儿中心，并且将在今年年底增添另一所
d. 我刚才所提到的，只是武吉知马区许多改善或扩充计划的一部分

同时，武吉知马还有许多值得大家期待的计划还没完成，还未出台

a. 位于美世界的地铁站还在兴建中。这是滨海市区线第二阶段（Downtown Line 2）的地铁服务
b. 地铁通车后，住在道义(Toh Yi)路一带的居民将受惠
c. 此外，我们也公布了裕廊湖区发展蓝图。在计划完成之后，整个地区将变得更有活力，更有特色

在座诸位应该为武吉知马的历史和发展感到自豪

a. 我有信心武吉知马区将会年年进步，越变越好
b. 只要新加坡继续繁荣昌盛，人民团结一致
c. 我们就能不断发展，不断进步

我知道今晚的节目很丰富，我祝各位有个愉快的夜晚

谢谢!

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