PM Lee Hsien Loong to deliver televised National Day message on Aug 9 at 10am

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's message at 10am in English will be aired on Channel News Asia (CNA), Channel 5 and CNA938. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be addressing the country in a televised message come Sunday (Aug 9) on National Day.

His message at 10am in English will be aired on Channel News Asia (CNA), Channel 5 and CNA938 before the broadcast of the Padang parade, which is set to begin at 10.15am.

Concurrently, the National Day message will also be delivered in Mandarin by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Channel 8, Channel U and Capital 958. Mr Heng is also Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies and Minister for Finance.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, will deliver the message in Malay on Suria and Warna 974, while Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran will deliver the message in Tamil on Vasantham and Oli 968.

Messages in all four languages will be available on the Prime Minister's Office's (PMO) website and the PMO YouTube channel after the broadcasts, said the office on Tuesday.

The four ministers also delivered the National Day message in the four official languages last year on the eve of National Day.

Citing economic uncertainties, global strategic risks and the existential threat of climate change then, PM Lee in his message said Singapore had to prepare for a "very different future", even as he expressed confidence that the country would overcome the challenges given Singapore's history of resilience.

He delivered his message last year against the backdrop of Changi Airport's Jewel, which he held up as symbolic of the country's daring to pursue the new.

He also then used the message to give an indication of what he would focus on in his National Day Rally speech that year, which included making pre-school and tertiary education more affordable for lower and middle-income families.

For the first time in Singapore's history since 1966, however, there will not be a National Day Rally this year due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Instead, PM Lee said late last month that he will deliver a major speech to Singaporeans in the House, "about 10 days" after Parliament opens on Aug 24.

"I shall do it in Parliament and we will have a serious debate there," he said during a virtual press conference to announce his new Cabinet.

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