Home Team National Day Observance Ceremony 2025 – Speech by Mr K Shanmugam, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs

My Cabinet colleagues,

Edwin Tong,

Faishal,

Sim Ann

Pei Ming,

Home Team colleagues, Partners, Volunteers, and Distinguished Guests,

Introduction

1. For 60 years, we have progressed steadily – economically, socially.

2. That progress, as I’ve said many other times, has been underpinned by a strong foundation of stability and security.

3. If we didn’t have the stability and we didn’t have the security, what you see around Singapore today - the progress, the economic development, physical development, the way the country has progressed - none of that would be possible.

4. One of the things you can expect every year, with almost boring regularity, is that: every international survey that looks at Singapore, and looks at security, will show us to be one of the safest places in the world, if not the safest.

5. This year, Asia-Pacific Best Cities Report – it’s an inaugural report, we were ranked first. One of the key criteria on liveability, obviously is safety.

6. In the Global Peace Index this year, we were again recognised as one of the safest countries in the world.

7. We look at the 2024 Gallup Law & Order Report – many in this audience have heard me cite this year after year, found that 94% of adults in Singapore feel safe walking home alone at night. The global average is 71%.

8. If you look at our physical crime rate, per 100,000 population last year, 331 cases – very very small, compared to more or most of the advanced economies.

9. Our two-year recidivism rate is now at 21.3% - the lowest amongst any comparable, similar cosmopolitan city in the world.

10. In other areas too: performance has been excellent.

11. Yesterday when I was at the ICA workplan - immigration clearance, the experience for travellers, is completely seamless.

12. The rollout of passport-free clearance at Changi Airport means that travellers now can clear immigration in about 10 seconds.

13. All of these is the result of a framework of dedication, hard work, sound policies, and good governance.

Importance of Trust

14. I cannot emphasise this enough: a key factor that enables us to do well is the high levels of trust that Singaporeans have in Government.

15. It is really a virtuous cycle: it depends on our performance on the ground, it depends on people’s lived realities. Do they feel safe? Is there corruption? Is there effective enforcement of the laws and policies? If there is, if people feel safe, they feel that they are staying in a place where they don’t have to pay money under table for services, and they see that crime is low, they see that their issues are dealt with - trust grows.

16. It’s very difficult to build up, very easy to lose. That trust, then allows, as part of the virtuous cycle, for us to carry out our duties – perhaps with the framework of laws that in many other places would not be acceptable.

17. If you look at the Edelman Trust Barometer 2025, it showed that, in Singapore, public trust in Government was at 77% .

18. To put this in perspective, it is the fifth highest globally, ahead of: Sweden (54%), Canada (50%), Australia (47%), US (41%). You have to take these surveys sometimes with a pinch of salt. But we look at these year after year, there’s a certain pattern.

19. The Public Perception Survey conducted by MHA in 2024 found that 9 in 10 [Singapore] residents trust the Home Team.

20. They trust our officers to carry out their duties professionally, fairly, with integrity.

21. That trust is strengthened every day, through the dedication and professionalism of our officers.

22. The success has been underpinned, must continue to be underpinned, by a consistent approach – firm, fair, and focused on what the public good is. And the public understands and supports this.

23. To give an example: Singaporeans have tremendous confidence in the Singapore Police Force (SPF), and trust SPF to maintain order, keep Singapore safe.

24. When we compare this with other countries, advanced countries, the difference is stark.

25. In parts of the US , like Los Angeles, only around 40% of respondents now express confidence in their police force; the figures in Western Europe was slightly better, but not that much better. In some of the countries, it’s below 50%.

26. Even in Australia , the trust in the police in somewhere between 60 to 70% .

27. And that trust in Singapore has been based on several factors.

28. First, of course, the results, the lived reality for Singaporeans. People have to feel safe, they have to feel that they are living in a country that is well-governed, well-policed, and rule of law apply.

29. Our officers have so far been well-trained, professional, fair, act without fear or favour.

30. There has to be accountability. When things go wrong, we have to deal with it openly and take corrective action. I keep repeating this because the natural instinct in most organisations, however well run, is usually, not to avoid accountability, but the instinct to be completely accountable needs to be maintained from the top, otherwise it won’t be there.

31. And investing in new technology, building new capabilities, constantly improving how we work.

32. So I hope that the Home Team will never lose sight of these key fundamentals, will always maintain trust.

33. I get complaints from various home team departments, some actions. I look at it, sometimes I ask the department concerned to deal with it, but if I feel that there is something that needs to be looked at further, I send in and ask for independent investigation. That is the only way we can maintain trust.

34. Trust is also strengthened by Singaporeans stepping forward in times of need – they show courage and public spirit.

35. Let me share two examples from this year’s award recipients.

36. One is Mdm Clara Yap . She has volunteered with the Singapore After-Care Association for 26 years.

37. She has supported the inmates and their families through group work, befriending, home visits.

38. One of the individuals she supported was a 66-year-old ex-offender with no work experience and hardly any family support.

39. Mdm Yap provided regular encouragement, emotional support, during the client’s time at a halfway house, stayed in close contact after her discharge.

40. Her care made the woman feel valued, helped her gain confidence. and made a real difference to her reintegration journey.

41. Another example: Mr Yap Zu Yao .

42. He is a Community Policing volunteer. He is from Clementi Division.

43. In December last year, he responded to a fire at Ghim Moh Road.

44. He spotted the fire from his home, he rushed down, and he assisted the residents affected by the fire.

45. He helped to evacuate 240 residents, many of whom were elderly persons with mobility challenges.

46. Even after the fire was put out, he stayed on, he assisted the affected residents, and he helped to relocate their belongings.

47. His actions reflected the very best of community spirit.

48. These are ordinary Singaporeans who go about doing their day-to-day activities, showing extraordinary spirit, extraordinary courage.

49. They reflect and help to build the kind of society we want – one where people look out for each other, and do what is right.

50. And I have to say that we are still a work-in-progress. And there is much that we can learn from other advanced societies, where this spirit is exemplified many actions.

Conclusion

51. But as we celebrate our 60th year of independence, I think we can take some pride in how far we have come, and the Singapore that is today.

52. So let us celebrate these achievements together, even as we covenant to continue working hard on the fundamentals that have brought us this far.

53. Thank you, I wish everyone here a very happy National Day.