Prime Minister Lawrence Wong used his National Day Rally 2026 speech on Saturday to unveil sweeping policy changes spanning family support, technology, housing and urban planning, framing them as part of a broader vision for a stronger Singapore in a rapidly shifting world order.
Speaking at ITE College Central in Ang Mo Kio, Wong addressed the US-China rivalry, AI disruption and demographic challenges in a 90-minute address delivered in Malay, Mandarin and English. His 10 key announcements touched nearly every aspect of domestic life.
Family Support Overhaul
The centerpiece was a new SG Child Support Package replacing the existing baby bonus scheme. Every Singaporean child will receive roughly 70,000 Singapore dollars from birth to age 17 through annual payments of nearly 7,000 dollars. Working parents will get between 8 and 12 days of childcare leave per year depending on how many children aged 12 and below they have, up from the current 6 days.
Full-day childcare fees will be reduced to 150 dollars a month and infant care to 300 dollars a month for all Singaporean children regardless of household income. The government will cover all statutory child-related leave up to the reimbursement limit.
AI Safety and Social Media
On technology, Wong announced that Singapore will build international coalitions for safer AI use, signaling a regulatory approach focused on multilateral cooperation rather than unilateral restriction. He also said the government will require social media platforms to implement robust age verification checks, going beyond the current self-declaration model that he called ineffective.
The city-state will consider raising the minimum age for social media if platforms fail to demonstrate adequate safeguards. Wong emphasized that adoption of AI and autonomous vehicles will proceed step by step, with safety as the first priority and support for affected workers.
Housing and Urban Vision
The BTO income ceiling will be raised, extending eligibility to more households. On urban planning, Wong revealed long-term visions including the creation of a new western island by merging several islands south of Jurong Island, encompassing Pulau Semakau, Pulau Bukom, Pulau Sudong and smaller islets. The new landmass could support new industries and power-generation infrastructure.
Sentosa’s waterfront will be enhanced and NTUC will build a new Downtown South resort on Pulau Brani. The government is also studying undersea tunnels to connect Pulau Tekong to the mainland.
The world around us has changed and it continues to change fast, Wong told the audience, noting that neither the US nor China can overpower or walk away from the other.
The rally also saw the announcement that a cap on dialect film screenings will be lifted in September, provided Chinese subtitles and Mandarin-dubbed versions are available. Wong called dialects a cultural heritage worth preserving.
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