SINGAPORE, Aug 10 — Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh has likened Singapore to a shared vessel whose strength depends on every citizen recognising a responsibility to one another, declaring in his National Day message: “Collectively, we are RSS Singapore.”

Singh said the character of the country was revealed not only through government policies, but in the everyday actions of Singaporeans from different backgrounds.

“All of us, including our fellow Singaporeans — regardless of race or religion — who have recently taken up citizenship, but enjoined as fellow Singaporeans with the red passport, are empowered to play a part in strengthening our nation.

“Collectively, we are RSS Singapore,” he said in a message posted on the Workers’ Party’s Facebook page on Saturday.

He pointed to neighbours looking out for one another, essential workers persevering through heat and rain, and volunteers strengthening their communities as examples of that shared responsibility.

“Singapore is strongest when all who call it home, whatever their background, recognise our common responsibility to one another,” Singh said.

His National Day message also turned to the economic uncertainty facing Singaporeans, with Singh reiterating the Workers’ Party’s call for stronger social safety nets.

The issue was raised during a parliamentary debate on Singapore’s economic future on August 5, amid wider geopolitical pressures and economic uncertainty.

Such support, Singh said, should not amount to “temporary lifebuoys in a moment of crisis”, but instead take the form of structural measures that give families the confidence to weather difficult periods with dignity.

He argued that Singapore should be judged not simply by how well it rewards those who are already secure, but by how steadfastly it ensures that nobody is left behind when circumstances become difficult.

“Singaporeans who are retrenched should receive meaningful support both before and after retrenchment,” he said.

Singh added that workers deserved wages reflecting the value of their work, as well as workplaces offering fairness and dignity.

Turning to Singapore’s pioneer generation, he said they had built the country despite uncertainty and with immense resolve, and that their achievements should be honoured by caring for those who now need support.

That meant supporting caregivers, ensuring lower-income Singaporeans could live with dignity in their later years, and enabling people with disabilities to flourish as integral members of the community.

“Every Singaporean should know that they are valued and that no one must navigate life’s journey alone,” Singh said.