To tackle these two priorities, Mr Lee announced that a new Citizenship and Population Unit will be set up under the Prime Minister's Office.

This will work in tandem with a new online portal of the Overseas Singaporean Unit which is also under the Prime Minister's Office.

In his third National Day Rally speech, Mr Lee also urged Singaporeans to produce more babies to replace the fast-ageing population.

Singaporeans are sought after by overseas employers because they are known to be honest and capable.

Mr Lee said that Singaporeans should be encouraged to go abroad but it is hoped that they will return to contribute one day.

To keep in touch with these Singaporeans, the government will set up an online portal for the Overseas Singaporean Unit in the Prime Minister's Office.

Mr Lee said: "We also have to help Singaporeans to come back and when they're ready to come back, to link them up so they can find jobs, to link them up so that their children can get into schools and to help them integrate back into smoothly. So the Overseas Singaporean Unit is going to be launching its online portal soon and it's the best way to keep in touch with everybody. Wong Kan Seng is going to be in China and we will be launching it in Shanghai, where I think there're 7,000 overseas Singaporeans."

And to attract foreigners to plant their roots here, a new Citizenship and Population Unit will be formed in the Prime Minister's Office to promote immigration into Singapore.

All kinds of talent will be sought, not just the conventional graduates and professionals.

One such example is the founder of Mustafa Centre, Mustaq Ahmad, who came to Singapore from India as a young boy, founded Mustafa's, and then grew the business into a shopper's paradise.

Another is celebrity hairstylist David, who came from Malaysia to work here 22 years ago. He received his Singapore citizenship last December.

Mr Lee said the government will encourage immigrants to maintain their links with their countries of origin and keep their cultures and languages alive.

The Education Ministry will help by supporting the study of foreign languages like Bahasa Indonesia and Hindi.

According to the Prime Minister, foreigners here will help to add colour and diversity, such as at Arab Street where people enjoy a different culture.

Mr Lee said Singapore must welcome new immigrants even if some Singaporeans have reservations.

Some Singaporeans are worried about the competition for jobs or are unhappy that first-generation immigrants do not have to do National Service.

But Mr Lee said the country needs to take a big-hearted approach because our forefathers were immigrants too.

Mr Lee said: "If Singapore had rejected them, we would not be here today. To grow and flourish, we must welcome those who can help us to reach our goals. We cannot ask adult immigrants to do NS but their sons will serve. That is the way to build Singapore for Singaporeans."

Mr Lee said the immigrants, too, must make an effort to assimilate by participating in community activities.

Another reason why Singapore needs more immigrants is to help grow the local population.

Mr Lee said that Singaporeans are not producing enough babies, which is a worrying trend.

In his Mandarin speech, the Prime Minister said Singapore had 36,000 babies last year.

But that is short of 14,000 babies, to make up for the 50,000 needed every year to maintain the population of four million.

Wrapping up his one-and-a-half-hour speech in English, Mr Lee said the outlook for Singapore remains bright in the next 10 to 15 years although there may be problems along the way.

Singaporeans, he said, have what it takes to achieve the long-term vision for the country and take it forward.

Prime Minister Lee also spelt out his goals for Singapore.

These include an economy which brings good jobs for all; opportunities for Singaporeans to pursue their dreams; an outstanding living environment with upgraded flats and provisions for older Singaporeans; a first-class education to prepare the young for the digital age; and an open and inclusive society where everyone has a place.

Mr Lee said that he is confident all the above can be done, thanks to what he called Singapore's own "World Cup" success stories.

He cited Singaporean referee Shamsul Maidin who refereed four matches in the recent World Cup Finals in Germany and was even voted the top World Cup referee online.

But beyond such success, Mr Lee reminded the audience that Singapore is a small country in an uncertain world and cannot take its future for granted.

The Prime Minister made an impassioned plea to the current generation of Singaporeans to take the country forward.

"You should do this not because you happen to be born here or you happen to hold a red passport, but because you believe in this mission, you believe in this ideal, you believe that Singapore is something special worth fighting for. As Mr Rajaratnam put it, 'Being Singaporean is not a matter of ancestry, it is a matter of conviction and choice'," said Mr Lee, referring to the late Mr S Rajaratnam, Singapore's first foreign minister.

"This is one of the most exciting and hopeful times in the history of Asia, and in the history of Singapore. Many opportunities are opening up but the demands will be very different than what we have faced before," Mr Lee added.

"We can meet these challenges and succeed if we have courage and spirit, make the change, adapt, sacrifice, fight together and win, and make Singapore a land of opportunity, to give our children a bright future in a rapidly changing world," he said. - CNA/ir
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