Mr. President,Friends and Colleagues,And fellowSingaporeans,

　　We have had a pivotal General Election. It took placeduring SG50, marking the beginning of a newchapter for us.

　　As a people, we faced critical choices in thiselection. We had to decide whom we wanted to formthe Government, which team to choose to secureour future, and which direction Singapore shouldprogress in. We had to ask ourselves: how do we keep improving our lives, taking Singaporehigher, and building something worthwhile and lasting for our children?

　　My team and I are honoured and humbled that 70% of voters chose the PAP to form theGovernment. You gave us a clear mandate to take Singapore forward, and we will do so.

　　Such a decisive result could only have happened with support from all groups of Singaporeans.All 89 seats were contested, and every adult citizen had to vote. The real winners in thiselection were Singaporeans. We have a strong, stable government, able to take Singaporeconfidently into the future. Singaporeans showed that we knew what was at stake. At a criticalmoment, we united to decide our future. We pledged ourselves to forge a new way forward asone people, one nation, one Singapore.

　　The election result sent an important signal to the world: that we Singaporeans aredetermined to keep Singapore special. Through the decades, our political stability and ourquality workforce have attracted many MNCs to invest here. In recent times, MNCs havewatched our politics more closely, to see which way it is heading. After the election, EDB toldme that an MNC that has been here for many years had just decided to increase its stake inSingapore and make another billion-dollar investment here, creating many more good jobs forSingaporeans. I have no doubt that the election result boosted this investor's confidence thatthey were making the right decision, and that they could be confident Singaporeans wouldkeep our fundamentals strong. I am sure that our neighbours noticed too, as have others.