Today is a very special day for the residents and grassroots leaders of Sembawang GRC and Nee Soon Central Constituency.

This is the first time that we are holding a combined National Day Dinner to celebrate not only our 35^th National Day but also the first year of the new millennium.

There are over 10,000 people here tonight, celebrating together.

I would like to thank Dr Teo Ho Pin and the Organising Committee for their hard work in organising this memorable dinner.

As part of our millennium celebrations in Sembawang GRC and Nee Soon Central, we have raised over $500,000 for charity and the funds will be donated to seven welfare homes for the needy and elderly in our community.

We are glad to be able to share our joy with those less fortunate than ourselves.

I thank all those who have contributed to making this evening's function possible.

The theme of our celebrations this evening is "Together, we make the difference."

This theme is particularly appropriate for Singapore in view of our multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious society.

Our diversity of races, cultures and religions can be a strength for Singapore.

With our rich diversity, we can nurture a vibrant society which draws strength from the many traditions of Singaporeans.

But our diversity will be a weakness if we allow our differences of race, culture and religion to generate suspicions and tensions among the various groups.

The foundations of a nation can be established in many ways.

Some nations are forged in the crucible of revolution or war.

However, the most common way for a nation to be established is to evolve from a society made up of one race, speaking one language, with one culture and often largely practising one religion.

One such example is Japan.

Japan is a largely homogeneous society.

Its people share similar roots, speak the same language – Japanese – and have a distinctive culture and religion – Shintoism – which is practised by the majority of Japanese.

Such a homogeneous society has its strengths.

There is group identity and national resilience.

And in Japan we saw how group identity and national resilience helped the Japanese people to overcome the destruction and trauma of the Second World War.

Not only did they rebuild their economy and their society, they brought Japan to greater success.

The rise and success of Japan after the Second World War is one of the miracles of the 20^th century.

With cohesion, resilience, hard work and dedication, the Japanese people were able to rebuild their nation and make Japan one of the leading economic powers of the world.

Japan’s homogeneous society made it easier for the country to recover even after very serious setbacks.

However, a homogeneous society also has its drawbacks.

This is particularly true in the globalised interdependent world in which we live today.

Japan finds it very difficult to attract foreigners to settle in their society or even to work there.

Their uniformity, which was a strength when the Japanese were building up their economy, could become a disadvantage when they have to compete in a globalised economy.

In contrast to Japan, the United States of America is an example of a nation which is founded on a shared set of beliefs and aspirations, and not on a common race, culture and religion.

The fathers of the American revolution believed profoundly in the equality of all people and the pursuit of freedom and individual liberties as the basis for building their nation.

American society is culturally diverse.

Caucasians, Blacks, Hispanics, Chinese, Indians, and a myriad of ethnic groups and cultures all live together in what is called a melting pot to produce a uniquely American society which draws its strength from the diverse traditions of its many sectors but which cannot be identified totally with any particular race or culture.

But such diversity also has its drawbacks.

It is sometimes difficult to achieve national cohesion.

Or a consensus on national policies.

A lengthy process of consultation and debate is often necessary so that the views of all sections of society can be accommodated.

However, a diverse society also has its strengths.

Such a society accepts people readily from all corners of the world.

People of all races and religions feel comfortable living and working in such a society.

Chinese Americans, Indian Americans feel that they can be fully American and pledge their loyalty to America without losing their traditional cultures.

America is today gathering talent from all around the globe.

In the globalised world we live in today, diversity is increasingly being seen as a strength not only for a country but also for corporations.

More and more large corporations which aspire to compete globally are drawing their boards of directors and their managements not from one national group but a variety of nationalities.

For example, the chairman of McKinsey, an American consulting group, is an Indian.

The hi-tech field is not dominated by any particular race or nationality but is peopled by talents from all over the world.

Computer Associates, the third largest software company in the United States, is headed by a Chinese as Chairman and an Indian as CEO.

Indeed, Silicon Valley is often referred to as IC country.

"IC" not as in "integrated circuits" but IC as in Indians and Chinese.

This is because Indians and Chinese are found in such large numbers in so many Silicon Valley companies.

Here in Singapore, our society is also a diverse one.

We have Chinese, Malays, Indians, Eurasians and people of other races.

Our diversity of races, cultures and religions has to be handled sensitively. Managed well, our diversity can be a source of national strength.

But three conditions are necessary.

First, we must have a national identity with aspirations which are shared by all sections of our society.

The legitimate rights of all races in our society have to be recognised.

And where we can, we should help all Singaporeans, regardless of their race or religion to advance themselves and to achieve their dreams and aspirations.

Second, we must continue to operate on the principle of meritocracy. So that everyone knows that when a person is appointed to a particular position, it is on his or her merit and not because he or she is of a particular race or a particular religion.

Meritocracy is critically important as one of the key bases on which Singapore society is founded.

It is a guiding principle for our society and economic progress.

Third, we must do whatever we can and provide whatever means we can to enable the various sectors in our society to be comfortable and to live harmoniously with one another.

One key means is through having a common language – English – through which the various races in our society communicate and interact.

Occasions like this dinner tonight are another means which allow people of all races, cultures and religions to gather together to celebrate our national heritage and our country’s progress, and to emphasize the fact that, above all else, we are all Singaporeans.

To sum up, our diversity of races, cultures and religions is a strength which has made Singapore society and culture more vibrant and rich.

This diversity will also enable us to absorb talent from all over the world who want to come and live and work in Singapore.

In turn, they can contribute to make our economy stronger and more competitive in a globalised world, and to make our society and culture even more vibrant and creative.

We ended the 20^th century on a high note.

We enter the 21^st century on a firm foundation, confident of our prospects.

Singapore may be a small nation compared to other countries in the world.

But if we continue to progress at this rate, we can be a great city-state, and make a unique contribution not only in our region but also throughout the world.

My colleagues and I wish all the residents in Sembawang GRC and Nee Soon Central a Happy National Day.

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