Singaporeans have expressed mixed levels of confidence in the Government’s ability to manage major challenges highlighted during Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s National Day Rally 2026, with job security, living costs and family concerns emerging as key issues.
An AsiaOne survey of 1,258 people conducted from Aug. 25 to Sept. 7 found that 47 per cent were only slightly confident or not confident at all that the Government could protect workers and manage job disruptions caused by new technologies.
The concern comes as Singapore accelerates its adoption of artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and other advanced technologies. Respondents aged 25 to 54, people who were unemployed and those earning at least S$8,000 a month were more likely than average to express uncertainty about whether workers would be adequately protected during technological change.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had said during the National Day Rally on Aug. 23 that the Government would retrain workers and provide support to help people affected by technological disruption move into new roles. The survey suggests that a significant share of respondents remain uncertain about how effectively those measures will protect workers as the economy changes.
Economic concerns also featured prominently when respondents were asked about the major challenges the Government needs to address in the near term. The cost of living ranked as the top concern, followed by job security, healthcare affordability and the challenges associated with Singapore’s ageing population.
Technology-driven job disruption was also among the concerns identified by respondents, reflecting the wider uncertainty surrounding how artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies could affect employment and household incomes.
Family formation was another major theme of the National Day Rally. The Government announced a new SG Child Support Package that will provide every Singaporean child with up to S$62,000 in direct support, or about S$70,000 when existing benefits are included. The package is expected to take effect from April 2027.
The survey found that nearly seven in 10 respondents who followed the Prime Minister’s speech viewed helping Singaporeans start and raise families with greater confidence as a top Government priority.
Among the childcare measures announced, respondents were most likely to view more affordable and accessible caregiving options for preschoolers and primary school children as significantly or extremely effective. Stronger and sustained financial support for families and greater protected time for parents were also viewed as important measures.
However, the survey found differences among groups. Married respondents without children were less likely to believe the new initiatives would be highly effective in encouraging Singaporeans to start families.
When respondents considered why couples might decide whether to have children, financial stability, quality of life and the cost of raising children emerged as major considerations. For couples considering three or more children, long-term household financial capacity remained particularly important.
The findings provide a snapshot of public sentiment following the National Day Rally, covering concerns ranging from technological disruption and employment to family support, healthcare and the cost of living. They also show that while government measures announced during the rally address several of these issues, levels of confidence vary among different groups and areas of concern.
