Malaysian PM, Najib sends a “get well soon” message to Singapore’s PM following news of his illness

15:59  More on succession planning, Singapore’s future

PM Lee said his successor must be ready to take over from him soon after the next General Election.

Concluding his speech, he said the example of national swimmer Joseph Schooling, who won the country’s first-ever Olympics gold medal, will inspire many more to make their dreams come true.

Can things gets better after SG50? “Answer is resounding yes,” Mr Lee said.

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15:46  PM Lee resumes his speech

“Thank you for waiting, I gave everybody a scare,” Prime Minister Lee resuming his speech to a standing ovation from the audience.

He touches on leadership succession, referencing the stroke that Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat sufferedduring a Cabinet meeting. He announced the appointment of National Development Minister Lawrence Wong as the 2nd Finance Minister to help Mr Heng with the ministry.

He added that Mr Heng will progressively resume his duties as Finance Minister, and DPM Tharman will stop covering as Acting Minister.

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15:25  PM’s heart is fine, did not have stroke: PMO

In a latest update, the PMO said Mr Lee was feeling unsteady because of “prolonged standing, heat and dehydration”.

“His heart is fine and he did not have a stroke,” the PMO added. Mr Lee is expected to resume his speech at 10.40pm.

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15:17  “Don’t worry too much”: DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam

In an interview, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is “alright” and that he was “feeling a little faint”.

He said that Mr Lee has had a gruelling schedule recently, but that this was just a “little blip”.

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14:54  PM Lee will return to conclude his speech : DPM Teo Chee Hean

According to Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, PM Lee told him to convey the message that he will conclude his speech later.

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14:35  PM Lee took ill while speaking at National Day Rally: PMO

The National Day Rally 2016 has been temporarily suspended. According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO),Mr Lee took ill while speaking and the medical team is attending to him right now. “They assess that his condition is not serious,” PMO said, adding it will update in due course.

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14:21  “Every citizen has to know someone of his community can become President”

“Every citizen has to know that someone of his community can become President, and in fact from time to time, does become President, whether he is Chinese, Malay, Indian, Eurasian, or any other race”: PM Lee said, when talking about the Elected Presidency.

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14:12  “Full debate” on changes to Elected Presidency, PM Lee promises

The Singapore Government to publish a White Paper on how it will make changes to the Elected Presidencyand table a Bill to amend the Constitution, and have a “full debate”, said Mr Lee.

“We have operated this two-key system for 25 years, and made many adjustments to it. But some aspects have not been revised and we need to bring them up to date,” explained the Prime Minister.

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13:55  Singapore taking terrorism seriously

The plot to attack Marina Bay Sands from Batam is not the only definite plan by terrorist to target Singapore, said PM Lee, who adds that is not easy to fire a rocket to travel 20 kilometres. The problem is if it doesn’t hit MBS, the rocket hits something else, he said.

The Government has quietly acted on information and taken precautions, with some events shifted or rescheduled in response to terror threats, he revealed. The SGSecure movement will also be launched next month to help Singaporeans protect themselves against terror, said the Prime Minister.

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13:50  Relations with Malaysia and Indonesia

Malaysia and Indonesia are Singapore’s two most important partners, said PM Lee. It is working hard to build ties, but these are sensitive, complex relationships. “There will be differences from time to time, because of their deep-seated attitudes towards us, but today, on the whole, relations with both countries are good,” he said.

Photo: PM Lee/Facebook

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13:38  South China Sea a “complicated dispute”: PM Lee

Singapore is in a “hot seat” as country coordinator for ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations, said PM Lee. But the country has to take its own principled and consistent stand in South China Sea dispute despite pressure from other countries, he added.

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13:27  World’s first automatic chapati, roti maker

On entrepreneurship, PM Lee highlights the invention of the world’s first automatic chapati and roti maker – the Rotimatic. Attendees of the National Day Rally will get to try it out!

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13:17  “Not just doom and gloom”

That said, disruption is “not just doom and gloom”, PM Lee said. Disruption is also creating new jobs in various industries, and Singapore needs an overall strategy to respond to these changes to make firms here resilient.

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13:07  Defining economic challenge: Disruption, says PM Lee

In opening his English speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the defining economic challenge of this era is disruption, and this is due to technology and globalisation. He also said his National Day Rally speech will address the following three questions:

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12:44  PM Lee urges Chinese community to support minority representation for Elected Presidency

Under the current system, Singapore may not have a non-Chinese President for a long time. This could weaken sense of national identity among minorities and affect unity, says PM Lee Hsien Loong. He called for support from the Chinese community to ensure a minority President from time to time.

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12:24  Plans to strengthen Eldershield to cover more in the works

In his Chinese speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says the Health Ministry will form a committee to study how to strengthen Eldershield to cover more people. Currently, it does not cover everyone and payouts are limited to six years.

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12:11  PM Lee on having minority representation for Elected Presidency

Mr Lee says in his Malay speech that Singapore must ensure, from time to time, that the nation has a Malay or Indian President.

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12:06  Asatizah Recognition Scheme to be strengthened, made mandatory

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says that it is critical for Muslim religious teachers, or asatizah, to understand Singapore’s multiracial context and to guide students to practice Islam in this context.

He also said there is a need to strengthen the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS), which is why MUIS will work with Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association (PERGAS) and the Asatizah Recognition Board to make ARS mandatory.

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11:51  National Day Rally: PM Lee’s speech in Malay begins, gives update on former President S R Nathan

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong kicks off this year’s National Day Rally, beginning with his speech in Malay. He took the opportunity to give an update on former President S R Nathan’s health, who remains critically ill and unconscious but is restful.

Mr Nathan, 92, suffered a stroke on Jul 31, and he remains in the Intensive Care Unit at Singapore General Hospital.