SINGAPORE - Daily global developments are a reminder that it is a dangerous world, and the only people who can protect Singapore and advance its interests are Singaporeans themselves, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Sunday (March 16), as he called for people to stay strong and united.

"There is no other country you can find in this world where people of different faiths, different beliefs can come together, can break fast together, (and) can live in peace and harmony together as one family," said PM Wong.

"This is very precious, and this is something we must always cherish and protect here in Singapore."

He was speaking at Iftar Utara, a mass iftar, or break-fast meal, attended by around 7,000 residents and guests at Marsiling Mega Sports Park. The event was organised by the Marsiling Citizens' Consultative Committee, Indian Muslim Social Service Association and Masjid An-Nur.

PM Wong noted how the world is undergoing profound changes, with things changing quickly in places, from the United States to China to Europe.

"And every day, we are worried there are things that will impact Singapore."

He added: "The only people who can help us are Singaporeans ourselves. We are the only ones who can come together to defend Singapore, to protect Singapore, to advance Singapore's interest in this troubled and volatile world."

This was a sentiment mirrored by Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad, who said: "Conflicts and tensions in various parts of the world serve as stark reminders that our harmony here in Singapore cannot be taken for granted."

Mr Zaqy, who like PM Wong is an MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, was at the annual event alongside the constituency's other MPs, Mr Alex Yam and Ms Hany Soh.

Mr Zaqy said: "There are not many places in the world where we all sit together to break fast in peace, and certainly not across different faiths and religions, different faiths and races.

"This privilege is not by chance, but it is the result of our forefathers and founding generation of leaders who recognised that harmony can only come about if you have racial and religious understanding."

As Singapore celebrates its 60 years of independence in 2025, Mr Zaqy stressed the shared responsibility to protect what has been built over the last 60 years.

In 2025, Iftar Utara introduced a collaboration with Youth Leaders @ Harmony Circle to engage youth in inter-faith dialogue and promote religious harmony through conversations and sharing sessions.

"The prevalence of misinformation and radical views means that we must engage our younger generation of today," Mr Zaqy said, noting that in today's interconnected world, youth face complex challenges in navigating digital spaces.

"We must protect ourselves, whether it's misinformation, divisive ideologies, or extremism that seeks to sow discord among all of us," he said, adding that initiatives such as youth inter-faith dialogues are crucial.

"By investing in our youth, we equip them with the knowledge, values and confidence to counter narratives that threaten our social cohesion here in Singapore."

PM Wong renewed the call for Singaporeans to stay strong and united, and - whatever their differences - to always have Singapore at heart.

"Always think about how we can make Singapore better (not just) for ourselves, but also for our children, our grandchildren and for the next generation, so that whatever we have here in Singapore... this tiny, little red dot made-in-Singapore miracle, we want this to keep on going for as long as we can.

"I'm sure we can all look forward to a better Singapore, not just for the next 60 years, but for many, many more years to come."

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.