tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24617166248039534342024-03-19T04:29:25.285+08:00If Only Singaporeans Stopped to ThinkPause, engage brain, attain enlightenmentUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10233125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-64103389707881160872024-02-18T10:53:00.043+08:002024-03-17T12:30:02.760+08:00Singapore Budget 2024: Building Our Shared Future Together<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2-Ybe9862w0?list=PLbnMTcZEga8T5UUzCPKiZixNM_mK_ggpw" title="Budget 2024: Full speech by Minister Lawrence Wong" width="560"></iframe>
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>A Budget for all as Singapore tackles immediate cost-of-living challenges, invests in longer-term goals</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 17 Feb 2024</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRNwqlO6_IfP2CzYQOptZzo0mj94c4cP5HZPVS6eyRgKyj4g-2ZJ_EJvd3x2xj-OOW28H-F-T4V7s8YIa8hyphenhyphena77kpzL752zIJSO8gQjHsmq_vxCTjiR1o0z0gDqyYQufPHxa-ZkBgOgS5GvWMUrL6Q7zWtUoU7THpTxG4yNSpsFu7C2rXNwmtvWSiwfOUW/s726/Singapore-Budget-2024-Building-Our-Shared-Future-Together-Lawrence-Wong.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="513" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRNwqlO6_IfP2CzYQOptZzo0mj94c4cP5HZPVS6eyRgKyj4g-2ZJ_EJvd3x2xj-OOW28H-F-T4V7s8YIa8hyphenhyphena77kpzL752zIJSO8gQjHsmq_vxCTjiR1o0z0gDqyYQufPHxa-ZkBgOgS5GvWMUrL6Q7zWtUoU7THpTxG4yNSpsFu7C2rXNwmtvWSiwfOUW/w283-h400/Singapore-Budget-2024-Building-Our-Shared-Future-Together-Lawrence-Wong.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Everyone will have a slice of the <b><a href="https://www.mof.gov.sg/singaporebudget" target="_blank">Budget 2024</a></b> pie, which aims to address immediate challenges like cost-of-living pressures while investing in longer-term goals of strong economic growth, better jobs and a culture of lifelong learning.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Key policy moves include enhancements to the Assurance Package like giving out more Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A significant top-up of SkillsFuture credits will benefit mid-career workers, while a corporate income tax rebate aims to help companies manage rising costs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government will also be rolling out strategies to improve retirement adequacy, lower healthcare costs and provide more for lower-wage workers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many of these moves were signposted earlier in the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/10/forward-sg-report-unveils-social.html" target="_blank">Forward Singapore</a></b> report <b><a href="https://www.forwardsingapore.gov.sg/" target="_blank">released</a></b> in October 2023.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Budget 2024 rolls out the first instalment of the Forward Singapore programmes, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in Parliament on Feb 16 as he delivered his third <b><a href="https://youtu.be/lNmnvkrhYoc?si=GpWxbuYPUtLp9-uc" target="_blank">annual Budget speech</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He laid out a <b><a href="https://www.mof.gov.sg/singaporebudget/budget-2024/budget-speech" target="_blank">$131.4 billion proposal</a></b> – about 18.3 per cent of Singapore’s gross domestic product.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wRjU9WkfZmw?si=s9HrKS2uoJ4HDc2b" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These moves are part of an “ambitious agenda” to achieve the shared goals of building a nation that is vibrant and inclusive, fair and thriving, as well as resilient and united, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They come amid a mixed outlook for 2024, he said. Growth in major economies is expected to be resilient, but geopolitical risks continue to loom large.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the same time, global inflationary pressures are tipped to further recede, said DPM Wong, who is also Finance Minister.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was “cautiously optimistic” that 2024 will be better than 2023, as he projected a $0.8 billion surplus for the upcoming financial year – “essentially a balanced fiscal position”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BdccAcrvMYA?si=ocaCT01qCNxf4W4X" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Tackling cost-of-living pressures</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLuBjjlhtu2au7HrKY39bxetHNutQe64I6TyEvTenK4pxOAOnACaj58QFBGhaatLdM-EZCvevY8OvpwEyv2KBbfiLWND-BiQcerFYnMgzOiSOLyb70No39imetDKdJGfqnDSfwCT3_5-obkkK8wLy_-6X7kyfX0Q90AADCwET1fJkU0c_dKsvyyf-CmI_/s1600/Singapore-Budget-2024-goodies-for-Singaporeans.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1131" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLuBjjlhtu2au7HrKY39bxetHNutQe64I6TyEvTenK4pxOAOnACaj58QFBGhaatLdM-EZCvevY8OvpwEyv2KBbfiLWND-BiQcerFYnMgzOiSOLyb70No39imetDKdJGfqnDSfwCT3_5-obkkK8wLy_-6X7kyfX0Q90AADCwET1fJkU0c_dKsvyyf-CmI_/w453-h640/Singapore-Budget-2024-goodies-for-Singaporeans.jpg" width="453" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong acknowledged the pressure of higher living costs faced by many households.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the economic situation is expected to improve in 2024, there are still uncertainties, which is why he has further enhanced the Assurance Package, said DPM Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The package, meant to offset the impact of the goods and services tax hike, will be boosted by another $1.9 billion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This includes an <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-assurance-package-to-be-enhanced-by-19-billion-to-support-households" target="_blank">additional $600 in CDC vouchers</a></b> for all Singaporean households, with the first tranche of $300 to be disbursed in end-June, and the remainder in January 2025.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All adult Singaporeans with an assessable income of up to $100,000 and who do not own more than one property will also receive a Cost-of-Living Special Payment of between $200 and $400 in cash.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other measures to help individuals with costs include a MediSave top-up of up to $300 for about 1.4 million adult Singaporeans aged 21 to 50.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-16-million-older-singaporeans-to-benefit-from-82-billion-majulah-package" target="_blank">aged 51 and above will receive up to $1,500 in their Medisave Accounts</a></b> under the earlier announced <b><a href="https://www.cpf.gov.sg/content/dam/web/member/faq/majulah-package/documents/FAQs%20Majulah%20Package.pdf" target="_blank">Majulah Package</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To help parents, fee caps – the maximum amount that school operators can charge – will be reduced for government-supported pre-schools. There will also be fee reductions for special education schools.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JkO0JHyWILg?si=kkmp27PHXcfVpxnG" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In addition, there will be a personal income tax rebate of 50 per cent, capped at $200, for the 2024 year of assessment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Businesses will also receive help to manage rising costs, such as a 50 per cent corporate income tax rebate, capped at $40,000.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XkSdaXWiZjs?si=sMONaGQjfmSJgLSL" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Supporting workers and businesses</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A key component of the Budget is a suite of measures targeted at mid-career workers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All Singaporeans aged 40 and above will receive a <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-4000-skillsfuture-credit-top-up-further-subsidies-for-diploma-courses" target="_blank">$4,000 top-up in SkillsFuture Credit</a></b> as part of a new SkillsFuture Level-Up programme.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nmE1virYNJU?si=NpTPrL8HvTe9rvqy" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This will benefit about 1.95 million Singaporeans currently, though those younger will receive the top-up as well when they turn 40.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the existing basic tier of $500 SkillsFuture Credit covers a wide range of courses, the new credit will only be allowed for use for selected training programmes with better employability outcomes. More details will be announced later.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4qTHWTnOw-M?list=PLbnMTcZEga8T5UUzCPKiZixNM_mK_ggpw" title="Budget 2024: Singaporeans aged 40 and above to get S$4,000 top-up in SkillsFuture Credit" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Under the new programme, there will be subsidies for all Singaporeans aged 40 and above to pursue another full-time diploma at polytechnics, institutes of technical education and arts institutions from the 2025 academic year onwards. Currently, only those studying for their first diploma benefit from government subsidy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong also unveiled a monthly training allowance for Singaporeans aged 40 and above who enrol in selected full-time courses.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These moves are meant to help Singaporeans develop to their fullest potential, and to have productive and meaningful careers, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A key priority of the Government is to ensure a strong, innovative and vibrant economy – and it will do so by focusing on productivity and innovation, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DANWu4e37r8?list=PLbnMTcZEga8T5UUzCPKiZixNM_mK_ggpw" title="Singapore Budget 2024: All you need to know" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong announced a <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-new-tax-credit-to-support-firms-innovation-and-green-transition" target="_blank">new Refundable Investment Credit</a></b>, a tax credit meant to help Singapore stay competitive and attract investments from global companies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There will also be investments to upgrade the Nationwide Broadband Network to enable mass market access to broadband speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second in the second half of this decade. This would be 10 times faster than the broadband speed in most homes today.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong also brought up the temporary financial support scheme for the involuntarily employed, which had been mentioned in the Forward SG report.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EMYNwFGgk8A?list=PL4hoY6mUkvmKdAQ5ixS9ZSD5Rg6pb6iUk" title="Temporary Financial Support Scheme" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said that the Government is working out the parameters for the scheme, and will provide more details later in the year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Ours must always be an economy that provides opportunities for all; an economy that benefits the many rather than the few,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In this vein, DPM Wong announced <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-lower-wage-workers-to-get-more-workfare-payouts" target="_blank">enhancements to schemes that uplift lower-wage workers</a></b>, such as the Workfare Income Supplement scheme and Workfare payouts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government will also provide more support for employers who raise the wages of lower-wage workers by increasing its co-funding levels of the <b><a href="https://www.iras.gov.sg/schemes/disbursement-schemes/progressive-wage-credit-scheme" target="_blank">Progressive Wage Credit Scheme</a></b> – from a maximum of 30 per cent to 50 per cent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d1SP5GsXI18?list=PLH2CR4s1lqyiwW4lPlibq0o-S-D7df2qG" title="Budget 2024: ITE Progression Award to help ITE grads take up diplomas, includes $10k in CPF top-up" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To encourage and support more young ITE graduates in upskilling efforts, a new ITE Progression Award will be rolled out for those aged 30 and below.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This will include a $5,000 top-up to their Post-Secondary Education Accounts when they enrol in a diploma programme, as well as a further $10,000 top-up to their Central Provident Fund (CPF) Ordinary Account when they attain their diplomas.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V8NSARRpW44?list=PLbnMTcZEga8T5UUzCPKiZixNM_mK_ggpw" title="Budget 2024: CPF Special Account to close for people aged 55 and above" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Help for seniors</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbiDCVsiAWkBqImQpCb4fV7kIivc__PHDH3CgMBocTVrNSFeqfYo70HHIUvMoxwq6gNAN-e4WUTC85bdVlYIp40v-TnwPQbAa8Lbi06_IRhP8fF1_EtN9RMI26UnwQX1mR5xK46Yh_MUKni7pA8UfyHeC_091OvqbEZ5e8GwH97EDElS3hV9Mvn5El6iaB/s1600/Singapore-Budget-2024-support-for-seniors-Singaporeans.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1131" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbiDCVsiAWkBqImQpCb4fV7kIivc__PHDH3CgMBocTVrNSFeqfYo70HHIUvMoxwq6gNAN-e4WUTC85bdVlYIp40v-TnwPQbAa8Lbi06_IRhP8fF1_EtN9RMI26UnwQX1mR5xK46Yh_MUKni7pA8UfyHeC_091OvqbEZ5e8GwH97EDElS3hV9Mvn5El6iaB/w452-h640/Singapore-Budget-2024-support-for-seniors-Singaporeans.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another area that the Budget provides for is support for the retirement needs of senior citizens.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong said there will be adjustments to the CPF system, such as an increase in CPF contribution rates for those aged 55 to 65 by 1.5 percentage points in 2025.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Employers will be able to benefit from the CPF Transit Offset for another year, to cover half of the increase in their contributions for 2025. This will help cushion the impact on business costs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Enhanced Retirement Sum – the maximum amount one can put in the CPF retirement account to receive CPF payouts – will also be raised from 2025, to become four times the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS). It is currently three times the BRS.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The CPF system will also be tweaked, as the Special Account will be closed for those aged 55 and above, starting in 2025. The savings in the Special Account will be transferred to the Retirement Account, up to the Full Retirement Sum. The rest will be transferred to the Ordinary Account.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k8Q9q1uouOA?si=yDkvf0cRLvkdll8q" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In addition, there will be enhancements to retirement support schemes for seniors who need more help. These include the Silver Support Scheme and Matched Retirement Savings Scheme.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WGW9E_0jjCxKFsfJwkaPuDndswWeB5vggSymfTLD7WIwlAerj5bsCxQwpMik8N5Cc9AXcYBtbbDSVomsVq-qFxsXIdLyMU826Omm7ckJin_n5vFCkZ41PDLZz6a09tt5BsF2HSmnMBDPFMsDrjip-2NR52XMeLoq1JxEuAQU8FvnVE77eZEVQWclkHj8/s1081/Majulah-Package-help-Singapore-seniors-Budget-2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1081" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WGW9E_0jjCxKFsfJwkaPuDndswWeB5vggSymfTLD7WIwlAerj5bsCxQwpMik8N5Cc9AXcYBtbbDSVomsVq-qFxsXIdLyMU826Omm7ckJin_n5vFCkZ41PDLZz6a09tt5BsF2HSmnMBDPFMsDrjip-2NR52XMeLoq1JxEuAQU8FvnVE77eZEVQWclkHj8/w640-h640/Majulah-Package-help-Singapore-seniors-Budget-2024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong also provided more details on the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CPFBoard/posts/pfbid0H658oP7wwiMhJPy2svHzSTXiKztMYGiZt2Cegwev76axdjotmZdj412Hmktw6Mk6l?__cft__[0]=AZVK826pbO53-ujEHxf15t8NexB8RMgqLV5pmg-d-ZHt6RhwOvMjambHgjGf2Hcvwfrqi1J_S3cznwUox5SYHn2g_J7SzCs1aou_l8r2wUBxZYJ6g0YWTQwJsAhChuPEJmhYXm-d-CwgBYLLLp-BUxSFMgQQxISJLVwZrmsBfnoBf0hllSGxDYG9g_xY5hujihW0CBT2Z4ciWGF_Lq7zPzt8&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-y-R" target="_blank">Majulah Package</a></b>, <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-14-million-singaporeans-aged-50-and-up-to-get-more-help-meeting-retirement-needs" target="_blank">announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</a></b> at the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/08/national-day-rally-2023-better-home.html" target="_blank">National Day Rally in 2023</a></b>. The scheme will benefit about 1.6 million Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The package includes an Earn and Save Bonus for seniors earning up to $6,000 a month to accumulate more retirement savings and a one-time Retirement Savings Bonus of between $1,000 and $1,500 for seniors with retirement savings below the BRS.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rounding up his speech, DPM Wong said the Forward Singapore policy moves will cost around $5 billion in the 2024 financial year, and will in total reach close to $40 billion by the end of the decade.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Projections by the Finance Ministry in 2023 assessed that government spending would increase to around 20 per cent of GDP by 2030.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong said that for now, that remains the Government’s assessment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Assuming the Government stays within this range of spending increase, it should have sufficient revenues to maintain a balanced budget over the coming years, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But the medium-term fiscal position is tight, as there are many pressures to spend more.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We will have to manage these expenditures carefully, or we will end up with a significant funding gap,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is already happening in many other advanced economies, where public finances are on an unsustainable path and fiscal systems are at risk of breaking, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We must never allow this to happen in Singapore. Instead, let us uphold the ethos of fiscal discipline and responsibility that has served us well, and ensure that our fiscal position always remains balanced, sound and sustainable.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He reiterated that Singapore has been able to weather past storms and emerge stronger.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I believe we can do so again in our road ahead, so long as we stay united, work together and continue to keep faith in each other.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Parliament will debate the Budget and the <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZL-VSUmAeY&list=PLH2CR4s1lqyjDpBa-nCLXTbJ5tkKmLuDS" target="_blank">spending plans of various ministries</a></b> from Feb 26 to March 7.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Something for everyone: Budget 2024 at a glance</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Jean Iau, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 17 Feb 2024</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From workers to seniors, individuals to households, Budget 2024 has something for everyone to cope with cost-of-living pressures.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong on Feb 16 unveiled a suite of support measures for all Singaporeans, including cash payouts, Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers for households, and mid-career training allowances for Singaporeans aged 40 and older.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Here’s what you can expect:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Individuals</span></b></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="text-align: justify;">Singaporeans aged 21 and older who own not more than one property will receive between $200 and $2,150 in cash payouts between April 2024 and March 2025, depending on their eligibility.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-resident-taxpayers-to-get-personal-income-tax-rebate-of-up-to-200" target="_blank">personal income tax rebate of 50 per cent</a></b>,<span style="text-align: justify;"> capped at $200, will be given for the year of assessment 2024.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-all-nsmen-to-receive-200-in-lifesg-credits-cyber-security-command-centre-to-be-set-up" target="_blank">$200 National Service LifeSG credits</a></b><span style="text-align: justify;"> will be given for all past and current national servicemen.</span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawzPhSsvOE8YoiXx81N_fE0fniX0STanJkqZbg0z5XDExsAeZoxrnepJtrev5kylk0qW4mBr7CPR6DQ7qSXiCFWa8WsuxVmRkeAkq67mxu6GzU-pQ5__hqxH93FMLwXZWakbAI-XuKyuEwAWw0P6PyAQHUHRSQK_aKU8pmDKIkOyT0oKRcX1P2RNTvjtQ/s960/Budget-2024-Support-for-Singaporeans.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawzPhSsvOE8YoiXx81N_fE0fniX0STanJkqZbg0z5XDExsAeZoxrnepJtrev5kylk0qW4mBr7CPR6DQ7qSXiCFWa8WsuxVmRkeAkq67mxu6GzU-pQ5__hqxH93FMLwXZWakbAI-XuKyuEwAWw0P6PyAQHUHRSQK_aKU8pmDKIkOyT0oKRcX1P2RNTvjtQ/w640-h640/Budget-2024-Support-for-Singaporeans.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="text-align: justify;">All Singaporeans will get $100 to $1,650 in top-ups to their Central Provident Fund (CPF) MediSave Account, depending on their eligibility.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-16-million-older-singaporeans-to-benefit-from-82-billion-majulah-package" target="_blank">Singaporeans born in 1973 or earlier</a></b> will receive bonuses of $400 to $2,500 in their CPF Retirement Account or Special Account, depending on their eligibility.</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Households</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>All Singaporean households will <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-assurance-package-to-be-enhanced-by-19-billion-to-support-households" target="_blank">get $600 in CDC vouchers</a></b>, half of which will be given out in June 2024 and the other $300 in January 2025.</li></ul><ul><li>Eligible HDB households will receive $550 to $950 in U-Save rebates, depending on the size of their flat.</li></ul><ul><li>Eligible Singaporean households in HDB flats will also get service and conservancy charges rebates to offset two to four months’ charges.</li></ul><div><br />
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</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Families</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Eligible families who have booked their Build-To-Order flats but need a place to stay while waiting for their flats to be completed can apply for a <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-reduced-fees-for-govt-supported-pre-schools-more-help-for-people-with-disabilities" target="_blank">one-year Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (Open Market) voucher</a></b> to offset their rents of HDB flats in the open market. HDB currently offers subsidised rental housing under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme.</li></ul><ul><li>Monthly full-day childcare fee caps will be reduced in government-supported pre-schools in 2025 to $640 for anchor operators and $680 for partner operators. This is before the childcare subsidies that all families benefit from.</li></ul><ul><li>Existing pre-school subsidies will be enhanced for lower-income families. Currently, more subsidies are given to children with working mothers. This will be extended to all children from lower-income families, including those with non-working mothers.</li></ul><div>
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</div><ul><li>ComLink+ Progress Packages will be launched to support lower-income families that enrol their children in pre-schools, and take action to remain employed, stay financially stable and save up for home ownership. For example, if these families ensure a child is enrolled in pre-school in the year the child turns three, they will get a one-off $500 top-up to the child’s Child Development Account.</li></ul><ul><li>The annual income threshold will be raised for dependant-related personal income tax reliefs to $8,000 from the year of assessment 2025.</li></ul><ul><li>For families with children with special needs, maximum monthly fees at special education schools and fee caps at all special student care centres will be lowered.</li></ul><ul><li>More support will also be given to people with disabilities in employment and for integration into the community. Spaces will be expanded in sheltered workshops and day activity centres.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Workers</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Mid-career reskilling for Singaporeans aged 40 and above</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>A <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-4000-skillsfuture-credit-top-up-further-subsidies-for-diploma-courses" target="_blank">$4,000 SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) top-up</a></b> will be given in May 2024. This can be used for selected industry-oriented training courses with better employability outcomes.</li></ul><ul><li>Subsidies will be available for another publicly funded full-time diploma.</li></ul><ul><li>Up to $3,000 in monthly training allowance will be given for up to 24 months, for selected full-time courses.</li></ul><div><br />
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</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Lower-wage workers</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><b><a href="https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/growing-your-savings/government-support/workfare-income-supplement" target="_blank">Workfare Income Supplement</a></b> scheme payouts will be <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-lower-wage-workers-to-get-more-workfare-payouts" target="_blank">increased to a maximum of $4,900 per year, up from $4,200</a></b>, and the qualifying income cap will be raised from $2,500 to $3,000 from January 2025.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>
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</div><div><br /></div><ul><li>The Local Qualifying Salary will be raised from $1,400 to $1,600 from July 2024. This means that companies that employ foreign workers must pay all full-time local workers at least $1,600. The minimum hourly rate will be increased from $9 to $10.50.</li></ul><ul><li>The Progressive Wage Credit Scheme (PWCS), where the Government co-funds the pay increases of lower-wage workers, will be increased in 2024 to a maximum of 50 per cent from 30 per cent. The PWCS wage ceiling will be raised to $3,000 in 2025, from the current $2,500.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>To encourage and support more ITE graduates aged 30 and below to upskill, their <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-ite-grads-to-get-10000-in-cpf-top-ups-after-getting-a-diploma" target="_blank">Post-Secondary Education Account will be topped up by $5,000</a></b> when they enrol in a diploma course at a polytechnic, the ITE, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts or Lasalle College of the Arts. They will also get a $10,000 top-up to their CPF Ordinary Account after they complete the course.</li></ul><div>
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</div><ul><li>There will be a temporary financial support scheme for involuntarily unemployed workers while they undergo training or look for jobs. More details will be announced later in 2024.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Seniors</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Eligible seniors earning up to $6,000 a month will receive a yearly bonus of up to $1,000 to their CPF Retirement Account or Special Account for as long as they work. Those who have retirement savings below the Basic Retirement Sum will also get a one-time retirement savings bonus of between $1,000 and $1,500.</li></ul><ul><li><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-35-billion-to-help-seniors-age-actively-stay-socially-connected" target="_blank">$3.5 billion will be set aside to support seniors</a></b> in their homes and communities, such as by expanding the network of Active Ageing Centres, and introducing more senior-friendly home fittings and commuter infrastructure.</li></ul><ul><li>The per capita household income thresholds will also be increased for healthcare and associated social support subsidy schemes.</li></ul><ul><li>The <b><a href="https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/growing-your-savings/saving-more-with-cpf/matching-grant-for-seniors-who-top-up" target="_blank">Matched Retirement Savings Scheme</a></b> will be expanded. The scheme helps Singaporeans aged 55 to 70 with less CPF savings by providing dollar-for-dollar matching for cash top-ups to their CPF accounts. The expanded scheme will cover Singaporeans aged 55 and above, and <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-higher-cpf-retirement-sum-ceiling-from-2025-among-slew-of-changes" target="_blank">increase the annual matching cap to $2,000</a></b>, with a lifetime matching cap of $20,000.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>
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</div><div><br /></div><ul><li>The CPF Enhanced Retirement Sum (ERS) will be increased from three to four times the Basic Retirement Sum. The ERS is the maximum amount that people can put into their CPF Retirement Account to receive CPF payouts. This means the ERS in 2025 will be $426,000.</li></ul><div><br />
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</div><div><br /></div><ul><li>The interest-free Giro instalment plan for residential property tax bills will be extended to 24 months for eligible retirees aged 65 and above.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Budget 2024: Singaporean households to get $600 in CDC vouchers as part of enhanced Assurance Package</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Chin Soo Fang, Senior Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02ersFGNahQqBNVbD4Wr7YSdkq2k19Uh9AY3xa3oMmK22roa4DtdujENp38UeFH3Uml?__cft__[0]=AZVbEYD0WqPiyj5j_iWhYgZ3zQV0-lPkCLgW0nNrqd6fLM35gdHCxtaBSyM-w30UaPWVultmQH9Zv6P4kSwXQUK4Culbyz04PpNF1gsPfTujgIGm31jI3DtytFaCGBmHYxu-nf3UfNBwoPQw67gJ_rfz&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 17 Feb 2024</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singaporeans will get a mix of cash, vouchers and rebates under a $1.9 billion boost to the Assurance Package to help them cope with cost-of-living concerns and an uncertain economic outlook.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The aim is for lower-income families and larger households – especially those with seniors and children – to get more support, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said in his Budget speech in Parliament on Feb 16.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Among the enhancements are an additional $600 in Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers for about 1.4 million Singaporean households.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first $300 will be disbursed in end-June in 2024, and the remaining $300 will be disbursed in January 2025. Each tranche of the vouchers will be split equally for spending at participating merchants and hawkers, and supermarkets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A Cost-of-Living Special Payment of between $200 and $400 in cash will be given to eligible Singaporeans in September 2024. To qualify, people must be aged 21 and above in 2024, reside in Singapore, own not more than one property and have an assessable income of up to $100,000. This will benefit about 2.5 million adult Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In January 2025, a one-off service and conservancy charges (S&CC) rebate will be given to more than 950,000 Singaporean households to offset half a month of the charges.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Together with the regular S&CC rebates, eligible households in Housing Board flats will receive up to four months of such rebates in this financial year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An additional one-off U-Save rebate will help more than 950,000 Singaporean HDB households with increases in their utility bills.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Eligible households can receive 2½ times the amount of regular U-Save rebates, or up to $950, in this financial year. This will cover about four months of utility bills for those living in three- and four-room flats, and will be disbursed in April, July and October in 2024, and in January 2025.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his speech, titled Building Our Shared Future Together, DPM Wong noted that while <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/business/prices-in-s-pore-seen-moderating-but-likely-to-remain-above-pandemic-levels-in-2024" target="_blank">inflation had started to moderate in 2023</a></b>, economic growth also slowed and real incomes declined.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government had picked up early indicators of this negative trend, he said. As a result, it <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/11b-cost-of-living-package-up-to-200-cash-for-25m-s-poreans-200-cdc-vouchers-for-s-porean-households" target="_blank">introduced the Cost-of-Living Support Package in September 2023</a></b>, and enhanced the Assurance Package to more than $10 billion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He cited an example of how a lower-income household of four, with two young children, will benefit under the enhancements to the Assurance Package.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Such a household will receive about $5,500 in benefits in this financial year, comprising cash, MediSave top-ups, U-Save and S&CC rebates, and CDC vouchers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A middle-income household of four, with two young children, will receive about $3,000 in benefits.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And a middle-income household of six, including two seniors and two young children, will receive about $8,000 in benefits.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Let me assure everyone: We will always have your backs,” DPM Wong said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beyond the Assurance Package, the GST Voucher Fund will also be topped up by $6 billion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This delivers on our commitment to permanently defray GST (goods and services tax) expenses for lower- and middle-income households, through the GST Voucher Scheme,” DPM Wong said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-13-billion-package-to-help-companies-deal-with-higher-costs" target="_blank">Enterprise Support Package worth $1.3 billion</a></b> will also be introduced to help businesses manage rising costs in wage bills, rental, utilities and other costs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This includes a corporate income tax rebate and cash payouts for companies that employed at least one local employee in 2023.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Enterprise Financing Scheme will also be enhanced to help Singapore enterprises with financing needs and the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit will be extended by a year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The enhanced Assurance Package and the Enterprise Support Package will provide some near-term relief to Singaporean households and firms. These are needed during this difficult period when inflation, while moderating, remains on the high side,” said DPM Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, he acknowledged that these are not permanent solutions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“In the longer term, the best way to deal with inflation is to ensure that our firms and workers are more productive, and that real incomes continue to rise sustainably.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Budget 2024: $4,000 SkillsFuture Credit top-up for mid-career workers, subsidies for another diploma</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Syarafana Shafeeq, The Straits Times, 17 Feb 2024</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0cWb4q0qYMV7ISeaXWCdYml3axxqbxwPPBs7OGXWiC5cJ-80rMkTMssOoNZquLee3gqHV6eo5eEFdaXz841ohygvzEbcTZS8ySTQ9JfYF3h58dnptjPDtHQ4C5yxNzUvpDmMHrOwaX57M-Qtliiko7c2VQo1lLvwVe_GhlFU8-ALgkAXAvAFZ3YEC2Mf/s1600/Singapore-Budget-2024-Skillsfuture-top-up-for-Singaporeans.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1131" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0cWb4q0qYMV7ISeaXWCdYml3axxqbxwPPBs7OGXWiC5cJ-80rMkTMssOoNZquLee3gqHV6eo5eEFdaXz841ohygvzEbcTZS8ySTQ9JfYF3h58dnptjPDtHQ4C5yxNzUvpDmMHrOwaX57M-Qtliiko7c2VQo1lLvwVe_GhlFU8-ALgkAXAvAFZ3YEC2Mf/w452-h640/Singapore-Budget-2024-Skillsfuture-top-up-for-Singaporeans.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All Singaporeans aged 40 and above will be given a $4,000 top-up of SkillsFuture credits in May to encourage mid-career workers to refresh their skills and progress in their careers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They will also be given subsidies to pursue another full-time diploma at polytechnics, the Institute of Technical Education and arts institutions from the academic year 2025.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced in his Budget speech on Feb 16 that this move will give Singaporeans another bite of the education subsidy, even if they have graduated from an institution of higher learning as a young adult.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added that the $4,000 credit top-up, under a new SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme, will be “more targeted in scope”. Its usage will be confined to selected training programmes with better employability outcomes. These include part-time and full-time diplomas, as well as post-diploma and undergraduate programmes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, said: “We want participants taking up these programmes to be assured of better employability outcomes after they have completed their training.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Younger Singaporeans will receive the same top-up once they reach 40. The $4,000 credit will have no expiry date.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those above the age of 40 will also be given a monthly training allowance when they enrol in selected full-time courses from 2025, to partially offset income loss from taking time off work.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The courses that are eligible include full-time SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme courses, and full-time publicly funded courses at institutes of higher learning and arts institutions up to the undergraduate degree level.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The allowance will be equivalent to 50 per cent of one’s average income over the latest available 12-month period, up to $3,000 per month.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Each person can receive up to 24 months of training allowance throughout his or her lifetime. If an individual has been unemployed for more than a year, the training allowance will not be applicable.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Calvin Li is one of the many Singaporeans who will be able to reap the benefits of the newly announced initiatives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 40-year-old project director at Khoon Engineering Contractor believes that training and upskilling can broaden his career opportunities and contributions to the workforce. He previously made a career switch from finance to the electrical engineering industry, and has attended different courses run by tertiary institutions and Workforce Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“What you study in school isn’t what you become or where you end up,” he said. “It is about your mindset – what is more important is that you are willing to try. Learning is a never-ending process.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong said the Government invests heavily in human capital, but learning cannot stop when formal schooling ends.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore’s workforce ranks highly in terms of skills and technical proficiency, but expertise is in constant flux with rapid technological advances, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That is why more investment has to be made to help workers update their skills, and learn how to harness new technologies more effectively, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since SkillsFuture was started nearly 10 years ago, the Government’s spending on continuing education and training has nearly doubled to $900 million in 2023, he noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But much more can still be done even as good progress has been made in this area, he said, adding: “Continuous skills upgrading throughout life is now more important than ever.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The support measures for mid-career workers aim to help those who need a skills reboot and have to take time off work to attend training over an extended period while juggling financial and caregiving obligations, DPM Wong said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Support for the involuntarily unemployed</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Under SkillsFuture, more help will also be given to workers who are involuntarily unemployed, said DPM Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The scheme will be designed carefully, taking into consideration the quantum of assistance and other conditions that come with the support, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This is to avoid the pitfalls that other countries have experienced when they introduced unemployment benefits,” he said, adding that more details will be provided later this year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had previously announced <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-retrenched-workers-to-get-interim-financial-support-while-reskilling-for-better-jobs" target="_blank">plans to offer temporary financial support to retrenched workers</a></b> during his 2023 National Day Rally speech. He said the scheme will enable those who are laid off to attend skills courses rather than seizing whatever jobs are offered out of desperation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his speech on Feb 16, DPM Wong said the Government’s move to provide temporary support for this group of workers comes amid technological changes that will bring about more churn in the economy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thus, even when the economy as a whole is doing well, some businesses, or even industries, may be suffering, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“In some sectors, firms will have to let go of people, while in other sectors, new and better jobs will be created,” he said. “We have to accept this reality, but it doesn’t mean we should be indifferent to the suffering caused when firms lay off workers.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those who become involuntarily unemployed naturally feel the pressure to rush into the first available job they find, even if it is not a good fit, to make ends meet. Ideally, however, they should upgrade their skills and find a job that fits their aptitude and talent, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Therefore, we will do more to support this group of workers.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Budget 2024: CPF retirement sum ceiling to increase; Special Account to be closed for those aged 55 and up from 2025</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Tay Hong Yi, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02pZjfgA8E4ptj7xbyhXawBZoSKKrbnnug8rpQbz1uT2Z9qsHp6zgksvWFdrhNMYLcl?__cft__[0]=AZUHCluM6SLXvQyJDe6kOuzZRCbKcLRt3a1Nb6rC59YvcpNA3-w-cj3r3nkBt39inIK-282ajkLueFyJeD0sAIPDQ9SeqiVL41swJ2nDJsdsclqIn4-rb7lEbayx31LFBZETKiCW5X6innXiQY4h0ql_&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 17 Feb 2024</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CPFBoard/posts/pfbid0H658oP7wwiMhJPy2svHzSTXiKztMYGiZt2Cegwev76axdjotmZdj412Hmktw6Mk6l?__cft__[0]=AZWye2jGWSwmOmq24fV9BsT5ADyiX-WANeZaF391mWbXrHmftzRa60CoJompVKANYVljmPaHv83FLZTIzO1HFz5bQZawZG0aFmyU45N61Gi1osMwqzvJeozxZvjri3pHj08KFsCLNpVdCOpQHrzpgqwu&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Central Provident Fund (CPF)</a></b> members who wish to save more for retirement will be able to do so with a higher retirement sum ceiling from 2025.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Enhanced Retirement Sum (ERS), which is the maximum amount members can put in their CPF Retirement Account to accrue interest and receive payouts, will be pegged to four times the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS) from Jan 1, 2025.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is up from three times now, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in his Budget 2024 speech in Parliament on Feb 16.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ERS will hence be $426,000 in 2025, instead of $319,500, which DPM Wong said will allow more members aged 55 and above to commit their accumulated CPF savings to receive higher monthly payouts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The BRS provides CPF members with monthly payouts to cover their basic living expenses during retirement.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The higher ERS is part of wide-ranging changes to the CPF system that DPM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, announced on Feb 16.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1yx0xEk-Yo8?list=PL4hoY6mUkvmKdAQ5ixS9ZSD5Rg6pb6iUk" title="Strengthening Retirement Adequacy" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Also kicking in on Jan 1, 2025, is more retirement support for seniors under the <b><a href="https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/growing-your-savings/saving-more-with-cpf/matching-grant-for-seniors-who-top-up" target="_blank">Matched Retirement Savings Scheme (MRSS)</a></b> and the <b><a href="https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/retirement-income/government-support/silver-support-scheme" target="_blank">Silver Support Scheme</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Under the MRSS, the Government now matches the amount of voluntary CPF top-up for Singaporeans aged 55 to 70 if they do not meet their BRS.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I will extend the MRSS to those above the age of 70. This will enable more Singaporeans to meet their retirement needs, with help from their families, employers and the community,” DPM Wong said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The cap on the amount matched will be increased to $2,000 annually, from $600 now, but the amount granted to an eligible member will be capped at $20,000 throughout his lifetime.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Moreover, cash top-ups that attract the matching grant will not qualify for tax relief with the changes, as the matching grant “is already a significant benefit extended by the Government”, added DPM Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Currently, Singaporeans aged 55 and above receive tax relief on cash top-ups of up to $8,000 they make to their Retirement Account (RA).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The number of CPF members eligible for the MRSS is expected to more than double, from 395,000 in 2024 to about 800,000 in 2025.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, the per capita household income threshold to qualify for the <b><a href="https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/retirement-income/government-support/silver-support-scheme" target="_blank">Silver Support Scheme</a></b> will be raised from $1,800 to $2,300.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The threshold to qualify for increased support under the tiered scheme, which targets seniors who earn low incomes during their working years and have less family support, will also be raised from $1,300 to $1,500.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Quarterly payments made under the scheme will be increased by 20 per cent across all tiers as well to keep pace with inflation, DPM Wong said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The enhanced Silver Support Scheme will benefit around 290,000 Singaporeans aged 65 and above, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said in a statement on Feb 16.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To streamline the CPF system, the Special Account (SA) of members aged 55 and above will be closed starting from early 2025, DPM Wong announced.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This means that all CPF members will have three CPF accounts at any one time, with the RA or SA as the sole account holding savings intended for retirement payouts, depending on the member’s age. The other two accounts are the Ordinary Account (OA) and MediSave Account (MA).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">SA savings will be transferred to the RA up to the Full Retirement Sum, and continue to attract the same long-term interest rate.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong said the remaining SA savings will be transferred to the OA, but members can voluntarily transfer their OA savings to the RA at any time to earn higher interest and receive higher retirement payouts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Otherwise, members may choose to keep those savings in the OA, where they remain withdrawable and will earn the short-term interest rate.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The long-term interest rate, which applies to the SA, RA and MA, is currently set at a minimum of 4 per cent, while the short-term interest rate applying to the OA is currently held at a 2.5 per cent minimum.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“<b><span style="color: #04ff00;">As a principle, only savings that cannot be withdrawn on demand should earn the long-term interest rate, and savings that can be withdrawn on demand should earn the short-term interest rate</span></b>,” MOF said in its statement.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Senior workers aged above 55, and up to 65, will also see CPF contribution rates for their own contributions and those from their employers increase by a total of 1.5 percentage points from Jan 1, 2025.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is the latest instalment of increases in contribution rates in steps through to about 2030, as recommended by the Tripartite Workgroup on Older Workers in 2019.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong also said the CPF Transition Offset for employers will be provided for another year, to cover half of the increase in employer contributions for 2025.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This will help to cushion the impact on business costs,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Budget 2024: $8.2 billion Majulah Package to benefit 1.6 million Singaporeans</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Cheow Sue-Ann, Business Correspondent, The Straits Times, 17 Feb 2024</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGbq1nKdwFOzxm6WR63m18i50rtPx4FmcgrP9zqwDwEu_OyK-I1aOP7px8FWhoLSXDq_xKiMCWJBMov5svfh0JVDGSkMrt5K_x-o0MauPqB7TRYoFX8qFC50lNYFJb3Gk5AvDbIJJCuTR09ACQt0F3HMAO9ls5ZtXLz4mZw3giR8g4Fc9paA_G9QRW24J/s1600/Majulah-Package-Singapore-Budget-2024-Lawrence-Wong.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1131" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGbq1nKdwFOzxm6WR63m18i50rtPx4FmcgrP9zqwDwEu_OyK-I1aOP7px8FWhoLSXDq_xKiMCWJBMov5svfh0JVDGSkMrt5K_x-o0MauPqB7TRYoFX8qFC50lNYFJb3Gk5AvDbIJJCuTR09ACQt0F3HMAO9ls5ZtXLz4mZw3giR8g4Fc9paA_G9QRW24J/w452-h640/Majulah-Package-Singapore-Budget-2024-Lawrence-Wong.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some 1.6 million Singaporeans in their 50s and older will get more help to boost their retirement adequacy under the Majulah Package.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The package was announced at the National Day Rally in 2023 and is expected to have a total lifetime cost of about $8.2 billion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It covers younger seniors in their 50s and early 60s, as well as those of the Merdeka generation, who were born between 1950 and 1959, and those of the Pioneer generation, who were born in 1949 or earlier.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To honour this commitment without burdening future generations, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said he will set aside $7.5 billion in a new fund, the Majulah Package Fund.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said this will be enough to cover the lifetime cost of the package, after accounting for the investment income of the fund.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong added that all Singaporeans born in 1973 or earlier will benefit from at least one component of the Majulah Package.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Details of the eligibility criteria for the three-part package were released on Feb 16.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first component of the package is the Earn and Save Bonus (ESB), which provides lower- and middle-income workers with a Central Provident Fund (CPF) bonus of between $400 and $1,000 yearly. This bonus will be credited to the recipient’s CPF account, on top of the usual employer and employee contributions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To qualify, recipients must remain in the workforce, whether full-time or part-time. They must have an average monthly income of between $500 and $6,000.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Eligibility for the ESB will be assessed annually, based on information from the preceding year. It will be tiered by the recipient’s average monthly income.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first annual ESB will be credited to eligible recipients’ CPF Retirement Account (RA) or Special Account (SA) in March 2025.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To further prepare older Singaporeans for retirement, the package will also include a Retirement Savings Bonus (RSB) for those whose CPF balances as at Dec 31, 2022, have not reached the 2023 CPF Basic Retirement Sum of $99,400.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Seniors whose CPF retirement savings fall below the sum will receive the one-time bonus.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They can expect to receive between $1,000 and $1,500, credited to their CPF RA or SA in December 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Both bonuses are applicable only to seniors who live in a residence with an annual value of $25,000 or below. They also cannot own more than one property.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unlike the ESB and RSB, which benefit those who meet income and other eligibility criteria, the third component, a one-time MediSave Bonus, will be provided to all seniors who meet the age requirement.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong said: “Young seniors with less means will be given the higher tier of $1,500, and all other seniors will receive $750.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This bonus is tiered based on the recipient’s year of birth, the annual value of his residence and whether he owns more than one property.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The bonus will be credited into the CPF MediSave Account in December 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Budget 2024: $3.5 billion to help seniors age actively, stay socially connected</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Judith Tan, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 17 Feb 2024</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A total of $3.5 billion is being set aside for <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/11/age-well-sg-singapore-sets-aside-800.html" target="_blank">Age Well SG initiatives</a></b> over the next decade to help seniors keep active, access better care options and live more independently in the community.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Under the new national <b><a href="https://www.agewellsg.gov.sg/" target="_blank">Age Well SG</a></b> programme, the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-sets-aside-800m-to-help-seniors-age-well-at-home-in-their-communities" target="_blank">network of Active Ageing Centres will be expanded</a></b> so there will be more programmes available, from physical exercises to volunteering opportunities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More assisted living options such as Community Care Apartments and better homecare arrangements will be in place, so that people can age at home and in the community.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In addition, “silver upgrades” to residential estates will cover amenities such as therapeutic gardens, barrier-free ramps and senior-friendly home fittings such as wider toilet entrances and shower seats.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Commuter infrastructure will also be improved, including building more sheltered linkways and senior-friendly bus stops and roads.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Announcing this in his Budget speech on Feb 16, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said Singapore had invested heavily to ensure that healthcare remains affordable and accessible.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">About one in four Singapore citizens will be 65 and older in 2030, up from about one in five now.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Already, the Health Ministry’s annual budget has tripled within a decade, DPM Wong noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“With a rapidly ageing population, the fiscal pressures of healthcare will only grow. As a responsible government, we have to plan ahead and set aside sufficient resources to keep healthcare affordable for all,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong told the House that the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2022-singapore-to-raise-gst-from-7-to-9-in-two-stages-in-2023-and-2024" target="_blank">increase in the goods and services tax (GST)</a></b> was meant for this purpose.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Essentially, we are pre-funding the rising healthcare expenditure by increasing GST now, instead of waiting to do so in the future; because if we wait, we will end up imposing a heavier burden on our future selves and our children,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Citing the example of Madam Rubiah Rahim, who turns 69 this year, DPM Wong said individuals too must play their part.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“She is monitoring her blood pressure daily, cutting down on ice cream and keropok (deep-fried crackers) in her diet, and staying active through exercise classes and nature walks,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yet, even with healthier lifestyles, people will still need some form of medical care as they get older.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We must expect healthcare costs, including medical insurance premiums, to rise, even after generous government subsidies,” said DPM Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He announced a one-time MediSave Bonus for all adult Singaporeans, part of the Government’s efforts to help Singaporeans offset healthcare costs and build their medical savings for old age.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singaporeans aged between 21 and 50 years will be getting up to $300 in their MediSave Account to help cover smaller medical bills and insurance premiums. Under the Majulah Package, those aged 51 and older with less means will be given $1,500, while the rest will get $750 in their MediSave Account.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To provide more support for healthcare costs, both the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social and Family Development will be revising the income criteria for various schemes and services that are means-tested using the monthly per capita household income.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Such schemes include MediShield Life premium subsidies and Community Health Assist Scheme (Chas) subsidies for both inpatient and outpatient treatments at public hospitals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The changes to the per capita household income thresholds will mean additional government spending of around $300 million a year, with more than a million Singaporeans to benefit from the higher subsidies, said DPM Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">* <a href="https://www.mof.gov.sg/news-publications/speeches/fy2024-budget-debate-round-up-speech-by-deputy-prime-minister-and-minister-for-finance-mr-lawrence-wong" target="_blank">FY2024 Budget Debate Round-Up Speech by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Mr Lawrence Wong on 28 Feb 2024</a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Singapore pursues growth to improve citizens’ lives as ‘no one will come to our rescue’: DPM Wong</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Goh Yan Han and Jean Iau, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid0UnpXKxfy2w23gYa3iDUy6uHcHQMsh2Vn44ZvxVCyVRPhxNbE1gMU6KgNXBRQMKjfl?__cft__[0]=AZU2wh-WTIIYB4aBhIPSy_4f-lE2EeqZgLhnIz1nmy3n9Frtpx3q3DaDCcZ77BlOlrRTeC3FfWl5TmTFcq_jIpYbYohIM0qbAVnCYyVTnSVb2KmNB-B4W7KQoY_31xKz59Nuo8Gi-VKWhDNMBDOG-bov&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 28 Feb 2024</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore needs to keep its economy growing so that it can make a living and take care of its people, at a time when the world is becoming more dangerous and unpredictable, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceWongST/posts/pfbid0UtcDBU2vPydhtaAnNRuyvzs7VRrHwYRc4jYkXVqtxCbMcJFbb67wX1C2fbBXBuACl?__cft__[0]=AZX0_aSUgoVCwl3VTb7JOgtUluQ-0h3Ea-r8a1sUnz0zisTDvzjtMle9k91HqMOKZA55u5vRAsY9-PFU0I7vecPzC6dcLp38T530r3OQ-n3bNBLi7vIAtoM27do0_CZ0b63sMSpBxD5RQ5QG47ku_v_AhOc0hRom0TzvXxvj95kW_WzrZNu9ALrrmWLAFwa5izk&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong</a></b> said on Feb 28.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As he laid out the Government’s <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-new-tax-credit-to-support-firms-innovation-and-green-transition" target="_blank">plans to achieve between 2 per cent and 3 per cent growth annually over the next decade</a></b>, DPM Wong said: “The reality is that Singapore will always be a little red dot – we have no hinterland, we have no natural resources, unlike resource-rich countries like Qatar or the UAE (United Arab Emirates).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If we falter, no one will come to our rescue.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong noted that the Government has quadrupled social spending over the last 20 years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sustaining growth is therefore the way to help Singaporeans secure a better future, he said, as he detailed how Budget 2024 builds on deliberate moves in recent decades to strengthen social support.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was speaking at the end of three days of debate in Parliament on his $131.4 billion government spending plan that saw 61 MPs from across the aisle airing their views.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.mof.gov.sg/news-publications/speeches/fy2024-budget-debate-round-up-speech-by-deputy-prime-minister-and-minister-for-finance-mr-lawrence-wong" target="_blank">In his hour-long, round-up speech</a></b>, DPM Wong said increasing value-add is how Singapore can command better prices in world markets, which in turn benefits workers here with higher wages.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He cited the example of German multinational enterprise Siemens, which came to Singapore in 1908 and grew over time from a small sales office to providing technologies across sectors such as transport, water treatment and medical diagnostics.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As businesses have options on where they want to invest or site their operations, Singapore has to maintain its competitiveness to justify the premium firms pay to be here, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Key to this is productivity improvement, which the Government targets to account for 1 per cent to 2 per cent of economic growth in the coming decade.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is an ambitious goal, given Singapore’s stage of development, and will require a continual transformation of the economy, with workers embracing new skills and technologies, said DPM Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Staying attractive to high-quality investments will be essential, as such investments typically involve innovative activities that push the productivity frontier.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The remaining 1 per cent of growth has to come through increases in the workforce, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With resident workforce growth slowing and insufficient to meet the demands of the economy, DPM Wong said Singapore has to stay open to foreign talent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This includes work-permit holders, who comprise about two-thirds of the total foreign workforce, mostly doing jobs that Singaporeans do not want to do.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the upper end, this means workers able to take on jobs in new growth areas such as the digital economy, where there is a global shortage of skilled talent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong said Singapore has a comprehensive system of controls to regulate the quality and number of work-pass holders across every level of the workforce.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To keep pace with wage growth here, the minimum qualifying salary for employment pass applicants will be increased, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Why are we doing all this? It is not to chase after a target. It is not to grow for the sake of growth. It is to secure better outcomes for Singapore and Singaporeans,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is why the Government is also making several other moves in tandem, such as enacting workplace fairness laws, <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/skillsfuture-credit-top-up-of-4000-for-mid-career-workers-offsets-bulk-of-diploma-course-fees" target="_blank">enhancements to SkillsFuture</a></b>, and new support for segments that face more challenges, such as Institute of Technical Education graduates, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Following DPM Wong’s speech, Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh said that while growth is important, what is more key is that such growth is sustainable. He cited how the Government said about a decade ago that the country needed to slow growth down as the situation had changed dramatically.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In response, DPM Wong agreed that growth has to be sustainable. The issue then was about infrastructure, and the Government had since updated its planning processes. For instance, it has ramped up the building of public housing and worker dormitories.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Strengthening social safety nets</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the course of the three-day Budget debate, questions were raised on whether the social support system is sufficient to assure Singaporeans through every life stage. Those who spoke on the topic included Ms Ng Ling Ling (Ang Mo Kio GRC) and Dr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar GRC), as well as Workers’ Party MP Dennis Tan (Hougang).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In response, DPM Wong said social spending has quadrupled over the last 20 years, and the Government is also spending more on social support as a share of the whole Budget.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Budget 2024, half the total expenditure across all government ministries is committed to social spending, with a substantial portion of this being structural schemes rather than temporary measures, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that some MPs urged the Government to do more, while others stressed the need to proceed carefully to avoid breeding a sense of entitlement and dependency among Singaporeans or undermining individual responsibility.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong said the Government is careful about getting this balance right. “We have not changed our ethos of social support – it is not just about giving handouts, but it is about giving people a leg up.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In response to Progress Singapore Party Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai, who urged the Government to employ more permanent schemes rather than temporary handouts, DPM Wong said the Government does not see this as one or the other, and employs both. This was particularly the case in the past two years, as inflation was higher and temporary relief measures were necessary.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He pointed out that poorly designed permanent schemes will breed dependencies permanently.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On structural schemes which are not temporary, DPM Wong said: “We continue to fine-tune them to make sure that they are designed well so that we are providing all the support and assurance we need while also upholding our key ethos of individual responsibility and self-reliance, and avoiding dependency and entitlement.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his round-up speech, DPM Wong noted that the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-financial-incentives-to-spur-low-income-families-to-work-towards-improving-their-lives" target="_blank">new ComLink+ scheme</a></b> and SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme have been designed to not erode personal and family responsibilities. Likewise, the upcoming temporary support scheme for workers who are involuntarily unemployed will also abide by these principles.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We catch Singaporeans when they fall, and we make sure they do not fall behind. We invest in them, and we provide them the support to bounce back from life’s setbacks, and do even better for themselves,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong added that these schemes are ultimately about ensuring that families and individuals enjoy better incomes and living standards.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that over the past decade, lower-income groups in Singapore have progressed faster than other groups. The real incomes of the bottom 20 per cent have increased slightly faster than the middle income and twice as fast as the top 20 per cent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This is based on incomes alone. It has not taken into consideration our progressive system of taxes and benefits, which favours the lower-income,” said DPM Wong, noting the overall picture is better for the lower-income and that the Government will continue to improve its policies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Support amid inflation</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong pointed out that the reasons for high inflation in Singapore over the last two years are not unique to the country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For more than a decade before the Covid-19 pandemic, global inflation was generally stable at about 4 per cent per annum.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During this time, Singapore enjoyed relatively stable inflation and in most years, this was lower than global inflation, he noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But in 2021 and early 2022, strong demand and constrained supply due to pandemic-related restrictions and the Russia-Ukraine war resulted in a surge in prices, driving inflation everywhere.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tightened monetary policy in Singapore helped ensure that inflation did not reach the peaks seen in several parts of the world, said DPM Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some MPs, including Ms Ng and Mr Faisal Manap (Aljunied GRC), highlighted other specific cost items such as housing and transport, to which DPM Wong said affordability has improved in relation to real income.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Acknowledging that there tends to be a gap between economic data and perceptions of consumers, he said the Government takes feedback on the ground seriously, but also examines data closely to better shape policy responses.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is why support packages have been extended over the last two years to cushion the impact of inflation, particularly for low- and middle-income Singaporeans, added DPM Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While inflation is moderating in 2024, the Government recognises that prices are still high, and that there are continued pressures for families and individuals. This is <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-assurance-package-to-be-enhanced-by-19-billion-to-support-households" target="_blank">why the Assurance Package has been enhanced</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said: “We have designed and sized the support of the enhancements carefully. There is something for everyone, regardless of age, property type or income. But we also don’t want to inadvertently stimulate demand too much and push up prices... So, the support is targeted and tilted towards those with less.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong also reiterated how <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-tackles-immediate-challenges-for-households-sets-longer-term-goals-for-economy-and-workers" target="_blank">support measures in Budget 2024 will fully cover the increase in spending due to inflation for lower-income households in 2024</a></b>, and will substantially cover the increase for middle-income households.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For businesses, he said the Government has pledged to help them with rising costs through the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-13-billion-package-to-help-companies-deal-with-higher-costs" target="_blank">Enterprise Support Package</a></b>, which he called the most generous corporate income tax rebate extended to date.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All eligible firms, including those that are not profitable, will be provided with a cash grant which can be used to defray cost increases in wages, rentals, utilities or transport.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I understand that some groups will feel that the help extended is still not enough. But I hope everyone can appreciate the bigger picture. We are going through a rough patch of higher prices due to forces well beyond our control,” DPM Wong said, noting the Government will do all it can to help households and businesses through this rough patch.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">WP MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) asked if DPM Wong still believed that the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2022-singapore-to-raise-gst-from-7-to-9-in-two-stages-in-2023-and-2024" target="_blank">timing of the increase in goods and services tax (GST)</a></b> was justified, given that it would likely have contributed to domestic inflation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong said the impact of the GST increase is “once-off” and not permanent. It is not the key driver behind Singapore’s inflation spike, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added that there are schemes in place to defer the impact of the tax increase, especially for low-income groups.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The GST increase was also necessary to fund rising expenditure, he said. “Our approach is let’s do it correctly, let’s do it in good time... Make sure that our fiscal system remains sound and always ensure that we have sufficient revenues to cover our spending.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Singapore’s fiscal system is fair; those with greater needs get more than they pay in taxes: DPM Wong</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Timothy Goh, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid0yQvVLiQ5BRZZvGCYLnvPxkn5ZcSzTkkKbX4vbUbZozWum1AHdYrW7FvonwUL8oAcl?__cft__[0]=AZW65JKQ-iIFYc84KVXjDVAkFMx7q1COI7Y-hVl2RH9G7gcLqDccDaUM9K5UdvFEc37zI7xc0CE_O7R9XePx_Z4JDRwbDhlK2QLaNu8RBJZ9IJrrKQ0bZW0mHV2HCZL3SuWAUoVLVZsXbh6o3ekgNfje&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 28 Feb 2024</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwD7W3q3lqlQO_zTA3q-appodDIFXzfec21e8A9ib2GZtLL0krEOwAPtZL-dDJUpxcDO088YCUMfq1tWYklWebUC0Gx_HGPV1_FdZHuDvTQCDBoxbjNSKhB46hV867bkPypbkT1h3t93iFYbjKmxNYF__sqa7CqpvyxrmNaJFvqbYpPXSwwozxnsw_tos/s651/Singapore-benefit-to-tax-ratio-comparision-other-countries-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="577" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwD7W3q3lqlQO_zTA3q-appodDIFXzfec21e8A9ib2GZtLL0krEOwAPtZL-dDJUpxcDO088YCUMfq1tWYklWebUC0Gx_HGPV1_FdZHuDvTQCDBoxbjNSKhB46hV867bkPypbkT1h3t93iFYbjKmxNYF__sqa7CqpvyxrmNaJFvqbYpPXSwwozxnsw_tos/w355-h400/Singapore-benefit-to-tax-ratio-comparision-other-countries-ST-photo.png" width="355" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore’s fair and progressive fiscal system ensures that those with greater needs, particularly lower-income families, receive more assistance than what they pay in taxes, <b><a href="https://www.mof.gov.sg/news-publications/speeches/fy2024-budget-debate-round-up-speech-by-deputy-prime-minister-and-minister-for-finance-mr-lawrence-wong" target="_blank">Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong</a></b> said on Feb 28.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government’s long-term and prudent approach has enabled it to keep expenditure at less than 20 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) and hence keep the tax burden low, DPM Wong added as he addressed MPs’ comments on the Budget statement he had delivered on Feb 16.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, noted that Singapore does better than advanced economies such as the United Kingdom and Finland in terms of the benefit-to-tax ratio, especially for lower- and middle-income households.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For example, the lowest 20 per cent of households in Singapore receive about $4 in benefits for every dollar of tax paid, which is higher than the benefit-to-tax ratio of about 3.5 in the UK and Finland.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The middle 20 per cent of Singapore’s households receive about $2 for every dollar of taxes paid, more than the UK’s benefit-to-tax ratio of 1.2.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, the top 20 per cent of households here receive about 30 cents for every dollar paid in taxes, similar to Finland’s benefit-to-tax ratio of about 0.3.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong added that the benefits cited in these figures do not include other intangible benefits such as access to quality education, healthcare and housing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the Budget debate on Feb 28, several MPs, including Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang), Mr Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC) and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC), sought clarifications on the potential impact of the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/business/budget-2024-singapore-to-move-ahead-with-corporate-tax-reform-under-global-initiative" target="_blank">BEPS 2.0 global framework</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">BEPS, or Base Erosion and Profit Shifting, are tax planning strategies used by multinational enterprises that artificially shift profits to locations with no or low tax rates, and where the company has no or little economic activity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore is implementing a minimum effective tax rate of 15 per cent for large multinational enterprise (MNE) groups from January 2025, in line with Pillar Two of the BEPS 2.0 framework.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, this means the Republic will no longer be able to offer traditional tax incentives to attract such companies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In response, DPM Wong said that based on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) estimates, investment hubs could see a corporate income tax revenue gain ranging from about 17 per cent to 38 per cent, which translates to a revenue gain of about $5 billion to $11 billion per year for Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also noted that economies like Hong Kong and Switzerland, which are also investment hubs like Singapore, have estimated their revenue gains at $1.7 billion and $2.4 billion, respectively, which are much lower than the OECD’s estimates.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“These data points are suggestive of what the range for Singapore could be – anywhere from $2 billion to $11 billion. But we are really not sure where we will end up because there are so many unknowns,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong also emphasised that these figures have not taken into account how MNEs may respond and the possibility of their activities moving out of Singapore, which would reduce the country’s tax base.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added: “What we are doing is to engage the MNEs better to understand how they are likely to respond, especially taking into account some of the moves we have made in this Budget, and we will provide our own revenue estimates in due course.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Any revenue impact from the Pillar Two moves will only materialise in the Financial Year 2027, he noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong also agreed with MPs like Mr Chua and Associate Professor Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) that the point of BEPS 2.0 is to shift the balance to favour governments and get MNEs to pay more taxes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, the reality is that MNEs have bargaining power, and “governments around the world are all finding ways to favour them and getting them to invest”, he said, citing the United States’ $2 billion grant to semiconductor chipmaker GlobalFoundries as well as Japan’s latest subsidy of $6.5 billion for fellow chip manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We are not in the same league, but we have to play a smart game so as not to lose ground and to anchor important investments here,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is why the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-new-tax-credit-to-support-firms-innovation-and-green-transition" target="_blank">Refundable Investment Credit (RIC) </a></b>scheme was introduced in Budget 2024 to update the Republic’s investment promotion toolkit, and the Government also committed to spending more to support new investments, research and innovation activities, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The RIC scheme is a new tax credit scheme that aims to support high-value and substantive economic activities. It includes a refundable cash feature.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Activities in support of the green transition and those to do with new innovation and research and development are some of the investments eligible for the scheme, as is the setting up or expansion of manufacturing facilities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“These moves are absolutely necessary so that we remain in the race for quality investments and create good jobs for Singaporeans,” DPM Wong said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This is not an academic exercise. This is about the lives and livelihoods of Singaporeans, and we will do whatever is necessary to safeguard this, especially in a world where competition will only get tougher.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>No need for further GST increases up to 2030: DPM Lawrence Wong</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Tham Yuen-C, Senior Political Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02ECYrWGLDfWJpHsX1FmTJPLWrwcGudDKb1QCbZ79VNfhUonBJar8ht6f2m3ZwZigVl?__cft__[0]=AZWr30revSHv7zKSLnFrcfZkl3G0dqsT5nX0HEUb6jOXUv0KEJdTOJcLMr-7WgizVjqneip3pIQbywPUmM28TZLdgnnDumxDrudMzGecPGYkY3seZGSGQe80YFw2RVpccIK_cSsf4rCf5ZO_oPheMWBo&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 28 Feb 2024</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There will be no need for further increases in goods and services tax (GST) up to 2030, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said on Feb 28.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.mof.gov.sg/news-publications/speeches/fy2024-budget-debate-round-up-speech-by-deputy-prime-minister-and-minister-for-finance-mr-lawrence-wong" target="_blank">Wrapping up the debate on his Budget statement in Parliament</a></b>, he said: “As of now up to 2030, we are in a sound position.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was responding to a question by Progress Singapore Party Non-Constituency MP Hazel Poa, who asked if there would be a need to raise GST from now until 2030.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To this, DPM Wong said the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2022-singapore-to-raise-gst-from-7-to-9-in-two-stages-in-2023-and-2024" target="_blank">2 percentage point GST hike</a></b> – from 7 per cent to 8 per cent on Jan 1, 2023, and to 9 per cent on Jan 1, 2024 – is meant to close the gap between revenue and expenditure until 2030.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We have closed the funding gap up to 2030. The GST increase that we announced was intended for this, so we are okay up to 2030. We do not need further GST increases up to 2030,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government has said the revenue from the increase in GST will go towards meeting Singapore’s medium-term needs, such as in healthcare and social spending.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In an occasional paper on medium-term fiscal projections published in February 2023, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) projected that government spending would rise to about 19 per cent to 20 per cent of gross domestic product in the 2026 to 2030 financial years, and may exceed 20 per cent of GDP by FY2030.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To close this funding gap, moves were made at both Budget 2022 and Budget 2023 to strengthen the Government’s revenue position so that rising expenditure can be balanced by total revenue in the coming years, DPM Wong said previously.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Parliament on Feb 28, he said MOF will continue to update its projections of Singapore’s medium-term fiscal needs on a rolling basis.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added: “So, post-2030, we will have to see what the picture is.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“And beyond that, we will have to see if indeed there is a funding gap, if there are increased expenditures, and whether or not additional revenues or tax changes are needed to close those funding gaps.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Impact of GST hike on inflation</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Workers’ Party (WP) MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) said the GST hike had likely contributed to domestic inflation, adding that increases in value-added taxes in other jurisdictions have typically caused a spike in inflation. He asked if DPM Wong “still believes that the timing of raising GST was justified”, or if it would have been wiser for the move to be postponed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To this, DPM Wong said that while hiking GST does cause prices to go up, this impact is “once off” and is “not permanent”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added that it was clear from inflation trends that the GST increase was not the key driver behind the spike in prices here, and “neither will it cause us to have inflation remaining high”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The rise in inflation was a global trend, and Singapore had been hit as well, but the inflation rate here has since come down and continues to moderate, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Through the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2024-assurance-package-to-be-enhanced-by-19-billion-to-support-households" target="_blank">Assurance Package</a></b> to help Singaporeans cope with cost-of-living pressures, the Government has deferred the impact of the GST increase on the vast majority of Singaporeans, especially the lower-income groups, by more than five years, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As for the timing of the hikes, he said: “If we had not done it at the time we did, when will be a good time to do it?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“And, well, if we were to do it this year, or next year, will the opposition therefore support it? I seriously doubt so.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“So, I think our approach is let’s do it correctly. Let’s do it in good time, make sure that our fiscal system remains sound and always ensure that we have sufficient revenues to cover our spending.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Avoid ‘fiscal fantasies’</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Opposition MPs have often called on the Government to use more of the past reserves to fund current spending, DPM Wong said, noting that this will be detrimental to both current and future generations of Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If this is done, the Net Investment Returns Contribution (NIRC) – which comes from the long-term returns of investing the past reserves – will shrink as a percentage of GDP, and the funding gap will increase.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This means future generations will have to pay more taxes, he warned.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unlike many other advanced economies, where debts and deficits are rising and the fiscal systems are close to breaking point, Singapore is enjoying the benefits of savings from the past, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Around the world, many political parties are not prepared to speak the hard truths, he added, and policy debates are dominated by “<b><span style="color: #04ff00;">fiscal fantasies</span></b>”, including overly optimistic forecasting assumptions, unrealistic suggestions to raise funds from only the rich or kicking the can down the road indefinitely.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Calling on the House to commit to maintaining fiscal sustainability, DPM Wong said: “Let’s not indulge in fantasy thinking. Not in this House, not in Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Having the resources to pursue a strong economy and a strong society, and achieve good outcomes, is not a fairy tale. This is very much our Singapore reality, but it requires us to focus on prudence, fairness and sustainability.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said the ruling People’s Action Party’s (PAP) position on the issue was quite clear.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Where it comes to certain fundamental principles, and values, like fiscal responsibility, a basic orientation not just to look at today but for the future, this must never be compromised, this must never change,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“These principles were put in place by our founding leaders. They have continued under successive leaders of the PAP, and they will certainly continue under my watch.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was a time when there was an alignment between the PAP and the WP, under former chief Low Thia Khiang, on this ethos, but this has changed under current WP chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To this, Mr Singh suggested that the PAP, too, had changed its position.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He pointed to how the “PAP government (of) yesterday” would return money drawn down from the reserves as a “matter of principle”, but may not do so today.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Contrasting the drawdowns from the reserves made during the global financial crisis in 2008 with those during the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Singh said the Government had returned the money to the reserves after the global financial crisis but has said it is unlikely to return the amount drawn down during the Covid-19 pandemic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Global financial crisis, Government draws down, returns the money, and I think there were some statements made about why it was doing that. This time round, reserves are used for another emergency, and they are not returned,” said Mr Singh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Just (a) simple statement of fact. Positions change.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.mof.gov.sg/news-publications/speeches/fy2024-budget-debate-round-up-speech-by-deputy-prime-minister-and-minister-for-finance-mr-lawrence-wong" target="_blank">In his wrap-up speech</a></b>, DPM Wong said if the opposition parties have different views on Singapore’s fundamental fiscal philosophy, they should take the issue to the ballot box for people to decide.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Make drawing more from the reserves an election issue. Go to the people, ask them for a mandate to change the Constitution, compel the President to let you spend 60 per cent, 75 per cent or even 100 per cent of the NIR (Net Investment Returns),” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The PAP will join issue with you – we will present our case to Singaporeans, and ultimately Singaporeans can decide what is the best fiscal approach to take Singapore forward.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He reiterated the Government’s long-held stance on the reserves in response to a call by Progress Singapore Party (PSP) Non-Constituency MPs Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa for the Government to review its current budget and reserves accumulation policies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The two NCMPs had proposed that more of the reserves be used to “help present-day Singaporeans reduce their financial burdens and improve their quality of life”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They were joined in this by Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh and Workers’ Party (WP) MPs, who repeated their party’s position that using more investment returns would not jeopardise growth of the reserves.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Leong said that in the face of the goods and services tax (GST) hike and rising cost of living, accumulating reserves at the current rate “hurts the welfare of present-day Singaporeans”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PSP’s view is that current reserves are enough, especially if the Government is raising taxes “for the sake of maintaining the current rate of reserves accumulation”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">How much is enough?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But it is a misconception that a specific number can be deemed enough when it comes to the reserves, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He recounted how Singapore first tapped $4 billion of the reserves in 2008 when the global financial crisis hit, to help employers pay Central Provident Fund contributions and protect jobs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, some <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/president-halimah-yacob-gives-in-principle-support-to-draw-on-past-reserves-for-second" target="_blank">$40 billion was drawn from the reserves to fund</a></b> assurance packages and pay for vaccines to save lives and livelihoods.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That is far from the worst thing that can befall Singapore, PM Lee added. He noted that the war in Ukraine costs the Eastern European country more than US$100 million (S$134 million) a day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These examples are why there is no sensible answer to the question of how big a nest egg is enough.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Looking ahead 50 years, can anyone promise that Singapore will enjoy another half century of peace and tranquillity? Or guarantee that someone will come to our rescue if we ever find ourselves in the same situation as Ukraine?” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We can never say for sure how much is enough, because we do not know what kind of crises we will face in the future, or how our investments will fare.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But that does not mean Singapore should mindlessly save for a rainy day without regard for present needs, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That is why the Government had enshrined in the Constitution the “50-50” rule, which allows up to half of returns from investing the reserves to be used for current spending.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This also happens to be about the right ratio to keep the reserves in proportion with the gross domestic product, PM Lee added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With long-term expected real returns of the reserves currently at about 4 per cent, the Government can spend about 2 per cent and save the other 2 per cent. Singapore’s economy is expected to grow at about 2 per cent a year if things go well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Keeping this balance means the Government can count on the reserves to provide one-fifth of its annual revenue – or around 3.5 per cent of GDP – without having to double the GST, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Reserves spent on current generations</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Among the points Mr Leong made was that too much money from the reserves was locked up in trust and endowment funds to pay for longer-term spending, at the expense of current generations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Poa, meanwhile, suggested that it was excessive to plough the proceeds of land sales back into the reserves, since land is sold on leases and is thus more akin to a renewable resource.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government’s policies therefore prioritised future generations at the expense of current Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rebutting these arguments, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/IndraneeRajah/posts/pfbid02z5aANpxp5iWTpScmM2tVXTJAJL3dz4tzTNHdsXzitRjJrgsWLBSppGi3MmoBrQUzl?__cft__[0]=AZVt79PpndURthDKRAzollcitkKJzEMcezXYZNGPVUYBnLOnDCT4C7spaHewYWgBxy_ErWP9KNI3AA6OjzyH6Bxz9FVJv6XPCUbRUyKm4hoSRMyHN55coP6709nVhyvjAQzKwDPLpJ0dzB_rRjtICKifB8tKXcmwzQi2RQdo5xhTr8G7sxCMq0_65PNMjfEbD7MwdqN-g4XlTN2ZSz7KJ6ZS&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-y-R" target="_blank">Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah</a></b> said that money in these funds was “not just for the far unknown future”, but was set aside to meet specific funding commitments for the benefit of today’s Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These include the over $2 billion disbursed each year from the GST Voucher Fund to help lower- and middle-income households defray their GST expenses, and money in the Pioneer Generation Fund and Merdeka Generation Fund that is drawn down regularly to support Singaporeans in those cohorts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As for funds set up to pay for large infrastructure projects, these help to smoothen the lumpy spending on such projects and ensure that future generations will not have to scramble to find money to pay for them, Ms Indranee said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This is prudent, thoughtful and responsible fiscal policy – not evidence of excess fiscal resources,” she added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As for treating land sales as revenue, Ms Indranee said selling land did not generate wealth. Instead, it merely converted a physical asset into a financial asset.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The cash proceeds accrue to the reserves and are then invested to generate returns, which contribute to government spending. In this way, the proceeds of land sales are used indirectly in each year’s budget, she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Past savings are also a strategic asset during crises and emergencies. Thus, it would be imprudent to disclose the size of the reserves, she said in response to calls for greater transparency from PSP and WP MPs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Take it to the ballot box</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee noted that the growing political pressure to use more of the reserves was not new, and that it would always be tough to raise taxes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Early in Singapore’s history, founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew and his team had anticipated this, and that is why they had formulated a two-key system that required the president’s approval to unlock the country’s savings, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When Singapore instituted the 50 per cent spending rule in 2001, the former prime minister intervened in the debate to remind the House that at the end of the day, the Government’s deepest obligation is to the future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Not just to the present; certainly not to the past,” said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said that is why in taking care of today’s citizens, the People’s Action Party (PAP) Government is conscious to also safeguard the interests of young people not yet of voting age, future citizens not yet born, and the long-term interests of Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This ethos was in fact shared across the aisle in the past, he added, noting that former WP leader Low Thia Khiang had commended the Government for being prudent when it returned $4 billion to past reserves in 2009.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Now I hear the opposition arguing that we should change the rules and draw more from reserves, and that of course they have no intention to raid the reserves, far from wanting to bankrupt Singapore,” said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“They say we can easily afford what they are proposing, I conclude their tune has changed.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Singh’s rejoinder was that different times call for different measures, which was why the PAP Government has said it is unlikely to return to the reserves the $40 billion it took out to deal with Covid-19.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Singh, who is WP chief, also said the Prime Minister was cherry-picking what Mr Low had said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said the PAP is convinced that it has the right approach to stewarding the reserves.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Opposition parties who want to spend more should therefore put the issue upfront and campaign on it at the next general election, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Say you want to touch, you want to spend, you want to shift the rules,” he said. “Don’t pretend that you’re just as prudent, only more kind-hearted.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The PAP will join the issue and convince Singaporeans that its way – taking a long-term view of the reserves, and striking the right balance between present and future needs – is the right one for Singapore, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We are confident that we will win the argument, and we’ll be able to get Singaporeans to do the right thing.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said he had spent 40 years of his life stewarding and safeguarding the reserves, and was now preparing to hand over to his successor a Singapore in good order, one that is more prosperous and more secure.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I ask everyone to help them maintain the prudent policies that have served us well to keep Singapore on the right track, so that we can all continue to benefit from the nation’s success for many years to come,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Opposition MPs debate reserves accumulation and use: 6 key issues and the Govt’s response</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Jean Iau, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 8 Feb 2024</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a seven-hour debate, Parliament on Feb 7 discussed the question of Singapore’s national reserves and how much should be spent from them to meet today’s needs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The debate involved 12 MPs and stemmed from a motion tabled by Progress Singapore Party (PSP) Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) Leong Mun Wai, who called on the Government to review its reserve accumulation policies to help Singaporeans reduce their current financial burdens.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Several opposition MPs, including Mr Leong and his fellow NCMP Hazel Poa, as well as Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC), raised issues about the past reserves.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In response, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Second Minister for Finance and National Development Indranee Rajah stressed the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/think-of-singapore-s-reserves-as-rainy-day-money-pm-lee" target="_blank">need to maintain and grow a healthy nest egg</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here are some key issues raised by the opposition MPs, and the Government’s response to them:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">1. The Government should be more transparent about Singapore’s reserves</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Leong said that as <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/s-poreans-are-both-beneficiaries-and-stewards-of-the-reserves-pm-lee" target="_blank">collective owners of the reserves</a></b>, Singaporeans deserve to know precise information about the reserves, while Mr Singh argued that the Government should reveal figures to facilitate mature conversations on them. Mr Singh added that MPs currently vote on drawdowns of past reserves, without knowledge of how much is left over.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Indranee said: “Just as our defence forces do not reveal the full extent of our weaponry and military capabilities, it’s not in Singapore’s national interest to disclose the full size of our reserves.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She noted that there is some publicly available information on the reserves from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Temasek and GIC, but added that the reserves are a strategic asset and hence all the information about them should not be disclosed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>2. Reserves are being accumulated at a faster rate than necessary</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Leong said his party expects Singapore’s substantial reserves to continue to grow.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Indranee said that if Singapore were truly over-accumulating its reserves, the Net Investment Returns Contribution (NIRC) would be growing at a much faster rate than the gross domestic product (GDP). However, the NIRC has remained stable at about 3.5 per cent of GDP.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“In truth, we are not at all over-accumulating our reserves. If we slow down the pace of saving, the value of our reserves will diminish over time,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The fact of the matter is that our spending needs are growing and these need to be funded. We do not have a lot of fiscal space, contrary to what PSP suggests.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">3. The NIRC’s 50-50 formula should be tweaked</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Workers’ Party MPs said Singapore should not touch the principal of the past reserves and instead argued for a larger share of up to 60 per cent of the Net Investment Return of the financial reserves to be allocated to the yearly budget, up from 50 per cent currently.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Indranee said the current formula strikes a balance between Singapore’s current and future needs by spending 50 per cent of the investment returns while putting the remaining 50 per cent into the reserves to grow for the future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said: “In a crisis, we can draw on our reserves, but having such solid reserves in itself also means that we have a rock on which to anchor ourselves in turbulent times.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/president-halimah-yacob-gives-in-principle-support-to-draw-on-past-reserves-for-second" target="_blank">reserves helped Singapore protect lives and livelihoods during the Covid-19 pandemic</a></b>, and that the pandemic was far from being the worst thing that can happen to Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If we find ourselves at war like Ukraine, how much is enough?” he said, noting that the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/ukraine-urges-eu-to-speed-up-artillery-shell-supplies" target="_blank">war with Russia is costing Ukraine US$100 million (S$134 million) a day</a></b>, and that the country is heavily reliant on support from America and Europe.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Looking ahead for 50 years, can anyone promise that Singapore will enjoy another half-century of peace and tranquillity? Or guarantee that someone will come to our rescue if we ever find ourselves in a situation like Ukraine’s?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">4. Singaporeans today are not enjoying the full benefit of NIRC as money is locked up in endowment and trust funds</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Leong said some money in the Budget goes towards endowment and trust funds for future spending.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Indranee said that on the contrary, the monies that the Government put in funds are not just for the far unknown future, but resources set aside to meet funding commitments that are benefiting Singaporeans today.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For example, more than $2 billion is disbursed yearly from the GST Voucher Fund for the GST Voucher scheme to help lower- and middle-income households defray goods and services tax (GST) expenses. Other examples include the funds for the Pioneer Generation and the Merdeka Generation packages.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are also funds to meet longer-term commitments, especially where expenditure is large and lumpy, said Ms Indranee. For example, the Changi Airport Development Fund funds the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2022-changi-airport-t5-to-be-more-pandemic-proof-able-to-operate-as-smaller-sub-terminals-when-needed" target="_blank">development of Terminal 5</a></b> and other aviation facilities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Indranee said that by setting these monies aside, the Government can smoothen out lumpy spending. It can also give Singaporeans assurance that support will be available in the future, and that they will not have to scramble to find the money only when it is needed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">5. Reserves accumulation comes at the expense of CPF savings</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Poa said that the higher rate of returns achieved on Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings and the lower interest rate paid to CPF members contribute further to building of the reserves, and argued that these returns could have been paid out to CPF members.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Indranee said there is no assurance that GIC’s returns will exceed CPF interest rates in the shorter term, and there have been years where GIC’s returns fall below CPF interest rates, but the Government does not cut CPF interest rates.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Where GIC has earned returns higher than CPF interest rates, this is used to cover for the many years of low interest rates, and when GIC earns returns below CPF rates.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This ensures that Singaporeans do not experience fluctuating CPF rates and will continue to receive stable rates to grow CPF balances for retirement adequacy,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>6. Proceeds from land sales should go into annual budget, not reserves</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Indranee said that there are several pitfalls to this suggestion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">First, land sales are affected by property cycles, which are volatile and difficult to predict.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This would mean government revenues could fluctuate with the market, making it more difficult for the Government to plan for the long term.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Second, when the Government relies on land sales to fund spending, it could develop a vested interest in keeping land prices high to maximise revenues.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Indranee argued that by accruing land sales proceeds to the reserves, investing them and using 50 per cent of the investment returns through the NIRC, the Government is spending from land sales proceeds, but indirectly rather than directly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This provides a stable and sustainable stream of revenue and avoids the pitfalls of direct expenditure of the land sales proceeds,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Past reserves precious resource built up over generations to secure Singapore’s future: PM Lee</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">How big a nest egg is enough for Singapore? We can never say for sure, because we do not know what kind of crises we will face in the future, or how our investments will fare.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-at-the-Debate-on-the-Motion-on-Public-Finances" target="_blank">Lee Hsien Loong</a></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore did not start with much. In 1959, when the People’s Action Party (PAP) Government first took office, Dr Goh Keng Swee was appointed Minister of Finance. He immediately discovered that the Treasury was bare. He had to implement immediate austerity measures, including pay cuts for civil servants and ministers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was only by the early 1980s, after two decades of nation-building, that we started to accumulate a nest egg of reserves. At that time, our forefathers considered what to do. Because they anticipated that the political pressure to spend these reserves would grow; and that if these hard-earned savings were not properly protected, they could be easily and unwisely spent – and once gone, it’s gone. And they felt that they had to do everything they could to guard against this.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1984, at the National Day Rally, Mr Lee Kuan Yew talked about how the reserves could be frittered away by a profligate government, spending money that it had not itself earned, within a single term. He proposed a simple principle: If a government wants to spend, it must first raise the money – whether by raising taxes, or making shrewd investments, or some other direct, open, proper means; but not by drawing down on the past reserves that it had inherited. And to guard against a rogue government raiding the reserves, Mr Lee mooted the idea of a president elected directly by the people, who would have the constitutional power and the moral authority to safeguard the reserves and be able to say no if the government wanted to spend it for an unwise purpose. That was the concept of the “second key”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Four years later, in 1988, the PAP Government published the White Paper on the Elected President scheme. Professor S. Jayakumar oversaw the drafting and I helped him with it. We made the elected-president proposal a central issue in the 1988 General Election. After the election, in January 1991 we amended the Constitution to create the elected presidency. And Mr Wee Kim Wee, who was then already president, took on the new custodial powers and became the first president who wielded the second key.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We designed a whole system to protect the reserves, wherever those reserves might have been. The second key applies to the Government, especially the Ministry of Finance (MOF), but also to what we call the “Fifth Schedule” entities – MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore), Temasek, GIC, CPF (Central Providend Fund), JTC, HDB. Why did we do this? Why did we include these six entities? MAS – because those are our official foreign reserves. Temasek – those are our GLCs – government-linked companies. GIC – it doesn’t have very much money of its own, but it is the manager of the Government’s money, of MOF’s money. CPF – which is Singaporeans’ savings, not really the Government’s money, but if you have a rogue government, this too will be at risk. And then JTC and HDB because they own and manage land: for industrial, housing, and for other uses. Land has value, and in Singapore, land is often very valuable. Therefore, we must protect our land, and not allow a government to do anything with it that is a covert form of giveaway. That was how we started.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our first priority was to keep the capital sums in the reserves safe. We had not thought very deeply about exactly how much of the income to spend. We just took a standard accounting view – that the income from the reserves would be the interest and dividends that we earned on our investments. We called this the net investment income (NII) and we decided that the government of the day could spend 100 per cent of the NII. But in practice, we did not spend any of the NII, because we were still running comfortable Budget surpluses.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Later, when Mr Ong Teng Cheong was elected president, he questioned this rule. He asked: Why do we allow ourselves to spend 100 per cent of the NII? He argued, correctly, that we should also set aside something for the future. Because as the years pass, as the economy grows, if your reserve amount remains constant, it gets smaller relative to the economy. And you ought to allow the reserves also to grow. So the question is: How much to provide for the future, while also enabling the present generation to benefit from the reserves?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">The 50-50 rule</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is no magic rule to this, but we arrived at a split of 50-50. There is a certain simplicity and fairness to that; a natural division that we settled on between the President and the Government. It is simple, it is intuitive, and everybody can understand it. We split the difference between now and the future. And so in 2001, Parliament passed a constitutional amendment to protect 50 per cent of NII, and add that to the reserves. And the other 50 per cent, the government of the day could spend – 50 per cent for the present, 50 per cent for the future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the next decades, as we gained experience operating the safeguards, we progressively refined them. I have been closely involved in this process, first working with Prof Jayakumar under Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, then later on as PM. Over time, we realised that NII may not be the best measure of what you should be able to spend. Because when we invest, we do not just look at income from dividends and interest – we also expect to make capital gains, which are often more important than dividend payouts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For example, if you had bought Facebook shares at their IPO (initial public offering) in 2012 at a price of US$38, you would have had their value gone up 12 times – because Meta closed at US$455 on Feb 6. But you would not have received one cent of dividends. Meta is about to pay its first dividend in March. So in that circumstance, can we say that the return from the investment is zero? No. We decided that we should consider not just the interest and dividends, but also include capital gains and capital losses as well. That means spending on the basis of overall investment returns – capital gains and losses, plus in earnings, plus income, interest and dividends – instead of just investment income.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We also studied how other institutions which had built up large endowment funds managed them, particularly US Ivy League universities like Yale and Harvard. Harvard has the biggest fund. Yale has quite a big fund, but Yale has a model which is very successful and well respected. We learnt how they implemented consistent spending rules, how they smooth out the draw on funds, because from year to year the fund performance can be volatile.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We must understand this. We can project 4 per cent long-term expected returns. Next year, what would you earn? God only knows. It can be plus 10 per cent, it can be minus 10 per cent. Hopefully after 20 years, it is something like what you projected, but really, it’s volatile from year to year. You have to find some intelligent way to smooth it out, so that you can spend steadily and not be whiplashed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I met Mr Leonard Baker, who chaired the Yale Investment Committee, to understand how Yale did it. We studied them, we modelled our rules on these ideas, taking into account our political and constitutional context, which makes it much more complicated for us to implement than for a US university. In 2008 we amended the Constitution again, to specify that the Government would spend out of net investment returns (NIR) instead of NII. But we kept the 50 per cent rule: the Government could spend 50 per cent of NIR, instead of 50 per cent of NII. We called this amount, which the Government can draw from the reserves and add to the annual Budget to spend, the NIRC (net investment return contribution). This is how we arrived at today’s system of spending half of investment returns and saving the other half, after decades of refining and improving the system, testing it out, making sure that it works as intended.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It Is important to put into context just how valuable an asset our reserves are to Singapore. As you have heard, the NIRC accounts for one-fifth (20 per cent) of government revenue. It is around 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) – more than what we spend on any single ministry, more than we spend on defence, more than we spend on education, more than we spend on health – 3.5 per cent of GDP every year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As far as the Ministry of Finance is concerned, it arrives. We don’t have to raise taxes, we don’t have to collect fees. The MOF just has to make sure that Temasek, GIC and MAS are run properly. And every year, you should be able to get 3.5 per cent of GDP. How does that compare with our other revenue sources? It is about equal to corporate income tax revenues, 1.4 times personal income tax revenues, and 1.3 times goods and services tax (GST) revenues.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Supposing we did not have NIRC out of the reserves. Then what would we do? You have a choice: You can double corporate income tax, you can more than double personal tax, or you can roughly double GST – so instead of 9 per cent it may be 18 per cent or 20 per cent GST. That is what the NIRC has enabled us to do. That is the burden which the NIRC has taken off Singapore taxpayers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We are here today because our forefathers had the prudence to build up the reserves, the vision to anticipate the political pressures to spend them, and the imagination to design the two-key scheme to protect the reserves for succeeding generations. This is what stewardship means.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Despite the constitutional protection, the pressure to draw on the reserves will still be there, especially as spending needs grow. Hence the repeated questions and demands. How much do we have? Do we have too much? Are we saving too much? Can’t we save just a little bit less? This is far from the first time this subject is being discussed. The opposition will swear they are being responsible, and give many plausible reasons to draw on the reserves. Surely spending a little bit more, just a little bit more, won’t break the bank? Surely it’s okay to talk about the income or the returns and we don’t touch the principal. Surely we can treat land differently from other assets, no need to price it fully? Once we take that mindset, we are going down a deep hole.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">How much is enough?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">How much is enough? To me, that is the wrong question to ask. It is a misconception that when it comes to our reserves, there is such a number – say $X billion – that is enough. Then you have more than $X billion in the reserves, we have too much; we have less than $X billion in the reserves, we have too little. There is no such number.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We can have no idea what the future holds: what crises we will run into, how much we will need. When the global financial crisis came in 2008 to 2009, we tapped our past reserves for the first time. We made a Resilience Package, $20.5 billion, of which $4.9 billion was earmarked to come from past reserves. We implemented the Jobs Credit Scheme to help employers pay CPF and to protect jobs. We had a Special Risk-Sharing Initiative to encourage banks to lend, and the Government would share the risk of lending. In the end, we actually took $4 billion from past reserves. The economy revived much faster than we expected, and the Government fully returned this $4 billion by the end of its term.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the crisis, we also used past reserves to guarantee deposits in commercial banks. We ring-fenced $150 billion for this purpose. And we said that we would put aside $150 billion from the reserves to back this guarantee. It’s not just words, it’s got real heft behind it. Thankfully, no banks failed, and we did not have to touch the money. But it was critical that we did that. And we could deliver a credible guarantee to bolster confidence in our banking system, and probably prevented a run. The deposit would have disappeared from our banking system and gone overseas. The banking system would have crashed. The exchange rate would have crashed. Those people who say it didn’t happen, it can’t happen – I say, get real. So was $4 billion enough?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next crisis, Covid-19, when it hit us, that was on a different scale altogether. We sought the President’s approval, successively, to draw up to $69 billion from past reserves – for medical facilities, testing, vaccines, support schemes and assurance packages. We saved lives, and we saved livelihoods. In the end, we actually drew down about $40 billion. It’s not likely that we are going to be able to put $40 billion back into the reserves any time soon. Again, in Covid-19, our reserves were a tremendous advantage. It gave us confidence, and gave others confidence in us. We had the financial muscle to do everything we needed to do, without getting heavily into debt, unlike so many other countries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Ministry of Health could concentrate on its duties. The Ministry of Education could concentrate on its arrangements. The Ministry of National Development and Ministry of Manpower could look after the dormitories. You do what you need to do, the resources will be forthcoming. It’s a tremendous luxury. Without the reserves, would we have dared to pre-order vaccines, even before they were tested and proven, and produced? Would we have been able to pay up to 75 per cent of salaries in the crisis, in the Jobs Support Scheme, to protect workers and to prevent companies from closing? So we drew down $40 billion in the end. Is $40 billion enough?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Covid-19 will not be our last pandemic, nor our most serious one. And it is far from being the worst thing that can happen to us. If we find ourselves at war, like Ukraine, how much is enough? The war is costing Ukraine over US$100 million (S$134.7 million) a day. The country relies heavily on US and European support. The US has committed over US$100 billion in humanitarian, financial and military support. And now, another US$60 billion is being debated. The administration wants to do it. The money is desperately needed in Ukraine. Not just money but guns, weapons, ammunition, everything.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Europe has also committed almost US$100 billion so far and just committed an additional €50 billion (S$72.6 billion) in grants and loans over four years, with a lot of angst and debate, and internal disagreement. Hungary had strong views to the contrary. Without this external funding support, Ukraine’s war is over. How long more can the US and Europe sustain this support for Ukraine? Looking ahead for 50 years, can anyone promise that Singapore will enjoy another half century of peace and tranquillity? Or guarantee that someone will come to our rescue if we ever find ourselves in the same situation as Ukraine?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So back to the question – for Singapore, how big a nest egg is enough? There is no sensible answer to this question. We can never say for sure how much is enough, because we do not know what kind of crises we will face in the future, or how our investments will fare.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But that does not mean we should mindlessly save every dollar we earn, without regard for present needs. Instead, our mindset should be to treat past reserves as a precious resource that generations of Singaporeans have built up. Starting with the Pioneer Generation, but continuing with the Merdeka Generation, and with the later generations till this day. And it is a resource. How much? It doesn’t matter. Whatever the amount, we have put it aside as a nest egg, a rainy day fund. We draw on half the investment returns to supplement our Budget every year. The rest we touch only in times of exceptional need, or during crises, with special permission from the president. If during one term of government we happen to accumulate a surplus, then we add to the reserves. And hopefully, we can maintain the nest egg and keep on growing it gradually year after year, not just for this generation but for future ones as well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The spending rule we have settled on, and enshrined in the Constitution, is 50-50. Half for now, half for the future. As I explained earlier, this is fair and just, and it also happens to be about the right sustainable proportion to keep the reserves in proportion with the GDP.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Let’s assume a long-term expected real return of roughly 4 per cent. It’s roughly that. You can see from GIC’s numbers. MAS’ is slightly lower. Temasek’s is slightly higher. But based on the 4 per cent, the 50-50 rule means we spend 2 per cent, we save 2 per cent. It means the reserves should grow by about 2 per cent per year. Because there is no other place for the reserves to grow. (Not) land, because it’s a conversion; the Budget, because it is not in the surplus; and borrowing, issuing government securities, because that is not really our money. It’s borrowed and one day it will be claimed. And foreign exchange, that’s also not really our money, because just as people can bring money to be deposited in Singapore banks, they can take the money out of Singapore banks any time. So just because the balance is sitting there, it doesn’t mean you can take it home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So based on the 50-50 spending rule, 2 per cent goes back into the reserves, the reserves will grow, all things going well, 2 per cent per year. And our economy, all things going well, will also grow, about 2 per cent per year. Because my workforce is flat, my productivity, if I work very hard, I get 1.5 per cent productivity growth a year. So to make 2 per cent, 2.5 per cent, is already working very hard and doing quite well. In other words, on present settings with our present policies, the reserves will be growing about 2 per cent per year. The GDP will be growing about 2 per cent per year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The balance is the same every year. It’s not getting bigger and bigger, more and more reserves while the GDP languishes. And so the contribution to our Budget, NIRC, will be the same every year, about 3.5 per cent (of GDP). And if you look at our Budget – the past five years’ Budgets, all of the figures are published – you will see that it has been about 3.5 per cent a year. It hasn’t gone 3.5 per cent, 4 per cent, 5 per cent, suggesting that I have more and more money in the kitty. It’s about there. And so if I keep on doing this, I will keep on being able to do this, and spending 3.5 per cent from the reserves every year, saving me a doubling of the GST. I think that’s a good thing. And that is the way to protect our nest egg. This is the right thing to do.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Spending within our means</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singaporeans are facing higher costs of living. Our spending needs have gone up, and we need more programmes to cater to and look after an ageing population. And the Government does have many programmes to help Singaporeans cope with the cost of living. In fact, we have covered not just the present generation and the younger generation, but also the older generation too, because we have the Pioneer package, and the Merdeka package. We have not forgotten the people who brought us here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But each generation must spend within our means, and each generation has been able to spend within our means. It does mean that from time to time, we have to revise our taxes, raise some of them. Like the GST, which we have just raised to 9 per cent. And we have powerful reasons for doing so, which have been extensively debated.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our spending needs have gone up – especially for healthcare and the ageing population. And we know that we will need the money sooner rather than later. Why do we do this? It’s not just for the fun of it. Nobody relishes a tax increase. Not even the Ministry of Finance. Why should the Government volunteer unnecessarily to do something which it knows is going to be unpopular? But if it has to be done, we will do it and that is what it means to take responsibility for governing a country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We got here because of the careful tending of our forefathers. Despite the difficulties and challenges which they faced, they still put savings aside, so that we can enjoy this resource today. And we are better off for it, and grateful to them for it. Now, we too should fulfil our obligation to our children and grandchildren, to protect their interest in this nest egg. This nest egg is the money of the people of Singapore. It belongs to this generation. It belongs to future generations too, and we have a responsibility to both. And if we fulfil that responsibility, in time our children and grandchildren too can benefit from a steady stream of returns from the reserves, and also have an umbrella that can protect them, come a rainy day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We must not erode the patrimony, this family treasure, which we have inherited from our forefathers, nor should we burden future generations with debt nor mortgage their future. We are beneficiaries of our forefathers’ sacrifice and vision. But we are also trustees, protecting this inheritance for future generations. It is not just for us, and we have a responsibility to our children and grandchildren. This is the ethos and compact which generations of Singaporeans have forged. And it is one that in fact has been upheld across the aisle in Parliament.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the global financial crisis, we brought forward the FY2009 Budget to deal with the crisis. We had a crisis Budget. This was a Budget where we had the Jobs Credit Scheme. And we were going to draw $4.9 billion from the past reserves. In the Budget debate, Mr Low Thia Khiang questioned why the Government wanted to draw down on past reserves instead of using savings from the Government’s current Budget.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“What is unusual of our Resilience Package is that the Government will be using our past reserves to fund two main components of the package – the Jobs Credit Scheme, and Special Risk-Sharing Initiative”, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Past reserves are a strategic asset meant for use in times of need, especially when the Government faces financial constraints due to unprecedented circumstances which require the Government to respond in the interest of the nation. Hence I am surprised that the Government has chosen to set up a precedent in asking the President for approval for a drawdown of our past reserves when it has enough savings from the current term of Government to fund the entire Resilience Package, and the resulting Budget deficit which the Finance Minister has estimated.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was a very reasonable question. Actually, it was a very polite objection and Mr Low was right that he raised it and we debated it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And our answer was, we are doing this so that we have dry powder, and there are current reserves which we may well need later. We put that aside. If we need to, we will use it. As it turned out, fortunately we didn’t need to.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Two years later, in 2011, when the Government paid the $4 billion back to the past reserves, Mr Low spoke again. He did the honourable thing and commended the Government. He said in the Budget debate again in 2011: “In conclusion, sir, the Budget this year has done one thing right. It has prudently put back into the past reserves the $4 billion that the Government took in 2009.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is how a responsible opposition conducts itself. There was a common commitment to safeguard our past reserves because of a shared recognition that they are a strategic asset only to be used for unprecedented circumstances.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The opposition has argued that we should change the rules and draw more from reserves, and that of course they have no intention to raid the reserves, far from wanting to bankrupt Singapore. They say we can easily afford what they are proposing. I conclude their tune has changed. The changes they are proposing are not simply policy changes, but require amending the Constitution to draw and to spend more from past reserves, which are protected by the President.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some people say it is harder for this generation to abide by the same tight fiscal rules as before. They say that now growth is slower, and the cost of living has gone up, which are true. But our forefathers who put aside the surpluses which grew into the reserves were much less well-off than us. To put it bluntly, much poorer than us. Our standard of living is double or triple what our forefathers lived with. And yet they saved up surpluses for the future, whereas now we hear arguments that we should draw more from the reserves, on the basis that we need the money more urgently today. There is a Chinese saying: 创业难,守业更难, 败家轻而易举. Hard to start, even harder to keep it going, but all too easy to ruin and to lose everything.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Lee Kuan Yew and his team had anticipated this outcome, this political pressure. They knew that there would always be many worthy, heart-tugging causes demanding government resources. Every MP has pet causes which he champions. We all want more things to be done. But we also know and Mr Lee knew that money would always be not enough. He knew that it would always be politically tough to raise taxes. That is why he and his colleagues designed and implemented the two-key scheme.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Securing the future of the country</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some of Mr Lee’s senior colleagues told him that in locking up the reserves, he was trying the impossible. Their philosophy was: If a generation wants to spend the money, somehow they will get their hands on it and they will do it. Mr Lee disagreed, and decided he had to try his best. It is up to us and for us now to prove that we can protect the nest egg, and that Singaporeans are capable of being prudent and responsible well beyond the founding generation. We are responsible, as forefathers one day, of generations yet to be born.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government is elected not just to take care of the citizens today, but also to secure the future of the country. The PAP Government has always done both. But in taking care of today’s citizens, we are very conscious to safeguard the interests of young people not yet voting, future citizens not yet born, and the long-term interests of Singapore. In 2001, when we instituted the 50 per cent rule applied to NII and amended the Constitution, Mr Lee intervened in the debate because some MPs were proposing good causes to spend the money on, particularly old people. And he reminded everyone in Parliament, he said: “At the end of the day, whom do we owe our deepest obligation to as a government? To the future. Not just to the present; certainly not to the past.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We must protect the past reserves. It is our precious resource, our strategic advantage. It is a great source of comfort and reassurance that if we run into a jam, or find ourselves in a tight spot – which is bound to happen every so many years and not so many years – we will have one extra card to play. We will not be destitute. Other countries admire and even envy what we have, but they find it very hard to emulate what we have done.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was only in Singapore, only in those circumstances, only with that history and that generation, and that phase of nation-building that we could do it. If it is gone, we would not be able to do it again either. Therefore, as for ourselves, we too must make a conscious effort to keep our system working. Singaporeans need to have the right instincts – save when we can, resist the pressure to touch it, and use only when we really must. Each of us must see ourselves as stewards and trustees, taking care of the interests of present and future generations. That is the way to keep to this discipline, to keep this rule, and to keep this system – with two keys – working well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ultimately, in a democracy like Singapore, on big issues like this, it is the people who will decide. The PAP is convinced this is the right approach for Singapore. As long as the PAP Government is in power, this is what we will do.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If any other political party thinks that this is not the right approach, if they truly believe that we should dip into our reserves more, then bring it to the ballot box. Put it upfront. Say you want to touch, you want to spend, you want to shift the rules. Don’t pretend that you’re just as prudent, only more kind-hearted. Campaign in the next general election on this issue. Ask voters for a mandate to form the government, change the Constitution, dismantle the second key. Put this squarely to the people, and let them decide.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The PAP will convince Singaporeans that our way is the right way for Singapore. I believe Singaporeans believe us. The Institute of Policy Studies survey was not just a survey of trust in the PAP Government in general. It says in the case of the PAP Government, the statement was modified to refer to the level of trust in it to manage the reserves. In other words, Singaporeans have high confidence in the PAP Government’s management of the reserves. Therefore, we are confident that we will win the argument, and we’ll be able to get Singaporeans to do the right thing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Taking a long-term view of the reserves, and striking the right balance between present and future needs – these are vital responsibilities of any Singapore government. I have spent 40 years of my life stewarding, safeguarding and improving this system, continuing the work of those who had come before me. Now, I am preparing to hand over to my successor in good order a Singapore which is more prosperous and more secure.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I ask everyone to help them maintain the prudent policies that have served us well to keep Singapore on the right track, so that we can all continue to benefit from the nation’s success for many years to come.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">This is an edited transcript of the speech by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Parliament on 7 February 2024 during the debate on public finances.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b>Related</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/08/singapore-reserves-revealed.html" target="_blank">Singapore Reserves Revealed</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-41946122009337769212023-12-15T17:54:00.009+08:002024-02-24T17:04:55.596+08:00Cost of living means different things to different folks in Singapore<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>The Economist’s Worldwide Cost of Living index does not shed light on the bills that ordinary Singaporeans pay.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Lin Suling, Opinion Editor, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid0i711KoWz4TBNbUPpAkD2anxpcAYq1Yi8pagXj8F3CYgWhzQxpTiu7io3JNhpJRKQl?__cft__[0]=AZWij0qLC8_ekjzdDw1dtNhWzn7ju2-ZjsnvlfAOixWNQNWeZmJJlTN8ZOwQo9RQ_P5HRDxo0lI-IHzSEnumLD0bkeCpJn6V7zI548yAaQyxzpHqO-cOC78cGZ-Te-r34XoDMKcAeohsaG40Q0DEJX_g&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 13 Dec 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqQulLNPrerel_hWi2vL-CvOxiku_kGeSLX1kstmOo1Fooc58aqlQIhpv-U3VocjBfGC6z1nzgYPNJuVKxYB8Y7qZ_XjATkSqigWYVNQQLrkNxT1QRFNiABaFbKQnsxO_PP_sGq9evlZVgLxlfLOi7K2gsoVrGVlX500gXser6mWMFGlTwCrwInsTNjzG/s1087/Cost-of-living-Singapore-world-most-expensive-city-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1087" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqQulLNPrerel_hWi2vL-CvOxiku_kGeSLX1kstmOo1Fooc58aqlQIhpv-U3VocjBfGC6z1nzgYPNJuVKxYB8Y7qZ_XjATkSqigWYVNQQLrkNxT1QRFNiABaFbKQnsxO_PP_sGq9evlZVgLxlfLOi7K2gsoVrGVlX500gXser6mWMFGlTwCrwInsTNjzG/w265-h400/Cost-of-living-Singapore-world-most-expensive-city-ST-photo.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a sign of the lengths Singapore will go to in a bid to up its wow factor and entice more travellers here, consider the dramatic four-storey <b><a href="https://www.changiairport.com/en/discover/attractions/the-wonderfall.html" target="_blank">waterfall display</a></b> unveiled at the recently <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCg30xaBIj5FBZSvsjw3jXccoJtlwQECU" target="_blank">refurbished</a> <span style="color: #04ff00;">Changi Airport <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/graphics/2023/11/changi-airport-terminal-2-reopens-singapore/index.html" target="_blank">Terminal 2</a></span></b> in November.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just about everyone I know has already visited the attraction, now the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/changi-airport-t2-reopens-fully-with-4-storey-waterfall-display-new-garden" target="_blank">centrepiece of the T2 departure hall</a></b>, and told me the four-minute musical extravaganza is not to be missed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, you may be forgiven for confusing this 14m by 17m digital display with the man-made, HSBC-sponsored rain vortex at <b><a href="https://www.jewelchangiairport.com/en.html" target="_blank">Changi Airport’s Jewel</a></b>, which was opened a mere <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/jewel-changi-airport-opens-its-doors-first-few-travellers-at-early-check-in" target="_blank">four years ago</a></b>. That spectacular sight remains the world’s tallest indoor waterfall.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If two waterfalls – one digital, one physical – sound like overkill, that is probably precisely the intent. Singapore is already home to the world’s largest air-conditioned glass greenhouse, Gardens by the Bay, and hosted the first Formula One night race globally.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We must keep filling this carousel of new shiny things so we can remain vibrant and attractive to visitors, investors and corporate leaders.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore thus far seems to be doing this well. Why else would expats keep coming back to Singapore despite it being billed the most expensive city nine times in the last 11 years by The Economist?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">News of <b><a href="https://www.gov.sg/article/singapore-is-it-really-the-most-expensive-place-to-live" target="_blank">Singapore</a></b> – along with Zurich – <b><a href="https://www.eiu.com/n/singapore-and-zurich-top-the-list-as-the-worlds-most-expensive-cities/" target="_blank">topping</a></b> the <b><a href="https://www.eiu.com/n/campaigns/worldwide-cost-of-living-2023/" target="_blank">2023 Worldwide Cost of Living index</a></b> on Nov 30, nonetheless, raised many eyebrows.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many Singaporeans have suggested that it confirms their longstanding concerns that making ends meet in Singapore is becoming an uphill climb for the man in the street.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Online, netizens cite anecdotal experiences corroborating this jump in prices, from the doubling of the cost of a bowl of fish soup at their local coffee shop to complaints about certificates of entitlement (COEs).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another pointed to news of thwarted <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/over-100kg-of-pork-beef-to-be-exported-to-s-pore-without-permits-confiscated-at-johor-customs" target="_blank">attempts to smuggle 120kg of beef and pork</a></b> as an unequivocal sign that more Singaporeans are turning to the black market to fill their stomachs. Never mind that meat smuggling is possibly the most creative strategy to beat inflation nobody has ever heard of.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And most discussions eventually reached the same conclusion: that the Singapore Government has slipped, in letting in foreigners who push up prices while leaving Singaporeans behind.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">The most expensive city in the world for whom?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What to make of all this? Some information about <b><a href="https://www.gov.sg/article/singapore-is-it-really-the-most-expensive-place-to-live" target="_blank">how the Worldwide Cost of Living is put together</a></b> offers perspective.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The full index of how cost of living stacks up across 173 countries is available only with a US$1,195 (S$1,602) fee. Its website suggests this full report is useful for human resources, corporates, financial institutions, and legal and insurance firms, as “this purpose-built Internet tool quickly calculates cost-of-living allowances and (aids in) building compensation packages for expatriates and business travellers”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A closer look at the items used in this benchmark of relative cost of living, which is meant to be a comprehensive dataset of over 400 individual price points across 200 goods and services, throws up things such as international school tuition fees, public golf course fees and three-course dinners.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These may just be a few outliers that stick out. Even so, not only are they hardly stuff the average Singaporean spends on, they are also more accurately the make-up of what the typical expat around the world splurges on.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here in Singapore, I would also add to this list the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/business/property/higher-absd-s-pore-citizens-buying-2nd-home-to-pay-20-up-from-17-rate-for-foreigners-doubles" target="_blank">doubling of Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty</a></b> for purchases of homes by foreigners, and <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2022-higher-personal-income-taxes-for-top-12-of-taxpayers" target="_blank">higher personal income taxes for top earners</a></b> beginning from the 2024 year of assessment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Curiously, despite these higher projected expenses, the foreigners just keep coming.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/steady-interest-in-singapore-s-one-pass-global-investor-programme" target="_blank">steady interest in the new One Pass</a></b> aimed at top foreign talent persists. Even those with no plans of living here think it’s a great holiday destination, with Singapore <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/consumer/s-pore-s-2023-visitor-arrivals-to-double-to-12-14m-full-tourism-recovery-expected-by-2024-stb" target="_blank">projected to welcome 12 million to 14 million visitors</a></b> in total by end-2023, according to the Singapore Tourism Board.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>Vibeflation</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That is not to say Singaporeans do not experience cost-of-living pressures; we surely do.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Inflation has already eroded gains from wage growth. <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/jobs/real-median-income-in-singapore-falls-23-in-2023-on-high-inflation" target="_blank">Real median income here has fallen 2.3 per cent year on year</a></b>, according to the latest Labour Force Survey. Facing higher interest rates, households are feeling the heat and <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/business/singapore-household-debt-drops-to-decade-low-as-high-interest-rates-deter-borrowing-mas" target="_blank">paring down mortgages</a></b> and personal loans. And there’s little stopping the poor economic climate from casting a pall over everything.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But to suggest the Worldwide Cost of Living index is an accurate barometer reflecting the economic hardships facing ordinary Singaporeans may be projecting our feelings of inadequacy in keeping up economically onto very specific ghosts that aren’t there.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To do so also ignores the reality that cost of living means different things to different people, and not every concern has equivalence. For example, the Singapore public will understandably feel more sympathy towards worries that daily staples like <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/bus-train-fares-to-rise-by-up-to-11-cents-for-adults-new-96-concession-pass-for-low-wage-workers" target="_blank">public transport fees</a></b> or the costs of instant noodles and eggs are ticking upwards for low-income families, compared with the First-World problems of expats.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Using lived experience as a broader gauge of national economic performance and insisting that sentiment is pervasive also runs into serious “<b><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/opinion/inflation-disinflation-economists.html" target="_blank">vibeflation</a></b>” problems, a term used by The New York Times’ Paul Krugman who struggled to understand why Americans remain miserable despite optimistic economic indicators.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He has highlighted how souring public vibes over inflation have distorted media coverage of the United States economy and fuelled illogical economic analyses, which could potentially influence public policy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Financial Times columnist John Burn-Murdoch suggests: “US consumer sentiment is becoming the latest victim of expressive responding, where people give incorrect answers to questions to signal tribal political or social affiliations.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Could this explain what’s happening too in Singapore?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">An uncaring administrator?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Looking ahead, concerns over cost of living will remain front and centre. The broader worry may be whether easing inflation can come down fast enough ahead of a dampening economic outlook for 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Global economic growth is <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/business/singapore-s-economic-growth-to-pick-up-pace-in-2024-inflation-to-ease-after-gst-driven-rise-mas" target="_blank">expected to slow further in 2024 to 2.8 per cent</a></b>, compared with an expected 3.1 per cent in 2023, according to Monetary Authority of Singapore projections, amid geopolitical, economic and climate risks.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Macroeconomic figures consistently tell us that various sectors will grow at vastly different rates. In 2023, the travel and tourism-related industries boomed as visitors returned, while the financial and manufacturing sectors cooled.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A good job with strong prospects at a firm that has its sails hooked to growing markets and the concomitant career mobility of people to move into more productive, higher-earning sectors remain the best hedge against the rising cost of living.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The creation of good jobs, the continued transformation of businesses and the relentless push for the upgrading of skills as the economy restructures have been lifelong national obsessions that may now prove critical economic strategy in a time of uncertainty and continued disruption.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An equally important element in public policy communication going forward will be in ensuring that narratives around getting a good job and constant upskilling do not come across as stinging and unempathetic. Yet the <b><a href="https://supportgowhere.life.gov.sg/budget/support-calculator" target="_blank">Singapore Government</a></b> is hardly an unfeeling administrator.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That public coffers have set aside a <b><a href="https://www.govbenefits.gov.sg/" target="_blank">$3 billion Assurance Package</a></b> at the 2023 Singapore Budget to <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2023-more-help-for-singaporeans-to-cope-with-rising-costs-gst-hike" target="_blank">provide cash support skewed towards the low-income, the less wealthy and seniors</a></b>, only to reinforce it with a <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/11b-cost-of-living-package-up-to-200-cash-for-25m-s-poreans-200-cdc-vouchers-for-s-porean-households" target="_blank">$1.1 billion Cost-of-Living Support Package</a></b> in September, is clear acknowledgement from officialdom that the average Singaporean has not had it easy in 2023.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They are also signs the Government is watching conditions and exercising flexibility to dole out help when needed to put a floor beneath the most vulnerable in Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7RB7rdN_-4g5HZFIsMyHKJTd1Ksr53bpo5kbTjuZXjw6Tz_-TbKW2Ztt16O60oafJ3hmz6-m_peBSbX3MZeTEWeYze85QyLTt6KCZ2iJqe-vpFj8LSCPM5d4jpH5DVwAdY9_J5SpBH2ROUqmfernU_5NvEQIm5P3QLQJqPhlcNwt_TTtl2zQxv6LgVRUr/s1602/How-Singapore-government-help-poor-cope-with-cost-of-living-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1602" data-original-width="1019" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7RB7rdN_-4g5HZFIsMyHKJTd1Ksr53bpo5kbTjuZXjw6Tz_-TbKW2Ztt16O60oafJ3hmz6-m_peBSbX3MZeTEWeYze85QyLTt6KCZ2iJqe-vpFj8LSCPM5d4jpH5DVwAdY9_J5SpBH2ROUqmfernU_5NvEQIm5P3QLQJqPhlcNwt_TTtl2zQxv6LgVRUr/w408-h640/How-Singapore-government-help-poor-cope-with-cost-of-living-ST-photo.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Counted from 2020, <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/about-29-million-adult-singaporeans-to-receive-assurance-package-cash-payments-in-december" target="_blank">more than $10 billion has been set aside to aid Singaporeans</a></b> with rising costs and GST increases alone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Critical areas of concern like COE pricing and HDB affordability have also seen fixes informed by data and driven by technocratic policy-making moderating prices, albeit at a pace that might not meet the Singapore public’s general impatience for faster solutions to stem the bleed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Better state-society relations</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The abundance of salty comments and establishment-bashing online in response to the news of The Economist’s index suggests that cost of living remains an emotionally charged and easily politicised issue that can descend into tribalism, as more people project their own opinion of social ills onto news stories.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those who believe the system is rigged and skewed towards serving the rich and powerful will see evidence of how Singapore is increasingly becoming a playground for rich foreigners, and locals are left to fend for themselves.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those who think the authorities should be responsible for every part of our cradle-to-grave existence – including the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/furore-over-red-tampines-hdb-blocks-exposes-an-unimaginative-singapore" target="_blank">colour of HDB lift lobbies</a></b> and the dampening of <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/cutting-through-the-buzz-around-1m-hdb-resale-flats" target="_blank">million-dollar resale HDB flats’ prices</a></b> – will frame the issue of rising costs as evidence of denial and insensitivity on the part of the Government.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The facts, however, point to progress achieved in recent years as a government engages a more educated population better schooled in the nuances of public policy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trust in the Singapore Government has improved to a record high of 76 per cent, according to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This journey towards better state-society relations, however, will always be a work in progress. One step that we can take is to avoid seeing things in zero-sum terms, in order to create room for nuance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While Singaporeans can afford to be more fair-minded and discerning regarding what news on cost of living we should pay attention to, the authorities too can be more relaxed about the same news and allow a thinking society to flourish instead of rushing to provide a “correct answer”. One example being when the authorities themselves rush to vociferously defend public policy against metrics suggesting poor performance, exhibited precisely by the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s response to the 2023 Worldwide Cost of Living survey.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More largely, given that cost-of-living issues can be a flashpoint for deeper issues around the economic competitiveness of Singaporeans in an open economy, it would be useful for the Government to proactively tackle the crux of these matters and explain how access to foreign talent has been key to convincing top firms to anchor businesses here and has led to good jobs with strong prospects created for Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/jobs-growth-for-locals-shows-bringing-in-global-talent-not-a-zero-sum-game-tan-see-leng" target="_blank">Manpower Minister Tan See Leng</a></b> had previously mentioned, as an example, that the information and communications (ICT) sector accounted for one-fifth of all Employment Pass (EP) holders in 2021, up from one-sixth in 2016. Within this same timeframe, the ICT sector saw the creation of 34,400 jobs for local professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) and a rise in median local wages.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A fifth of all the 161,700 EP holders in end-2021 translates into 32,360 EP holders in the ICT sector. One-sixth of all EPs in 2016 translates into 32,050 ICT EPs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These figures suggest each additional EP was accompanied by over 100 new local PMET jobs in the ICT sector in those five years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More information to show whether this same high benefits-to-cost ratio extends to other sectors might be helpful to tackle concerns that the ICT sector may be the exception rather than the norm.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Likewise, some quantifying of taxes foreign talent attracted here pay might also help us all understand the benefits of staying open to this class of manpower. After all, every cent going into the $10 billion to offset GST and other rising costs of living for Singaporeans counts. This would require backend work to categorise taxpayers by nationality, something which may not be the practice now.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yes, higher costs of living are a real issue for many, especially the lower-to-middle income groups whose real wages have regressed, and should be addressed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the same time, it’s useful for us in Singapore to avoid binary thinking. Investments to attract expats and business investors through improvements to infrastructure and the economy also benefit Singaporeans, and do not mean a smaller pot for Singaporeans or that we will get left behind.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Let’s remember we get to enjoy the fruits of that labour, both big and small. Like the new digital waterfall at Changi Airport T2 which has seen a large number of Singaporeans admiring this marvel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-45397437190406718712023-12-10T11:09:00.002+08:002023-12-10T11:10:30.842+08:00Henry Kissinger, Lee Kuan Yew and a friendship that influenced the world<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>Both men were realists who spoke frankly, and global leaders listened to them. They also shared a close bond.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Shashi Jayakumar, Published <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/kissinger-lee-kuan-yew-and-a-friendship-that-influenced-the-world" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 8 Dec 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsZ0d_YinH8qkF1zs4ds36h_3hOx_iXiP8ciliXNLFuJAAouh1BjC0Zbh8DT_JLJ2sVtJiy3K5wvrPvoHiGAZxYxnZKFEM2VZZq9ghP-4PKHRvZVtZ3MyKT8rqEdLnd8RVqRGtLxBA7aor5CFhdX0fNiQe4Ud_4FN6XgOEJxr7UTdLBdTxI3mNCkAkZS5/s1024/Lee-Kuan-Yew-and-Henry-Kissinger-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="1024" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsZ0d_YinH8qkF1zs4ds36h_3hOx_iXiP8ciliXNLFuJAAouh1BjC0Zbh8DT_JLJ2sVtJiy3K5wvrPvoHiGAZxYxnZKFEM2VZZq9ghP-4PKHRvZVtZ3MyKT8rqEdLnd8RVqRGtLxBA7aor5CFhdX0fNiQe4Ud_4FN6XgOEJxr7UTdLBdTxI3mNCkAkZS5/w400-h290/Lee-Kuan-Yew-and-Henry-Kissinger-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is a delicious anecdote about a meeting in November 1968 at Harvard University, at what later became the Kennedy School of Government. Some professors were railing against the war in Vietnam and then US President Lyndon Johnson.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore’s then Prime Minister <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/p/remembering-lee-kuan-yew.html" target="_blank">Lee Kuan Yew</a></b>, in Harvard for a sabbatical of five weeks, on being invited to give a response, said tersely, “<b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2015/10/henry-kissinger-lee-kuan-yew-told.html" target="_blank">You make me sick</a></b>”, before proceeding to give a clear and concise summary of why America had to stay the course and provide security against the communists bent on undermining South-east Asian nations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Lee remembered the incident in his memoirs as a respectful difference of views and omitted the pungent words.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But <b><a href="https://www.henryakissinger.com/" target="_blank">Dr Henry Kissinger</a></b>, then a professor at the faculty encountering the Singaporean for the first time, related the entire incident in his own study of Mr Lee’s leadership, and in his <b><a href="https://time.com/6193035/henry-kissinger-leaders/" target="_blank">last book</a></b> before his <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/world/henry-kissinger-american-diplomat-and-nobel-winner-dies-at-100" target="_blank">death last week at the age of 100</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On arrival at Harvard, Mr Lee had said that he was there “to rest, to rethink, to reformulate policies, to get fresh ideas, to meet stimulating minds, to go back enriched with a fresh burst of enthusiasm for what I do”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And what minds they were: political scientist Samuel Huntington, Graham Allison (the young postgraduate student at Harvard assigned to accompany Mr Lee to seminars, later a famous professor who co-authored a book on him), and the economists John Kenneth Galbraith and Paul Samuelson.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some, like Ray Vernon of the Harvard Business School, and Michael Porter (whom Mr Lee met later) were to subsequently give advice to our leaders on Singapore’s development and economic policy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Lee maintained friendly contact or correspondence with some of these men for years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From 1967 (his first trip to the United States as prime minister), impressed with the spirit, talent and innovatory zeal he found, the Singapore leader would make annual or biannual visits to the US to understand and engage US policymakers, and to seek out and engage with other bright minds in and out of government.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">November 1968 marked the beginning of a seminal friendship between Mr Lee and Dr Kissinger.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Growing influence</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Mr Lee’s recollection of that meeting in 1968, Dr Kissinger was circumspect, and certainly not prepared to jump onto the liberal, anti-war bandwagon. He may already have had his future position in mind – shortly after, it was announced that he would be national security adviser (NSA) to President Richard Nixon.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Lee was at an important turning point of his own. An Anglophile (educated in Cambridge across the Atlantic) and an admirer of British institutions, he had been called by former British foreign secretary George Brown the “best bloody Englishman east of the Suez”. But Mr Lee had already begun to intuit that the future did not lie with the United Kingdom, which had announced its withdrawal of its forces from South-east Asia in January 1968.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But – surely the question in Mr Lee’s mind – who would guarantee security in the region?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Before flying home in 1968, Mr Lee met Dr Kissinger (now the NSA appointee) again and emphasised the need to stay the course in Vietnam. This had been on Mr Lee’s mind for some time, as declassified US administration documents show.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1967, in conversation with then US Vice-President Hubert Humphrey, Mr Lee said that the Vietnam War was like a long bus ride. The US had had several chances to get off the bus, but it could not now disembark until the trip was successfully concluded.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Withdrawal was nonsensical – Thailand and Malaysia would fall and within three years, Mr Lee said sombrely, “I would be hanging in the public square”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was prepared to make the point in public, too. The few lectures Mr Lee agreed to give at Harvard show him being firm in the conviction that security had to be guaranteed by major powers, and that American involvement had to buy time for other South-east Asian nations to make changes for their own survival.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even as Mr Lee was beginning to see the United States in a different light, declassified White House documents, State Department cables and other sources tell the story of how the US was beginning to change its view on him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The administrations of Dwight Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy had been tentative in their appraisals, unsure of his political sympathies, with some assessments even allowing the possibility that Mr Lee might be some sort of crypto-communist.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This had changed by the mid-1960s when Mr Lee had decisively moved against the pro-communists, but concerns remained. Given the stated policy of non-alignment on the part of the Singapore Government, some officials were concerned about a possible closer alignment with the communist bloc.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By the later stages of the Lyndon Johnson administration, however, internal administration assessments that have been declassified show a growing appreciation of Mr Lee’s intelligence and candour, with respect too for how he was making Singapore a success.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was also recognition of Mr Lee’s influence. Washington needed him on its side, despite his occasional past anti-American speeches.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even though US-Singapore relations were beginning to improve markedly from 1966 to 1967, Mr Lee did not have any personal connection or insider track within Washington.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Enter Dr Kissinger, who from 1968 was at the centre of helping Mr Lee navigate the corridors of presidential power.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Reading through the file notes, briefing documents and memcons (memoranda of conversation), one is struck by the ease that Mr Lee displayed with presidents Nixon and (from 1974) Gerald Ford, with Dr Kissinger (who from 1973 took on the role of secretary of state) usually in attendance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The topics of conversation ranged widely, from Vietnam to South-east Asian politics to <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-hails-old-friend-kissinger-architect-of-rapprochement" target="_blank">China</a></b>. None of the interactions that presidents Nixon or Ford (or Dr Kissinger) had with other South-east Asian leaders had this warmth and familiarity, or the willingness to listen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As Dr Kissinger commented in his foreword to Mr Lee’s collected 20 volumes of interviews and speeches, “his analysis is of such quality and depth that his counterparts consider meeting with him as a way to educate themselves”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Connecting with China</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From 1970, Dr Kissinger was tasked to lay the groundwork for <b><a href="https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/nixons-trip-china" target="_blank">President Nixon’s historic visit to China</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Reading through <b><a href="https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB66/" target="_blank">declassified notes</a></b> of Dr Kissinger’s conversations with Chinese leaders such as then Premier Zhou Enlai in planning the American President’s trip, one is struck by the ease and mutual respect that marked the conversations – despite the serious topics discussed, and despite differences in points of view (over Taiwan, for example).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And even when there were disagreements, both sides were still prepared to listen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is striking that in these meetings, Dr Kissinger took the trouble to talk about Mr Lee and Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1973, he told Mr Zhou in a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing that his friend Lee was very intelligent and had built the most dynamic state in the region, and that Singapore was too small for his talents.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Zhou’s laconic reply (said to laughter in the room) was that “it is the problem created by Chinese blood”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When Mr Zhou raised the possibility of establishing relations with Singapore (something that was to happen only in 1990, after all other South-east Asian nations had done so), Dr Kissinger offered to raise the issue with Mr Lee, assuring Mr Zhou that the Singapore leader, while concerned about communist subversion, was certainly not against China.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the relationship progressed, there were in later meetings occasional moments of light-heartedness. On one occasion, Dr Kissinger in Beijing repeated a Chinese proverb he had heard from Mr Lee: “When there is turmoil under the heavens, big problems are reduced to smaller problems and smaller problems should not obsess us.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The reply from the Chinese leader on the receiving end: “The next time Lee Kuan Yew tells you a proverb, tell him there is an old Chinese proverb which says ‘Lee Kuan Yew invents Chinese proverbs’.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As Dr Kissinger was to remark on Mr Lee’s death in 2015: “He always urged us to understand China, and explained what the Chinese were doing... and so I found his advice extremely helpful, but so did the succession of presidents and others.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The backstory of how US-China engagements unfolded during this period and the period that followed has not been fully told yet. One wonders what input Mr Lee gave to American presidents who followed Mr Nixon and Mr Ford.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Lee’s wise counsel was known to those who mattered in Washington, and was reflected in the respect that former president Ronald Reagan and his successor George H.W. Bush had for him. And both Mr Lee and Dr Kissinger could speak frankly, too, and in an unforced fashion, to Chinese leaders, earning them both the respectful encomium of “old friend”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Kissinger, Mr Lee, former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt and one-time US secretary of state George Shultz were close friends – all four men who thought deeply and in a pragmatic way on the state of the world, and who never bothered with fashionable theories of how the world worked.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As Mr Schmidt observed, all four were “more influenced by realism than by ideology”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2012/07/four-friends-lee-kuan-yew-helmut.html" target="_blank">Among the four men</a></b>, the closest bond was between Dr Kissinger and Mr Lee, as shown by the comfort that the American provided to Mr Lee when his wife Kwa Geok Choo passed away, by Dr Kissinger’s <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2015/04/lee-kuan-yew-and-henry-kissinger.html" target="_blank">presence despite his own infirmity at Mr Lee’s funeral in 2015</a></b>, and by <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2015/09/mr-lee-kuan-yew-admirer-of-us-but-not.html" target="_blank">Dr Kissinger’s moving eulogy to Mr Lee</a></b> – Dr Kissinger noted that a world needing to distil order from incipient chaos would miss Mr Lee’s leadership.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Kissinger stepped down from the position of secretary of state in 1977, following the election of Mr Jimmy Carter to the presidency, but Mr Lee and Dr Kissinger would continue to meet regularly in various international study group board meetings, and would find opportunities to have face-to-face discussions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When Dr Kissinger visited Singapore in October 1981 to deliver the prestigious Singapore Lecture, Mr Lee used the opportunity to also bring Asean leaders in for informal discussions, with Dr Kissinger involved (this was something Mr Lee was to do on other occasions when Dr Kissinger passed through the Republic).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As Dr Kissinger acknowledged when delivering the Singapore Lecture, the US had reluctantly come to understand that conflicts in distant parts can affect America’s future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For world peace, there has to be a balance of power – and there can be no progress without a significant American role in this balance of power.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Washington would of course have come to this conclusion, but still, this was also Mr Lee’s influence at work.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Kissinger’s realpolitik approach in South-east Asia, though not without controversy, was aimed at balancing power dynamics, maintaining stability and preventing the spread of communism – all consonant with Mr Lee’s aims – and had a lasting impact on South-east Asia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The last of the four men who were close friends has now left the stage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The world is shorn of pragmatic realists like these – statesmen interested in what can work, and indeed what can be made to work beyond the limits of what seems possible – at a time when they are needed more than ever.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Shashi Jayakumar is the founder and executive director of geopolitical risk consultancy SJKGeostrategic Advisory.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-12027988098412567552023-11-29T22:36:00.005+08:002023-11-29T22:45:01.030+08:00Long Island to be reclaimed off East Coast could add 800ha of land, create Singapore’s 18th reservoir<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>Singapore to start environmental and engineering studies into "Long Island" off East Coast from early 2024</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Ng Keng Gene and Shabana Begum, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid0359ddKrriPCyR68aewtSuazk1kRghbT1RYsxUZQ8beG8CMrWCRsSBHyPjmSHmhHxHl?__cft__[0]=AZV3ITmDc71twQtY4M9OZtQ4UwvLNhWslwtkb_mXGWMHLxuFWX_T4lw5neJwreEMhBjy-iR5Yzfs7WqfFPeUUOedknifYhXYtUmBCML_epWexboa0ixaHcun1ZgzSn2sy9S_Qx7UV3OugmN8KOJpM7de&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 29 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgc9_jNc4h5jw4kCSgqULMiVvY-Rw6w4d86LxpKggUbX7NTbqiXdx1726Oo_-utPhPIPEKikLPZsQhTPvKf4XCLs5-CODRzzdIocPuQuqSUGb8usjMGAxgLGRBcaXaFDOnH69aAH3ycfD9JxetYttptZx2LBr_9y4EqAmN1ZpUEndCkPQpxoS95x8-LvY/s756/Long-Island-Singapore-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="447" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgc9_jNc4h5jw4kCSgqULMiVvY-Rw6w4d86LxpKggUbX7NTbqiXdx1726Oo_-utPhPIPEKikLPZsQhTPvKf4XCLs5-CODRzzdIocPuQuqSUGb8usjMGAxgLGRBcaXaFDOnH69aAH3ycfD9JxetYttptZx2LBr_9y4EqAmN1ZpUEndCkPQpxoS95x8-LvY/w378-h640/Long-Island-Singapore-ST-photo.jpg" width="378" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Three tracts of land could be reclaimed off East Coast Park in the coming decades, creating about 800ha of land for new homes and other amenities, as well as a new reservoir.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Called the <b><a href="https://www.ura.gov.sg/corporate/planning/Master-Plan/Draft-Master-Plan-2025/Long-Island" target="_blank">Long Island</a></b>, these land tracts – collectively about twice the size of Marina Bay – are Singapore’s response to the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/graphics/2022/01/singapore-protect-sea-levels-rise/index.html" target="_blank">threat of rising sea levels</a></b> and inland flooding in the East Coast area.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Land in the area is largely lower than 5m above the mean sea level, the extent that sea levels are projected to rise to by the end of this century if extreme high tides coincide with storm surges.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Nov 28, <b><a href="https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/speeches/view/speech-by-minister-desmond-lee-on-long-island-announcement-and-at-east-coast-park-habitat-enhancement-event" target="_blank">National Development Minister Desmond Lee</a></b> announced that public agencies will carry out technical studies for the Long Island project over five years, starting from early 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/desmondtslee/posts/pfbid027eSpPpY2qPXrhPLASRJ8sWUziaDxZkA4mMGP4wXhBCywempgtAHezRq1hbNTkBPhl?__cft__[0]=AZW_pDSWjcV7r2GdHPPuIqhXIvtKvmGGje-KnganBKmgfBPpGdbHfe691qnnTf4NNKWhXNLZf_7vl3ja6eud2h93c84qm3xuiILrogfMmZ25C_B0pQgtzZeRfY3DojK4aIDCIO5D8hD9t1hUzv0l2iTetzVuEhhZ8B-y8-XF1UMVcWuwvNnwxuI5iKtsT-F8-Fk&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Over the next few years</a></b>, members of the public will be <b><a href="https://www.ura.gov.sg/corporate/planning/Master-Plan/Draft-Master-Plan-2025/Long-Island" target="_blank">consulted</a></b> for their ideas and suggestions for the project, which will take several decades to plan, design and develop.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/URASingapore/posts/pfbid02DZoVw1RTdHKccH24LCsYJPesMavcKkz2maqqXaGXQT6T61AY331TiCo8DuXQueiXl?__cft__[0]=AZUBX3dlMPKfzqTEr17sRHGI109g_Y571cQtndGIxxaOwBgi3pxOTcNHIKGGUhCQJbcZGWOouZU-KH6fBAwId5oLPsACrPyDGsLNGgBYfEQSoIdbguv7fNfXvQxLGae6HkQsjk7BeCJxY-Pz5rvk0ChLRhYPlb7p0hgO_OPzGinqwjTjB5Xw6UT7Bzr1NE0dsxs&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The current plan</a></b> is for three elongated tracts of land to be reclaimed in the area, extending from Marina East to Tanah Merah. The easternmost land tract will start from Tanah Merah, while the westernmost tract will be an extension of Marina East. Between these two tracts, a third tract will be reclaimed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A large tidal gate and pumping station will be built in between each new land mass. These will control the water level in a new reservoir bordered by East Coast Park and the new land masses, and, in the process, reduce flood risks in the East Coast area.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">National water agency PUB said the reclamation project is likely to create Singapore’s 18th reservoir.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Like the gate at <b><a href="https://www.pub.gov.sg/public/places-of-interest/marina-barrage" target="_blank">Marina Barrage</a></b>, the two gates at the new reservoir in East Coast will open to release excess storm water into the sea during heavy rain when the tide is low. At high tide, the pumps will be used instead to release the storm water.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Lee said the new reservoir can also be used for water activities such as canoeing and dragon-boating.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides offering flood protection and increasing Singapore’s freshwater supply, the project will help meet future development and recreation needs, said Mr Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Waterfront homes are expected to be built on the reclaimed land, along with amenities and industrial facilities. About 20km of new coastal and reservoir parks could be added, tripling the length of waterfront parks in the East Coast area, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Plans for reclamation off East Coast were first unveiled in 1991, as part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) Concept Plan. It was envisioned then that a series of reclaimed islands would provide waterfront housing and leisure opportunities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2019/08/national-day-rally-2019.html" target="_blank">2019 National Day Rally</a></b>, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/national-day-rally-2019-land-reclamation-polders-among-ways-spore-looks-to-deal-with-sea" target="_blank">reclaiming a series of islands offshore and linking them</a></b> up with barrages could protect existing low-lying areas and create a freshwater reservoir.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">URA showcased a <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/decades-old-plan-to-reclaim-island-off-east-coast-for-housing-could-be-updated-to-also-tackle-rising-sea-levels" target="_blank">possible concept for reclamation works</a></b> at its long-term plan review exhibition in 2022.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNOgZJ78y192RJJ7w9Lo1sMEA4w0Km_8gvnCW07il3jc_uVcn0cM8xDNxYnNpxeDqpvgBcB3hsVSiE71kWSUjYRUFlHEYsZ2Zro4_4eSfVwtd2hf23g5be2s8b5Rx7Ja5j1hcEGFWOy6-6lOLxDkm_vHzJW327QMXNwpTGQ0aWjpOv6wEelqi9E-2M-AAN/s2000/Singapore-Long-Island-project.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1917" data-original-width="2000" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNOgZJ78y192RJJ7w9Lo1sMEA4w0Km_8gvnCW07il3jc_uVcn0cM8xDNxYnNpxeDqpvgBcB3hsVSiE71kWSUjYRUFlHEYsZ2Zro4_4eSfVwtd2hf23g5be2s8b5Rx7Ja5j1hcEGFWOy6-6lOLxDkm_vHzJW327QMXNwpTGQ0aWjpOv6wEelqi9E-2M-AAN/w640-h614/Singapore-Long-Island-project.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/speeches/view/speech-by-minister-desmond-lee-on-long-island-announcement-and-at-east-coast-park-habitat-enhancement-event" target="_blank">In his speech</a></b> on Nov 28, Mr Desmond Lee said the Government has been studying various <b><a href="https://www.nccs.gov.sg/singapores-climate-action/coastal-protection/" target="_blank">coastal protection options</a></b>, including building a sea wall up to 3m tall that would stretch from Marina East to Tanah Merah.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The wall would be accompanied by 12 sets of tidal gates and pumping stations – one set at each of the 12 existing outlet drains along East Coast. The gates would stop seawater from flowing inland during high tide, while the pumping stations would pump storm water from the drains into the sea when the gates were closed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Lee said this option is technically feasible but not ideal for <b><a href="https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-parks-and-nature/parks-and-nature-reserves/east-coast-park" target="_blank">East Coast Park</a></b>, as large stretches of the park would have to be closed to the public when building the sea wall. When completed, it would permanently limit park users’ access to the waterfront for recreation and sports.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 12 tidal gates and pumping stations would take up a lot of space within East Coast Park – about the area of 15 football fields – resulting in the loss of existing greenery and recreational facilities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Lee noted that the public hopes to retain unimpeded access to the waterfront, as well as preserve the heritage and recreation spaces along the coast.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A more optimal solution is to integrate coastal protection measures with reclamation plans for the area, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Ensure Long Island project doesn’t harm marine life at East Coast, Southern Islands: Experts</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Shabana Begum, The Straits Times, 29 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lpbyyBg4nPoicC-m1lTJBFySDn3TczNHtmc4kWRptzhvvBXR4Fpi5l-ARFFSyA96cCT36cmFtbIro0QLSMee5UyEHVK5mdT5fcA3josctow_KO-MWdhoTsId1QkQDq89BVOhRwIpU6MLhOVz2BQB33LbfMKINY9k0Fh3lnOrtvaXmjPKIhu2YTj15Fhv/s1027/Long%20Island-East-Coast-Park-Singapore-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1027" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lpbyyBg4nPoicC-m1lTJBFySDn3TczNHtmc4kWRptzhvvBXR4Fpi5l-ARFFSyA96cCT36cmFtbIro0QLSMee5UyEHVK5mdT5fcA3josctow_KO-MWdhoTsId1QkQDq89BVOhRwIpU6MLhOVz2BQB33LbfMKINY9k0Fh3lnOrtvaXmjPKIhu2YTj15Fhv/w400-h283/Long%20Island-East-Coast-Park-Singapore-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Measures to protect sensitive marine habitats in East Coast need to happen from day one, say experts, to minimise the impact of the <b><a href="https://www.ura.gov.sg/corporate/planning/Master-Plan/Draft-Master-Plan-2025/Long-Island" target="_blank">future Long Island project</a></b> on sea life, which has made a comeback from a previous reclamation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Long Island construction not only risks disturbing turtles, corals and seagrass at East Coast Park, but may also affect the rich marine life of the Southern Islands, which are less than 10km away from the mainland, they noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From early 2024, government agencies will embark on extensive environmental and engineering studies for the future Long Island development off East Coast Park. Plans for the development include three masses of reclaimed land covering around 800ha, with a reservoir in between.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This massive project will take several decades to plan, design and build, and will be the East Coast area’s defence against sea level rise and inland flooding, while meeting future land use needs and water supply.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The westernmost tract of land will extend from Marina East, while the easternmost tract will extend from Tanah Merah.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I feel the Long Island development is relevant to Singapore’s needs, as the planning investigates multifunctional optimisation of the land and seascape changes, including protection against sea-level rise,” said Emeritus Professor Chou Loke Ming from the National University of Singapore’s Department of Biological Sciences.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Prof Chou – alongside other marine biodiversity experts including Mr Lester Tan, chairman of the Marine Conservation Group at Nature Society (Singapore) – stressed that the seaward part of the Long Island should incorporate eco-engineering and nature-based solutions, so that the future land masses can be conducive for marine creatures’ relocation or return after the reclamation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Nature-based solutions will be best to compensate for the loss of marine life from the Long Island footprint. If tidal conditions require armoured protection such as sea walls, then design it to incorporate large tidal pools, bays or lagoons that can enhance marine biodiversity.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The experts also suggested planting mangroves and building artificial coral reefs, which can serve as living breakwaters and armour against storm surges and rising sea levels.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The last major reclamation in the south-east between the 1960s and 1980s – which gave rise to Marine Parade and East Coast Park – wiped out much of the teeming intertidal habitats and marine life there. But in recent decades, nature has made a comeback along the artificial shoreline.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Corals have recolonised man-made sea walls along the coast and at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, which also has some seagrass patches nearby.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The shore between the National Service Resort and Country Club near Tanah Merah and the National Sailing Centre is known to be a nesting hot spot for critically endangered hawksbill turtles and the coastal horseshoe crab, said Mr Tan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A rock wall habitat at Marina East Drive comprising a sandy beach and an intertidal area is a refuge for nesting Malaysian plovers – a locally critically endangered bird – and migratory shorebirds, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“All these will be, unfortunately, habitats that we may lose with the Long Island construction,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Reclamation has already claimed about 60 per cent of Singapore’s original coral reefs. With habitat change from seawater to freshwater when the reservoir is built, water movement will also change.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even if biodiversity-rich sites are avoided during reclamation, seagrass and corals – home to a host of marine creatures – are very sensitive to sedimentation, noted Mr Muhammad Nasry, executive director of environment group Singapore Youth Voices for Biodiversity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Sand dumping makes the water cloudy, which limits light penetration and can significantly impact the survival of organisms that depend on photosynthesis,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As part of the five-year environmental and engineering studies, innovative and cost-effective nature-based solutions will be explored for the Long Island.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another biodiversity hot spot that could be affected is the Southern Islands – home to the largest diversity of marine life in Singapore and its remaining healthy reefs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Jani Tanzil, facility director at St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory, said sediment plumes and other pollutants spilling over from works could impact the Southern Islands, including the Republic’s only marine park – Sisters’ Islands Marine Park.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Apart from standard environmental mitigation measures such as using sediment curtains to control pollution and accounting for the changes to water movement due to construction, Dr Jani hopes that construction timelines can work around periods that are more sensitive for marine life, such as during a marine heatwave or a coral spawning season.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Coral larvae formed in the southern waters float around the entire southern coast, so any changes in hydrology may affect where the larvae can settle and colonise, said Mr Ho Xiang Tian, co-founder of environmental group LepakInSG.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The authorities have also been eyeing the southern waters to set up fish farms in the future, which, if not managed well, can also add pressure to the marine environment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Noting this, Dr Jani pointed out that there must be a whole-of-government approach in managing not just land use but the seascape as well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Long Island reclamation plan the right solution to meet Singapore’s long-term needs: Experts</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Ng Keng Gene, The Straits Times, 29 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Reclaiming land off East Coast Park for coastal protection is the right approach that will also meet the country’s other long-term needs, said experts in the wake of an announcement that public agencies will study in detail plans to build a <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/URASingapore/posts/pfbid02DZoVw1RTdHKccH24LCsYJPesMavcKkz2maqqXaGXQT6T61AY331TiCo8DuXQueiXl?__cft__[0]=AZUBX3dlMPKfzqTEr17sRHGI109g_Y571cQtndGIxxaOwBgi3pxOTcNHIKGGUhCQJbcZGWOouZU-KH6fBAwId5oLPsACrPyDGsLNGgBYfEQSoIdbguv7fNfXvQxLGae6HkQsjk7BeCJxY-Pz5rvk0ChLRhYPlb7p0hgO_OPzGinqwjTjB5Xw6UT7Bzr1NE0dsxs&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Long Island</a></b> in the coming decades.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/speeches/view/speech-by-minister-desmond-lee-on-long-island-announcement-and-at-east-coast-park-habitat-enhancement-event" target="_blank">National Development Minister Desmond Lee</a></b> said on Nov 28 that the authorities will soon begin extensive environmental and engineering studies on the reclamation plans, which are expected to yield about 800ha of land that will protect the East Coast area from sea-level rise and create space for development as well as a new reservoir.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Professor Yong Kwet Yew of the National University of Singapore’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering said the two main drivers of the project – future land needs and protection against sea-level rise – require a long-lasting solution.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It makes economic sense to address them simultaneously through reclamation, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Prof Yong, who chairs national water agency PUB’s Coastal Protection Expert Panel, warned that should nothing be done to protect the East Coast area, it would suffer beach erosion and eventually be a victim of permanent flooding due to sea-level rise, resulting in the loss of space.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said studies will need to be carried out to ensure the impact of reclamation on marine ecosystems and maritime activities is kept to a minimum.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The National Parks Board should be as involved in planning for reclamation as agencies such as the Urban Redevelopment Authority and PUB, he said, noting that there are opportunities to protect and nourish the marine ecosystem while developing the Long Island.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Professor Chu Jian, chair of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Nanyang Technological University, said the authorities should explore innovative reclamation solutions, for instance by avoiding dredging – the removal of silt and sediment from the bottom of the sea – when building sea walls.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In-depth studies could also help planners avoid reclaiming land close to where corals and seagrass are flourishing, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Prof Yong said the authorities could time reclamation works in accordance with land use and coastal defence needs over the next 15 to 25 years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Given that about 800ha of land – twice the size of Marina Bay – may be reclaimed, works will be carried out in stages, similar to past reclamation along the eastern coast.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Between 1966 and 1985, 1,525ha was reclaimed between Tanah Merah and Marina South.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The engineering challenges should be no different from previous reclamation work done in East Coast, said Prof Yong, aside from the landfill taking place in deeper waters for this project.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On developing the Long Island, Ms Iyn Ang, managing director of urban planning, landscape and interior design firm CPG Signature, said planning for infrastructure, including essential networks such as transport systems, roads, utilities and drainage systems, is crucial for any successful reclamation project.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Planners will have to balance between catering for future generations and mitigating environmental impact, she said, adding that the reclaimed land should ideally provide for new jobs and lifestyle improvements.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Christine Sun, senior vice-president of research and analytics at OrangeTee & Tie, said the reclamation project is likely to have limited impact on the housing market now. Long-term impact will depend on specific development plans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She noted that some homes that currently have sea views will instead have reservoir views in the future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That said, East Coast residents could benefit from more recreational facilities, as well as quicker commutes to work if new offices are built on the Long Island. More will also benefit from having waterfront views from their homes, Ms Sun said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Given that the reclamation project will be decades in the making, Dr Harvey Neo, professorial research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, said the Government has to sincerely engage citizens to convince them that the project is necessary and compelling.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Noting that many might not live to see its completion, he said the Government cannot assume that all will be equally enthused and committed to a future that is beyond their lifetime.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The time horizon for planning the future is probably much shorter for individuals, compared with the Government; nor are individuals and the Government necessarily aligned when it comes to the things that matter for the future,” said Dr Neo.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-Sqbi4i9HkRU8DHnOZbzLVOe23WwK5b9QzAylLitfBaf3lxSQhMDLz-Gh1gUdCuUkIOMWgRDHXiy0p3BNOfuee6EktJsSSPXmY9eBJ5xaQUJ8YyR5Y9MKtMB91eAqt0vmRKKUF7OTrYK8CTtoFrFZKL96E3p7kJlONc7c55-ZClSDy9DUS83lOGiLKIg/s1807/Long-Island-Singapore-ST-photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1489" data-original-width="1807" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-Sqbi4i9HkRU8DHnOZbzLVOe23WwK5b9QzAylLitfBaf3lxSQhMDLz-Gh1gUdCuUkIOMWgRDHXiy0p3BNOfuee6EktJsSSPXmY9eBJ5xaQUJ8YyR5Y9MKtMB91eAqt0vmRKKUF7OTrYK8CTtoFrFZKL96E3p7kJlONc7c55-ZClSDy9DUS83lOGiLKIg/s16000/Long-Island-Singapore-ST-photo.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-58573872699140223782023-11-25T12:15:00.000+08:002023-11-25T12:23:51.822+08:00Tripartism can work in Singapore because the PAP Government is pro-growth and pro-worker: PM Lee Hsien Loong<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>NTUC National Delegates’ Conference 2023 on 22 November 2023</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Jean Iau, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid084gvEd9ZKqi3pUuqM7eS8YBb1ZNiasNNdsdukt2jJUiR1J5oReMBSeXNaTo2tJx4l?__cft__[0]=AZUdMQqIgxIrPAC9qOXfx9MZmJzcz6nBaAdLj2Rxvzo_83GMgCL-W2-GSKWZHOx8xlnPSPw3JnCL5zYsXjBeLJZ5nRfSsCacFu6Sba6P0zt_wY3MgkkDpwjgv8fyknN2TAy4VccmP-yy236FpUQJVrUG&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 22 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavkQKDdD4UlnHJZQhshLHLN9fycU6rFSzHT7iQmYPLGQwVvbAjsLTZqXswKDaLLlxngl5mYx61E9RhFXhf9C8xyUALeyhhooQaVGvswZ6w_vfh2BJoB9qLb0Tyvtfk5mzGZZDoTcEzfH_JfYiCdd75Q6MsBQLS9HsuZxnayD7uQ9WfiNl_d4fd0m9LB8V/s1408/Tripartism-in-Singapore-PAP-NTUC-PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1408" data-original-width="1408" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavkQKDdD4UlnHJZQhshLHLN9fycU6rFSzHT7iQmYPLGQwVvbAjsLTZqXswKDaLLlxngl5mYx61E9RhFXhf9C8xyUALeyhhooQaVGvswZ6w_vfh2BJoB9qLb0Tyvtfk5mzGZZDoTcEzfH_JfYiCdd75Q6MsBQLS9HsuZxnayD7uQ9WfiNl_d4fd0m9LB8V/w400-h400/Tripartism-in-Singapore-PAP-NTUC-PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The pro-growth and pro-worker policies of the PAP Government are why <b><a href="https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/tripartism-in-singapore" target="_blank">tripartism</a></b> can work in Singapore, <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-at-the-NTUC-National-Delegates-Conference-2023" target="_blank">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</a></b> said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Such policies include creating good jobs while training workers to be able to do them, and making sure every Singaporean benefits from good housing and healthcare that are heavily subsidised by the state, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a result of its focus on these twin priorities of growing the economy and enabling workers to benefit fully from such growth, the Republic has created a “Singapore premium” where workers doing the same job here earn significantly more than their peers in the region.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Companies and investors are also prepared to pay more to be in Singapore to take advantage of its harmonious industrial relations and business-friendly environment, said PM Lee at the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/pfbid0aiSzTBfdU9ifF5CarqWRDUkYndP7b3AcyEQ3b1eU8z5nyrr5tTmpSQKDQshcdsTbl?__cft__[0]=AZVuXtq0gsHHnmNyGfx3Q_Yl0y8SZHIIe5-BHu8Xvd6Bu5F629ZLiAQDF5za3_IGND0mBAK0Y8hKLgNLD-8iwohKWp6_Gq2u1HN4hm8iq1jMpOELnS0Y1wOllBz18MVn6LaHqNM69waoEp0Uqt9Yj53i8xJEfNY2aHfLnemeWyMby17VT8__xL7Amawym-XYshc&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">opening</a></b> of the <b><a href="https://www.ntuc.org.sg/uportal/news/collections/ntuc-national-delegates-conference-2023" target="_blank">NTUC National Delegates’ Conference</a></b> at Orchid Country Club on Nov 22.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“They value being in a country that knows where it is heading, where everyone pulls together for the common good, everything works, and life can get better for all.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the Government leading the country in the right direction, it is thus much easier for the tripartite partners to work together to create prosperity and share the fruits of growth, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/tripartism-in-singapore/what-is-tripartism" target="_blank">Tripartism is the three-way relationship</a></b> between employers, unions and the Government that is focused on long-term interests and sustainable win-win outcomes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beyond good governance and sound national policies, the People’s Action Party (PAP) Government has also done its best to give Singaporeans good value for their tax dollars even as standards of living and aspirations go up, said PM Lee, who is the party’s secretary-general.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It has done so by running a lean and efficient public system, where government spending and taxes are kept low so that workers can enjoy the fruits of their own labour directly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Essential public services such as public transport and water are also run efficiently and cost-effectively, requiring reasonable charges for their use without putting the whole burden on taxpayers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This approach means charges have to go up from time to time as the cost of providing services rises, but the Government will give households that are most in need extra help, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking to some 1,500 union leaders, tripartite partners and other guests at the four-yearly event, PM Lee noted that founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew had, at the watershed 1969 modernisation seminar, expressed his conviction that Singapore’s future depends on it having strong unions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I am convinced that in a vastly changed world – a world that is continuing to change rapidly, this is still true,” PM Lee said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The labour movement will play a vital role in Singapore for many years to come. And I know my successor Lawrence Wong thinks so too.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Among the key outcomes of that seminar was the resolution for tripartite relations to be consensual instead of confrontational, and to develop a workers’ cooperative movement to provide essential goods and services while keeping prices low for <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NTUCSingapore/posts/pfbid0TVjinA1i6s26FiF4WFVV9jrgDmbYrLrXYp1bed7PC8d6Qza3NvRyuTnjPaqF6WYql?__cft__[0]=AZUBeiXIjLx-Y0vPf7egFgLFepN7kAmJ5y3_bC-6cqXEolgAA0RJX5EA9FT9_y7K6gZ3rzIWvYGftKItcoZrpyhtl4P_myE_IS7tVSY0X-iewIxSzB2G2oAvrIcVgn-iS_7N5iaHWv9H47zpYTTh71fBWaWLVwBqcAtZdkveksL8nej1lgzFbgi9aY6gEdeWNME&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">members</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that in the early days, PAP labour leaders such as the late Mr Devan Nair and Mr Ho See Beng formed the NTUC to rally the pro-PAP unions against the left-wing Barisan Sosialis, which organised multiple strikes and fomented mayhem to try and bring the Government down.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I recall this history for a reason. As I told the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/11/pm-lee-hsien-loong-to-hand-over.html" target="_blank">PAP convention</a></b> recently, the PAP was not born dominant and neither was the NTUC,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These baptisms of fire are why the symbiotic relationship between the PAP and NTUC is not merely an institutional arrangement, but rooted in history and forged in battle, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said that while many employers and governments elsewhere believe unions should play a smaller role in a rapidly changing world, the PAP rejects this view.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Its traditional roles of <b><a href="https://www.ntuc.org.sg/spaces/news/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-Unions-remain-vital-to-Singapores-success/" target="_blank">fighting for workers’ rights and ensuring good jobs</a></b> will still be relevant, though the labour movement also has to reinvent and reimagine itself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This includes guiding workers to keep up with a changing job market, working with the Government to provide all Singaporeans with a fair chance at success, and continuing to broaden its representation of different segments of the workforce, including gig workers and the migrant workforce, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We continue to strengthen our model of tripartism and keep it a lasting competitive advantage in an uncertain world,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“That way, we create a better future for our workers and for Singapore.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Ensuring public services are efficiently run helps keep costs down for Singapore households: PM Lee Hsien Loong</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Jean Iau, The Straits Times, 22 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Republic’s strategy for moderating the cost of living for all households is to make sure that essential public services are efficiently run and cost-effective, while ensuring the Government stays lean and efficient, said <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/pfbid0aiSzTBfdU9ifF5CarqWRDUkYndP7b3AcyEQ3b1eU8z5nyrr5tTmpSQKDQshcdsTbl?__cft__[0]=AZVuXtq0gsHHnmNyGfx3Q_Yl0y8SZHIIe5-BHu8Xvd6Bu5F629ZLiAQDF5za3_IGND0mBAK0Y8hKLgNLD-8iwohKWp6_Gq2u1HN4hm8iq1jMpOELnS0Y1wOllBz18MVn6LaHqNM69waoEp0Uqt9Yj53i8xJEfNY2aHfLnemeWyMby17VT8__xL7Amawym-XYshc&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This approach includes requiring public service providers to break even, which puts pressure on them to likewise be efficient and keep their costs down, he added at the <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-at-the-NTUC-National-Delegates-Conference-2023" target="_blank">opening of NTUC’s National Delegates’ Conference</a></b> on Nov 22.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the same time, the Government recognises that some households will need help, and it provides this in the form of cash or vouchers such as U-Save rebates, public transport vouchers and GST Vouchers. <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/11b-cost-of-living-package-up-to-200-cash-for-25m-s-poreans-200-cdc-vouchers-for-s-porean-households" target="_blank">Some households</a></b> will get <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/11-billion-cost-of-living-support.html" target="_blank">up to $9,000 of direct help in this financial year</a></b>, he noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Targeted help is the better way compared to other countries’ across-the-board subsidies for public services, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Households that benefit the most from across-the-board subsidies are those that use the most water or electricity, and they are usually not the needy ones, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Also if I subsidised it across the board, then households will have no incentive to save, to conserve, because they don’t bear the proper cost.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His remarks came amid recent fee hikes that will accentuate pocket concerns of Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">National water agency PUB announced in September that the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/singapore-water-price-to-rise-from.html" target="_blank">price of water will rise in two steps from April 2024</a></b>, to cost 50 cents more per cubic m by April 2025.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Electricity tariffs have <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/electricity-and-gas-tariffs-to-increase-in-fourth-quarter-due-to-higher-costs" target="_blank">climbed from 27.74 cents per kWh to 28.7 cents per kWh</a></b> for October to December, due to higher fuel and operating costs. Electricity prices are reviewed every quarter based on guidelines set by the Energy Market Authority.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Nov 7, Parliament <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/structural-changes-needed-to-address-cost-of-living-pressures-wp" target="_blank">debated a motion filed by the Workers’ Party</a></b> that urged the Government to relook its policies to help Singaporeans cope with rising costs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While opposition MPs contended that the country is facing “a cost-of-living crisis” and needed to undertake structural reform, the ruling party emphasised that the Government has been renewing its policies, and that it has been doing more to cushion the impact of rising prices on Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">MPs on both sides agreed that rising costs are a concern and that aid must be given to those who need it. People’s Action Party MPs voted in favour of an amended motion that acknowledged cost of living is a global concern, and which called on the Government to continue pursuing policies that lower such pressures on Singaporeans without undermining fiscal sustainability and burdening future generations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the debate, Acting Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat refuted Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai’s charge that the Government’s model for public services is profit-seeking, citing how the Government greatly subsidises public transport operations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Nov 22, PM Lee said people sometimes argue that since such things are public services, they should not aim to earn a profit at all. But that would be the wrong approach, as public transport and utility providers would then have no pressure to run efficiently, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Just because a company is not making a profit does not mean it is giving you a cheap and good service. It may mean that it is running inefficiently, that you do not know that you are paying more, but it is not delivering value to you. You are just paying more and getting less.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said: “It is better to let these service providers earn a reasonable profit, so that they have the resources to reinvest and improve services, and also the incentive to do this. Because if they work harder, if they do better, they earn a little bit more.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore’s approach has worked well. Its public transport system is of a high standard while fares are among the lowest in the developed world. Utilities are reliable and affordable, and so is quality healthcare, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But this way means that fees have to go up from time to time when the cost of providing services rises.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the authorities will always strive to trim costs further and operate more efficiently, and not simply pass on higher expenses to consumers, price increases that are unavoidable should not be pushed to the future, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But we will also, if necessary, be more generous with the targeted support to households,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This was done with public transport fares, with the Government absorbing two-thirds of what the increase should be. This will cost public coffers $300 million for 2023.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is also why the <b><a href="https://www.gov.sg/features/cost-of-living" target="_blank">Assurance Package</a></b> was <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/about-29-million-adult-singaporeans-to-receive-assurance-package-cash-payments-in-december" target="_blank">enhanced several times in 2023</a></b> to provide households with more Community Development Council vouchers, Cost of Living Special Payments and additional U-Save vouchers, he noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said this approach has worked. While in previous downturns, more residents had turned up at Meet-the-People Sessions seeking help with utility bills, the number of such appeals has dropped.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Noting that all the Government’s programmes are ultimately paid for by taxpayers, PM Lee said it has kept this burden as low as possible, and much lower than in most developed countries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For instance, while Singapore’s government revenue from taxes and fees makes up about 15 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), Italy spends this proportion of GDP on state pensions alone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the Republic’s goods and services tax (GST) rate will rise to 9 per cent next year, Italy’s equivalent value-added tax rate is 22 per cent, while it is 25 per cent in Sweden and Denmark.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This approach of keeping government spending and taxes low means that workers enjoy the fruits of their labour and have more autonomy to decide how to spend their income, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We are keeping our public services financially sustainable and of a high standard in the long term, while in the short term giving households extra help according to their needs and sharing the burden fairly with everybody,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This is how the PAP Government keeps faith with workers. We do right by them, through good times and bad. And we will always do that.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">NTUC to push for more PMEs as members, bring unions closer as it lays out plans for next 4 years</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Tay Hong Yi, The Straits Times, 22 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8U6PFjD3eQh80VhyrIvC8FgAoNYWGhW3Qekp-pC4w4N-_U5X89pswRFHC1X0WQ2SPHz6VxGVLWZd8IzqI1RkF80npJlrVxGCFZ8wW29WPJtUBn5iOPMTU0SQHFBm7j6ZDUJAWFUDxJU1OTI8HkRdRyveoJ0XFaN4Xz9wOZVOSO8IQwdGkGA6Fx8IaV3l/s1024/Singapore-Labour-Union-chief-Ng-Chee-Meng-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="1024" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8U6PFjD3eQh80VhyrIvC8FgAoNYWGhW3Qekp-pC4w4N-_U5X89pswRFHC1X0WQ2SPHz6VxGVLWZd8IzqI1RkF80npJlrVxGCFZ8wW29WPJtUBn5iOPMTU0SQHFBm7j6ZDUJAWFUDxJU1OTI8HkRdRyveoJ0XFaN4Xz9wOZVOSO8IQwdGkGA6Fx8IaV3l/w400-h286/Singapore-Labour-Union-chief-Ng-Chee-Meng-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The labour movement will push to represent more professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) and groom them for union leadership alongside rank-and-file workers, as it responds to changes in the make-up of Singapore’s workforce.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It will also get unions in the same industry to work closer together in clusters in the next four years as it moves to advocate wage, welfare and job prospects of more members innovatively, said labour chief <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NgCheeMengforSG/posts/pfbid021W6F8LdvN8XSzXT38orxgbCsmt7vjFWNvRcChhzsP3NzpihaQ9xWiF9qeVqbe2DGl?__cft__[0]=AZVP1npk9TXwHBrPJsko9OMtFkMyU1S5goJjpeIHxgeuspxLLo2STaHnztENi7_Zp_Aa9VfXTfZ74hn_hlvaQpyotwm8h0MtGJDXNps0QRqll2iGT68oS0t-bNlWxSYTXBer4ZAbwJ-5p4-PoYGVPBpVh6KsGvOQgYXzscFYFugxZ-6ynWjP8BT5poZhG_HVN4A&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Ng Chee Meng</a></b> on Nov 22.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These changes are needed so unions stay relevant, as the share of PMEs plus technicians that make up Singapore’s workforce has already grown to 60 per cent, said Mr Ng, while presenting his <b><a href="https://www.ntuc.org.sg/uportal/news/Ng-Chee-Meng-NTUC-on-track-to-reach-1-and-a-half-million-members-by-2030/" target="_blank">report of NTUC’s work in the last four years</a></b> at the National Delegates’ Conference. This is up from 30 per cent in the early 1990s.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NTUCSingapore/posts/pfbid02NUN3zDUqn8uP65kaiqZNYmJhKwEKosmCmzTgJJfT7BVphxchh6XF41nPiiZDJazfl?__cft__[0]=AZXaMyld5PSljiM3fmxa0rwfPHO3Wi-hJYH15kfjFS6ouWRBQJTELKxGGcPPdOG4HqgjmCBxELJk03L2QE5Q69EdUgNYn7_7ewMQi1RASL3EBMd_slOy5ybthfZxFSVS6Ngv4QwoAMEskcaI6TNqi4r_y-ur15-e8mLdTiUhwBmNtKZpsj4672nm4yjiVSY9La4&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">National Trades Union Congress</a></b> (NTUC) <b><a href="https://www.ntuc.org.sg/uportal/news/Delegates-elect-a-new-NTUC-Central-Committee-to-steer-the-Labour-Movement-forward/" target="_blank">elects a new central committee</a></b> and charts out the direction the committee will take in its four-year term during the quadrennial conference. The 2023 conference is under way from Nov 22 to Nov 23 at Orchid Country Club.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Ng said: “Our traditional union turf boundaries have served the labour movement well, with clear delineation of union boundaries so that we can operate in the allocated spaces.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, these boundaries also “silo our efforts to serve workers” and prevent innovations that could allow the labour movement to “create value, (increase) our relevance and capture value”, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added that working as industry clusters could allow unions to form broader networks, share resources and “hunt together as a pack” to bring in new members beyond the current reach of individual unions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also said clusters could partner with employers and the Government to explore unified training programmes and broader collective agreements.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To cement a culture of innovation, he said NTUC will set up an Innovation Lab that will survey ideas from elsewhere globally to apply to NTUC’s context. This includes partnerships with academia, the Government, employers and expert agencies such as the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, among others, to think of and test potential solutions to both immediate and longer-term problems.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This will be an important capability that, if developed well, can not only allow NTUC to respond to challenges, but, importantly, proactively anticipate and seize new opportunities that will positively impact our workers,” said Mr Ng.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He then spoke on leadership renewal, which he deemed NTUC’s most important task from 2023 to 2027. He said leaders in the movement are ageing, while fewer younger members are stepping forward for leadership roles.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To counter this and appoint the right blend of younger leaders with dynamism and fresh ideas alongside veteran leaders with experience and practical wisdom, the labour movement will have to redouble its efforts to recruit, develop and groom leaders, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Moreover, leaders need to be equipped with knowledge beyond the traditional scope of industrial relations and collective bargaining to encompass other areas such as personal data protection, workplace safety and health, and workplace fairness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Ng also provided other updates in his presentation, including on the labour movement’s membership growth.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that NTUC’s membership is expected to reach 1.27 million by the end of 2023, marking a 30 per cent growth since the previous conference in 2019, and putting it in good stead to reach the 2030 goal of 1.5 million members the labour movement has set for itself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also said a total of 120 business transformation projects from 94 companies have been approved to receive the Company Training Committee Grant in its first year of implementation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Companies can apply to NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute for the grant to cover up to 70 per cent of qualifying cost of projects to raise productivity, redesign jobs and upskill workers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Ng previously said on Nov 16, ahead of the conference, that 84 grant recipients pledged additional pay rises, averaging 5.2 per cent for almost 1,500 workers, on top of the workers’ annual increment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The $100 million scheme was launched in August 2022.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Ng also thanked the outgoing central committee for its work, including NTUC president Mary Liew and vice-president Ong Hwee Liang, who will step down from their roles.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-76177076844644385572023-11-23T09:52:00.004+08:002023-11-25T12:57:36.342+08:00ComLink+: New financial incentives to spur low-income families to work towards improving their lives<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>Low-income families with young children to get up to $30,000 in total payouts under ComLink scheme</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Theresa Tan, Senior Social Affairs Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02LRsQmrKApMojfkvGBsyAYjQnV1kuQzHAReXPtDZna55ShgXGCXyivDfJQtvEsCwDl?__cft__[0]=AZW0lfb3RQFC129P5gByC2HrRUTBL-PHsr__-Gc4KgH2KMkq1oWrvlgB8954EGcWct8sH_IXA2p98JUaPj2CR3PPqLGuqogl-Yf5aeS_E8-BUAJCGmoQeC-db76fSAMw2zBCJbE0gMiOvzHoCVbeOCre&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 20 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmDNS22ndyQCSjVeMtbhfbg3D6LE1tQZYTWrs75gVYbSwMdjwABfJUyIHJcfmHIKgawM4MPSPYkWZ_hDNo2TIq9eBYgAebJkZFKJU-1y-O0UHamvfTPHVDKMXkvwtg90PFggp4d0AKFcU0s1Ev80NRXYCHPbZWn0__qkuGoshSBw1TyoUgFrJJ0Orf1eR/s1620/ComLink-scheme-help-low-income-families-Singapore-government-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="982" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmDNS22ndyQCSjVeMtbhfbg3D6LE1tQZYTWrs75gVYbSwMdjwABfJUyIHJcfmHIKgawM4MPSPYkWZ_hDNo2TIq9eBYgAebJkZFKJU-1y-O0UHamvfTPHVDKMXkvwtg90PFggp4d0AKFcU0s1Ev80NRXYCHPbZWn0__qkuGoshSBw1TyoUgFrJJ0Orf1eR/w388-h640/ComLink-scheme-help-low-income-families-Singapore-government-ST-photo.jpg" width="388" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Low-income families will be given financial incentives and other support if they work towards improving their lives, in a national push to give them a leg-up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Families with children living in highly subsidised Housing Board rental flats who qualify can get up to $30,000 in total payouts if they meet certain employment criteria and make voluntary Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions to save up to buy their own homes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/masagos/posts/pfbid02XyKyNCqditXt8z9yWE93m7bDahxeLN6PpjtSBS41jzbcxAT2ETVy6vcY4Nre7dC5l?__cft__[0]=AZUPbKeAysy5rRJiu8nqZcP2li3RwizxEAuyw0vaWjRMG3E6xrn5bjnX428ddT5fJcvu4Ry02St5YZGApXh1wV9zKZw6eTNFz2zBAZQa97Qv1zWuuSNEPGKxWvio0SBvNYcbW_KU3LsSsbph6zQfIibfvAmLhr_NR5EybdQq2atm45owpmiwODU_H8l6OBEpNq4&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli</a></b> announced details of the new ComLink+ scheme on Nov 20. It consists of <b><a href="https://www.msf.gov.sg/media-room/article/new-packages-to-better-support-comlink-families-that-do-their-part-to-progress-in-life" target="_blank">four support packages in areas like pre-school education, employment and home ownership</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">About 14,000 families on the <b><a href="https://www.msf.gov.sg/what-we-do/volunteer/find-causes/comlink" target="_blank">Community Link (ComLink)</a></b> scheme are eligible for these new areas of support, which will be rolled out from the second half of 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The measures are aimed at motivating families to send their children to pre-school by the age of three, find a stable job that pays CPF, and save up to buy their own homes. For example, beneficiaries can get between $450 and $550 every three months in a mix of cash and CPF payouts if they find a CPF-paying job with a salary of at least $1,400 a month.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One package helps families to clear their debt, such as for utility and housing arrears. This debt clearance package will match dollar for dollar up to $2,500 in sums repaid by the family, so the total debt cleared would be up to $5,000.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">ComLink+ is a key plank of the national drive to <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/low-income-families-will-be-empowered-to-uplift-their-lives-forward-sg-report" target="_blank">reduce income inequality and boost social mobility</a></b> under the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/10/forward-sg-report-unveils-social.html" target="_blank">Forward Singapore</a></b> report, which was <b><a href="https://www.forwardsingapore.gov.sg/" target="_blank">launched</a></b> on Oct 27.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking at the Year of Celebrating Social Service Partners appreciation event on Nov 20, Mr Masagos said: “We want Singapore to continue to be a place where social mobility is kept alive for all, especially low-income families who may face unique challenges.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Many Singaporeans share this vision and agree that more support for low-income families is needed. At the same time, they think this needs to be done in a manner that does not erode self-reliance and agency.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ud_EP0uiCls?si=uoMeVsb5Kg1dVG4Q" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Masagos described the ComLink+ scheme as a key shift beyond providing just basic, short-term social assistance. The additional financial support will help ease the financial pressures on the families and help them achieve their longer-term goals faster, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said: “<b><a href="https://www.msf.gov.sg/media-room/article/speech-by-minister-for-social-and-family-development-mr-masagos-zulkifli-at-ycpartners-appreciation-event-at-park-royal-pickering-hotel-20-nov-2023" target="_blank">Rather than quick fixes, we want to enable families to build resilience and secure sustained stability and self-reliance, and ultimately social mobility</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It may take a generation or more, but we know that by reinforcing families’ ability to provide their children with a good start in life today, we give them a better chance of a brighter tomorrow.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The latest scheme builds on the existing ComLink programme that started in 2019, where <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/low-income-families-applying-for-public-rental-flat-to-get-automatic-comlink-support" target="_blank">low-income families with children living in HDB rental flats</a></b> are given coordinated and comprehensive support ranging from job assistance to children’s development.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ComLink+ support measures will be trialled for three years to assess their effectiveness before any potential scale-up, the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MSFSingapore/posts/pfbid02gfsuvXiQnpA83WuLfarbp5fQjXWXfRgctyWFmZ2hub1XgQP6qsRmzzUuCbDbzkHXl?__cft__[0]=AZVC4c8FLRv4YI3oPd3maDZ7oXus3ZKkBDpDuBxbpeGsfDB4fgcNM7sRDzF5qSowULCFfyH_4JiHZCy4Ob631waZJEsJ6csl57OIHMbLdbjUpWFrIdz9GJjKOhBvj7TLx9Q-9Rt640feI1iY7YGaV7pf&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)</a></b> said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Areas of support under four packages</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">1. Pre-school education</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGbs47_8DtNd0L462bo5M_Frhwp18yVODDRUllymYzAyMTx4mlMVjUHJboqU6C-ZtAfpJ4_wmmrhLhovkIm-OrqglqjWTPJWpTjHP7tB_e3ISnu6IvThm6MDLExk2WZeI4UGQalxHGu7jP5jbVcoX3xufo3AsXj4xT0e8CXyxdz_DeZiD-_Iad58OhyphenhyphenMq/s2048/ComLink+scheme-preschool-help-low-income-families-Singapore-government.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGbs47_8DtNd0L462bo5M_Frhwp18yVODDRUllymYzAyMTx4mlMVjUHJboqU6C-ZtAfpJ4_wmmrhLhovkIm-OrqglqjWTPJWpTjHP7tB_e3ISnu6IvThm6MDLExk2WZeI4UGQalxHGu7jP5jbVcoX3xufo3AsXj4xT0e8CXyxdz_DeZiD-_Iad58OhyphenhyphenMq/w320-h320/ComLink+scheme-preschool-help-low-income-families-Singapore-government.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Each child enrolled in pre-school will get a one-time $500 top-up to the Child Development Account (CDA), which is a special savings account for the child that can be used to pay pre-school and healthcare fees, when they turn three.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those between the ages of three and six will get a $200 top-up to their CDA every three months if they attend pre-school regularly. Regular attendance is defined as when the child is in pre-school at least 75 per cent of the time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Local research has shown that children who attend pre-school from the age of three are less likely to require additional learning support in primary school.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, the pre-school enrolment and attendance rate of children from lower-income families are lower than the national average, especially at the age of three and four. For example, 88 per cent of children aged three to four nationwide were enrolled in pre-school, compared with 78 per cent for those in lower-income families in 2021, the MSF told The Straits Times.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This package is funded by a corporate donor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">2. Stable employment</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPiOBx4cGJyCEstE1-9WJeEWT11IeqLQr9-qto9RwSgaOMeKvIgzQ-Abm9tzi9e0Yupds1qnkz6QFD4SXy6Lwg1iQsg7lI2CCsSmaEFIHRPqEDpibSabz8Mmo0Zv1gMvr8Ho0kafxIm9WLwYH2C8xWfMwsxIY9yhmegwGrkYsk8eib6IhzJvkUzAsoOto/s2048/ComLink+scheme-employment-help-low-income-families-Singapore-government.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPiOBx4cGJyCEstE1-9WJeEWT11IeqLQr9-qto9RwSgaOMeKvIgzQ-Abm9tzi9e0Yupds1qnkz6QFD4SXy6Lwg1iQsg7lI2CCsSmaEFIHRPqEDpibSabz8Mmo0Zv1gMvr8Ho0kafxIm9WLwYH2C8xWfMwsxIY9yhmegwGrkYsk8eib6IhzJvkUzAsoOto/w320-h320/ComLink+scheme-employment-help-low-income-families-Singapore-government.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beneficiaries will be given financial incentives if they find a job that pays CPF contributions with a gross salary of at least $1,400 a month. Each adult with a job that meets these criteria will get financial top-ups of between $450 and $550 in a combination of cash and CPF payouts for every quarter that he or she is employed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If two adults in the same household qualify, they will each get an extra $50 every three months. A maximum of two adults per family can benefit from this employment package geared towards encouraging families to find a stable job.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pa-26M0DlKc?si=_OiWzHgHk_blWUdk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">3. Debt clearance</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbliqSBLj2iAk38zWy-KhrpDzRkK7jZkjJAjlX21_vpmNNminOdm9SystRA8ThWBrqR18pckyRrEdhx1zXpzsi3YXC4N6lcr5W6Ox0VDfy1iG75vRpKA58c_322S0kvVLQfuhX6A0Yywwu0S_2liHo8Kub5gA_4AFWufHQ7486HCTxNYGyHlugSZkJV39/s2048/ComLink+scheme-repay-debts-help-low-income-families-Singapore-government.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbliqSBLj2iAk38zWy-KhrpDzRkK7jZkjJAjlX21_vpmNNminOdm9SystRA8ThWBrqR18pckyRrEdhx1zXpzsi3YXC4N6lcr5W6Ox0VDfy1iG75vRpKA58c_322S0kvVLQfuhX6A0Yywwu0S_2liHo8Kub5gA_4AFWufHQ7486HCTxNYGyHlugSZkJV39/s320/ComLink+scheme-repay-debts-help-low-income-families-Singapore-government.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To help families clear their debt, this package will match dollar for dollar, up to $2,500, the amount the family repays for what the MSF calls verifiable debt. This refers to debt owed to licensed companies, such as utilities and housing arrears, that can be verified and for which repayments can be tracked. Debts to unlicensed moneylenders and sums owed to family and friends are not covered.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Families can benefit from this debt clearance package only once. To qualify, they must not be receiving financial aid from the Government’s ComCare scheme.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An MSF spokesman said: “With less disposable income and savings, lower-income families are more susceptible to falling into debt or arrears, especially if they encounter unexpected setbacks or have inherited debt.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Even a relatively small debt can severely impact lower-income families financially, psychologically and emotionally, affecting their ability to resolve their debts and work towards long-term goals.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This package is funded entirely by donors, including Singapore Pools.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">4. Saving for home ownership</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKneODW1Dv1NYo8eS0wKtV10LRU2RWD2IqKVEzk_n0TBkd9XZE64rpLwQWnyGjM9ei_swXT8uQPZ_OQ_sU3EpT876URcQvAy18RgPv7-Cpw-VlmR0tuL1DpO8J960S-FVIG9K9Zmupew6KYwUU5f6nkq5Rga_PHLJB4sZ2mRabHwc7PswwcPZU9Pba5dK-/s2048/ComLink+scheme-buy-HDB-flat-low-income-families-Singapore-government.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKneODW1Dv1NYo8eS0wKtV10LRU2RWD2IqKVEzk_n0TBkd9XZE64rpLwQWnyGjM9ei_swXT8uQPZ_OQ_sU3EpT876URcQvAy18RgPv7-Cpw-VlmR0tuL1DpO8J960S-FVIG9K9Zmupew6KYwUU5f6nkq5Rga_PHLJB4sZ2mRabHwc7PswwcPZU9Pba5dK-/s320/ComLink+scheme-buy-HDB-flat-low-income-families-Singapore-government.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To help families save up to buy their own flats, for every dollar that the family voluntarily contributes to the CPF Ordinary Account, the Government will top up $2. A family can receive only up to $30,000 in total payouts across this package and the employment package. This package is funded by the Government and DBS Bank, an anchor partner for ComLink+.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Masagos said over 170 partners, which includes DBS, OCBC, UOL’s Pan Pacific Hotels Group, are providing support to ComLink families in various ways.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The financial top-ups will be given for as long as the family remains eligible for the particular package or until the family reaches the payout limit specified for each package, whichever is earlier.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These four areas of support in the packages were designed based on the key needs and aspirations families on ComLink had shared, the MSF said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Masagos said ComLink officers will be trained to act as family coaches to motivate and support families in working towards their goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said: “When families feel understood and supported, they are more likely to actively participate in the decision-making process and take steps towards their goals. With support from family coaches to meet their immediate needs and stabilise their situations, families tell us they feel more optimistic about their future.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Christian Chao, chief executive of Care Corner Singapore, a social service agency, said many low-income families take up jobs in the gig economy, such as delivery drivers, as it gives them flexibility and pays them immediately. This is unlike full-time jobs, which pay once a month.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Beneficiaries often don’t have savings, so being paid immediately helps them to bring money home to the family. They are not able to think about the benefits of long-term employment when they are thinking about money for the next meal.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said the financial top-ups given for every quarter of employment would offer a stronger incentive for these families to find a job that pays CPF. However, it may not benefit those who need the flexibility offered by gig jobs due to caregiving and other responsibilities at home, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Additional reporting by Syarafana Shafeeq</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Family of 5 hopes to one day move out of rental flat and buy own home</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Syarafana Shafeeq, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid0BK5Lhknb5m57jJeHGbY25zmU7oYpAJqeZ7CrQ5fpn7wY3CrrXVfK3nSjqxqnB2fxl?__cft__[0]=AZWjcoTQzvfiqST3O3M75k0Clk9mZTu3FL6lQHKEwC8EzY5JGkMvnSAcz9SN8gDHtguSgsnUaK4EWiO-BV1mrBYWvyJTCwQYUCYD3guU264hJZCWLj-zrg5u9FabcvV_w83q3StR1CViJxtQYPp8aNdP&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 20 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Kuah Chee Hian, 59, has lived in a rental flat in Jalan Kayu with his wife and three daughters, aged between four and six, for the past four years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His family is one of many that may benefit from new support schemes, featuring financial incentives across four areas – employment, pre-school education, buying their own homes and clearing debt – unveiled on Nov 20.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Announced by Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli, the schemes aim to give lower-income families with children living in HDB rental flats a boost to improve their lives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Kuah’s wife, Madam Purnawati, 37, said their current two-room flat is not enough for their family of five.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I want to give my kids a better living environment to grow up in. Right now, our rental flat is too small for all of us,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Under the new support packages announced by the Ministry of Social and Family Development, families under the Community Link (ComLink) programme will get a boost to their Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings if they make voluntary contributions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For every $1 of voluntary top-up to the CPF made by the family, a $2 top-up will be made via the new ComLink+ package, up to a limit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This will help families to save up more quickly for their flat purchase and give them a better chance of fulfilling this aspiration, the ministry said on Nov 20.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madam Purnawati, a permanent resident who came to Singapore 10 years ago from Indonesia, is currently not working. She hopes to find a stable job in a canteen or restaurant once she secures student care for her daughters, who are in pre-school.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This will help bring them closer to their goal of buying an HDB flat, she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Currently, Mr Kuah, who earns about $1,430 each month as an enforcement officer with Certis Cisco, is the sole breadwinner.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madam Purnawati said: “I want to find a job (to) help my family, so that we can be stable. Once I start getting CPF contributions, it will be easier for us to have our own home instead of renting.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If she manages to do so, she may benefit from support from another support package under ComLink+.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Adults in ComLink families that secure and stay in CPF-paying jobs that pay at least $1,400 monthly will receive financial top-ups of between $450 and $550 in cash and CPF payouts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The top-ups apply for every quarter of sustained employment, up to a limit. Higher top-ups will be given when two adults in the household work.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madam Purnawati said: “Our financial situation is quite heavy now since only my husband works, and he is still settling some housing debt from his previous marriage. Raising three young kids is also not cheap.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even a relatively small debt can severely impact lower-income families financially, psychologically and emotionally, affecting their ability to resolve their debts and work towards long-term goals, said the ministry.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A package under ComLink+, which is fully donor-funded, will match families’ repayments to their creditors on a one-to-one basis, for repayment of debts of up to $5,000.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Families can benefit from this repayment only once, and must not be receiving any ComCare assistance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madam Purnawati said: “My hope for the future is that I can give my kids a better life, and we can live in a home we can call our own.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Giving low-income families and their kids a fighting chance to escape the poverty trap</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Theresa Tan, Senior Social Affairs Correspondent, The Straits Times, 23 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-82wtKAh-A6icWzQM8tH40o09e1YSFiQF4ykOwixqztKsI874xdgDKXFZlByh87H_iQt-Bq6PbEEx4CY7qUV-ERXsWSbgX0BgJakBtUz88N_7y2LU30S6DbbC3C0G2LIdJAlsdPsht8ZZA9uDBaNsSVIuLtYCdtWOKhxmjltyDlL3fE3tteQytQBJn6Ps/s2048/ComLink-scheme-social-assistance-helping-families-Singapore.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-82wtKAh-A6icWzQM8tH40o09e1YSFiQF4ykOwixqztKsI874xdgDKXFZlByh87H_iQt-Bq6PbEEx4CY7qUV-ERXsWSbgX0BgJakBtUz88N_7y2LU30S6DbbC3C0G2LIdJAlsdPsht8ZZA9uDBaNsSVIuLtYCdtWOKhxmjltyDlL3fE3tteQytQBJn6Ps/w400-h400/ComLink-scheme-social-assistance-helping-families-Singapore.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Imagine this: You are a divorcee with two or three children working in a job that pays a thousand plus dollars a month, and all you have in the bank are a few hundred dollars. Chances are you will be in survival mode.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Topmost on your mind will be putting food on the table, paying the bills and just getting by.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Goals such as owning a flat and finding a job with better prospects – which are norms for middle-class families – may not even cross the minds of people in such situations, said Ms Kelly Low, head of Care Corner Family Service Centre (Tampines).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These goals may also seem out of reach for many low-income families with multiple complex problems, such as illness, unemployment, marital woes, strained family ties and incarceration, say social workers who work with families on the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MSFSingapore/posts/pfbid02gViudPSfyMFutmNvuVxy2oyCt6WVAjYS1CWxQtggfRXWMCvrA4A5J361CUVksmool?__cft__[0]=AZXiHUxnpEavkJQTvSi9WAP7ZNlvLCZMzrwGM9sb2n2gNwV0HF1t9kB4A94wLrN9axIbY8aWQ-HDjaQMgXoCoiQnduZ2OPJXNrf7FYi3Y8pEIfHHmqdsTAyvua_O83J5c48q81YrEUbaaYmo-FUt7fiKP9LYxXOgxVRtBDEzisJI0ZtYyERNVbJ5biHn75Kc0mA&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Community Link (ComLink)</a></b> scheme.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">ComLink was started in 2019 to give low-income families with children living in highly subsidised Housing Board rental flats coordinated and comprehensive support ranging from job assistance to children’s development.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-financial-incentives-to-spur-low-income-families-to-work-towards-improving-their-lives" target="_blank">On Nov 20, the new ComLink+ scheme</a></b>, a key plank of the national push to boost social mobility under the Forward Singapore exercise, was unveiled.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government is giving financial incentives and other support to <b><a href="https://www.msf.gov.sg/what-we-do/volunteer/find-causes/comlink" target="_blank">ComLink</a></b> families if they take steps to improve their lives. The support comes in four areas aimed at motivating families to send their children to pre-school by the age of three, get a stable job that pays Central Provident Fund (CPF), and save up to buy their own homes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For example, each child enrolled in pre-school will get a one-time $500 top-up to the Child Development Account (CDA) when he or she turns three.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And those between the ages of three and six will get a $200 top-up to their CDA every three months if they attend pre-school regularly. The CDA is a special savings account for children that can be used to pay pre-school and healthcare fees.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is to encourage more low-income families to send their children to pre-school by the age of three, to reduce the risk of their development lagging behind that of their peers when they enter Primary 1. And to help families save up to buy their own flats, for every dollar that the family voluntarily contributes to the CPF Ordinary Account, the Government will top up $2.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In other words, the ComLink+ scheme aims to give these families and their children a fighting chance to escape the poverty trap.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Key push to boost social mobility</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With early signs that social stratification is becoming more entrenched, the Government wants to ensure that no family here gets trapped in a permanent underclass, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said when he <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-financial-incentives-to-spur-low-income-families-to-work-towards-improving-their-lives" target="_blank">first sketched the broad outlines of ComLink+ in October</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli described the ComLink+ scheme as a key shift beyond providing just basic, short-term social assistance to low-income families.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The additional financial support will help ease these families’ financial pressures and help them achieve their longer-term goals faster, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said on Nov 20: “Rather than quick fixes, we want to enable families to build resilience and secure sustained stability and self-reliance, and ultimately social mobility.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It may take a generation or more, but we know that by reinforcing families’ ability to provide their children with a good start in life today, we give them a better chance of a brighter tomorrow.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">About 14,000 families on the ComLink scheme are eligible for ComLink+, which will be rolled out from the second half of 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When asked about the average income of families on the ComLink scheme, a spokesman for the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said the families have to meet all public rental housing criteria. Aside from household income, which was not stated, other factors will also be taken into consideration. These include the families’ circumstances, household size, family support and their ability to afford other housing options.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Social workers say most of the families they work with on the ComLink scheme have a household income of less than $2,000 a month. They are among the poorest families in Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Family coaches play critical role</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Social workers say many low-income families take up jobs in the gig economy such as delivery drivers, instead of full-time jobs, as these give them the flexibility they need for various reasons, such as caregiving. And they get paid immediately, instead of monthly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Francis Foo, group director of family services at Methodist Welfare Services, said: “Many low-income families live from hand to mouth, making immediate cash of paramount importance to them.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Under ComLink+, beneficiaries can get between $450 and $550 every three months in a mix of cash and CPF payouts if they find a CPF-paying job with a salary of at least $1,400 a month.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is where the scheme’s family coaches come in, with social workers noting that such coaches will play a critical role in ensuring the new scheme’s effectiveness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Low said: “Without these family coaches to spark change, many of these families would be stuck in their day-to-day survival mode. They would find it hard to work towards their goals.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If the coach’s stance is one of supporting the families through challenges, that stance alleviates anxiety and spurs hope, thus enabling the families to progress step by step,” added Associate Professor Irene Ng, of the Social Work department at the National University of Singapore (NUS). “If the coach’s stance is one of monitoring compliance to conditions (of the scheme), that adds mental burdens and anxiety, which can discourage progress instead.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Relieving the debt burden</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One unique component of the ComLink+ scheme is the debt clearance package. This package helps to clear sums owed to licensed companies, such as utilities and housing arrears, which can be verified and for which repayments can be tracked.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This package will match dollar for dollar, up to $2,500, the amount the family repays. Families can benefit from this scheme only once, and it does not cover debts to family, friends or loan sharks.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At least two other social service agencies have similar debt clearance programmes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For example, the MWS runs a programme that matches every dollar of debt repaid by a beneficiary with $2 and this is capped at a certain sum.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Social workers interviewed say some low-income families do not earn enough to make ends meet, and thus accumulate debt in housing, utilities and other bills. Their situation becomes more dire if they experience an illness or other crises.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Such chronic debt creates severe anxiety and affects a person’s ability to think clearly and make good decisions, as one local study, done by Dr Ong Qiyan, Associate Professor Irene Ng and Associate Professor Walter Theseira, has found.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Prof Theseira, an associate professor of economics at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, said helping these families clear their debt gives them a clearer frame of mind, which enables them to better work towards achieving their long-term goals. But the scheme must also help these families take steps to boost their longer-term earnings, he said, or they may end up in debt again.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">No free lunch in Singapore</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the new ComLink+ scheme is a major shift in the Government’s approach to giving low-income families a leg-up, Singapore is not turning into a welfare state, said the academics interviewed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Mathew Mathews, a principal research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, pointed out that ComLink+ still emphasises a set of conditions, where beneficiaries are rewarded for certain positive decisions that they make.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is unlike some welfare models overseas, which provide payments as long as beneficiaries meet certain requirements. The criteria include earning less than a certain income, having a disability or being a caregiver, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Low said: “There is no free lunch in Singapore. The aid given is tied to goals and conditions. The focus is still on taking steps to help oneself.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And many financial incentives under the ComLink+ scheme are in the form of top-ups to CPF and CDA, instead of cash handouts, noted the academics and social workers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ComLink+ support measures will be trialled for three years to assess their effectiveness before any potential scale-up, the MSF said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And if it takes off, it is my hope that more families beyond those under the ComLink scheme can benefit from it. For there are other low-income families with children, not living in HDB rental flats, who are also facing multiple woes.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Related</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><a href="https://www.msf.gov.sg/media-room/article/new-packages-to-better-support-comlink-families-that-do-their-part-to-progress-in-life" target="_blank">New Packages to Better Support ComLink+ Families That Do Their Part to Progress in Life</a> -20 Nov 2023</span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-1105893884579078872023-11-18T12:42:00.013+08:002024-01-14T11:43:59.822+08:00Age Well SG: Singapore sets aside $800 million from FY2024 to FY2028 to help seniors age well at home, in their communities<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>Age Well Sg to Support Seniors to Age Actively and Independently In the Community</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Joyce Teo, Senior Health Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02hgjsD83EJb5SycnzL2jMdVqB3H3oH2kUQmjKadfdmDmSPLxabYsnBfpAVEs4DEosl?__cft__[0]=AZVPHoTsSMuSNxmFa-DeNazH4YOk7A9f2Hse2oeeR-RyOaXVacshXXpl5px1nqmgUVFyHruPFtmMqVaOj5WhKggSExGGUgAuZoaX8RuDdPIhe3Xp8uHA-v6tr6mEMExl55y3r9e41m-2rHc16xeUfFGf&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 16 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJclSoSUVDHda3GJi4ukYSaGIOcACSS9MsA-luuJmdhaHkHDvC5jYVvFggvsGIDElinVSfgvN9u_FgDCD_IACz56TGUz7xvYZDBuI3Sf4Do9Cl-1kgV0OHGCrTLE1asCtJZV_yIncK3K9-IwjZYGwWPNjNjP_F-O_UFed1Pe863ytdu1Q9rrWEZmOcLG7/s1029/Age-Well-SG-Singapore-spends-$800-million-to-help-seniors-age-well-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1029" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJclSoSUVDHda3GJi4ukYSaGIOcACSS9MsA-luuJmdhaHkHDvC5jYVvFggvsGIDElinVSfgvN9u_FgDCD_IACz56TGUz7xvYZDBuI3Sf4Do9Cl-1kgV0OHGCrTLE1asCtJZV_yIncK3K9-IwjZYGwWPNjNjP_F-O_UFed1Pe863ytdu1Q9rrWEZmOcLG7/w400-h297/Age-Well-SG-Singapore-spends-$800-million-to-help-seniors-age-well-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More seniors will be supported to <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SingaporeMOH/posts/pfbid0PTohLAFepNTymkhVLopBRkXVkBCscN2iDs7fS1h7XiNV4vquRk6jAsX6dJZUPGtbl?__cft__[0]=AZXsMsuXjVXTqvzckfU8juSecZZ4TFrh8cA-P1AfbVbSg-Uc9W75JkQYTXvior6FzgkHV3zR8cDO791XRu8SUQJxpPLsCnBKy8D57s3y44zoL9KjAMHaGDlf-D6RFgAV1Nu9DWx2QdGDzp0dZ41WDq88EMmhIafAzgikEB5W7H3ZBp24TRYjC2Wxnx9vl_1H0Ig&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">age well in the community</a></b> under a programme that will <b><a href="https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/age-well-sg-to-support-our-seniors-to-age-actively-and-independently-in-the-community" target="_blank">set aside $800 million over five years for active ageing centres</a></b> to expand their outreach and increase the range and quality of programmes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Announcing the increased funding and other details of a multi-ministry <b><a href="https://www.agewellsg.gov.sg/" target="_blank">Age Well SG</a></b> programme on Thursday, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ongyekung/posts/pfbid0V9jFMBfhahGtHaaDTNNEQmtRrnPAwoPirhfTjVfjVS3zfzLY4oKFgbTnERS7qMCMl?__cft__[0]=AZVDmVIGOcLspyimgCvVOybAc685yEz9EClCE61AjvfJ4h4mLXfW9qN0t5ansXrPqy8xXt9xpdhzzENt8Id3jny6leStK2svLpesR3GQaMQaFC7Y_JCNX9Qew6WV8TIZLY3geSE67T-M8mjTbkRaiijbTEGGAeseTUn_exnJtViyOPpgr5o_EmQ4mst-jBAK73g&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Health Minister Ong Ye Kung</a></b> said: “For many seniors, their <b><a href="https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/opening-remarks-by-mr-ong-ye-kung-minister-for-health-at-the-age-well-sg-press-conference-16-november-2023" target="_blank">biggest enemy is social isolation and loneliness</a></b>. That’s when your health really deteriorates. We want them to be socially connected.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was speaking at a press conference at the NTUC Health Active Ageing Centre in Lengkok Bahru, Bukit Merah, on Thursday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqa1Q-AHFX-IH-J8wQYaBIYqm1F1AhSSv7FyRXLcNur1-Xo5nhyphenhyphenDEb8cZzXmbZz_seFRGUo-5sKZZ_3sBCM9YgL2PZkMA3y-VBQMcd-SUMDA30MTddZvhkdHrO76U2q275LKKMb4fjnwVVeqdrrJHlnY5ZTk4ve_PGbaU1OhkyDo-GJxvoGqhkmJbUzlR/s127/Age-Well-SG.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="124" data-original-width="127" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqa1Q-AHFX-IH-J8wQYaBIYqm1F1AhSSv7FyRXLcNur1-Xo5nhyphenhyphenDEb8cZzXmbZz_seFRGUo-5sKZZ_3sBCM9YgL2PZkMA3y-VBQMcd-SUMDA30MTddZvhkdHrO76U2q275LKKMb4fjnwVVeqdrrJHlnY5ZTk4ve_PGbaU1OhkyDo-GJxvoGqhkmJbUzlR/s1600/Age-Well-SG.png" width="127" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There will also be improvements made to housing and streets under the <b><a href="https://www.agewellsg.gov.sg/about/" target="_blank">Age Well SG</a></b> programme, which is also spearheaded by the Ministry of National Development (MND) and Ministry of Transport.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/10/forward-sg-report-unveils-social.html" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Singapore</a> is ageing rapidly. <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapores-population-ageing-rapidly-184-of-citizens-are-65-years-and-older" target="_blank">By 2030</a></b>, it will have more than 900,000 seniors aged 65 and above, with an increasing number living alone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Ong said each active ageing centre’s annual budget hovers around $400,000 and the fund injection would lead to a budget rise of at least 50 per cent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“With greater resourcing, we also have higher expectations for agencies now,” he added. “It is not difficult to fill out an <b><a href="https://supportgowhere.life.gov.sg/services/SVC-AACAAACHASACS/active-ageing-centres-aac" target="_blank">AAC (active ageing centre)</a></b> with the same visitors every day. It is much more difficult to be able to reach out to the great majority of seniors all living around (the AAC) and able to engage them in meaningful ways.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The activities at the AACs are meant to keep seniors healthy, but they must also suit the preferences of those living in the vicinity, he said. Communal dining is one activity that allows them to make friends.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-active-ageing-centres-boost-to-retirement-schemes-for-seniors-forward-sg-report" target="_blank">Active ageing centres</a></b> will also work with community partners such as Sport Singapore or the People’s Association, and make use of all the spaces in the community, including coffee shops, pavilions and community clubs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They will need to work closely with healthcare clusters to implement health screening services in the community and integrate with the Healthier SG preventive health strategy to keep Singaporeans healthy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrPZ5YsKWk0oZtwKy7NL73L2a-qZiA1dLJdk4HFoncX9VwpJNcLsMiUFtu2a_gCRmmB4M7MhxqsVvuhhn2tI9EAQEVlMIn_-MIYQIbTkSX2LUM1AwvAqlFWVWyJ7i4nU1l5KyNYMgAP1CrozBKNL0LMQPbsG67qtCaW0SAr_iXGyFTsaxoDJvfgS9MXMC/s920/Age-Well-SG-Singapore-scheme-help-seniors-remain-active-ST-photo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="920" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrPZ5YsKWk0oZtwKy7NL73L2a-qZiA1dLJdk4HFoncX9VwpJNcLsMiUFtu2a_gCRmmB4M7MhxqsVvuhhn2tI9EAQEVlMIn_-MIYQIbTkSX2LUM1AwvAqlFWVWyJ7i4nU1l5KyNYMgAP1CrozBKNL0LMQPbsG67qtCaW0SAr_iXGyFTsaxoDJvfgS9MXMC/w640-h384/Age-Well-SG-Singapore-scheme-help-seniors-remain-active-ST-photo.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the NTUC Health Active Ageing Centre in Lengkok Bahru, for instance, there is a weekly community health post manned by nurses and a well-being coordinator from Singapore General Hospital, who can help seniors with, say, smoking cessation, counselling and advance care planning, or connect them with home care services.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Active ageing centres will be supported by <b><a href="https://www.aic.sg/about-us/be-sga-volunteer" target="_blank">Silver Generation or SG ambassadors</a></b> and new senior volunteers whom they can recruit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b><a href="https://www.aic.sg/" target="_blank">Agency for Integrated Care (AIC)</a></b> will roll out a programme to train senior volunteers to run programmes at active ageing centres or befriend seniors at risk of social isolation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Ong said the aim is to double the number of senior volunteers trained by AIC to around 4,000 by 2025, up from around 1,900 Silver Generation ambassadors at the moment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Volunteerism is a very important way for seniors to feel that they can continue to contribute to society and the people around. It will be a core function of the AACs to drive senior volunteerism,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-active-ageing-centres-boost-to-retirement-schemes-for-seniors-forward-sg-report" target="_blank">active ageing centres</a></b> are meant for seniors who are well, those with care needs can look forward to a wider range of solutions. The Ministry of Health (MOH) and AIC, with support from the Manpower Ministry, have launched applications for a sandbox scheme to <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/govt-private-sector-to-explore-having-foreign-live-in-caregivers-for-seniors-in-shared-apartments" target="_blank">explore the viability of new stay-in shared caregiving models in the private sector</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Five companies, including one that offers assisted living in houses, have been identified for the sandbox scheme, with the aim of servicing an estimated 800 seniors. The models will be reviewed within two years, and, if they work, they will be scaled up, Mr Ong said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A shared caregiving model may see a few seniors living together in the same flat. They form a new kind of family, a social circle, and can support one another, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“At the same time, within this new household of a few seniors, you can have caregivers at less than the ratio of one to one... And that way, we’ll also reduce the manpower needed to deliver the care services,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Participating companies will be eligible for work permit quotas and foreign manpower concessions to give them the flexibility of recruiting caregivers from traditional and non-traditional sources.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For seniors who may have to undergo repeated assessments at multiple care providers, MOH will introduce a single point of contact to coordinate all their care needs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This will happen progressively from the second half of 2024, and will provide the seniors and their caregivers with a more seamless care journey.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The coordinating provider will use a standardised care assessment tool to plan for a senior’s care needs, which will reduce the need for multiple assessments and unnecessary referrals by different care providers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For instance, a senior who is discharged from hospital after a fall can be referred to an active ageing centre, which will be his single point of contact.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The centre can arrange for him to receive home personal care and senior care centre services provided by a different centre.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And, from April next year, caregivers will be able to tap up to $400 in <b><a href="https://www.aic.sg/financial-assistance/caregivers-training-grant" target="_blank">Caregivers’ Training Grant</a></b> per year, double the $200 currently. They can also use their SkillsFuture Credit to pay for eligible caregiver courses.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another part of Age Well SG involves improvements to the living environment. <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/desmondtslee/posts/pfbid0oHe9xWv1UWRBRRhBESQEYJD6q28rGGFoBtu4GRPgxsbdftBPzQqwamax1t8vQTLbl?__cft__[0]=AZU83GzJVxVH9KuxRIxT-yzr6HX1I535u5jCQjjOICmazOLi7KwDdyQHLmwmZr6mphu5dPDXfHZfwajvAhOep4FlGdiMKKKAf2BKsCpSQPF6ok_72atVUs1jhjZo2Pq4TUDrid5ff2MYNrpMJGWSlJG4&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">National Development Minister Desmond Lee</a></b> said a bigger, more concerted push will be made to address seniors’ needs in the built environment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKPf9lA69rsArivAzb84T-Tt9Y3g4Yz6fHZibX3m9GcESAhxZxZzY7YeUvLkR8nb0dozOmHzlpcJBUfjFG792xPTNmjRFrQPbEaWCRmX_Td5GgHg03gd2B2pSO-fIvBYVm77XERW3ldN8WGYOOjQ_8AiH2WJ8mPQpe9Bda_kA8dArWeFvOyt7HtbkLrAen/s1023/HDB-EASE-2.0-Enhancement-for-Active-Seniors-2.0-programme-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1023" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKPf9lA69rsArivAzb84T-Tt9Y3g4Yz6fHZibX3m9GcESAhxZxZzY7YeUvLkR8nb0dozOmHzlpcJBUfjFG792xPTNmjRFrQPbEaWCRmX_Td5GgHg03gd2B2pSO-fIvBYVm77XERW3ldN8WGYOOjQ_8AiH2WJ8mPQpe9Bda_kA8dArWeFvOyt7HtbkLrAen/w400-h291/HDB-EASE-2.0-Enhancement-for-Active-Seniors-2.0-programme-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At home, seniors will get more senior-friendly features, including bigger easy-to-press switches, home fire alarm devices and foldable shower seats in their Housing Board (HDB) flats, as MND expands the<b> <a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/living-in-an-hdb-flat/for-our-seniors/ease" target="_blank">Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE)</a> </b>programme into<b> <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-wider-toilet-entrances-shower-seats-among-new-elder-friendly-features-for-hdb-flats" target="_blank">EASE 2.0</a></b>, he added at the press conference.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A wireless alert alarm system will be progressively expanded to <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/alert-button-was-a-lifeline-for-67-year-old-who-fell-in-middle-of-night" target="_blank">all seniors living in public rental housing</a></b>, many of whom lack family support.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Outside the home, senior-centric upgrading works will be progressively rolled out in more than 20 older precincts with a high density of seniors, including Ang Mo Kio and Bukit Merah.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These include enhancements such as barrier-free access ramps and amenities like fitness trails.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1honPV_93Q-Er33vR9fbwLK8cluWiofnEgLx-3sxSnKoaRpGe_g1OeBVlf0bnT9W8O22clLBhEKIjG4g8SKu0obFk9xhqaI6bhh8hs2wDbevcyTnS95-PW4Kz315fYpYLgfxkrHMU2mmf0yLVW4rajA5mBRjS_pVZ_VatBbdyKZB0dCCR9vdiLWreOAh/s1024/Singapore-Community-care-apartments-assisted-living-public-housing-for-seniors-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="1024" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1honPV_93Q-Er33vR9fbwLK8cluWiofnEgLx-3sxSnKoaRpGe_g1OeBVlf0bnT9W8O22clLBhEKIjG4g8SKu0obFk9xhqaI6bhh8hs2wDbevcyTnS95-PW4Kz315fYpYLgfxkrHMU2mmf0yLVW4rajA5mBRjS_pVZ_VatBbdyKZB0dCCR9vdiLWreOAh/w400-h290/Singapore-Community-care-apartments-assisted-living-public-housing-for-seniors-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To provide Singaporeans with more assisted-living options, MND, MOH and HDB will launch up to 30 <b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/buying-a-flat/finding-a-flat/types-of-flats/community-care-apartments" target="_blank">Community Care Apartment</a></b> projects by 2030.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These flats pair senior-friendly housing with on-site social activities and care services that can be customised according to their needs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first Community Care Apartment residents will move in next year, when their Bukit Batok flats are ready.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore’s second Community Care Apartment project, in Queensway, was launched in late 2022.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A third one in Bedok will be available in the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/200-assisted-living-flats-for-seniors-to-be-launched-in-bedok-in-2023" target="_blank">upcoming HDB Build-To-Order sales exercise in December</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By 2030, <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/initiative-to-create-pedestrian-friendly-streets-to-cover-all-24-singapore-towns-by-2030" target="_blank">all towns will have “friendly streets”</a></b>, with features such as kerbless crossings and lower speed limits as well as wider and more accessible footpaths, said <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hongtat.chee/posts/pfbid0jwnx3YcwnC2RFdhPtxu9t7WC2188CteH5R4bdfrdhpuRnBuCxSdncknsSe6VLRSNl?__cft__[0]=AZV2Xfrc4rn5FbBP_Iymb4wSWEksNVJ7NCrutYnCflCndtfuR-euNEKLuCSWBNV4BtxAKasaU9wzXIVfXyvW_gRIS1YO8gLfJHc5dVRdXz5Z_7MHfteUFCHjvprIfvRFBurrMEUQTE6bmE17FxGBpKcGIn9UQU4vmftLNqXHFyLDGdsZ3KRNTHyWo7SP5fzQPps&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Acting Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat</a></b> at the press conference.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Having <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WeKeepYourWorldMoving/posts/pfbid05orKHUaYk5C9eY6rNpWYDiDChvyjAV4u7f8uPt2dTLmN51oWrvi4GuZmnc2Cah89l?__cft__[0]=AZW4nW3HgeN8ETjyJQWiidTrXCwlPHsGqV5aiFsaqCAcql8RFnRJSBGgwH8StsBxhvWoxtJDFm3EAfQSmmkgvVrCgVBsoKYm_IfCEOfXXD6NdtxD86XKp-tjPulpADaZSf22elkRwO1p0E71LFkia0wnlzGfxtaL76dan3gOdMPBhWIALAr3l3_q8t9MxxMHyj4&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">safe roads, friendly streets and accessible facilities</a></b> will give seniors the confidence to move around, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Initiative to create pedestrian-friendly streets to cover all 24 Singapore towns by 2030</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Kok Yufeng, Transport Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid035hWqaWePsbwnnwuJ8KKKopT6NEKgU8GJUDi3JxY8Lzi1mhjZ417u6niVtEby9MY6l?__cft__[0]=AZW9KDVW_0hUyb5Q4dcpTeoS4k3LXGxo4qvLSUJTc18wpFpJ7LfcPYxByS2Skb1tKRVEkU1m4egibf4e-Jov6qdKwwjcyRZTTuLzE49U8-tuM1m3DLz7rlhafD3g3iWVAWDS0dE7IiSt2nzlkcsXEvwp&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 16 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmgBHgUocfm66zK384bv_I1Zq6DAxoZXNtLUi-zPKkalDS1No9bJ6sLE0p-VNU6-j8lysiDsY0kmzqFUtGeKOLx1sSQSjjoiHTBRx-o4BwEqTKPxNhprSvmYugt771-Nbjg8Vs3tzgFJpmKhOu8sVanAIcFs-1fDhIkaqOmBqKrNT7YPqYEE-PYVH41be/s1026/Singapore-pedestrian-friendly-streets-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="1026" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmgBHgUocfm66zK384bv_I1Zq6DAxoZXNtLUi-zPKkalDS1No9bJ6sLE0p-VNU6-j8lysiDsY0kmzqFUtGeKOLx1sSQSjjoiHTBRx-o4BwEqTKPxNhprSvmYugt771-Nbjg8Vs3tzgFJpmKhOu8sVanAIcFs-1fDhIkaqOmBqKrNT7YPqYEE-PYVH41be/w400-h288/Singapore-pedestrian-friendly-streets-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By 2030, an initiative to make some <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=embed_video&v=1623345524866723" target="_blank">neighbourhood streets safer and more conducive for pedestrians</a></b>, including seniors, will be expanded to cover all 24 towns in Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When that happens, these streets will have <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/seniors-to-get-longer-green-man-time-at-half-the-crossings-in-all-housing-estates-by-2027" target="_blank">longer green-man signals</a></b>, lower speed limits and kerb-free crossings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, more than 20 older precincts in Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, Queenstown and Toa Payoh, which have a higher concentration of elderly people, will be spruced up over the next five years to promote active ageing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Barrier-free ramps, fitness trails and therapeutic gardens are in the works. These senior-centric upgrades are expected to benefit more than 21,000 households in these precincts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fitness trails, for instance, are meant to encourage seniors to go outdoors, stay active and expand their social networks. One such fitness trail will be built in the Mei Ling precinct <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-parks-exercise-trails-part-of-queenstown-s-upcoming-makeover" target="_blank">in Queenstown as part of rejuvenation plans</a></b> announced by the Housing Board in September.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are also plans to launch <b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/buying-a-flat/finding-a-flat/types-of-flats/community-care-apartments" target="_blank">assisted-living flats</a></b> for seniors in 30 locations by 2030, if the model proves effective.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Two pilot projects have already been launched in Bukit Batok and Queenstown, and <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/200-assisted-living-flats-for-seniors-to-be-launched-in-bedok-in-2023" target="_blank">a third will be launched in Bedok</a></b> in December.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The planned infrastructural improvements have been brought under the umbrella of <b><a href="https://www.agewellsg.gov.sg/" target="_blank">Age Well SG</a></b>, a national programme cutting across the areas of housing, transport, active ageing and care services, said <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/desmondtslee/posts/pfbid0oHe9xWv1UWRBRRhBESQEYJD6q28rGGFoBtu4GRPgxsbdftBPzQqwamax1t8vQTLbl?__cft__[0]=AZW1mYxFCiIm_AyJ0B44XuepPynx06o2HdwLg440kBxfRYgCveZp_wHq6IwwUqBWZmfZexATGwPjrmJQlfbL7lDwHkf5UULGbVf1yMAl8YomOXxULzPyJ9ZW08S15u5r1gA2iLEHpdOhdrC7tT6JkdTM9xUlvHRaMQeBQ9NV8wzkmOUlWFkHgf8GO2Uqs0mgx08&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">National Development Minister Desmond Lee</a></b> at a press conference on Thursday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Led by the Health, Transport and National Development ministries, the programme aims to help those aged 65 and above to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SingaporeMOH/posts/pfbid0PTohLAFepNTymkhVLopBRkXVkBCscN2iDs7fS1h7XiNV4vquRk6jAsX6dJZUPGtbl?__cft__[0]=AZXsMsuXjVXTqvzckfU8juSecZZ4TFrh8cA-P1AfbVbSg-Uc9W75JkQYTXvior6FzgkHV3zR8cDO791XRu8SUQJxpPLsCnBKy8D57s3y44zoL9KjAMHaGDlf-D6RFgAV1Nu9DWx2QdGDzp0dZ41WDq88EMmhIafAzgikEB5W7H3ZBp24TRYjC2Wxnx9vl_1H0Ig&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">age well in their homes and communities</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the transport front, the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) Friendly Streets scheme will <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/initiative-to-create-pedestrian-friendly-streets-to-be-trialled-in-5-neighbourhoods-by-2025-lta" target="_blank">first be tested in five locations</a></b> – Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Batok West, Tampines, Toa Payoh and West Coast.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Construction will start progressively from the end of 2023 to retool nearly 5km of roads across these neighbourhoods, so that they prioritise pedestrians instead of vehicles.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The move to expand the scheme to all towns builds on positive feedback that LTA said it has received so far.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All five trial projects will have green road markings to remind motorists to slow down, but each project is also unique and designed in partnership with its community.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Said <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hongtat.chee/posts/pfbid0jwnx3YcwnC2RFdhPtxu9t7WC2188CteH5R4bdfrdhpuRnBuCxSdncknsSe6VLRSNl?__cft__[0]=AZVUTGAkqQriXNJlneMstigLQLKH9_qao39dYtx8zMmbfwGvoBrCFadb55w4lzR9L46JTxV7wypZvIK8eP5nZgJ9AS1Ixx0sOOgffytRik5yQznhayHYF4rTmys-URRQ2fzaCI2afD94iJLUAwp1EADtql9GDnQo5VncNHXotgbJ5mXUHhNISjCrDqGRjNLMNmI&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Acting Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat</a></b>: “There will be a trade-off between the speed of travelling and safety... We will need the understanding and support of all our residents.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ministries said on Thursday that a bigger and more concerted effort is being made to meet the needs of Singapore’s rapidly greying population by improving homes and estates.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As with Friendly Streets, this push will entail closer partnerships with residents, and tighter coordination and collaboration between government agencies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For instance, before upgrades are made to the 20 or so housing precincts, seniors there will be asked to give their views through “community improvement walks”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Lee said residents will be invited to take the authorities on routes they frequent in their estates, so that government agencies can identify gaps and better understand how these areas can be improved.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Senior-centric improvements will be made in selected private estates too, but the authorities could not provide information on which estates these are or how many will be chosen. Some of these estates will include those that have already been improved under the Ministry of National Development’s estate upgrading programme, said the ministries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The upgrading work will include more barrier-free ramps and rest points along routes that seniors frequent. Larger and more colourful signs will also be introduced to help those with dementia find their way around.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As for the plan to add more assisted-living flats, the three ministries said it comes on the back of the positive response to the Harmony Village@Bukit Batok and Queensway Canopy pilot projects.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was previously reported that about <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/budget-debate-second-assisted-living-hdb-flats-for-seniors-to-launch-later-this-year-in-queenstown" target="_blank">90 per cent of the roughly 400 assisted-living units available at both projects were taken up</a></b> at the end of their booking exercises.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These flats, which have leases ranging from 15 to 35 years, have elder-friendly designs and come bundled with care services such as 24-hour emergency response.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ministries said scaling up such flats here will give more seniors the option of spending their golden years in familiar neighbourhoods.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We will watch the initial few launches to ensure that the model works well (and) iron out all the issues along the way,” Mr Lee said, adding that there is high demand from seniors looking to “right-size” their homes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Within existing HDB flats, the authorities are also looking to add a wider range of elder-friendly features.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced this in his <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/08/national-day-rally-2023-better-home.html" target="_blank">National Day Rally</a></b> speech in August, when he spoke about the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-wider-toilet-entrances-shower-seats-among-new-elder-friendly-features-for-hdb-flats" target="_blank">expanded Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) 2.0 programme</a></b>, which will provide seniors with wider toilet entrances and foldable shower seats.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ministries said on Thursday that the initiative will offer other features, such as home fire alarm devices and rocker light switches. The aim is to launch EASE 2.0 in 2024, Mr Desmond Lee said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The new features come on top of the elder-friendly fittings that are already available under the current EASE programme, such as grab bars and ramps for flat entrances with steps.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The features were decided in consultation with the Ministry of Health, Agency for Integrated Care and healthcare professionals such as occupational therapists.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Launched in July 2012, <b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/living-in-an-hdb-flat/for-our-seniors/ease" target="_blank">EASE</a></b> is offered in tandem with <b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/living-in-an-hdb-flat/sers-and-upgrading-programmes/upgrading-programmes/types/home-improvement-programme-hip" target="_blank">HDB’s Home Improvement Programme</a></b> or via a direct application to the public housing agency.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To be eligible, households must have a family member aged 65 and above, or aged between 60 and 64 and in need of help with at least one activity of daily living, such as bathing or dressing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Edwin Lee, 70, who lives in Siglap, is glad that the Government is making it easier for seniors like himself to get around.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The semi-retired home baker said there have already been improvements made to his neighbourhood, with wider footpaths and longer crossing times near his bus stop.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He is also happy to see more fitness corners being built in convenient locations, adding: “I really appreciate the effort that is being put in.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Alert button was lifeline for 67-year-old who fell in middle of night</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Joyce Teo, Senior Health Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02rDa4hQk4kEzHYLAVLUqKXUqouk1uf3F9QF8A2sNrb67NDqx5izZXB12m99xSPuwfl?__cft__[0]=AZWNBZNNuQuRH2Y1bmzgGX3v1Z_akCuYYsx8VQVzSo4oFSPGfV7esoM4ndmUme9VNab1w1SCevFYWH7dyQAF1biVQbEqx5RPpqw8d0unLiL8rw0IWNWgi9jIp1TBQjZbgenG2-5tdyVc-9dg-v1cUbfy&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 16 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Hw0iK8CYBntaWy481Mclvre4OKML4SYcqQHfsgvo8cw5O8-t0iWT4llsIbN-klZCXydjUAgXX2Jxg_hH4IPqeWUPuCZuXk35DglTrwzbp0v3lt0cYFAV2lUm0exYXq3sJ8YiCah-snw9_tz499g-y87Q5u9K20D-HgKb0SrxcwD1dy1MYvFDvkBB427b/s1024/HDB-wireless-alert-alarm-system-button-rental-flats-seniors-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="1024" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Hw0iK8CYBntaWy481Mclvre4OKML4SYcqQHfsgvo8cw5O8-t0iWT4llsIbN-klZCXydjUAgXX2Jxg_hH4IPqeWUPuCZuXk35DglTrwzbp0v3lt0cYFAV2lUm0exYXq3sJ8YiCah-snw9_tz499g-y87Q5u9K20D-HgKb0SrxcwD1dy1MYvFDvkBB427b/w400-h290/HDB-wireless-alert-alarm-system-button-rental-flats-seniors-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier this year, when 67-year-old Khoo Ai Choo fell in her Redhill rental flat after going to the bathroom at midnight, she crawled to a wireless alert alarm system to activate a button and record a message that she needed help.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A few minutes later, a staff member from CareLine, a 24-hour telecare service by Changi General Hospital to support seniors, responded and called an ambulance to take Madam Khoo to a hospital.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was a lifeline as she does not own a mobile phone, she told the media gathered at her flat for an interview on Wednesday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madam Khoo, who lives alone, has fallen two more times in the middle of the night since.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Each time, she has managed to get help by pressing the alert buttons installed near her front door and in the bathroom.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She used to own a walking stick but now uses a walking frame.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The alert system is manned by the active ageing centre at the void deck of her block during working hours and, after that, the CareLine team.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the past 3½ years, around 800 seniors have received emergency medical assistance through the alert system, said the Ministry of National Development (MND).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Thursday, it added that it will progressively expand the system to all seniors aged 60 and above living in public rental housing as part of the <b><a href="https://www.agewellsg.gov.sg/" target="_blank">Age Well SG</a></b> programme.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As at June, the system has been installed in about 8,600 units in 52 rental blocks, benefiting around 10,000 seniors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRw70j82Y1qd1uoUfUsiVa2YyV1N6Tnckk4ChqMCvAaqQuNtHAbAWBZMTSZ4QAlj-GvEXyGWJlmfwfsi7a_TSTb4IzbjUWYuoM9pEkp8MZ9aK1cmteaxaTjMOW9nOvKU-6Eq2oyHaq3ARRt_3YtJ4R5pmVD3PGVDSNsAfMiOGv4nzak_g88vjKALsvkPB/s1024/HDB-wireless-alert-alarm-system-linked-to-Active-Ageing-Centre-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="1024" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRw70j82Y1qd1uoUfUsiVa2YyV1N6Tnckk4ChqMCvAaqQuNtHAbAWBZMTSZ4QAlj-GvEXyGWJlmfwfsi7a_TSTb4IzbjUWYuoM9pEkp8MZ9aK1cmteaxaTjMOW9nOvKU-6Eq2oyHaq3ARRt_3YtJ4R5pmVD3PGVDSNsAfMiOGv4nzak_g88vjKALsvkPB/w400-h293/HDB-wireless-alert-alarm-system-linked-to-Active-Ageing-Centre-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The expansion will help 26,800 more seniors living in around 170 rental blocks, MND said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The wireless alert system is an upgrade of an older pull-cord system, which seniors could use to activate an alarm at the void deck to alert anyone within hearing distance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was also connected to an active ageing centre but that was only during day working hours.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">1,000 NUS students befriend seniors as part of course to encourage volunteerism</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Shermaine Ang, The Straits Times, 16 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsimU3lCyRnkYaFnsCmFiKJhyULjMXceE5l6PYXiwU1jAKChF16azkbcBY-Pq8zPjcX9bwTlwnseXMY1BhwMJdadU-kEae7XWqKgvEMjfJOaVF2IFRQIFVvF1YvpDGc4zgRb_LmXpeWBj7Ome9l5sG7-DVmH6m5f-ehNMWIvsyVyTaDp2Qr-iXfy7Z-hCf/s1027/AIC-NUS-scheme-to-promote-volunteerism-in-community-care-sector-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="1027" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsimU3lCyRnkYaFnsCmFiKJhyULjMXceE5l6PYXiwU1jAKChF16azkbcBY-Pq8zPjcX9bwTlwnseXMY1BhwMJdadU-kEae7XWqKgvEMjfJOaVF2IFRQIFVvF1YvpDGc4zgRb_LmXpeWBj7Ome9l5sG7-DVmH6m5f-ehNMWIvsyVyTaDp2Qr-iXfy7Z-hCf/w400-h284/AIC-NUS-scheme-to-promote-volunteerism-in-community-care-sector-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When third-year National University of Singapore (NUS) business undergraduate Bridget Ho visited a woman in her 80s at her flat in Farrer Road, she and her classmate would be asked to leave after half an hour when the senior wanted to rest.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But showing up week after week, Ms Ho, 25, discovered the senior used to be a tailor and shared her interest in crochet. Over time, with constant prompting, the older woman started to open up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I was very happy to see her smile,” said Ms Ho, adding that for a long time, the woman had not interacted with anyone apart from a helper she lived with, and was not used to visitors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Ho is among about 1,000 NUS students who befriended seniors at active ageing centres (AACs), where seniors have access to social activities, or took part in the Agency for Integrated Care’s (AIC) Silver Generation Ambassadors programme, where volunteers visit seniors at home to talk to them about preventive health.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The weekly visits Ms Ho paid to the older woman over eight months were part of an NUS service-learning course she completed this year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The year-long, credit-bearing course, piloted this year, is the result of a tie-up between AIC and NUS that was inked on Thursday. It aims to engage more than 2,000 students a year in volunteering with seniors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A memorandum of understanding was signed to promote volunteerism in the community care sector. <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChanChunSing.SG/posts/pfbid0nR5RigUMeDsyrnZXgtmaiqmAFocmPo7MUw5Jjij8DqGqiCQA47wzpfM8UaNozyFKl?__cft__[0]=AZWQJ7qNTk8u9As6KCpoAjCMpLVXyB4JD1EsyoYsjPl1-t6HbAWe-LeGl-fybAUL5t0rD21s1jSD_eNdxpuKjfWC86Ux4W9MT3Ydg3ggOkP5-FcrLKfVdlHari3I8oo71EKwczLIGalODYfrVxxqdgin&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing</a></b> attended the event at NTUC Health Active Ageing Centre in Bukit Batok.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said in a Facebook post that befriending programmes at AACs can create shared experiences through intergenerational bonding.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I think both young and old have much to learn from each other. Time spent together is good for the heart, and for the soul.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">NUS now offers two year-long, service-learning courses as part of its general education curriculum. The courses, run by the department of social work, teach students how to communicate with empathy and civic consciousness to prepare them to engage seniors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Students taking the Reconnect SeniorsSG course serve as befrienders, meeting seniors regularly to accompany them on walks and visits to the AAC, market or clinic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those taking the Support Healthy AgeingSG course visit seniors in their homes to inform them of government schemes and activities, and better understand their needs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Ong Mui Hong, director of NUS Communities and Engagement, said the service-learning courses “provide a valuable opportunity for all students to think deeper about societal issues while taking constructive actions to advance social services and community building”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Sng Hock Lin, chief of the <b><a href="https://www.aic.sg/about-us/silver-generation-office" target="_blank">Silver Generation Office</a></b> which oversees the <b><a href="https://www.aic.sg/about-us/be-sga-volunteer" target="_blank">Silver Generation Ambassadors programme</a></b>, said he is also working with corporate volunteers and hopes to engage more institutes of higher education in volunteering with seniors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To encourage working adults to give their time, volunteer opportunities should be more flexible, he added. For instance, they can visit seniors in groups of five, so that the sessions can still go on even if some are unable to make it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During her visits, Ms Ho and her classmate taught the older woman origami, or the art of folding paper. After learning a design, the senior would fold a bagful of origami, and show it to them during the next visit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said the senior was grateful when she bought her a glucometer to replace her broken one to monitor her blood sugar level for her diabetes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, Ms Ho cherishes her own grandparents more and takes a greater interest in their lives. “I went home to spend quality time with my grandmother and find out what she likes to do.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madam Ng Yee Chan, 84, enjoys having the students visit. It is the only time she gets to interact with others apart from her youngest son and her helper, whom she lives with.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Being visually impaired, she does not get to leave home often due to the risk of falling. “I like when they visit, and I can chat with them,” she said. “They dote on me and hold my hand.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madam Ng, who added that she has little to do at home, also enjoys going out for walks with the student volunteers. She said she misses her five grandchildren, whom she cared for when they were young but are now too busy to visit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I try not to think too much, because doctors tell me I must be happy, then I will be healthy,” she added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Related</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><a href="https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/age-well-sg-to-support-our-seniors-to-age-actively-and-independently-in-the-community" target="_blank">Age Well Sg to Support Our Seniors to Age Actively and Independently In the Community</a> -16 Nov 2023</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/10/forward-sg-report-unveils-social.html" target="_blank">Forward SG report unveils social support plans, lays out mindset shifts needed amid changing times</a></span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-88676138156932232812023-11-06T20:26:00.008+08:002023-11-23T11:31:22.329+08:00PM Lee Hsien Loong to hand over leadership to DPM Lawrence Wong by November 2024 if all goes well, before next GE<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: medium;">People's Action Party Awards and Convention 2023</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">PM Lee Hsien Loong says he has full confidence in 4G team, and DPM Lawrence Wong will lead party at next General Election</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02ZsWd3XJ1ykSRgmwNVcXP1vF2JGH7efr5fUHekQ5hud69UFXT6rTGTnhNAqdBjndsl?__cft__[0]=AZUOuYZKriqGdUqlyLeuGaWxs7qfseqLbc-zESmtdLt7b0Wvtej-3KxoDeW2nZAXZSRWs3F0EofahyBCcCDQbkKepYx7aYFSbUdkVoNps2_DFBLAf_VsfLggQjteu-oq6ZWd0VDaAbU2rgXxgPdnd1fL&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 5 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzkbA6j7q5tQDbSLOxf9BQl91ZYwfT3HR7VmlA79OxRw1CGKJ65pq419fIkVX29RJRdAcfBNx-Ql3sglyFKIcCHC25DR2DHm06EY-INLJL1EMfQ-QZESHLKY1wUfzQssA-zWU4hGO3yAZKIg9933MGONkBd8yu9GAnqb1JUT6CYc6Au-5YKKi-Tg-_F7U/s958/When-will-Lee-Hsien-Loong-hand-over-to-Lawrence-Wong-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="958" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzkbA6j7q5tQDbSLOxf9BQl91ZYwfT3HR7VmlA79OxRw1CGKJ65pq419fIkVX29RJRdAcfBNx-Ql3sglyFKIcCHC25DR2DHm06EY-INLJL1EMfQ-QZESHLKY1wUfzQssA-zWU4hGO3yAZKIg9933MGONkBd8yu9GAnqb1JUT6CYc6Au-5YKKi-Tg-_F7U/w400-h293/When-will-Lee-Hsien-Loong-hand-over-to-Lawrence-Wong-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceWongST/posts/pfbid037dZLovQendFreWZaPnaEw61P846CNgL8LG3ZyX8gL85peStiohVSvqXLiMTuZHZMl?__cft__[0]=AZVn0YGCTRAEKGns2-DyvKpDmyWtG32Wkqw0FjvgITeeJjOs76jC9opSaP1-25ikB_83ilRUr3WkFAq6nnCmBtUOE2Z9pKHHjYBtD6-v0XmZZwl_p25xyskI6orHaIRk51IxRi90pEd14NTHd_HNUsrAbXwZBFoHNjZsS1gTYjAfMIHf-rHIVoWapSbTOK3FLGk&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong</a></b> will lead the People’s Action Party (PAP) in the next general election, taking over the reins from <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/pfbid02AtAWwv6VfyY5xALuup3JN6NR3NKSFTbsWyREfEm8fyGVpL4wYUBBaMQaiaRC8Xc9l?__cft__[0]=AZU0JZEhVbTPmszmnaakS2FZWcH8ZAGkt2J3hZfNJSUDp2h5ZeUQxP4_KuEQtOfcY3UOTQKwabNNyah3I05NJxh-S3UL8wr-epNhJ05MIwTOyHPHcinYnkC76Xw10nibeGVNhyl9yVuzjVw4j4YPoVeFMnBMKKNkHiXYF0SSEIQfSfEL2sHduW6dyGWW-3GSHX7PZYX2KhzWYqcyeQ4SDgmG&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</a></b> ahead of the polls.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said on Sunday: “Lawrence has told me that he is ready... I have full confidence in Lawrence and his team and there is no reason to delay the political transition.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was speaking at the party’s <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pap.sg/videos/857467602632717/?__cft__[0]=AZU8It5OhpzTfI_emAf7I8OSUvM9CDnl9L5JMGRRT34DpgJ95u--ZQy0nFKGpIOmVLP4GmGhPIcF7Jb1fco5IOA8apXzauNn9nKRH4pLS508tvup7nMw5Qwy649WvQXWRbok_3uXc3mzCWo2ibZGU4bySb3_0t2yqG-S5GAonjPoY_0WTqtTLVI-MG1zAunsOgIx4aF3WI6EcI0sbhWFc38B&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-y-R" target="_blank">biennial convention</a></b> held at the Singapore Expo Convention and Exhibition Centre, addressing more than 1,000 party members.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said that while he did not manage to pass on the baton before his 70th birthday last year as hoped, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, “<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3825308004373968" target="_blank">if all goes well, I will hand over by PAP’s 70th birthday next year</a></b>”. The party was set up on Nov 21, 1954.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next general election (GE) has to be held by November 2025.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee noted that the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/three-weeks-19-office-holders-interviewed-how-lawrence-wong-was-picked-as-paps-4g-leader" target="_blank">ministers</a></b> had already <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2022/04/lawrence-wong-to-lead-paps-4g-team.html" target="_blank">chosen DPM Wong to be their leader</a></b>, a choice endorsed by the PAP MPs. The major decision that was left to make was when the handover should take place, before or after the next GE.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Handing over to DPM Wong before the GE would mean he would be the one leading the party in the campaign, and would win his own mandate and take the country forward with the full backing of the nation, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Leadership transition for any country is always tricky. Many things can go awry. Both Singaporeans and people outside Singapore, near and far, are watching very closely. Everything depends on the success of this third transition in our history,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said that he had thought over the decision carefully and discussed it thoroughly with DPM Wong and ministers from the 3G and 4G teams.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He acknowledged that DPM Wong and the 4G team have been serving for many years now, and have taken on greater responsibilities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They are preparing well to take the helm and have earned their spurs during the Covid-19 pandemic, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Increasingly, they are setting the national agenda, such as through the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/10/forward-sg-report-unveils-social.html" target="_blank">Forward Singapore</a></b> exercise, he said. “Therefore, I intend to hand over to DPM Lawrence before the next GE,” said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“After that, I will be at the new PM’s disposal. I will go wherever he thinks I can be useful,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I will do my best to help him and his team to fight and win the next GE, and to fulfil their responsibilities… I want to help him fulfil his responsibilities, leading the country, so that Singapore can continue to succeed beyond me and my 3G minister colleagues, for many, many more years to come.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fighting back tears, PM Lee said: “It has been my great fortune and honour to have served the country, first in the SAF, and then in the party and government, for all of my adult life.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As he paused to compose himself, loud cheers erupted around the hall as party members stood to applaud him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Noting that Singapore and the PAP have been thoroughly transformed through his time as prime minister for almost 20 years, he added: “Some things never change… We remain dedicated to Singapore, we still feel the call of duty to serve the people, we still have a duty to future generations to keep this island safe and secure.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“These things have not changed under my watch, and they will not change under the 4G team. I ask each of you to give Lawrence and his team your full support, help them win a strong mandate, and work with them to take Singapore to greater heights.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceWongST/posts/pfbid0G9WzB2scfevUog1XWQWMtkabp7BEsBdXCXm83gYuVQSL39wrUtixtL9n8zr468oPl?__cft__[0]=AZVBhmq-_RwXfAlMlPxIBigwRFGWSyeVoYh5bsM6MPONSF8y98szw_ISvdH_tpkku4R_GoHmsNxQOpKjB53fLTZ1GCZlZVlM5hLOSR1bSRnAtMz_HzZC8x_kUwNQMwocOJoK9sERjf_hyGrHxarusD5levRBL1r50h3rADAB_ElgSleD9YNSaYMqRl2yYX0E-Zan0YFAwsR_IlIEKcJS0iKT&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">DPM Wong, in his speech</a></b> earlier, spoke of how he had been working hard to get <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/i-am-ready-for-my-next-assignment-dpm-lawrence-wong-at-pap-conference" target="_blank">ready to receive the baton from PM Lee</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I will not be in this alone. I will have a team of 4G leaders whom I have worked closely with over the years. We are ready to lead,” he said, adding that he is ready for his next assignment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdWEtJd7xCREKLrUXVfIId9hOgyCr1Blo16Ob8fMQz61aTpOkpxGbIY35OKc1vNRSU039FBo-DCyZYa3xIS2vjB0d5pdK5OYbJYxR35YCjGe8bCSseUTzMQflcBFgQnC6h3n259zMSh7l_q0LdGqeRFZ6Vw9Y-cQ5cLZltaySvzewzqOmiIwG6UZh0HG9/s1600/Lawrence-Wong-takes-over-from-Lee-Hsien-Loong.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdWEtJd7xCREKLrUXVfIId9hOgyCr1Blo16Ob8fMQz61aTpOkpxGbIY35OKc1vNRSU039FBo-DCyZYa3xIS2vjB0d5pdK5OYbJYxR35YCjGe8bCSseUTzMQflcBFgQnC6h3n259zMSh7l_q0LdGqeRFZ6Vw9Y-cQ5cLZltaySvzewzqOmiIwG6UZh0HG9/w400-h268/Lawrence-Wong-takes-over-from-Lee-Hsien-Loong.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On his leadership approach, DPM Wong said he does not start with the assumption that he knows everything or has all the answers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Instead, he prefers to begin by listening to a diverse range of perspectives and views and staying open to different ideas.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I’ve been in Government long enough to know that I cannot please everyone. But I will do my best to explain my decision, to be upfront about the problems and trade-offs, and win the support of the broad majority of Singaporeans,” added DPM Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/embracing-diversity-key-to-s-pore-s-success-say-young-pap-activists" target="_blank">Three young party activists</a></b> also spoke on various topics.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">National University of Singapore Associate Professor Elmie Nekmat, branch chairman of the Sengkang Central division, stressed the need to address the segregation and fragmentation brought about by digital technologies and social media.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Chua Wei-Shan, organising secretary of the Young PAP, spoke on the challenges for a political party to self-rejuvenate, which involves attracting committed and forward-thinking individuals as well as fostering a conducive environment for diverse perspectives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Hamid Razak, assistant branch secretary of the PAP’s Jurong Spring division, said that recognising and valuing different perspectives can lead to more comprehensive policy solutions, and called for more collaborative decision-making.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the event, 415 activists received party awards as recognition for their dedication and service to Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his speech, PM Lee also spoke of the need for high quality leadership for the PAP to govern competently, keep clean and win elections.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Right now, the party has a strong and capable top team that is in touch with Singaporeans, that has shown what it can do, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Singapore needs an outstanding ‘First Team’ of leaders – who, on top of mastering the politics, can deliver good government for Singapore,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore has a good public service, noted PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Sometimes people argue that Singapore civil servants are so good, that we don’t need ministers who are so competent or experienced... It’s a crazy argument,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The civil service didn’t create itself out of thin air. We have a good civil service precisely because we have had good political leadership who built up a world-class civil service.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Civil servants can only deliver good results if led by competent ministers who understand the issues, make good decisions and command their respect, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Only then can ministers guide and complement the civil servants in their work and deliver on their political promises, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He likened it to an orchestra, which could be composed of the best musicians in the world, but without a good conductor, it cannot produce good music.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“In fact, if the players are not impressed with their conductor, they may leave the orchestra to perform under some other maestro’s baton, and we will be left with a mediocre orchestra,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This was seen vividly in the pandemic, where ministries and agencies performed magnificently, but without the ministers to make big, risky decisions and take political responsibility, Singapore would not have come through as it did, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Remember – if we have ordinary political leaders, we’re going to have an ordinary public service, and this is going to become an ordinary country. For other countries, it’s fine,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But if one day this little red dot no longer shines brightly and is exceptional, if it cannot stand out compared to other countries in the world, you are nobody, you are sunk.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">PAP will work harder to win votes from Singaporeans</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee also spoke of how conviction, support and votes are now harder to win.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the party’s policies may be working and arguments may be logical, Singaporeans must be convinced that the PAP is on their side.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The party must engage widely, present and communicate its policies well, and help Singaporeans understand how they can benefit from them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It also needs to counter opposition moves to undermine the Government, show them up when they are less than upfront, and defeat their tactics to create doubt and sow confusion, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Describing briefly the party’s history, PM Lee noted that the PAP was not born dominant, but has won every election since independence decisively.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But with each successive election, the PAP’s task has become harder… Singaporeans’ expectations have evolved. They hope to do much better for themselves, they expect much more from the Government,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He acknowledged that “quite a few” hope to see more alternative voices in Parliament, even though an overwhelming majority agree that the PAP should continue to govern Singapore – “in fact, even the opposition parties think so, and say so”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The PAP hence faces a unique political quandary, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While an overwhelming majority want – and expect – the PAP to form the Government, a significant proportion also wants the party’s opponents to do better, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In working harder to win elections, the party’s politicians will have to spend more time and energy on politics, inevitably at the expense of policies, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While constructive and responsible political debate is good and necessary, actual debate in Parliament does not always reach this ideal, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Not infrequently, it becomes a political brawl. The opposition tries to score political points, the Government does its best to explain its considerations and constraints, and why the opposition’s proposals may not work. And so it goes, in a repeated cycle,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While some of this is to be expected, if it goes too far, more energies will be spent debating and manoeuvring for political advantage, leaving problems unsolved and society divided, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Having more opposition MPs doesn’t necessarily make for a better government,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted how other countries, even those who call themselves “mature democracies”, have seen increasingly polarised politics.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For example, the United States was recently at a political stalemate when the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/us-house-votes-to-oust-speaker-kevin-mccarthy" target="_blank">previous Speaker of the House was kicked off his role</a></b>, and the election for a new Speaker saw bitter political infighting among Republicans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“As Singaporeans, we must manage our politics better, and at all costs we must avoid running into such problems,” said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Emphasising his experience in government for almost 40 years, PM Lee said there was no way PAP governments could have planned for the long-term and adopted tough but necessary policies if they had to constantly worry about being around after the next election.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Today’s Singapore could not have been built by a weak government hanging on to power by a slim majority, or with the governing party and policies chopping and changing after each election,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This is a nation of lions led by lions. If we have a nation of lions disunited and led by unworthy leaders, we would have come to grief a long time ago.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He acknowledged that the possibility of the PAP being challenged is always there, and must always be there, as the essence of democracy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hence the party must continue to do a good job and make sure Singaporeans continue to have a good choice when they cast their votes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While opposition parties may tell voters not to worry as they do not aim to form the next government, and that the PAP can continue to think long term even with a majority of just one seat, or that neighbours will not think the country is weak – “with lives and futures at stake, voters must worry”, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Give (your vote) to the party you trust to keep us together, to build a Singapore fit for your kids and that will be there for their kids.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>PAP's integrity and honesty must never be compromised, says PM Lee</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>‘We’ll never let standards slip, system go corrupt’: PM Lee on need for clean governance</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Kok Yufeng, Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid0Z32JYm6FDLBniViLUdUmFBoKjL3kAKmCpGNV4pzAEXffZjvPK31GW3ERLcGG2RfSl?__cft__[0]=AZWhQLRCNJ3q3cg3ppzdqonUAzK8j0yhlkAqu2MvNwCcL9DEjuGitIF7mGu1dXMTm3l06nQqepGycPiSVkQLAMVTAA4ZbPEpCEK3X8gRA-NYL-pJ97FRrA3erw101iDq0lJUNavTN8Sdhj-KVR4WpK2R&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 5 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWE-Nna1hcE2NsoauIyw-4icEilWWq80xIHYTt-z1Jr5T4jzsEq-bUCaqQq_8EtFFu-PZT0uJLPv8Vd7IZo-76jDvOKui4Gmfgo1O8s2FoKwNAlTShpXZscbWYasADfodTMYPtOJOv0aeriSCr1tXENoUQ3nN9yVSLmIg-syD_Rh9yz169KIcQJybwfh8/s961/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-holds-back-tears-as-he-announces-handover-to-Lawrence-Wong-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="961" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWE-Nna1hcE2NsoauIyw-4icEilWWq80xIHYTt-z1Jr5T4jzsEq-bUCaqQq_8EtFFu-PZT0uJLPv8Vd7IZo-76jDvOKui4Gmfgo1O8s2FoKwNAlTShpXZscbWYasADfodTMYPtOJOv0aeriSCr1tXENoUQ3nN9yVSLmIg-syD_Rh9yz169KIcQJybwfh8/w400-h288/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-holds-back-tears-as-he-announces-handover-to-Lawrence-Wong-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ruling People’s Action Party’s (PAP) commitment to honesty and incorruptibility is “absolutely non-negotiable”, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday, as he stressed the need for high standards of integrity and competent governance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Singapore is a small place. Our system works,” he told more than 1,000 PAP members at the party’s biennial convention at the Singapore Expo Convention and Exhibition Centre.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If you do something improper, sooner or later, it will come to light. And when it does, you will be investigated. And if it is proved that you did something wrong, you are out and consequences will follow.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee, the PAP’s secretary-general, said this principle applies not just to ministers or party leaders, but also to every party member, and he cautioned those in attendance against abusing their positions or accepting any favours.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It’s shameful. It’s wrong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Remember, you are a member of the People’s Action Party, and the name of the party says it all – your duty is to serve the people, to act on behalf of the people and never of yourself,” he added, highlighting the need to also keep corrupting influences out of Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Our integrity and honesty must never be compromised, and only in that way can we do justice and uphold the trust that Singaporeans have given us,” PM Lee said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He pointed to a <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/transport-minister-iswaran-was-arrested-on-tuesday-and-released-on-bail-cpib" target="_blank">Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau investigation into a minister</a></b> – a veiled reference to the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/iswaran-to-remain-in-singapore-during-leave-of-absence-prime-minister-s-office" target="_blank">ongoing probe into Transport Minister S. Iswaran</a></b>, who has been put on leave of absence.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“However strict our discipline, however zealous our enforcement – human nature being what it is – somewhere, sometime, someone will be tempted and will go astray.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Prime Minister added: “It is particularly when we are tested that we must prove our mettle, put our principles into action, regardless of the embarrassment or political cost.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He urged PAP members to show Singaporeans and the world that the party’s standards remain “as high as ever”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee also referred to the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/money-laundering-case-among-world-s-largest-with-assets-seized-worth-over-28b" target="_blank">sprawling $2.8 billion money laundering case</a></b> – believed to be among the world’s largest – in which nine men and a woman were arrested and charged with offences including money laundering, forgery and resisting arrest.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said a journalist had asked him whether by <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/business/singapore-adjusts-tax-incentives-for-family-offices-which-must-also-do-more-to-boost-local-hires" target="_blank">promoting family offices</a></b> – investment funds managing the assets of wealthy families – and the financial industry, Singapore is letting its standards slip to attract “unclean money”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“My answer was: Not on your life,” PM Lee said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We will never let our standards slip. It’s not worth it. If we let it happen, if we relax and close one eye and let dirty money in, what will happen to us? The doubtful characters will come, they will spend generously to make themselves appear respectable, to show that they love Singapore, to ingratiate themselves to us, to try to get PR (permanent residency) and citizenship.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“They will cultivate ministers and officials, they will donate to good causes, they will make themselves useful in all sorts of ways… Very soon, our whole system would be tainted, and then corrupted.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Noting how law enforcement agencies here picked up warning signs in 2021 and watched the money laundering network carefully before swooping in to cripple it, PM Lee said everybody who does business in Singapore must know how things work here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We will never let this system go corrupt,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who will take over the top job before the next general election, said he, too, believes in keeping politics here clean, honest and right.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides integrity, another basic prerequisite for the PAP is clear and strong governance, said PM Lee. He said the party is elected not just to occupy office or be popular, or to seek power for the sake of it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We fight to form the Government, so that we can serve Singaporeans, to make decisions on their behalf, to solve their problems, to improve their lives, and to constantly watch over the nation to keep it safe and secure.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said the Government has to be on top of its responsibilities, be clear on what needs to be done and act decisively and promptly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We must be prepared to take the hard decisions, and have the courage to do the right thing for Singapore, even if this incurs short-term political costs. And if we are not ready or able to do that, we should get out of the way,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee cited examples of how the party had pushed through difficult decisions despite initial doubts and resistance – from national service to resettling people into public housing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said the PAP government has continued doing its best in this regard, including how it contained the Covid-19 pandemic while tackling other urgent concerns.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beyond Singapore’s borders, PM Lee said the Government has continued strengthening ties with the United States and China amid increasing geopolitical rivalry, settled longstanding issues including those related to airspace and defence with Indonesia, and is discussing key bilateral issues with Malaysia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore is also watching closely events in the Middle East, and the recent <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/sirens-warning-of-incoming-rockets-sound-around-gaza-near-tel-aviv" target="_blank">re-eruption of conflict between Israel and Palestine</a></b> has had an impact here, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Like people elsewhere in the world, Singaporeans identify with the plight of the Palestinian people, and Muslim Singaporeans especially have felt this very strongly,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But all Singaporeans are appalled by the human suffering in Gaza as Israel attacks targets there, as they were by Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians on Oct 7 that prompted these IDF (Israel Defence Forces) military operations.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee added: “The Government has to take a national position that upholds our consistent principles, which considers the sentiments and feelings of our population.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We feel sympathy for the civilian victims on both sides and will extend humanitarian help to those in need. But we must not let problems elsewhere widen fault lines in our society.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To prepare for the future, PM Lee said the Government has made longer-term decisions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For example, the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2022-singapore-to-raise-gst-from-7-to-9-in-two-stages-in-2023-and-2024" target="_blank">increase in the goods and services tax</a></b> – which will climb <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2022/11/why-is-singapore-raising-gst.html" target="_blank">from 8 per cent to 9 per cent from 2024</a></b> – is a difficult but unavoidable move to fund the rising healthcare needs of an ageing population.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said policy changes have also been made on sensitive social issues, such as the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2022/08/singapore-moves-to-repeal-section-377a.html" target="_blank">repealing of Section 377A</a></b>, which criminalised sex between men.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee added: “Tackling a global pandemic, solving immediate problems and planning for the future, all at the same time – this is what people expect of a competent and efficient government.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>‘I am ready for my next assignment’: DPM Lawrence Wong at PAP conference</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Jean Iau, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/644369094516921?ref=embed_post" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 5 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHm8aH3ikTeTSYq7W3ZCjWDqjAdqjALdbyGJZozx1sc5sXxwYecxy-ItO5SrouXqITGoXiEV2farBX_zEQIHAZTvrtTOJiZGt4Ct6PiX51bfPqsUbsTHYYWGFJodNHSscg4qAZapl3avA-9XeZ7MxVY11ck2Ivn6hThySDWHgIrCwnLDqZcejIBZxItzBY/s962/Lawrence-Wong-Deputy-Prime-Minister-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="962" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHm8aH3ikTeTSYq7W3ZCjWDqjAdqjALdbyGJZozx1sc5sXxwYecxy-ItO5SrouXqITGoXiEV2farBX_zEQIHAZTvrtTOJiZGt4Ct6PiX51bfPqsUbsTHYYWGFJodNHSscg4qAZapl3avA-9XeZ7MxVY11ck2Ivn6hThySDWHgIrCwnLDqZcejIBZxItzBY/w400-h288/Lawrence-Wong-Deputy-Prime-Minister-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceWongST/posts/pfbid037dZLovQendFreWZaPnaEw61P846CNgL8LG3ZyX8gL85peStiohVSvqXLiMTuZHZMl?__cft__[0]=AZVn0YGCTRAEKGns2-DyvKpDmyWtG32Wkqw0FjvgITeeJjOs76jC9opSaP1-25ikB_83ilRUr3WkFAq6nnCmBtUOE2Z9pKHHjYBtD6-v0XmZZwl_p25xyskI6orHaIRk51IxRi90pEd14NTHd_HNUsrAbXwZBFoHNjZsS1gTYjAfMIHf-rHIVoWapSbTOK3FLGk&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong</a></b> on Sunday said he has been working hard to get ready to <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3825308004373968" target="_blank">receive the baton</a></b> from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I will not be in this alone. I will have a team of 4G leaders whom I have worked closely with over the years. We are ready to lead,” he said, adding that he is ready for his next assignment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He called on the party’s activists to broaden their outreach to grow the diversity of people they bring into the party and engage Singaporeans on different platforms.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong, who is the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) deputy secretary-general, also urged the party to improve how it communicates and make clear what it stands for, what its long-term plans are, and what it is doing across the board.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChannelNewsAsia/videos/888305453017144/" target="_blank">Speaking</a></b> to more than 1,000 cadre members at the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceWongST/posts/pfbid0G9WzB2scfevUog1XWQWMtkabp7BEsBdXCXm83gYuVQSL39wrUtixtL9n8zr468oPl?__cft__[0]=AZVBhmq-_RwXfAlMlPxIBigwRFGWSyeVoYh5bsM6MPONSF8y98szw_ISvdH_tpkku4R_GoHmsNxQOpKjB53fLTZ1GCZlZVlM5hLOSR1bSRnAtMz_HzZC8x_kUwNQMwocOJoK9sERjf_hyGrHxarusD5levRBL1r50h3rADAB_ElgSleD9YNSaYMqRl2yYX0E-Zan0YFAwsR_IlIEKcJS0iKT&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">PAP’s Awards and Convention</a></b> held at the Singapore Expo Convention and Exhibition Centre, DPM Wong said he and his fellow 4G leaders will engage the activists.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Collectively, we must renew, refresh and strengthen our party,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Commenting on his leadership approach, DPM Wong said he does not start with the assumption that he knows everything or has all the answers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Instead, he prefers to begin by listening to a diverse range of perspectives and views, and staying open to different ideas.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“As a leader, I will have to judge the balance and do what I assess to be in the best interest of all Singaporeans,” he said, noting that there will always be some who will disagree or not be satisfied with his decisions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I’ve been in Government long enough to know that I cannot please everyone. But I will do my best to explain my decision, to be upfront about the problems and trade-offs, and win the support of the broad majority of Singaporeans,” added DPM Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said his approach to leadership would be to find common ground among Singaporeans and the things that bind them together. He added: “Not separating and dividing, but keeping us together as one united people.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong said that Singapore must always find ways to forge consensus in the light of its diversity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If our instinct is to disconnect from and dismiss those who disagree with us or are different from us, then we all stand to lose,” he noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We must resist the urge to draw lines, and instead focus on our commonalities, and find ways to make space for one another,” he added, noting that this is how the Government has dealt with sensitive issues including <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/nurses-allowed-to-wear-own-tudung-if-within-guidelines" target="_blank">allowing nurses to wear the tudung</a></b> and <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/parliament-repeals-section-377a-endorses-amendments-protecting-marriage-definition" target="_blank">repealing Section 377A</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong also spoke of the consensus generated by the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/10/forward-sg-report-unveils-social.html" target="_blank">Forward Singapore</a></b> exercise, which was led by the PAP’s fourth-generation leadership team and culminated in a <b><a href="https://www.forwardsingapore.gov.sg/" target="_blank">report released in October</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This report is more than a policy document and represents a shared vision and road map for Singapore’s future, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JTfomB38Q24?si=XXPD6u-HQTE-R3tH&start=550" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong reiterated that he did not assume that the PAP would win the next general election convincingly, or even win it outright.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said that policies do not happen in a vacuum and are driven by politics.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Adopting difficult policies, doing big things in Singapore – they require not only political gumption on our part but also political support from Singaporeans,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that long-term policies require political durability and consistency to follow through.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If a political party is hanging on to office by its fingernails – do you think its leaders will be thinking and planning long term?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I certainly doubt so, because all they will think about is survival and that’s what we are seeing now across the great democracies of the world.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But Singapore has avoided this fate because it has a strong PAP government, added DPM Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On broadening its outreach, DPM Wong said the party needs to go beyond engaging residents through its branches and specific segments through functional groups.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We must engage a wider range of groups, and grow the diversity of people we bring into our PAP,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While not everyone the party reaches out to will agree or join the party, DPM Wong said that as long as they are open to making a common cause with the party, it would welcome them as friends.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He urged the party to sharpen its messages to not only focus on action and rely on government communications.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If we only focus on actions, and we fail to get our messages across effectively, I think we will have a big problem,” said DPM Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The party will need to engage Singaporeans on different platforms, including through social media, to get its message across to the right audience.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The need to communicate better extends to communicating how PAP’s policies differ from the opposition’s.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong said that in most areas, the opposition’s proposed policies are shades of PAP’s policies but in some areas, their positions are fundamentally different.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The PAP must explain why its approach is better for Singapore and Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also called on the party to review and strengthen how it is organised.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong said the party started with a single branch office in Tanjong Pagar in 1955 and continues to have tremendous strength in party branches, each doing significant work serving residents in every constituency.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He acknowledged that activists across the branches are passionate about many causes and the party has many young members brimming with new ideas, and eager to step up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“All of you represent our greatest strength. You are the key to building a stronger relationship of trust with our people,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong said that he wishes to provide activists with more resources to drive their causes and ideas into action and support them in engaging and mobilising Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Together, we will demonstrate our resolve and dedication as a party, fully committed to the mission of uniting Singaporeans and building our shared future together,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Lawrence Wong’s political workplan ahead of Singapore’s next general election</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Entrusted to reform the People’s Action Party for more than a decade, its presumptive Secretary-General and Prime Minister of Singapore has at least four tasks ahead.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Gillian Koh, The Straits Times, 9 Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfmsJdmtV_zqwsEZTlvn8FWRZkSAPUTIU30YGM0JmhLiJor-9_Q3s3mmf_GVHvBgyrjzR2L8RKoVghIMPVJj-T8jqeeG9cgT1ZRHpw9zqYlK4YR6udfjzdvawq-13Gj2rf-tL-kE22mPglOHkbup3U4BPJyL062ALUKpDd-vQuM4fQJAaAdaVGjluFBxl/s1315/Lawrence-Wong-Singapore-Prime-Minister-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1315" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfmsJdmtV_zqwsEZTlvn8FWRZkSAPUTIU30YGM0JmhLiJor-9_Q3s3mmf_GVHvBgyrjzR2L8RKoVghIMPVJj-T8jqeeG9cgT1ZRHpw9zqYlK4YR6udfjzdvawq-13Gj2rf-tL-kE22mPglOHkbup3U4BPJyL062ALUKpDd-vQuM4fQJAaAdaVGjluFBxl/w400-h270/Lawrence-Wong-Singapore-Prime-Minister-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had first raised the issue of political succession more than 10 years ago before the 2011 General Election (GE2011).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This week, a timeline was set. A clear signal was sent that the People’s Action Party was ready to take its final steps in the transition to Singapore’s fourth premier.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I intend to hand over to DPM Lawrence (Wong) before the next general election,” PM Lee, who is also PAP secretary-general, said at his party’s convention on Sunday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If all goes well, I will hand over by the PAP’s 70th birthday (in November) next year (2024),” he added, assuring Mr Wong that he will be “at the new PM’s disposal” to go where he may be useful.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong, the PAP’s deputy secretary-general, was not coy about taking up this mantle. “I am ready for my next assignment,” he declared at the same event.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b>Wong, at the heart of party reform</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his speech, Mr Wong said he will lead the party to adopt new strategies and programmes, “so that at that time when we mark this happy occasion... we can look forward to a refreshed PAP ready to fight the next election”. This is his first task.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are steps towards decentralisation and empowerment in the party he hinted at. Activists will be better equipped as leaders and trusted with new resources to craft projects meaningful to them, while presumably seeking input from local constituents.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If so, such bottom-up efforts can help the PAP become more immediately relevant to the ground and deeply engage with it. The ability to form bonds of friendship and emotional ties with constituents is what Mr Lee said the men and women in white need at the past two party conventions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In truth, Mr Wong has been a reformer in the party for a long time now.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the 2013 PAP convention, three years after GE2011, which saw a swing of 6.5 percentage points away from it and the loss of Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) to the Workers’ Party (WP), Mr Wong had a key role in drafting an important party resolution and its refreshed Constitution, which were subsequently adopted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amid citizen worries that the PAP had lost touch with the ground and after deep internal soul-searching, Mr Wong helped the party recommit itself to its democratic socialist ideals – to building a fair and just society, and “strengthening an open and compassionate meritocracy”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This political movement translated into shifts in government policy. Examples include the 2016 KidStart and Fresh Start Housing Scheme, which provide active support to disadvantaged families to do better in life. Changes were announced to the PSLE scoring system in 2013 to reduce excessive competition. The <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-budget-2015-every-singaporean-above-25-to-get-500-for-a-start-under-skillsfuture" target="_blank">roll-out of a SkillsFuture Credit system in 2015</a></b>, as well as the subsequent <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/lower-wage-singaporeans-to-receive-first-half-of-3000-workfare-special-payment-on-july-28" target="_blank">expansion of the WorkFare Income Supplement</a></b> and the <b><a href="https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/progressive-wage-model/what-is-pwm" target="_blank">Progressive Wage Model</a></b>, help to temper the vagaries of a capitalist economy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">The unique electoral quandary</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even if the PAP can rediscover and channel its reformist streak to win over Singaporeans, Mr Wong has to confront a longstanding electoral trend. This is his second task.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Three years ago, <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/singapore-ge2020-results-a-clear-mandate-though-61-2-per-cent-vote-share-was-lower-than-65" target="_blank">Mr Wong was trusted to deliver a public statement</a></b> on the PAP’s analysis of its performance at GE2020.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the time, he acknowledged that winning 61.2 per cent of the votes cast was 4 percentage points lower than the party had hoped for, and that it was disappointed to have lost Sengkang GRC.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There were four key reasons for the results, he explained. A critical factor among them was the compelling argument by the opposition parties to deny the dominant PAP a blank cheque to govern. This, in effect, was using the PAP’s strength against itself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Institute of Policy Studies’ post-election survey series conducted since 2006 confirms much of these findings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Professionals in the higher middle-income bands are more likely to feel that the country is better served if there are opposition voices in Parliament to hold a strong PAP government to account and for alternative views to be explored, as part of a governing system.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those who have benefited from the system will feel that voting against it on occasion will keep it honest and committed to good governance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Lee himself mentioned this again at the PAP convention.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The PAP faces a political quandary unique in the world: An overwhelming majority of the voters want us to form the government,” he said on Sunday. “In fact, they expect the PAP to form the government. But among those who want us to form the government, quite a significant proportion also want our opponents to do better.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finding the right political equilibrium between the need for a strong government and having enough opposition representation to keep it so is not an easy one to arrive at.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is for this reason that Mr Wong rallied the party faithful to fight to win every seat. There is no telling which constituency is vulnerable in the heat of an election.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b>Tackling issues of economic competitiveness and cost of living</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another reason Mr Wong attributed the fall in support for the PAP in GE2020 to was the economic pain that middle-aged voters and small businessmen suffered during the pandemic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His third task in gearing up for the next election is to assuage concerns about the economic climate and assure voters they have good jobs, wages, and support to cope with the rising cost of living. This was an issue hotly debated in Parliament this week, during a <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/house-debates-proposals-to-ease-cost-of-living-pressures-govt-stresses-it-will-do-more-if-needed" target="_blank">motion filed by the Workers’ Party calling on the Government to review related policies</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Having led the charge as co-chair of the Multi-Ministry Taskforce tackling the Covid-19 crisis, Mr Wong has found that life has not gotten easier for Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The world has jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire – from the pandemic, to the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/russias-putin-announces-a-military-operation-in-ukraine" target="_blank">eruption of the Russian-Ukraine war in February 2022</a></b> and now the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/sirens-warning-of-incoming-rockets-sound-around-gaza-near-tel-aviv" target="_blank">Israel-Hamas war</a></b>. Painful adjustments are needed in supply chains for business continuity and for companies to remain cost competitive.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But volatility and the rise in the prices of energy, food, minerals and precious metals are straining businesses and households.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the past two Budgets, Mr Wong, as Finance Minister, has assured Singapore that large sandbags of public monies to ease the transition to a higher-cost Singapore have already been planned for and more support will be available if needed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The opposition will continue to decry the announced rise in goods and services tax and other statutory costs, which the Government will reiterate are needed for structural rises in social spending, especially to address the needs of an ageing population.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What is different now is that Mr Wong and his 4G leaders have provided a compass for the party and people to guide Singapore through these troubling times: new forms of social support including re-employment aid in the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/10/forward-sg-report-unveils-social.html" target="_blank">Forward Singapore report</a></b> launched in late October.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It puts flesh on the PAP’s vision for a compassionate meritocracy articulated in 2013, now reinterpreted for an age of radical economic, technological, social, and ecological disruption of 2023.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The challenge is to find enough time to translate these effectively to strengthen the belief that the PAP deserves a strong mandate to deliver further progress and social inclusion – possibly over the next two Budgets and through partnerships with the community and the corporate sector.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Overcoming the first campaign</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As Mr Wong addresses all of the above, there is a fourth task. New PAP leaders taking their party into a general election for the first time suffered an electoral swing away from it. Mr Wong has to think of how to overcome such an effect.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore’s second prime minister Goh Chok Tong conceded four seats to the opposition and saw a swing of 2.2 percentage points away from the PAP to a vote-share of 61 per cent in his first campaign as leader of the PAP in GE1991.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The opposition coalesced around a “by-election effect” strategy of contesting less than half the seats available, effectively returning the PAP to government on Nomination Day, so that voters can elect opposition candidates without worrying their vote would topple the incumbent party.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Lee suffered an 8.7 percentage point swing away from the PAP and conceded two seats to the opposition in 2006 after the latter shifted to contesting more than half the seats.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the party convention, Mr Lee noted that leadership transition in any country is tricky, and the next GE coincides with this milestone. Mr Wong must work hard against this factor, which the opposition will surely strategise around. This provides context for Mr Wong’s refrain that he does not assume the PAP will form the government in subsequent elections.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Lee has and will undoubtedly continue to explain that a strong mandate is crucial to bring into office a deep bench of capable leaders, foster unity behind government responses to challenges facing Singapore, and maintain confidence among citizens and investors in the country’s future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In turn, Mr Wong and the 4G leaders have conveyed their earnestness to serve and their sense of empathy with the struggles of the man in the street. As the PAP adopts a more relational approach in its work, they have plans to deliver on, which they hope will be appreciated when voters elect their representatives in Singapore’s 15th Parliament.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>Dr Gillian Koh is Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-13094060667453024532023-10-28T22:07:00.014+08:002023-11-23T11:29:43.101+08:00Forward SG report unveils social support plans, lays out mindset shifts needed amid changing times<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Moves to ensure basic needs of Singaporeans are met and social compact is refreshed</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid027x7v8mwHxzPRSCUAAuUEWSFzMcbHz9LtQx2Y8qCAB8uJvJpRm8ATtFXk4kiR141Gl?__cft__[0]=AZV8cLT2lNPEHbt_WGWc92S8mUyi66VzBq8THWStGEfB3WpEs5x75vuMB8VzzovfD7Iu0T4DBIxxxMkp0WPZQs7NZj0Dex3GP15lsdaj6AxUSOTpgy67mUkvEg6UixFf33nQZ_ZQ-sHZ4aWCSateZTZU&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 27 Oct 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz50Dq95DaJfm38oaIdPZRZTGITSJNq4ekDIUkXs49efl7WsRd-MQuolWXKqkaKx6wE52akbnNwo76UJPMwhikUE5-8bChjezupKblzjQ4Cb05xO_QaXKQzmkTpMRRZLdiSAUkVvbsF1NBxBsY4x_1hAG73mAMHZSj-g7HQFxs9p3hy7WsP6OsFdtgDPgd/s1156/Forward-Singapore-Report-Forward-SG-2023.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1156" data-original-width="813" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz50Dq95DaJfm38oaIdPZRZTGITSJNq4ekDIUkXs49efl7WsRd-MQuolWXKqkaKx6wE52akbnNwo76UJPMwhikUE5-8bChjezupKblzjQ4Cb05xO_QaXKQzmkTpMRRZLdiSAUkVvbsF1NBxBsY4x_1hAG73mAMHZSj-g7HQFxs9p3hy7WsP6OsFdtgDPgd/w281-h400/Forward-Singapore-Report-Forward-SG-2023.png" width="281" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A <b><a href="https://www.forwardsingapore.gov.sg/" target="_blank">road map towards a more equitable and thriving Singapore</a></b> has been put forth by the fourth-generation (4G) leadership, fleshing out the moves the Republic will make in the coming years to stay cohesive amid a time of change.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These include a greater helping hand for groups such as the less well-off, mid-career workers and seniors, through means such as additional financial support and improved infrastructure.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And there will be more done to ensure that Singaporeans’ basic needs at every life stage will be met, such as in education, retirement, healthcare and housing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These moves come as Singapore has reached a key inflection point where there will be more disruptions, workplace churn and impact on people’s lives, and the Government recognises that more must be done to provide assurance for the people, said <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceWongST/posts/pfbid0wuNg472nMFU77tR1aAqU6eKPcyKFpEEFmMxyqG1CyATu4SoNm9v97fs4sWaxUAzAl?__cft__[0]=AZXotHHVQJfG0JImGbFDb3pA7IORFgdsUlO-K_bn0inz23pfzhj7KaReDhcw31J2gooCH8FUMSlh5iwjH6HZJVb1g3IqFxRBo6uheRL3TNB6E207mO-4oIGjTwTdvRkAmyi3Jw2Ew8onmT7iIVkZG_S5pKBR-P6z7c9Uci-HOHkC6xqnldLAS31lMTIn5wLziIU&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong</a></b> at a <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/Press-Conference-on-the-Launch-of-the-Forward-Singapore-Festival-on-27-October-2023" target="_blank">press conference</a></b> to launch the Forward Singapore report.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b><a href="https://www.forwardsingapore.gov.sg/-/media/forwardsg/pagecontent/fsg-reports/full-reports/mci-fsg-final-report_fa_rgb_web_20-oct-2023.pdf" target="_blank">180-page report</a></b> unveiled on Friday also articulated the mindset shifts required for Singapore to achieve the goals set out, such as for wider definitions of success and a stronger sense of collective responsibility towards one another.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“<b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/DPM-Lawrence-Wong-at-the-Launch-of-the-Forward-Singapore-Festival" target="_blank">It will not be possible for the Government alone to do everything through policy changes, nor is it possible for any individual to succeed on his or her own efforts alone</a></b>,” DPM Wong said later at the launch of the Forward Singapore Festival, where the public can learn more about the report’s initiatives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Instead, it will be up to everyone, including employers, community groups, families and individuals, to keep the Singapore miracle going, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRIVE5UZytNcgcpa64vIemx1ew4Qw_ly5fc-4qNjmmSmaLEqVIvTy1AqAedXjxHrlBKHkZfuZLjHvG_oESPcsuruSMuBICf0Vnv5aPXad0CidtOJy0Hsqgx4I85b4sG7mjF8fiX9STc2L7IxSYmLb4ntJlxGZYW4SvQOoJUEVxYTnTJJTbPIhgHVHP19S/s1555/Forward-Singapore-SG-report-2023-ST-photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1555" height="618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRIVE5UZytNcgcpa64vIemx1ew4Qw_ly5fc-4qNjmmSmaLEqVIvTy1AqAedXjxHrlBKHkZfuZLjHvG_oESPcsuruSMuBICf0Vnv5aPXad0CidtOJy0Hsqgx4I85b4sG7mjF8fiX9STc2L7IxSYmLb4ntJlxGZYW4SvQOoJUEVxYTnTJJTbPIhgHVHP19S/w640-h618/Forward-Singapore-SG-report-2023-ST-photo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The report caps off a <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/over-14000-singaporeans-took-part-in-first-phase-of-forward-sg-engagement-exercise" target="_blank">nationwide engagement exercise</a></b> headed by Mr Wong that has involved more than 200,000 Singaporeans since it <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2022/06/forward-singapore-4g-ministers-to.html" target="_blank">kicked off in June 2022</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The exercise sought to refresh Singapore’s social compact – the glue that holds society together – given the challenges facing the island, which range from a more fraught external environment to a rapidly ageing population to greater job insecurity due to rapid technological change.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One key move the 4G team intends to make to take the country forward is to create more opportunities for all Singaporeans to chart their own paths in life. This includes <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/two-in-three-s-pore-employers-plan-to-raise-salaries-in-the-year-ahead-poll" target="_blank">increasing salaries</a></b> and respect for a wider range of vocations, better social support for those who face career hurdles, and nudging those who succeed to give back to society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/s-pore-moves-to-ensure-respect-for-every-job-and-cement-lifelong-learning-forward-sg-report" target="_blank">On the jobs and education front</a></b>, the report unveiled plans to provide a “substantial top-up” of SkillsFuture Credit, as well as a “significant package” to <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/jobs/skillsfuture-revamp-to-help-mid-career-workers-learn-better-despite-ingrained-habits" target="_blank">help mature and mid-career workers reskill and upskill</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Institute of Technical Education graduates will get support to upgrade their skills early in their work life to close wage gaps, while more will be done to recognise those in jobs involving “hands” or “heart”, such as electricians and nurses.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If society is more supportive of individuals pursuing these careers, we can create a virtuous cycle, where society in turn benefits from better and more reliable services,” it said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Among <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-active-ageing-centres-boost-to-retirement-schemes-for-seniors-forward-sg-report" target="_blank">efforts to help ageing seniors</a></b> is the nationwide expansion of a pilot announced in March that will result in wider footpaths and longer green-man timings at traffic crossings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There will be <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-to-double-number-of-eldercare-centres-by-2025-expand-their-services" target="_blank">more senior care centres and home care options</a></b>, and by 2025, <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/11/age-well-sg-singapore-sets-aside-800.html" target="_blank">eight in 10 seniors should have access to active ageing centre</a></b> activities near their homes under the <b><a href="https://www.agewellsg.gov.sg/" target="_blank">Age Well SG</a></b> programme.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Programmes that support retirement adequacy for those with lower incomes, such as the Silver Support Scheme and the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme, will be updated.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Young parents will also get more help, as the report recognised a need to better support families.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This includes a commitment to <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/mps-debate-bill-to-strengthen-parenthood-related-leave-and-benefits-including-doubling-of-paid-paternity-leave" target="_blank">studying the feasibility of increasing paid parental leave</a></b>, and to increase centre-based infantcare places by 70 per cent – or 9,000 spots – by 2030.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the timeline to implement these changes, Mr Wong said the 4G team will prioritise issues that are more salient and of greater concern for Singaporeans. For instance, policy shifts have already been made or announced in the areas of housing and retirement. These include <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/new-plus-hdb-flats-no-more-non-mature-estates-5-key-public-housing-announcements-at-ndr-2023" target="_blank">changing the housing classification system to the Standard, Plus and Prime model</a></b>, and the $7 billion Majulah Package to help citizens aged 50 and over, that were announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally in August.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other items, where specific recommendations have been set out, will be implemented in Budget 2024 and over the coming year, said Mr Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Also at the press conference on Friday were other ministers including Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, and Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Forward Singapore report took in people’s ideas for the country’s future, which were contributed at 275 dialogue sessions, as well as through surveys and roadshows. It noted that one topic that constantly emerged at discussions was how the idea of a “good life” had evolved, especially among the younger generation who desire meaning and purpose in life, besides a good salary. The Singapore Dream, which used to be measured by the five Cs of condominium, car, cash, credit card and country club, had fallen out of favour, but there was still a tendency for society to measure success by old yardsticks such as the size of one’s pay cheque or home, the report noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong said Singaporeans today still want a good life, but it is clear from the engagements that the Singapore Dream has evolved to be about more than just material success. “It’s also about fulfilment, meaning, and purpose in what we do,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“That’s why I firmly believe the refreshed Singapore Dream is less about I, me, and mine; it’s more about we, us, and ours. It’s recognising that we are not left to fend for ourselves; but that we are all in this together.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides encouraging Singaporeans to tap the range of existing programmes to give back to society, a new <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-office-for-s-poreans-to-partner-the-government-and-give-ideas" target="_blank">Singapore Government Partnerships Office</a></b> will be set up for agencies to work more closely with citizens.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In sum, the report represents a vision to guide the next bound of development for the Republic, where various groups come together to build a better Singapore, it said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong said: “We have a full agenda ahead of us, and we look forward to working with all Singaporeans to write our next chapter of the Singapore Story,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Here’s what Forward Singapore means for you</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid021GkXtgFbCeVNub7iwRDL7UZ12ZiqBoEMqvQyiFjDFyhPGBBo72aX3XtypvQmtZu8l?__cft__[0]=AZW_K078b1RrRhC69D5tWv7dWxDjn5r6bzUu9IeKZo_GKwqsqEa5oMVykBi4UoFrTg4JzKx85sqEjAy5gPJwiilRZ-APGiTU23AJ9VSkKHTeg7noinQwCdwEWU_Jr_ZG45xqMdESuybri-MNG5avWLe5&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 27 Oct 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/Press-Conference-on-the-Launch-of-the-Forward-Singapore-Festival-on-27-October-2023" target="_blank">fourth-generation leadership has unveiled a national strategy</a></b> for a more vibrant and inclusive Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 180-page <b><a href="https://www.forwardsingapore.gov.sg/" target="_blank">Forward Singapore</a></b> report is the result of dialogues and engagement sessions over 16 months, and includes both policy moves to assure Singaporeans that their basic needs will be met, and efforts to spur mindset change.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Here’s what you should know if you are a:</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Student</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>The aim is for more to enter secondary schools through Direct School Admission, up from about 10 per cent now</li><li>Adaptive learning technologies and artificial intelligence to be explored to help tailor curricula to individual needs</li><li>Streaming to be abolished to cater to diverse needs and abilities in different subjects, rather than focus on overall academic ability</li><li>Youth panels launched in May 2023 to give young people a greater say in policymaking</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>
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</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Technical and community care worker</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Financial support for younger Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates to get a diploma</li><li>ITE graduates may receive Central Provident Fund top-ups to help them purchase homes or save for retirement</li><li>More recognition for skilled trades and jobs involving “hands” or “heart” jobs, via training and career pathways that lead to higher incomes</li><li>Continued regular reviews of existing schemes targeting lower-wage workers</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>
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</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Mid-career worker</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>A further, substantial top-up of the SkillsFuture Credit for these workers</li><li>Training allowances to be given when they take time-off for full-time, sustained training</li><li>New support scheme for involuntarily unemployed job seekers, including financial support for those actively searching for a job</li></ul><div><br />
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</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Parent</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Increase in centre-based infant care places by 70 per cent – or 9,000 spots – by 2030</li><li>Affordable, safe and reliable childminding services to be introduced</li><li>Feasibility of more paid parental leave to be studied</li><li>Under the new ComLink+ scheme, ComLink officers will work with each family to co-develop customised action plans that are more tailored to each family’s needs</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>
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</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Caregiver</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Extra support to defray out-of-pocket costs for early intervention services, special education schools and special student care centres for families with children who need more help</li><li>An ecosystem of support for caregivers to be created and access improved to available resources, such as through caregiver support groups</li><li>Suggestions to better support working caregivers through measures such as caregiver leave and flexible work arrangements to be studied</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Person with disability</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Installation of 24/7 on-demand audible traffic signals at 325 pedestrian crossings by end 2024</li><li>New course to equip general practitioners to care for those with intellectual disabilities</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>
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</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Senior citizen</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Better retirement adequacy through enhancements to programmes such as the Silver Support Scheme and Matched Retirement Savings Scheme, and raising the CPF Enhanced Retirement Sum</li><li>New <b><a href="https://www.agewellsg.gov.sg/" target="_blank">Age Well SG</a></b> national programme to <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/11/age-well-sg-singapore-sets-aside-800.html" target="_blank">help seniors to age gracefully in the community</a></b>. This includes having more active ageing centres, such that eight in 10 seniors will live close to one by 2025</li><li>Expanded Friendly Streets initiative to cover all towns, which will have more pedestrian crossings and wider and more accessible footpaths, among other things</li><li>More senior care centres and home care options</li><li>More senior-friendly fittings to choose from for Housing Board flats</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Singaporean</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>New Singapore Government Partnerships Office to facilitate interactions between citizens and government agencies</li><li>New programme to better link donors to local communities and less privileged groups over a sustained period</li><li>Continued efforts to be made to expand spaces for more interactions between different groups, such as collaborations between self-help groups</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Path ahead will not be a top-down approach: DPM Wong on Forward SG</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02GUqnErtMUtTD4sQC9in34kwTyaLV7FwqEV8r3qfXuaRYmfDbx5bz44kJNTqkwL5bl?__cft__[0]=AZWJ9BXu69capNiqNxgHQhkSPNI-1MgE6dMQ3Eks-oW6JO9zB76pO5bbeZUpjfuuPnKYD2Y88yzBBJvMz9OqoCrvznyXQmc_EbOcPElGd6Mwv19R8PbBMQsYssSXqzFcd4wZlTiiip8yhmZXzvJFBCcg&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 27 Oct 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXZ2K0UP3pwGwzHXgRHxph14MEt31DlSMiB5kmaPS45ZqFofVELl06KQ6KvjPOidIFP1YJMKCrO6CPJgsz6GXklCcq1lfJJWdugWi1g9twRHLaify7OcZHAUNrXDFrcIysS0uGoQPPIjamk9CBP_5Ksp0krInL_tBeMUzaLBpe1FgOBdYfSw-MZHeLUFI/s962/Forward-SG-2023-Deputy-Prime-Minister-Lawrence-Wong-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="962" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXZ2K0UP3pwGwzHXgRHxph14MEt31DlSMiB5kmaPS45ZqFofVELl06KQ6KvjPOidIFP1YJMKCrO6CPJgsz6GXklCcq1lfJJWdugWi1g9twRHLaify7OcZHAUNrXDFrcIysS0uGoQPPIjamk9CBP_5Ksp0krInL_tBeMUzaLBpe1FgOBdYfSw-MZHeLUFI/w400-h285/Forward-SG-2023-Deputy-Prime-Minister-Lawrence-Wong-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As he laid out plans for Singapore’s way forward, <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/Press-Conference-on-the-Launch-of-the-Forward-Singapore-Festival-on-27-October-2023" target="_blank">Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong</a></b> stressed that the Government would not take a top-down approach but consult Singaporeans to find solutions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was responding to a question at a press conference on the <b><a href="https://www.forwardsingapore.gov.sg/" target="_blank">Forward Singapore</a></b> report, on what he saw as the biggest departures from the way things are being done now, in the new way forward.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This is more than just an engagement exercise. It’s really a partnership. And that partnership is between Government, people, community groups, employers, businesses. It encompasses our tripartite partnership, but it’s really a whole-of-Singapore partnership,” said Mr Wong, who led the People’s Action Party’s fourth-generation (4G) team in the nationwide engagement exercise.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 180-page Forward Singapore report unveiled on Friday was the culmination of about 16 months of dialogue.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The report calls for a greater helping hand for groups such as the less well-off, mid-career workers and seniors, through means like additional financial support and improved infrastructure.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It also articulated the mindset shifts required for Singapore to achieve the goals set out, such as for wider definitions of success and a stronger sense of collective responsibility towards one another.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On how the 4G team will prioritise the various moves laid out in the report, Mr Wong said it will look at issues that are more salient and of greater concern to Singaporeans, such as housing and retirement, where changes in policy have already been announced.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is based on the needs on the ground, the concerns Singaporeans have, and the time needed to introduce and implement changes, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Most that we have announced are the ones that we have already started prioritising and are implementing. There are other moves that we are discussing and deliberating over. They will take some time. The next milestone will be Budget 2024, where we will be able to flesh out in greater detail some of the other moves,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He cited two initiatives that will be further elaborated on before the year ends: Age Well SG, a national programme to help seniors age comfortably in place, and ComLink+, which is an enhancement to the existing ComLink programme that supports low-income families living in rental flats.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another initiative that will see more details in the coming months is the support scheme for the involuntarily unemployed, which will be raised in Budget 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As Singapore enters a phase where more disruptions will impact people’s lives, the Government will have to do more for Singaporeans and provide more assurances, said Mr Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This will require a lot more resources, he noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“And so we have to design our policies and programmes carefully, and in a responsible manner. But we think this additional spending will be necessary,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong noted that there is a full agenda of work ahead for the 4G team, the Government and Singapore, who will all have to work together.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The road ahead will not be easy, but we can draw confidence from what we have been through in Singapore’s history and also from the three years of tackling Covid-19 together,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The way in which we have undertaken this Forward Singapore exercise also reflects very much the desire of everyone in the team in how we want to engage and work with Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It is an approach where we will continue to listen and engage widely and work closely with partners,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxM6_MgirXD3lQ1v09zdp73vueYllvZOl_QwJYugpIoMYa2e611Maxl2VOb8hQqqrHN0WDrKS0CEvR58WHtX5DmyNPLXlTkweAZx2SxUjyJj8dDFCzsR8GO0dsk1F2hFSWs9MnISkamu0cwyrwnW1jG9T7coMlF4ueOzB4jq2usXzIbz8UX5PKYMNMGzuX/s962/Lawrence-Wong-Forward-Singapore-press-conference-October-2023-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="962" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxM6_MgirXD3lQ1v09zdp73vueYllvZOl_QwJYugpIoMYa2e611Maxl2VOb8hQqqrHN0WDrKS0CEvR58WHtX5DmyNPLXlTkweAZx2SxUjyJj8dDFCzsR8GO0dsk1F2hFSWs9MnISkamu0cwyrwnW1jG9T7coMlF4ueOzB4jq2usXzIbz8UX5PKYMNMGzuX/w400-h283/Lawrence-Wong-Forward-Singapore-press-conference-October-2023-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On how the 4G team worked together on the report, Mr Wong said they met as a work group monthly and had very intense discussions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beyond the work group meetings, they also met separately to hold deep-dive sessions on specific policies involving various ministries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The whole experience, building on top of what we had gone through in the last three years of Covid-19, has really enabled the team to come together very well. We have a much better understanding of each other’s strengths, how we can complement one another as a team and how the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts,” Mr Wong said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Asked when he would seek a fresh mandate to implement the agenda laid out in the report, he said: “We will announce and you will know all that is to be known in due course.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Singapore moves to ensure respect for every job and cement lifelong learning: Forward SG report</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Tay Hong Yi, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid0zNz9sr9Wzc5PZ4PPeRfPiFAcF7NxwrQoKdz9rKtDzRjQSouqY4xaRS2BqGBvMEAjl?__cft__[0]=AZUCl4_w7SwaIqtvWISnky2Zvctlwe-kD2-M81vYRnDk5SVHc-oqzEIwpv5Q18A6FDLW0Kl2slHyCXUa0d8fPiWtMw_4kT35SCmLL6XAWjHB423YZzyHoEd6ykokMPP-n8XYdNZC21ghHlJ0m0rP3tSi&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 27 Oct 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The wage gap between skilled tradesmen and knowledge-based workers will be narrowed through structured training and career planning, while Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates will get help to upgrade their skills early in their careers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These are among efforts to ensure that every job in Singapore is respected and fairly rewarded while cementing a culture of lifelong learning beyond grades, laid out in the broad plans for the areas of jobs and education in the Forward Singapore report released on Friday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government will work with the National Trades Union Congress, industry associations and institutes of higher learning to put these plans in place, the report said. Examples of workers who stand to gain from the wage boost are plumbers, electricians and those working in the healthcare and aged-care sectors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The report did not specify the healthcare and aged-care workers experiencing wage gaps, but latest Manpower Ministry figures released in July found that nursing aides and healthcare assistants earn a median gross salary of less than $3,000 a month – as do plumbers and electricians.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is below the median gross monthly salary of $4,500 for full-time employed residents as at June 2022.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We must do more to tilt the scales and narrow the wage gaps across professions,” the report said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It said of skilled workers: “It takes time to hone these skills, and those who develop a deep mastery should be able to earn a good living... If society is more supportive of individuals pursuing these careers, we can create a virtuous cycle, where society in turn benefits from better and more reliable services.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The support for ITE graduates comes amid widening gaps in starting salaries between these graduates and those from polytechnics and autonomous universities. “We are especially concerned about the growing gaps,” the report said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These salary gaps can be narrowed over time if ITE graduates upgrade and refresh their skills, such as through getting a diploma or even more qualifications in their working years. Skills upgrading improves career prospects and salaries, and it is a case of the earlier, the better, the report noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We will study how we can help younger ITE upgraders defray the costs of obtaining a diploma. When they graduate, we can also top up their Central Provident Fund to give them a head start to purchase a home or save for their retirement,” the report said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides ITE graduates, Singaporeans who already hold a publicly funded diploma or higher qualification will also get help with obtaining another publicly funded diploma.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For the wider workforce, more significant investments will be made to support mature mid-career Singaporeans in pursuing substantive reskilling and upskilling.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Workers will also receive a “further, substantial top-up” of the SkillsFuture Credit, the report said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A one-off top-up of $500 was given in 2020 to every Singaporean aged 25 and above, and another $500 specifically to Singaporeans aged 40 to 60 to improve access to career transition programmes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Financial support is set to be further bolstered for mature mid-career Singaporeans, in the form of training allowances when they take time off for full-time training over a longer period.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Local talent aspiring to top regional or global roles will also receive more support in pursuing the needed overseas exposure for such roles before returning home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Singaporeans with families who take up overseas roles often worry about their children’s education and how they can adjust when they come back. We will find ways to help their children integrate smoothly back into our schools,” the report noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the report, the Government also reiterated its plans to continue broadening the definition of merit and creating more diverse pathways in education, such as through exploring the use of adaptive learning technologies and artificial intelligence.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Shaifulazli Ghazali, 45, a training instructor at ST Engineering, welcomed the additional support for ITE graduates and skilled tradesmen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ITE graduate started his career in 1999 as an apprentice, gaining a Nitec in aircraft maintenance along the way. He noted that the profile of ITE graduates has changed and they now have higher career expectations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said ITE graduates during his time were “timid and quiet”, and never thought they would be in leadership or training positions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“(In contrast), my younger colleagues and interns who graduated recently are confident, and school has prepared them well for industry. They know to ask about sponsorship for further studies and their career progression.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At a press conference on Friday, Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng said participants at the Forward SG engagement sessions wanted a wider definition of career success.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“So we came to this conclusion that the idea of a good job should not just be limited to white-collar jobs,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He reiterated the Government’s focus on empowering individuals to chart their careers and investing in Singaporeans gaining overseas exposure. Other priorities include reducing wage gaps, providing financial support for involuntarily unemployed workers and ensuring a financially secure retirement for Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He emphasised that a meaningful shift towards fairer, more inclusive and more harmonious workplaces requires tripartism, which is the three-way partnership between the Government, employers and the labour movement.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the same press conference, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said, about lifelong learning, that there must continue to be a diversity of pathways for people to realise their potential at different stages of life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We will have to embrace technology that allows our people to adapt their learning styles and learning speed according to their needs,” he said, adding that adult learners can look forward to “more accessible and affordable modules, and more personalised skills and career guidance”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Low-income families will be empowered to uplift their lives: Forward SG report</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Theresa Tan, Senior Social Affairs Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid0BHe9w8E6UKN1ThTiKC1cTdwvBo1V26kDMNSm2AZD7UCJVifNUPu3ktjHnuuj7uicl?__cft__[0]=AZVqL10fY3feCGX1bLiQ2n1Fmz31NtFWel91rp0lJF3gFFZsjPMJp-r5PkTqsquKibSq6M_zvKK7DfESeEZI3gQ2X85COF5BFdGYLkTxXSJvaDtSEoQcb5LF6h77LCgZYk1EnQ0yXDZgo6VmBuuM2q-R&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 27 Oct 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Low-income families with children will be empowered over the longer haul to improve their lives, as the Government shifts its approach in helping these families from providing social assistance to social empowerment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For families with children living in highly subsidised Housing Board rental flats under the <b><a href="https://www.msf.gov.sg/what-we-do/volunteer/find-causes/comlink" target="_blank">Community Link (ComLink)</a></b> scheme, the Government will <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/11/comlink-new-financial-incentives-to.html" target="_blank">introduce additional measures that are tied to progress on plans tailored to help each family in three areas</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Forward Singapore report released on Friday said the Government could provide higher and longer-term financial payouts to ComLink families, as long as they work towards longer-term goals – such as staying employed, saving up to buy their own homes or ensuring their children attend pre-school regularly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During a press conference on Friday, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli said these financial incentives serve to recognise and supplement families’ efforts in working towards improving their lives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We will ease their short-term resource pressures and support them for their long-term plans,” he said, adding that more details on a new approach called ComLink+ will be released in the coming weeks.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">ComLink+ builds on the existing ComLink programme that started in 2019, where low-income families with children are given coordinated and comprehensive support for needs ranging from job assistance to their children’s development.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While Singapore has made progress in reducing income inequality, the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-help-for-low-income-so-that-no-family-gets-trapped-in-a-permanent-underclass-dpm-wong" target="_blank">Government wants to do more to boost social mobility</a></b>, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Oct 19 when he first sketched the broad outlines of ComLink+.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is to ensure that no family here gets trapped in a permanent underclass, he said, adding that there are early signs that social stratification is becoming more entrenched.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Masagos said participants in the Forward Singapore conversations felt that the Government’s efforts to help the low-income must not “kill this motivation for them to be self-reliant and independent”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beneficiaries also said that maintaining their dignity is important, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To help families achieve their goals, ComLink officers will be trained as family coaches to work more closely with each household.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Forward SG report said the Government has been doing more to help disadvantaged and vulnerable groups over the years, and will continue to do so.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“At the same time, we have sought to ensure that government actions do not lead to a greater sense of dependency and entitlement,” it said. “Instead, we want government actions to complement and reinforce individual and family effort, as well as contributions from other stakeholders.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Khalisah Samsuri, head of Sengkang Family Service Centre, run by AMKFSC Community Services, said some low-income families face multiple stressors such as ill health and caregiving responsibilities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Their circumstances and lower educational qualifications affect their job prospects and incomes. And they may not work in jobs that offer Central Provident Fund contributions or other staff benefits, so this further affects their ability to save up to buy their own homes, among other things, she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said of the ComLink+ approach: “It takes some time for families to be stable and to truly break out of the poverty cycle. It is also a form of motivation and hope for them to strive towards financial stability and self-reliance within their own unique circumstances.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another of the Government’s plans is to encourage more lower-income families to send their children to pre-school by the age of three.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is because the enrolment and attendance of children from such families at the ages of three to four tend to be lower than the national average, the report said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Khalisah said: “The families we work with usually have multiple struggles to juggle at any point of time, and hence may not be able to prioritise their children’s early development needs.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Getting these children into pre-school from an early age is necessary to reduce the risk of their development lagging behind that of their peers when they enter Primary 1, said the report.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) spokesman told The Straits Times: “As part of the Forward SG conversations, there was recognition that more must be done to make pre-schools more affordable and accessible for lower-income families, to give children a good start.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thus, the Government will give each child from all lower-income families the maximum amount of childcare subsidies for their households’ income tier.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The MSF spokesman added that childcare subsidies for lower-income families are currently means-tested so that households earning up to $6,000 a month can pay from as little as $3 to up to $115 a month for full-day childcare at a pre-school run by an anchor operator.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The spokesman said more details will be provided when they are ready.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In addition, some government-supported pre-schools will be given extra funding or manpower to better support the needs of children from lower-income families.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This will go towards engaging the parents more frequently to ensure that they take their children to school regularly, and helping children with learning needs to keep up with their peers, among other things.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Masagos said the Government is committed to making Singapore a nation where people with disabilities and their families can participate and contribute fully. Plans are outlined in the Enabling Masterplan 2030, which sets out “the vision for Singapore as an inclusive society in 2030”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Stronger support for people with disabilities includes areas of lifelong learning, employment and living in the community rather than in institutions, he said, as well as participating in social activities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Support for families</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The report also noted plans to help families in general balance caregiving with career aspirations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To support parents who may not have other care arrangements, the Government will increase the number of infantcare places at childcare centres by about 70 per cent, which amounts to an additional 9,000 spots by 2030.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It will also work with service providers to introduce “affordable, safe and reliable” childminding services as another option for families looking for infantcare services.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Such childminding services are not widely available now and can be costly, the report said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The MSF spokesman told ST that several private companies are now providing childminding services. There are also individuals who offer more informal and ad hoc care for infants, typically in the childminder’s home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The spokesman said the ministry will provide more details when they are ready.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The report noted that the Government will study the feasibility of further increasing paid parental leave while managing the impact of longer leave on business costs and operations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Friday, Mr Wong said that people have asked for more parental leave and more caregiving leave. But it is not so straightforward to implement, considering the impact on businesses, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said: “Nevertheless, we will study, we will engage different groups and we will consider, perhaps down the road at a time when it’s more conducive. Some of these ideas may materialise.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah said a mindset change among employers and the community to bring about more flexible work arrangements is needed, for Singaporeans to better balance work and raising a family.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It will not be possible to keep mandating more and more of this type of leave, and more and more of that type of leave,” she said. “But if every sector looks to see how you can make work arrangements more flexible so that parents can take time off, that will make a huge difference.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>More active ageing centres, boost to retirement schemes for seniors: Forward SG report</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Syarafana Shafeeq, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid023dvJ8Tqd5JRREBdT7NH2BwzYS21LM2LkDJE1Kg4gufvG1ai1UW6RjoCUVJ7ji3zZl?__cft__[0]=AZV5x6mLPqYiR3QbcueNstW0KV4nyFuyc39b1AlggJGCVHHlGWb4xp6ucjGM9AuXRbVH30Uu8vYQl-Ns4UQM3eZfXzj6s6WG7eIM9LaYvtfa59Dwb7-KBbdka4cNDGqVEd7pJgkEXSERsT5jrgNbX4hs&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 27 Oct 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Older Singaporeans will get more help under a new programme that will see more active ageing centres and senior-friendly infrastructure built in neighbourhoods across Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Existing measures to help seniors meet basic financial needs for retirement – such as the Workfare Income Supplement scheme, Silver Support Scheme and Matched Retirement Savings Scheme – will also get a boost.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the Forward Singapore report released on Friday, the Government said that although it has been expanding the nation’s aged care infrastructure by building more nursing homes and senior care centres, as well as increasing the capacity of home care services, this is not enough.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We need more focused efforts to reduce the risk of social isolation of seniors. This is one of the most powerful ways to enable seniors to spend more of their remaining life in good health,” the report said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“By living among their family, friends and neighbours and participating in social activities and physical exercises, seniors can delay frailty and deterioration of health.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At present, roughly one in five Singaporeans is aged 65 and older. This proportion will go up to one in four by 2030.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung acknowledged that many seniors will be most concerned with immediate issues such as healthcare costs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While these are under review, the Government must also take a longer-term view, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added that social isolation is the biggest enemy of senior citizens and determines their well-being in a “very profound way”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If we focus only on immediate problems, we are firefighting every day,” Mr Ong added in Mandarin, using a Chinese idiom that alludes to “the fire burning one’s eyebrows” to describe the pressing issues that seniors currently face.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But how are we going to prevent fires from breaking out?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The new programme, called Age Well SG, focuses on preventive care through measures that keep seniors active and social, allowing them to go about their daily activities with greater ease.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One goal is for eight in 10 seniors to have access to activities, such as at active ageing centres near their homes, by 2025. These activities include communal meals and exercise programmes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To achieve this, volunteers will reach out to seniors near each centre, especially those who live alone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More senior care centres, which provide custodial day care and rehabilitation services, will be built, alongside more home care options for those who need more help.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government aims to improve care coordination by having one provider coordinate a bundle of key services in each region. This ensures seniors have a single touchpoint for their care needs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Changes to the physical environment will make for safer and more pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods. For one thing, all towns will have features like more pedestrian crossings, wider and more accessible footpaths, and traffic-calming measures. In addition, traffic lights will be programmed to reduce the time it takes to activate the green man and increase the duration of crossing time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These changes are part of the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/initiative-to-create-pedestrian-friendly-streets-to-be-trialled-in-5-neighbourhoods-by-2025-lta" target="_blank">Friendly Streets initiative</a></b>, which was launched for trials by the Land Transport Authority earlier in the year in five places, including Ang Mo Kio and Toa Payoh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Neighbourhoods and existing homes will be fitted with more senior-friendly amenities and features so that seniors can go about their daily activities more easily and safely. These include revamped linkways, more shelters, barrier-free access ramps and rest points, and colourful signs to help older folk find their way home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fitness trails, exercise machines and therapeutic gardens will be installed in more estates to help seniors stay active.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In addition, an improved version of the Enhancement for Active Seniors programme will offer a wider variety of senior-friendly fittings for HDB flats. The existing programme offers grab bars, single-step ramps at entrances and within flats, and slip-resistant treatment for toilet floors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More senior-friendly housing options will also be made available. These include <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/life/community-care-apartments-the-future-of-growing-old-independently-in-singapore" target="_blank">community care apartments</a></b>, an assisted living public housing option that gives seniors access to care services, social activities and amenities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The apartments allow seniors to stay in neighbourhoods they are already familiar with, the report said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government will work with the private sector to offer alternatives such as private assisted living facilities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, existing schemes to help seniors meet basic retirement needs will be enhanced.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For those with lower incomes, the Workfare Income Supplement scheme will be reviewed and updated to help them build up their Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings and achieve their basic retirement needs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Silver Support Scheme will also be enhanced to support those with less to retire on.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At present, those with higher incomes can set aside more in their CPF Retirement Account to get higher retirement payouts, up to a cap known as the Enhanced Retirement Sum.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This cap will be raised for those who would like to put more into their accounts for even higher future payouts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Matched Retirement Savings Scheme, which provides a dollar-for-dollar matching CPF grant of up to $600 per year for cash top-ups to eligible seniors with lower retirement savings, will get a boost.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In addition, the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/business/askst-retirement-help-for-s-poreans-7-things-to-know-about-the-majulah-package" target="_blank">Majulah Package for Singaporeans in their 50s and early 60s</a></b> will see this group get a one-time Retirement Savings Bonus if their CPF savings fall below the Basic Retirement Sum.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They will also get a one-time MediSave Bonus to put them in a better position to take care of their future healthcare needs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">New Singapore Government Partnerships Office for Singaporeans to partner the Government and give ideas</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Tham Yuen-C, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 27 Oct 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To spur civic participation, a new office will be set up to create more space for Singaporeans to work with the Government.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Singapore Government Partnerships Office, one of the recommendations of the Forward Singapore report, will lead national efforts to engage citizens who want to contribute, by facilitating interactions between them and relevant government agencies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The office is part of a broader shift to empower people to take individual and collective actions, in the hope that building a shared future will foster unity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We recognise that there are some areas where it may be better for the Government to step back and allow more space for citizen participation,” said the report.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We will therefore introduce new ways to promote civic participation. We will also support more ground-up efforts by Singaporeans to shape and improve their communities.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government will actively seek input and work closely with all stakeholders and partners, said the report prepared by the fourth-generation political leaders led by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides creating more avenues for civic participation and ground-up efforts, the report also sketched out ways to nurture a stronger culture of giving and for people to support their fellow Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The recommendations follow the 16-month-long Forward Singapore exercise that saw more than 200,000 Singaporeans contribute their suggestions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At a press conference on Friday, Mr Wong said: “This is more than just an engagement exercise. It’s really a partnership effort... between Government, people, community groups, employers, businesses, (it) encompasses our tripartite partnership.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It’s really a whole-of-Singapore partnership, and that’s the only way that we can implement these big moves and these big shifts together.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ultimately, the aim is to build a vibrant, thriving and resilient society where the broad middle enjoys progress, the vulnerable receive care, and the better-off do their part to improve the lives of fellow citizens, said the report.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We ask that Singaporeans step forward to give back to our society, especially those who have done well and benefited from the system,” it added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This could be through financial donations, contributing knowledge, or working with community organisations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To this end, a new programme will be introduced to better connect donors to local communities and channel donations to where they are needed over a sustained period.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This will be done in collaboration with the Community Foundation of Singapore and Community Chest.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For example, a donor could support the educational needs of children from several lower-income families not just financially, but also in the areas of mentorship, internship and job opportunities, to help build their social capital and networks.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Businesses can also do more for the wider community, said the report.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It held up business leaders-turned-philanthropists such as Hajjah Fatimah, who donated land to build the Hajjah Fatimah Mosque, Govindasamy Pillai who set up the Ramakrishna Mission charity, and Tan Tock Seng, who donated money towards the building of what became Tan Tock Seng Hospital.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To guide companies in designing business practices and operations that can benefit society, the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre has set up the new Company of Good strategy, and 55 companies have adopted this corporate purpose framework.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Young people can give their views on policies through youth panels that were launched in May. These panels will look into financial security, careers and lifelong learning, digital well-being, and environment and sustainability.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong said some of the top issues for youth that surfaced during the Forward SG exercise were jobs and career choices, mental wellness and sustainability.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“There was a very strong sense of wanting to give back and support others who are less fortunate,” he said, adding that a group of young people worked closely with the Ministry of Social and Family Development team to come up with recommendations to uplift lower-income families.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another aspect of fostering unity involves strengthening multiracialism and the Singaporean identity, said the report, adding that the Government will do its part by continuing to expand spaces for more interactions between different groups.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More will be done to promote collaborations between the various self-help groups, and to encourage more Singaporeans to be involved in racial harmony programmes in the community, said the report.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It noted that sustained effort to sensitively manage the difficult issues on race and to create shared experiences through school, and community and national events, has allowed Singapore to enjoy several decades of racial and religious harmony.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But we must have the humility to acknowledge that our multiracialism is still a work in progress,” it said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even as more avenues will be provided for people to contribute ideas, the report said, not all ideas can be accepted and, sometimes, there may be differing views on how to achieve an outcome.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In such cases, the Government will explain its considerations, and take the “practical and pragmatic” approach by looking at data and evidence and considering the circumstances and context before deciding on a way forward.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Such differences are not so fundamental because our ends are the same, and it is a matter of working out the best approach to take,” said the report.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From Friday to Sunday, Singaporeans will be able to learn more about the initiatives in the report at the Forward Singapore Festival at Silver Garden – Silver Leaf at Gardens by the Bay. After this, the festival roadshow will make its way to various heartland locations until Jan 28, 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There will be exhibition booths on the key policy shifts highlighted in the report, an interactive booth where people can create their own avatars to discover what the shared future holds, and a holographic booth where they can make pledges for Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Related</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><a href="https://www.forwardsingapore.gov.sg/" target="_blank">Forward SG Report 2023</a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/11/age-well-sg-singapore-sets-aside-800.html" target="_blank">Age Well SG: Singapore sets aside $800 million from FY2024 to FY2028 to help seniors age well at home, in their communities</a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/11/comlink-new-financial-incentives-to.html" target="_blank">ComLink+: New financial incentives to spur low-income families to work towards improving their lives</a></span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-44387072540197610362023-10-17T20:01:00.007+08:002023-10-17T20:06:18.516+08:00DPM Lawrence Wong's Dialogue at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on 13 October 2023<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Singapore government explains national interest to repel disinformation, says DPM Wong</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Bhagyashree Garekar, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid023L17phU5E6pkfJuvfAJoHsJjpBUwmifp2N8JpcpkEfNDm2qj4hQTvWRj7ty5bSWtl?__cft__[0]=AZVNBev0wa7OwjJxMLQQs9juCZaU1Ph1N0Vky5yevtwchn7UTqj2-UdUr-Yi_iBjdxD4nLYzv1AieVZpcCyac5LImP6mHMAx8D_4NEDrEDiVJYj6_yyxDqa05aEE2IUJIi1kEuJp9D0B3U7sa6EHyhSj&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 14 Oct 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnfzBNVgicE1T-L3Uh5y61F7M6LbueutfvWlmswvDHfp4QVp-xTqIuRZl95S9v8ENqf9e3Ot3HdVbirSaGdhF_bP4piDzY_z3d80-TtMftyCr-8NuVlp8ap1yxNS-lvObLFrFVom7KwuW70RJQYB-u-VrJ7dZbc-Lutr23jw8fEQirN_R84zAiuVFu3tB/s962/Lawrence-Wong-dialogue-at-Center-for-Strategic-and-International-Studies-CSIS-13-October-2023-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="962" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnfzBNVgicE1T-L3Uh5y61F7M6LbueutfvWlmswvDHfp4QVp-xTqIuRZl95S9v8ENqf9e3Ot3HdVbirSaGdhF_bP4piDzY_z3d80-TtMftyCr-8NuVlp8ap1yxNS-lvObLFrFVom7KwuW70RJQYB-u-VrJ7dZbc-Lutr23jw8fEQirN_R84zAiuVFu3tB/w400-h289/Lawrence-Wong-dialogue-at-Center-for-Strategic-and-International-Studies-CSIS-13-October-2023-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">WASHINGTON - Singapore protects its population against disinformation by explaining again and again to its citizens where its national interest lies, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceWongST/posts/pfbid0296LBGmYhQcgPg1kHEKdjhJi7X9eZ4o79GkgDLsHdvh9BiKveHTyXNYb1ESzhcCKl?__cft__[0]=AZUqxiqgD6_AknoygFwcKpBrdJSBAA3yoSwmEQ9qbW7yYasr6GvXL42_Lbke_yoqn8YUgb80HupnJs0FgJrGX2ToAu9JTyP9q4eapiYtqeIjd0r48KuWqziHZeZJmrpAUcn49DolX2K5dHT5dIR_iroY6YO8cpSoxVK_sQpl5iiDM_kx6io4-EpMV0uCgLlLus0&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong</a></b> said while <b><a href="https://www.csis.org/events/conversation-singapore-deputy-prime-minister-lawrence-wong" target="_blank">addressing</a></b> an influential American think-tank on Friday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Given that we are such a small, open multicultural society, we know that we are susceptible to influences from elsewhere,” he said during a discussion at the <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/DPM-Lawrence-Wongs-Dialogue-at-the-Center-for-Strategic-and-International-Studies" target="_blank">Centre for Strategic and International Studies</a></b> on the last day of his Oct 5 to 15 working visit to the US.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“That is why we are very vigilant about this.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DPM Wong was asked to spell out the Government’s stance on reports that China is trying to influence ethnic Chinese populations across South-east Asia, including that of Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We continually engage our public, educate, explain what is our national interest, why we take certain decisions. Not because of choosing sides or... external influence, but really because of Singapore’s own interest.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We spend a lot of time doing that,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also said it helped that a distinct Singaporean identity, different from cultures in other countries, had evolved over time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The majority of our population are ethnic Chinese, so we have ancestral roots going back to China, but we have, over time, evolved our own Singaporean identity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We are Singaporean Chinese, and the Singaporean Chinese is very different from the Chinese from China – in values, in outlook, in identity. Just as a Singaporean Malay would be very different from a Malay from Malaysia or Indonesia, or a Singaporean Indian would be very different from someone who comes from India.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“America, being a nation of immigrants, you must understand this very well,” he said,</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And influence percolated not just from China; Singapore was equally influenced by ideas originating in the West. A large proportion of Singaporeans consume English-language news and entertainment from the US and Britain, he pointed out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“There is no shortage of criticism about Singapore in the Western media, no shortage of commentaries and articles highlighting the shortcomings in our system and asking us to be more like Western liberal ideals.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But the country steered its own course, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“At the end of the day, what is important for us, small though we may be, is that we are our own people, we make our own choices.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It really comes down to Singaporeans deciding on the future of our country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Not China nor the West.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was also asked to react to a report published in The Washington Post in July which <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/wrong-to-allege-zaobao-echoes-beijing-propaganda-s-pore-envoy-to-us-lui-tuck-yew-tells-washington-post" target="_blank">alleged that Lianhe Zaobao was peddling China’s propaganda</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong said the Chinese-language newspaper had defended its editorial stance and strongly rejected the portrayal by the Post.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If you were to ask Singaporeans, the vast majority of Singaporeans reading the Chinese newspaper daily will not feel that what was portrayed in The Washington Post was accurate,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Because we can read and see for ourselves articles on China, and they cover a wide range, including many articles that criticise Singapore’s perspectives as they have to reflect our society.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is as it should be, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Our newspapers cannot resemble The Washington Post, neither do we ask The Washington Post to become like Singapore newspapers.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">We are techno-optimists by nature: DPM Wong</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bhagyashree Garekar, The Straits Times, 14 Oct 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">WASHINGTON – From his take on China’s economy, to the Singaporean affinity for IT, and lessons from the Republic’s experience in multiculturalism, <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/DPM-Lawrence-Wongs-Dialogue-at-the-Center-for-Strategic-and-International-Studies" target="_blank">Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong</a></b> fielded a variety of questions during a <b><a href="https://www.csis.org/events/conversation-singapore-deputy-prime-minister-lawrence-wong" target="_blank">dialogue</a></b> on Friday at the <b><a href="https://www.csis.org/" target="_blank">Centre for Strategic and International Studies</a></b>, a prominent Washington-based think-tank.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The dialogue was the highlight of the last day of his 10-day working visit to the United States, during which he <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/singapore-and-us-can-work-in-sync-to-ensure-game-changing-tech-serves-the-world-dpm-lawrence-wong" target="_blank">affirmed strong bilateral ties and met top US officials</a></b> including National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here are excerpts from Mr Wong’s replies during the hour-long discussion moderated by Mr Christopher B. Johnstone, the Centre’s senior adviser and Japan chair.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">On China’s economy</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They are going through a challenging sort of situation now, because there is high youth unemployment. They have decided to prick the real estate bubble, and there will be painful consequences from doing so. I think it is the right thing to do, because there were excesses building up in the real estate sector.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But real estate is about 20 to 30 per cent of the economy. And once you prick the bubble, there are all sorts of consequences, knock-on effects cascading throughout the entire economy, which they will have to manage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the same time, they will have to rebalance the economy towards one that is more consumption-based. It is not easy because they will also have to undertake reforms on the social security front, which will take time. It is quite complex, given the size of their country. But talking to their officials, I think they understand what needs to be done. It is a matter of communicating and also making sure that the implementation is done well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You hear a lot of commentators and people talking about Peak China. We think that is overstated; we think China will continue to grow.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">China’s economy will grow, maybe 4 per cent, maybe 5 per cent. But to what extent will it have that same entrepreneurial vitality and dynamism that it had before, I do not think anyone has the answer now.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I would not underestimate the natural animal spirit of the Chinese people. They are highly resourceful. They are determined to secure a better life for themselves. And you should never underestimate their tremendous sense of drive and energy in the Chinese people.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">On the US economic engagement in the region</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have long advocated for more economic engagement by the US in Asia, and in particular South-east Asia. Our preference would have been a regional trade agreement. We had the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership), but that is water under the bridge. If possible, we would like to see market access and trade liberalisation, but I think it is very hard to talk about these things under current circumstances in US domestic politics.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But in the meantime, we have IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity) and that is still very substantial, and there can still be good outcomes achieved through IPEF. I think in areas like supply chains, green economy, digital economy – these are things that we are pursuing, and we hope certainly that there can be some substantial progress, in particular by the time that the Apec (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit is held in November this year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">On US-China ties</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Both sides have made very clear that they do not want a confrontation. And hopefully, there will be a view that this is not a zero-sum contest – it is not one side wins, the other side loses. The world is big enough to accommodate both the US and China, and the two can coexist and develop together.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is very good that talks and engagements have resumed in recent months. Hopefully, through these dialogues and engagements, there can be an effort to reduce misperceptions, misunderstanding, and enable more mutual accommodation and meeting of minds. What we would like to see and what we hope to see is that the presidents on both sides, President Xi (Jinping) and President (Joe) Biden, hopefully will have a chance to meet and talk face to face in Apec, and they will be able to help rebuild the strategic trust that is so important to take the relationship forward in a positive way.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If this does not happen and if the relationship turns sour, then it will be a big problem for the two countries, but it is also a huge problem for the rest of the world. Everyone will be worse off.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Takeaways from US trip</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have a solid and growing bilateral agenda between America and Singapore. Both sides share a very similar strategic outlook of the world. We have long had close cooperation across a broad range of issues, from defence to economics. And there is now a growing desire, mutual desire, to see how we can further strengthen that partnership.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is also recognition in the administration, which has consistently told us that they do not want Singapore to be in a position to have to choose sides. They recognise what our perspectives are, and the perspectives of countries in South-east Asia, so having a close relationship with the US does not mean we have to alienate and exclude engagements with other countries, including China.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">On Singapore and IT</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is a sector that we pay a lot of attention to because, given our stage of economic development, the only way for us to move forward really is to invest in innovation, R&D and push the frontiers of innovation. IT becomes very important, digital technologies are very important. Not just as a sector in itself, but as an enabler across all the pillars of our economy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We are investing heavily in IT. We continue to encourage young people to enter the space in Singapore, and we are continuing to attract talent from around the region to come to Singapore to study and do well in IT. Our advantages are that we are small, we are nimble, we are a city-state. While we may not be at the cutting edge of IT – I mean the latest ideas and innovations, I think, will still come from American universities, American companies – but we can be a fast adopter. We can scale up applications very quickly. Not just in one sector, but across the entire economy and across our entire society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We do have the other advantage of a population that does embrace technology. We are techno-optimists by nature. Yes, technology does disrupt people’s lives. It does make some jobs obsolete. Over the decades, we have found ways to reskill, upskill our workers, make sure that anyone who is affected by technological disruptions can get placed to a better job, make use of machines and tools to increase the salaries of our workers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is not something new, this is something we have been doing year after year for decades, so that trust and confidence that technology can help make lives better is there, and that is why we are able to embrace technology, including new technologies like AI, and we can hopefully continue to keep the economy growing and improve the lives of our people.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">On regulating AI</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the key issues that we are grappling with – countries everywhere are grappling with – is how to harness the benefits of AI and innovation and the impact of AI while minimising the downside risks.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You can have an AI model that works well 99 per cent of the time, but that 1 per cent failure, if applied in a very potentially damaging scenario, can have knock-on implications for many, many people. How do we tackle these sorts of risks? What should be an appropriate governance framework for responsible AI usage?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It cannot be that companies are let off the hook. Surely companies cannot say we do everything and then when there is a problem, governments come to the rescue. That surely is too late. What is the right framework that companies can use in applying AI for different use cases that will ensure they take some responsibility? And governments and the private sector work closely together in having this framework and a set of principles governing responsible AI.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have done some work in this respect for Singapore. I think the US is also interested in this space, and we hope that we can work together and collaborate in this area of responsible AI. I think it is going to be hard to talk about global standards at this stage, but we take it step by step, and hopefully, we can get more like-minded countries to join us and expand the coalition.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hopefully, that modus vivendi, where South-east Asia and Singapore can continue to have an open inclusive region, engaging not just America, but China, EU, other major powers all engage in our part of the world. Expanding the common ground we share and maximising our chances for stability and shared prosperity at a time when the world is increasingly becoming very uncertain and turbulent. That is our perspective and that is my main takeaway from this visit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Singapore’s biggest domestic challenge in the 2020s</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our biggest challenge is this – Singapore is always an improbable nation. We are so tiny, and with no natural resources – you would not have bet on Singapore in 1965. You will not expect Singapore to survive, but we did. It is nothing short of a miracle. Our challenge is to sustain this little miracle called Singapore for as long as possible.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My vivid impression of this is when I was a student in Michigan. In Michigan, there is a ghost town called Singapore. It is by Lake Michigan near the Kalamazoo River. It was founded in the 1830s. No one knows why it is called Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But presumably, because Singapore was founded by the British as a British port in 1819, and very quickly, we became a thriving port for the British. Perhaps word had spread from the exotic Far East, there was something called Singapore, and you know how it takes time for news to travel in those days. So in the 1830s, someone decided to set up a town in Michigan, and it was a shipbuilding and lumber port, and it did well for a while.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But after 50 years, the shifting sand dunes swallowed up the town. And if you go there now, you can only see a signpost that says these are the ruins of Singapore. So Singapore in Michigan did not last for very long, about 50 years. Our mission is to make Singapore in South-east Asia last for a very long time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">On the use of bases in a war</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, it is a hypothetical scenario. First of all, if there is war, we are all in big, big trouble. Let us hope that there is no war. We are not a US ally, to be very clear. We are quite unique. I think we are the only country in the world which is a Major Security Cooperation Partner (MSCP), so we are not an ally of the US. We let American troops use our ports and bases. We provide rotational support, logistical support, we allow them to come through for their rotational deployment, but these are peacetime arrangements, and it has been a win-win for both the US and Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If there were to be other circumstances, then I think we will have to consider the context of circumstances and think through carefully, like I said, always from the perspective of what is in Singapore’s interest. Our starting point must be, let us not even get into a situation where there is a conflict or a war in Asia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">On what the US can learn from Singapore’s multiculturalism</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am not going to be so presumptuous as to tell the US that you can learn from us. But we have a model that works for our circumstances and needs. It starts off by recognising that people come from different backgrounds, different races, different religions. We do not seek to assimilate into one central identity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rather, we want everyone to preserve their own cultures, their own traditions. We want everyone to feel that they have a place in our society. Even the smallest of minorities must feel that they are valued, and they can contribute to society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the same time, while we encourage that, while we provide for that, we also want groups to come together and interact with one another as much as possible so that through that interaction, we find common ground. What is it that we share together as Singaporeans? There are many things that we have in common. Then hopefully over time, through interactions, through shared experiences, through shared memories, we expand the common ground that we share with one another.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That is how we think of multiculturalism in Singapore. It is a work in progress, because nation building, building a Singaporean identity is always a work in progress; but it is also a process which we have found requires mutual accommodation and compromise.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Compromise must never be seen to be a bad word. Because if every group asserts maximum entitlement, everything must be 100 per cent – I have to do everything, and if I cannot achieve all of what I want, I see that as a slight, I see that as an insult to my tribe – then it becomes war of every tribe against every tribe and there is no common ground.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-58261170130679251052023-10-04T11:34:00.020+08:002023-10-09T09:54:37.833+08:00Shanti Pereira wins gold in 200m in Hangzhou, Singapore’s first athletics title at Asian Games since 1974<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>Tearful Shanti Pereira says it’s a ‘so crazy, incredible season’ after historic 200m gold at Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Kimberly Kwek, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=303462518968520" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 3 Oct 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RXmGINUJ_r2zEt2M4lwgHsKFXQToGj_bJ-lJgAghUy1YaoVp-pw-MvGtgJJfVBo7vWEztSuLoeJeMQ0NR1EbTiuYnVZxRTrmW65dPozGMbD4S0XMaQeAPcA1XQfkpoLiRGtpQnjEji1tCdZiW7i8olp8wa9qVexJHbnyVb95iJ1zB3TfnNHBPRQopwjb/s1195/Shanti-Pereira-athletics-gold-medal-Asian-Games-200m-Hangzhou-October-2023-ST-photo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1195" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RXmGINUJ_r2zEt2M4lwgHsKFXQToGj_bJ-lJgAghUy1YaoVp-pw-MvGtgJJfVBo7vWEztSuLoeJeMQ0NR1EbTiuYnVZxRTrmW65dPozGMbD4S0XMaQeAPcA1XQfkpoLiRGtpQnjEji1tCdZiW7i8olp8wa9qVexJHbnyVb95iJ1zB3TfnNHBPRQopwjb/w400-h278/Shanti-Pereira-athletics-gold-medal-Asian-Games-200m-Hangzhou-October-2023-ST-photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shanti Pereira is squatting on the track at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, Singapore flag draped over her as she buries her face in her hands crying, staying there for 10 seconds.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She had won the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChannelNewsAsia/posts/pfbid035w2nwXrQcvKRgujs2bZq2HkukNPfYTR6dPp7APUVSwjJQjkH1UdykvjhxP8dDQnRl?__cft__[0]=AZV2gpCy77g8lTHTejLTTHwTwz11FX7TgdD3MNTkEKvBUPbJxZfpvI2KMDN03iTUSDR2d9EOOJlR2OZYGaLDYZPIxilsTuuOTG43ApKM4skRiypsK4G9O9iaGSFOyZVf7Mn2VJzMkuiAfIQ2OTGrfdyKQpjrB2hZsrLg9h0QMw2yJ_8uXJ4kvLhpoEOFRZ3hy0s&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">women’s 200m</a></b> at the <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Asian_Games#:~:text=Originally%20scheduled%20to%20take%20place,1990%20and%20Guangzhou%20in%202010." target="_blank">Asian Games</a></b> in 23.03sec and when she finally understood what had happened, Asia’s fastest woman in the event needed a moment of stillness to process the magnitude of what she had achieved.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the final on Monday, the 27-year-old finished ahead of China’s Li Yuting (23.28sec) and defending champion Edidiong Ofonime Odiong (23.48sec), ending the Republic’s 49-year wait for an athletics gold medal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I just passed the finish line and I knew I won and I was like what a season this has been, it’s been so crazy,” said an emotional Pereira at the mixed zone, choking up at times during the interview.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I immediately teared up. It means a lot, it means a lot. I never thought I would be here but I am.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I can’t really describe what I’m feeling right now, it’s so much joy. I have so many people to thank – everyone knows who they are. It’s been incredible.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She had gone into the final as the top qualifier with her heats time of 23.14sec and was seen as the leading contender.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was drama as the race had to be restarted after Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, the 2019 world champion in the 400m, was disqualified for a false start, adding to the tension of the night.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But Pereira was unaffected and as she settled back into the starting blocks, all that went through her mind was “execute, execute, execute”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then she ran the race of her life, beating a field that included 2014 winner Olga Safronova of Kazakhstan and Bahraini Odiong, who had bagged the 100m-200m double in 2018.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After posing for some photos, Pereira ran to the other side of the stadium, flag raised while she greeted the Singapore supporters seated in the stands.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is the crowning achievement in what has been a stunning season for the Singaporean, who on Saturday <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/shanti-pereira-tops-200m-heats-to-qualify-for-asian-games-final" target="_blank">claimed the 100m silver</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In addition to her Asiad medals, Pereira’s accolades in 2023 include golds in the 100m and 200m at the Cambodia SEA Games and Asian Athletics Championships, as well as <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/shanti-pereira-breaks-singapore-record-qualifies-for-200m-semis-at-world-athletics-championships" target="_blank">meeting the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying mark</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But it has not been an easy journey for the sprinter, who endured a difficult period of self-doubt as her times stagnated after she burst onto the scene at the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore where she won the 200m crown.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pereira has been <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/making-peace-with-herself-has-helped-singapore-sprint-queen-shanti-pereira-win" target="_blank">candid about her struggles</a></b> and continues to do so. When a minder in the mixed zone told her she had one minute, she bargained for five, wanting more time to describe this athletic pursuit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said: “There’s a lot of respect for everybody out there. We’re all on this very incredible journey, just racing and finding ourselves as well so that was a big thing that happened for me.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I really fell in love with this sport again last year and this year and I’m just embracing every opportunity I get, including this one.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Her coach Luis Cunha, who had been watching the race from the warmup track at a nearby stadium, was proud of what Pereira had achieved.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She had come into the continental meet with eight of the top 10 times this season by an Asian runner in the event – now nine after Monday’s race – but she still had to perform on the night, he noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Portuguese said: “For this championships, the most important thing was not time but classification – we knew she was the favourite but she needed to go there and deliver...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The entire season was perfect and to finish it with a gold in the Asian Games is something incredible.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said: “I feel blessed to be part of her journey. It’s a journey that inspires Singaporeans. <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChannelNewsAsia/posts/pfbid04WgxgQDmL5JBZDZJiX7ZMPhGWyFfpZEGpXmtXjzHAgWfj2myaEmsSHvzUZweyNcyl?__cft__[0]=AZVzxMkxFkCbUn1Vkh3BGzx7NpnF3So8Y5Sjs9--n3Vw1uq1uJTVNS39D_xMd6kDBP6OfIGeDpW4VaO6HAe-r5tJ7AmNmULWUYwD2z7P60Gd6UUKxNRPfRLtRd5rQZBdnHqG2cbduh_rQNGv58XdbTnpZ42zQiu19ti96Clgz__5XxP1PhFKxxQj42VNmcb4imY&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Now she’s going to be on the podium, the national anthem is going to play</a></b>. It’s more important for Singapore than me.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kBGWratDPqQ?si=lgbNQjUGsIlaasFu" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was a wave of emotions for Pereira after the victory and one prominent one that stood out was relief.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She added: “Especially this particular race because it’s been such a long season. I’m just excited to rest and reset.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Two days after winning silver in Athletics, Women's 100m event, Singapore's Pereira Veronica Shanti defeated China's Li Yuting (Silver) and Bahrain's Odiong Edidiong Ofonime(Bronze) to take the gold in Women's 200m event at the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou. Congrats!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hangzhou?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hangzhou</a>… <a href="https://t.co/o25ct4oH2s">pic.twitter.com/o25ct4oH2s</a></p>— 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 Official (@19thAGofficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/19thAGofficial/status/1708826268169654651?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Shanti Pereira races into history books for Singapore</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Kimberly Kwek, The Straits Times, 3 Oct 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shanti Pereira ended Singapore’s 49-year wait for a gold medal in track and field at the <b><a href="https://www.hangzhou2022.cn/En/" target="_blank">Asian Games</a></b> as she won the women’s 200m crown on Monday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore’s sprint queen crossed the line at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in 23.03 seconds, ahead of China’s Li Yuting (23.28sec) and defending champion Edidiong Ofonime Odiong (23.48sec).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Bahraini’s compatriot Salwa Eid Naser was disqualified for a false start, adding to the tension of the night.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking on live television seconds after her race, Pereira, 27, said: “I wasn’t really affected by the false start. It happens and we prepare for it... I was just focused on my execution from start to finish, how I came off the blocks and down the straight.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“When I saw I was ahead, I just ran for it.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the significance of the moment, she smiled and added: “I’ll probably be crying my eyes out later.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RLTX1IpLgJ4?si=No_aOkyBNUD00l1J" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Republic’s <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/a-woman-with-small-shoes-who-left-a-big-footprint" target="_blank">last Asiad gold in athletics came from Chee Swee Lee</a></b>, who was the 400m champion at the 1974 Teheran Games. She also claimed a silver and bronze in the relays that year. Before her, Ng Liang Chiang, in the men’s 110m hurdles at the 1951 Games in New Delhi, was the country’s only other gold medallist.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pereira’s gold is her second medal in Hangzhou. Last Saturday, she <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/shanti-pereira-tops-200m-heats-to-qualify-for-asian-games-final" target="_blank">clinched silver in the 100m</a></b> for Singapore’s first athletics medal at the quadrennial Games since that same 1974 edition. With her contribution, Singapore have bagged three gold, five silver and four bronze medals in China. At the 2018 Games in Indonesia, the contingent managed a tally of 4-4-14.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QADIO5iqvjo?si=S2qIeLT-m5w8X9Da" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It completes a stunning year for Pereira, who has notched many milestones, including winning the 100m and 200m titles at the SEA Games and Asian Athletics Championships, as well as <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/shanti-pereira-breaks-singapore-record-qualifies-for-200m-semis-at-world-athletics-championships" target="_blank">meeting the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying mark in the 200m</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Her feats are just the latest in what has been a golden period for Singapore sports.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Among those who have redefined what is possible for the next generation of local athletes is swimmer Joseph Schooling, who clinched a <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2016/08/joseph-schooling-wins-singapores-first.html" target="_blank">historic gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics</a></b> when he claimed the 100m butterfly crown.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2021, Loh Kean Yew became the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2021/12/singapores-first-badminton-world.html" target="_blank">first Singaporean to win the badminton world championships</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-41145244061837489342023-09-29T17:25:00.011+08:002023-10-08T19:16:04.344+08:00$1.1 billion Cost-of-Living Support Package: Additional payment of up to $200 cash for 2.5 million eligible adult Singaporeans in December 2023<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>$1.1 billion Cost-of-Living Support Package to provide more relief for Singaporean households, especially lower- to middle-income families</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>Extra $200 CDC vouchers for Singaporean households in 2024</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Jean Iau and Natasha Ann Zachariah, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02oxVQcgqsJ48txW33LoUZA4keURwVmQFnxkXkQzBSRhJ9Bidxtow9Pchu7DoBHxTCl?__cft__[0]=AZWtgXHWgnB02E1PTZVUYHCxTcsSLj5orRwgvKfei9OJ0c4IPAQiLQtfvfF83HdK-H5-y-O1ixTmITu5iiIxLcm-ZiUpd9LGQlbxkZm4Kr-HT4jcrm4PfQhCqOBJXvblN4kDxaaWss_8UCjczvnyqwG5&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 28 Sep 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZeM0PlR708Bsxs5_Oezu4JMv8kvi-cxRiYQQJkBV5zYPZURSJA3B5Rg82PWk5l5FA1j30hDzz7YsCAAE40lcUzsSCK1p4yqqMgNcHt6Jw0u8p2Zzs9hR2cLUlVs8lMfPD0BYLXBDDc0-oPaaIgBACi8mHhkpwDco4InuakNYFmC7U1P_iwyXEMzDAl5b/s667/Lawrence-Wong-cost-of-living-support-package-help-Singaporeans-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="667" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZeM0PlR708Bsxs5_Oezu4JMv8kvi-cxRiYQQJkBV5zYPZURSJA3B5Rg82PWk5l5FA1j30hDzz7YsCAAE40lcUzsSCK1p4yqqMgNcHt6Jw0u8p2Zzs9hR2cLUlVs8lMfPD0BYLXBDDc0-oPaaIgBACi8mHhkpwDco4InuakNYFmC7U1P_iwyXEMzDAl5b/w400-h396/Lawrence-Wong-cost-of-living-support-package-help-Singaporeans-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some 2.5 million adult Singaporeans will receive an additional cash payout of up to $200 in December, and every Singaporean household will receive an extra $200 in Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers in 2024 to help with the rising cost of living.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These support measures, among others, are part of a <b><a href="https://www.mof.gov.sg/news-publications/press-releases/1.1-billion-cost-of-living-support-package-to-provide-more-relief-for-singaporean-households-especially-for-lower--to-middle-income-families" target="_blank">$1.1 billion Cost-of-Living Support Package to provide relief for all Singaporean households</a></b>, with more support for lower- to middle-income families. They build on the measures announced at Budget 2023.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The measures include an $800 million enhancement to the <b><a href="https://www.govbenefits.gov.sg/about-assurancepackage/" target="_blank">Assurance Package (AP)</a></b> and the AP will now be more than $10 billion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Announcing the support package on Thursday, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceWongST/posts/pfbid0323wtNRWJDBeUqcWUB2CZSvJJu7Xpg4RbYqesGiaSBFyVDUn5EJuVuW9P9sBXmYp3l?__cft__[0]=AZXcT0lTV4YJKH_ekd6oy2N5Pf2erm92vPaY76E7ftnK4ryfloJxBzpOhhfh_xRETkKQTn49x2swqdx8L4PTGUMWmybwRNHoG9JQBonA0KpTiFLxQ5TrfabbUjmymKJd_ejpYjkqYvoPDMzcTmX7AFIwRiEVZmRkmJ_hkuvyH8Um9DGRhY5fK5M1wj8SQ8gU8d4&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong</a></b> acknowledged that many Singaporeans are anxious about the overall economic outlook, price increases and the impact on their cost of living.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The Government is committed to supporting Singaporeans through these uncertain times,” said Mr Wong, adding that it will not be dipping into the past reserves for the package.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“As Prime Minister said at the National Day Rally recently, the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-govt-studying-if-assurance-package-can-be-enhanced-to-help-s-poreans-cope-with-gst-hike" target="_blank">Ministry of Finance has been studying how we can do more</a></b>, to provide better support for Singaporeans.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sX_GWoiAUms?si=KcwtaoS1gMPE1tWq" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong noted that the measures will cushion the impact of <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0Cd4CgMJgTiL4nyNS5SQQMvxPbGLEB2aYA2VaFgU1P3BQACL7RGwyjMJa7NbGDjxRl&id=100005335308340&__cft__[0]=AZUlykvMcBptNKRRSrQrRrhgLimAB4yNs6Wwk77oYTp4k8p05DpeRwOhrLoNHa4xT7xfPUzENdq3pUGHgdfw7FL36e2PtGtnj3zFBqNpq3vwarg4h5kXQXUqUzgi06lzlNIxA6a3mk85SnyBend-ocPbx_rX2e8IYihgAza3gAhV3QUI_m3-NHrRZv4pwaHHNeFEZcLzlhX0Ku3ld-CpqbhG&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">higher utility bills</a></b> arising from the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/singapore-water-price-to-rise-from.html" target="_blank">increases in the price of water</a></b>, and also the upcoming increase in carbon tax.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>AP cash special payment</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The additional payment of up to $200 cash for 2.5 million eligible adult Singaporeans will be disbursed in December 2023, together with the existing AP cash component.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In total, eligible adult Singaporeans will receive up to $800 cash in December 2023. This will provide more support to lower- and middle-income adult Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singaporeans aged 21 and above in 2024 who own no more than one property, and have an assessable income of $34,000 or less for the Year of Assessment 2022, will receive an additional $200, on top of the $600 under the earlier announced AP cash payment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those in this group who have an assessable income of more than $34,000 and up to $100,000 will receive an additional $150 on top of the $350 payout from the existing AP.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those who own more than one property, or have an assessable income of more than $100,000, will not receive an additional payout under the AP cash special payment, but will receive $200 from the existing AP cash component.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfo2IysvnUYphJm_8D7QDuZus7x1MQm0B6dJhh4P709UMHh8KUTS_E0unNIMBK-hv9P-e8wUhG6X_NHWsKBjdsyBVFL86HcQ9TYGaKVWdt4t3vSLtx0a3mQfxAgzvmpH5cRNqxU5jJgvrKD1h-IKSOEAOw1Mq89GNaS7ul5KIZeUpv6mVDwk2mrmFc9x9u/s1280/Singapore-Cost-of-Living-Support-Package-October-2023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfo2IysvnUYphJm_8D7QDuZus7x1MQm0B6dJhh4P709UMHh8KUTS_E0unNIMBK-hv9P-e8wUhG6X_NHWsKBjdsyBVFL86HcQ9TYGaKVWdt4t3vSLtx0a3mQfxAgzvmpH5cRNqxU5jJgvrKD1h-IKSOEAOw1Mq89GNaS7ul5KIZeUpv6mVDwk2mrmFc9x9u/w512-h640/Singapore-Cost-of-Living-Support-Package-October-2023.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>CDC vouchers</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Every Singaporean household will get an additional $200 in CDC vouchers in 2024, bringing the total amount of CDC vouchers for each Singaporean household to $500 in 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The $200 worth of additional CDC vouchers will be spilt in half, with $100 of these vouchers allocated for spending at participating heartland merchants and hawkers, and $100 for spending at participating supermarkets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 2024 CDC vouchers should be claimed digitally at go.gov.sg/cdcv from Jan 3, 2024. The vouchers can be claimed at any time during their validity period. They will expire at the end of 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">S&CC rebates</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some 950,000 Singaporean HDB households will receive an additional one-off 0.5-month service and conservancy charges (S&CC) rebate in January 2024, together with the regular S&CC rebates.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This will, on average, fully offset the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ahtc-to-raise-service-and-conservancy-charges-from-oct-1" target="_blank">S&CC increase in the first year of increases</a></b> for one- to four-room Housing Board flats and about 85 per cent for larger HDB flats, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tZryOa8dqLg?si=VMavt4-zV-Dw7gUZ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">U-Save rebates</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 950,000 Singaporean HDB households will also receive an additional $20 per quarter in U-Save rebates from January 2024 to December 2025, or a total of $80 a year for two years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These rebates will be disbursed together with the regular U-Save rebates, and will cushion the impact of the carbon tax and <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/gov.sg/posts/pfbid02GEJSfSUhnMQQDNhbykAJ8XE2MViepFgxMDvS1wHvCz8LMWtX7SvhKEG6ykfPQq8ol?__cft__[0]=AZUyjnNqcGz6K5kouMyW0O7n9KFhmp3zl4dFA3fUpRBMnaOejRZaUUDk6lBCtWrmfNRlzpQhvOe7UuFczyVXJwn6hngL1jkleaPfSWccNmWlOxDUhUHdchiNVjwiJsvVdzPiwlnI2oENO7-oPz0pprmH&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">water price increases in 2024 and 2025</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7obwxLbhAT7esk7kw5LBTi47Q5-qbZg05gm07eN54UAJiPHTCzGlYulIAG35ALBHHx4DJ0EIZSkpUDX-xyNZko0-UPr8lHRNreu0gNw8yPzcd_8FbbdGPI7WtITsiG5rz5oc_g5UpIHE1sqEXnarglGdRPFwrW-UrCRdjucnF8cwU3HLNLhUyLxuBmj6/s2048/Singapore-government-support-for-Singaporean-households-to-help-increase-utility-bills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1638" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7obwxLbhAT7esk7kw5LBTi47Q5-qbZg05gm07eN54UAJiPHTCzGlYulIAG35ALBHHx4DJ0EIZSkpUDX-xyNZko0-UPr8lHRNreu0gNw8yPzcd_8FbbdGPI7WtITsiG5rz5oc_g5UpIHE1sqEXnarglGdRPFwrW-UrCRdjucnF8cwU3HLNLhUyLxuBmj6/w512-h640/Singapore-government-support-for-Singaporean-households-to-help-increase-utility-bills.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over these two years, the additional U-Save rebates will, on average, fully offset the increase in utility bills for one- to two-room HDB flats. For three- to four-room HDB flats, they will offset about 80 per cent of the increase in utility bills, and for larger flats, about 65 per cent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On average, this translates to 3- to 4- room HDB flats paying about $2 more per month, and 5-room and larger HDB flats paying about $4 more per month.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Public transport support measures</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There will be additional subsidies of about $300 million in 2024 to cover the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/motsg/posts/pfbid0q7mQCTaW7pKKyzp2NApmpA28nTrz9wAwzBrtsZeRcXCVbPrHggqhgEsTPRPHUiZfl?__cft__[0]=AZWXZg1OixczhyNy7RHaHT-CqZWKE3R9xNoLCg1jXGulnWf8wMqrE38esNu5A9U311H0Xfdfh6yH3G1kXpF58QmErSh9eICf7JnyA1u-WL3DCLQxCRuxFbCBZ3Fsz_vn3LlfSOSJ8_9C-mbYm5QNdiyF&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">deferred fare adjustment quantum of 15.6 per cent</a></b> that will be carried over to future fare review exercises, as announced by the Public Transport Council on Sept 18.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The additional subsidies will help to moderate the increase in fares and pay for the higher costs of providing public transport services due to the continued increase in energy prices in 2022, core inflation and strong wage growth, said the MOF.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Resident households with a monthly household income per person of not more than $1,600 will each receive public transport vouchers worth $50.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The vouchers, which will be disbursed from end-December 2023, can be used to top up fare cards or buy monthly travel or concession passes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UzfYNpikxQs?si=Dc8EroOj4FMqdA-U" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong said on Thursday that while the goods and services tax increase was already planned for, there were certain things that could not have been anticipated, such as some of the recent price increases, and “also the more uncertain economic outlook, possible disruptions to energy and food supplies... and the uncertainties in the global environment”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said the Government has been monitoring income growth very closely, and there is a likelihood that real income growth will moderate in 2023, because employers are more cautious about salary increments.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“These are the considerations that motivate us to consider whether or not there ought to be more help for Singaporeans, particularly households and families (in) the lower- and middle-income segments,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“And we’ve decided, after looking at all the factors, looking at our fiscal position, we will be able to provide within our budget for such an additional package.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong was also asked about the need to <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/singapore-water-price-to-rise-from.html" target="_blank">raise prices for water</a></b> now, and the GST, which will increase to 9 per cent next year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He explained that there are measures such as the AP in place so the majority of Singaporeans will not feel the impact of the GST rise for a few years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We don’t want to wait until we are at the very brink (of having) not enough money and then start raising taxes. We want to put in place all the measures that are necessary to ensure sound public finances, not just for one, two years, but for the medium- and longer-term,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On water, he noted that it is an essential, strategic resource to Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a “water-stressed nation”, he said efforts have been made to price water properly to “make sure that consumers understand what the full price of water is.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong said PUB does price reviews from time to time. When the pricing is insufficient to cover the full cost of water, he said that it is right for the national water agency to explain the necessary increases and “not just kick the can down the road”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He assured Singaporeans that the Government will continue to be there for them and support them every step of the way.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“As long as we continue to be responsible for one another and keep a lookout for each other, we can overcome the challenges ahead, and move forward together.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">$1.1 billion Cost-of-Living Support Package: 5 key questions answered by DPM Wong</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Jean Iau, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02FRZQphTASdiRUrpDujdKRhX2avZmJk2gWhpKRPQBcL2Winx2HSx97REJyzuMSqRkl?__cft__[0]=AZVoCQVj95J3LQfbpseepHodWvT96x6TeAfObmhKTk99QkQGL3olsM2Zi-KwJ_Js8_OBGKkJJr21QtFaClQnaZIiAPdmwGErKr3qHF6RSSfRrK6MOV5EGH6k6ECv9FbsBv31w0fy2fASSY-4-mqyLYj9&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 29 Sep 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong on Thursday announced a <b><a href="https://www.mof.gov.sg/news-publications/press-releases/1.1-billion-cost-of-living-support-package-to-provide-more-relief-for-singaporean-households-especially-for-lower--to-middle-income-families" target="_blank">$1.1 billion Cost-of-Living Support Package</a></b> for Singaporean households, particularly <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid0rSefh8uqh9QgG2ti5eRiipSUDTRXKfCE78KQ15m5Mmaw2hQomZioUp6dDgCvPtGnl?__cft__[0]=AZVUyIqF2u9-wZzeqmPxBDRdgaflW1Y1POFXe9Hy3ysU9AHPfv6ETvVCr9kHEabgpPJ8fnilVU72lZC_IGmNEncdYK_k4SE2iCPfkUtysg4TgXFH9MMg6dxSfmfoplWorrDIS9gzTvJf-DZFIqYzMTDS&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">lower- to middle-income families</a></b>, to help with the rising cost of living.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I know that many Singaporeans are anxious about the overall economic outlook, the price increases and the impact on their cost of living. The Government is committed to supporting Singaporeans through these uncertain times,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After announcing various support measures and payouts – which include an additional cash payout of up to $200 for 2.5 million Singaporeans, and an extra $200 in Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers for every Singaporean household – Mr Wong answered questions from the media, including on the impetus for the package and the financial sustainability of such payouts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here are some of the highlights:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">1. Why is this support package coming now, beyond what was announced in Budget 2023?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong said that in the course of the year, there were certain things that were not planned for, such as recent price increases, possible disruptions to energy and food supplies, and uncertainties in the global environment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">National water agency PUB announced on Wednesday that <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/singapore-water-price-to-rise-from.html" target="_blank">water will soon cost consumers an additional 50 cents per cubic m</a></b>, starting with a 20-cent increase in April 2024 and a 30-cent rise in April 2025.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We’ve decided after looking at all the factors, looking at our fiscal position, we will be able to provide, within our budget, for such an additional package.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>2. How is the Government ensuring that rising business costs are not unfairly passed on to consumers, especially for hawker food?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong said the Government is monitoring the impact of the cost changes on sellers in the food and beverage industry, including that of water and ingredients.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“So far, we think the overall impact on their cost is actually a relatively small proportion of their overall cost.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“There are many other cost items like rental and labour that are much bigger sources of cost than these relatively smaller components,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nevertheless, Mr Wong noted that whatever cost increases there are, they will eventually filter down into prices, so the Government is monitoring the impact of price increases and how it can cushion these for consumers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is why it included the extra $200 CDC vouchers in the package.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Another aspect of this is to make sure that there is no profiteering because that (is), from a consumer point of view, a source of concern that whether it’s hawkers or other businesses, (they) may use these price increases as an excuse to profiteer; increase prices more than necessary,” said Mr Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added that the Government has a committee set up against profiteering, and will continue to monitor such behaviour.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">3. Why are businesses not covered in this package?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the Government had provided support for businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic, there were no such measures in the latest package.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong said the focus of the Cost-of-Living Support Package was the impact on consumers, particularly the lower- to middle-income families, and providing support to cope with inflation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He acknowledged that costs may be higher for businesses, but said the Government cannot permanently subsidise businesses.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The businesses must be self-sustaining. They must be profitable, they must be viable – and what’s important for businesses is to continue to restructure, continue to focus on moving up the value chain, be more efficient, be more productive, and all the schemes we have in the Budget so far have been supporting this direction,” said Mr Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added that the Government will continue to think of ways to help businesses along this path, not so much to prop up unviable businesses, but to help businesses become more productive and efficient.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">4. Will the Government continue to roll out off-Budget packages, and is it sustainable?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong responded: “It’s not as though we planned for this. This is not by design. Ideally, we don’t have to.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that if the economic environment and inflation were stable, the Government would prepare for such expenditures in the Budget, and that should provide for all anticipated needs across the year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But in recent years, we have seen so many uncertainties in the economic environment, a lot of volatility, new sources of disruptions, and that’s why in recent years we’ve had more instances of off-Budget packages being rolled out, and this year is like that,” said Mr Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Will this be the pattern in the future? No one can tell. As I said, our preference, of course, would be to prepare and provide for things within the Budget itself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But if there are these unpredictable changes in the external environment, then certainly the Government will always stand ready to respond promptly and swiftly and to make sure we provide all the necessary support for Singaporeans.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government did not need to dip into past reserves for the Cost-of-Living Support Package, and it did not have to file a supplementary supply Bill, as the costs were within the current provisions that were included in 2023’s Budget.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong said: “Down the road in Budget 2024, we will probably have to do a supplementary supply Bill to cover the additional funding, and how much exactly, we will provide the details in due course.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>5. Is the Government looking at other sources of revenue?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government’s “critical imperative” is to make sure public finances always remain sound and sustainable, said Mr Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While it is prepared to spend more to address the social and healthcare needs of Singapore’s ageing population as well as vulnerable groups, it has to ensure there is sufficient revenue to cover the spending.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that this is why the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2022-singapore-to-raise-gst-from-7-to-9-in-two-stages-in-2023-and-2024" target="_blank">goods and services tax (GST)</a></b> is so important, and the Government will continue to look at revenue sources to make sure that Singapore’s fiscal position is sound and sustainable.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“In the coming years, we should be all right. (That) doesn’t mean that we will stop looking at revenue sources; we will continue to do so. And there were a range of different options we will continue to explore,” said Mr Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Asked if the Government would consider tweaking the <b><a href="https://www.mof.gov.sg/policies/reserves/how-do-singaporeans-benefit-from-our-reserves" target="_blank">Net Investment Returns Contribution (NIRC)</a></b>, Mr Wong said this would involve drawing from Singapore’s past reserves, and that the current formula for the NIRC has been specified in the Constitution.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I think that’s fair, I don’t think we should touch that for quite some time. But if there’s a need for more money, we look at additional revenues from different sources. It could be from income, it could be from wealth, it could be from a whole range of different options.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But for the time being, looking at where we are, I think we are, with the GST increase, in a good position, or at least a stable position where our public finances are concerned in the near future,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKQrZ5vZWF9WfTZ1cpdOtxPrl3lw2XFwDglH1ZzWKo_velSB24BEBziJquJe7NYBWtYkxK35_hp6DO5GySwc6h9pu6N1Kpyq9SQMaoAY1v8dlNJswdpSsjj4XRKCf625qlc7jCP1n4C1yvtoVmQ-bJAUcWM_W3nhea8xZXk7OHATF8Iq16Ij1ZrUJ2yNM/s1816/Singapore-Cost-of-Living-Support-Package-Lawrence-Wong.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1452" data-original-width="1816" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKQrZ5vZWF9WfTZ1cpdOtxPrl3lw2XFwDglH1ZzWKo_velSB24BEBziJquJe7NYBWtYkxK35_hp6DO5GySwc6h9pu6N1Kpyq9SQMaoAY1v8dlNJswdpSsjj4XRKCf625qlc7jCP1n4C1yvtoVmQ-bJAUcWM_W3nhea8xZXk7OHATF8Iq16Ij1ZrUJ2yNM/s16000/Singapore-Cost-of-Living-Support-Package-Lawrence-Wong.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Related</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><a href="https://www.mof.gov.sg/news-publications/press-releases/1.1-billion-cost-of-living-support-package-to-provide-more-relief-for-singaporean-households-especially-for-lower--to-middle-income-families" target="_blank">$1.1 billion Cost-of-Living Support Package to Provide More Relief for Singaporean Households, Especially for Lower- to Middle-Income Families</a> -28 Sep 2023</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/singapore-water-price-to-rise-from.html" target="_blank">Water price to rise from April 2024; Government to provide support for lower- and middle-income households</a> -<a href="https://www.mse.gov.sg/resource-room/category/2023-09-27-water-price-to-increase-from-2024" target="_blank">27 Sep 2023</a></span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-66947093722505307122023-09-29T10:47:00.008+08:002023-11-13T09:37:49.413+08:00Singapore water price to rise from April 2024; Government to provide support for lower- and middle-income households<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>Singapore water price to rise by 50 cents per cubic metre (1,000 litres) by 2025</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>Three-quarters of households here will see an increase of under S$10 per month in their water bills from April 2025</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Shabana Begum, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid026oA6WNLX8nxfXS6AJigbMrTpbV83X9v9jc1MtV6h8S7oyLXoiL5MUURN5416P8i8l?__cft__[0]=AZVQY1sm3RZrUOn8z1-XP67sZABo46RTSDySPgCISoHPAcn4pPxYrqTXAkMwU8glgEbgp-SruQhA_x_fQXZy-2xr4jJQVs1n_KaR5H2BzdmdBBJUcX-j0-l6c140EyKBRtSJ9eOfRtF_VlFUrcaqtbZz&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 27 Sep 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Water will soon cost consumers an additional 50 cents per cubic metre (1,000 litres), starting with a <b><a href="https://www.mse.gov.sg/resource-room/category/2023-09-27-water-price-to-increase-from-2024" target="_blank">20-cent increase in April 2024 and a 30-cent rise in April 2025</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This means that most households will fork out an additional $4 to $9, excluding goods and services tax (GST), for their monthly water bill by 2025, said <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PUBsg/posts/pfbid0Uo4THMoei1ZVBEqaStfhYYQpPLDygtwMRU5bLn7eainmnRHCbCByiCjNfPd38o7tl?__cft__[0]=AZV9i5TMRwL621xh5TY6kRKX1n2LJyUz5qCwhxNS76L_ZWbWlRxdRPXTrKjo_WZjiMP1Vzo_HUsX5SGKOEwHRAYBIZuJwaJxus-28K75NiF3tTdzuLzjLD3KGnjYUC7he1SkZ5rx-N5JlZWFaMRoT81Pi2URrPXtvqpcLhDJMCasw9Y6LJwhugzUO9SRK9AM3lk&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">national water agency PUB</a></b> on Wednesday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2020, the average monthly consumption of water was 15 cubic m for condominiums and 16.2 cubic m for HDB flats.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguVDxjEwhB-ADoqi1QktWjjVAfJuK74s8kYi9olGo9PsSsv84y8_ByqH0LOZWwjok8Ivtb19CFeGnF39ZaHI4YtGvy3cWJPO5gKoJ3KlMf0v3ND_IrK1VE-gFh45MMx56zzX-Gr_dzqsuJx_dj7VZf1BEJULWsuwxZFl-Itr6yTIBK2LLcpn5msB871Ztg/s1520/Singapore-water-price-increase-2024-ST-photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1520" data-original-width="1387" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguVDxjEwhB-ADoqi1QktWjjVAfJuK74s8kYi9olGo9PsSsv84y8_ByqH0LOZWwjok8Ivtb19CFeGnF39ZaHI4YtGvy3cWJPO5gKoJ3KlMf0v3ND_IrK1VE-gFh45MMx56zzX-Gr_dzqsuJx_dj7VZf1BEJULWsuwxZFl-Itr6yTIBK2LLcpn5msB871Ztg/w584-h640/Singapore-water-price-increase-2024-ST-photo.jpg" width="584" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lower- and middle-income households will get help to offset some of the price increase. <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/11-billion-cost-of-living-support.html" target="_blank">Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong</a></b> will announce <b><a href="https://www.mof.gov.sg/news-publications/press-releases/1.1-billion-cost-of-living-support-package-to-provide-more-relief-for-singaporean-households-especially-for-lower--to-middle-income-families" target="_blank">cost-of-living support measures to provide more relief for Singaporean households</a></b> on Thursday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The last water price hike of 30 per cent happened in 2017. The upcoming 50-cent rise – bringing the cost of 1 cubic m, or 1,000 litres, of water to $3.24 – is an 18 per cent increase.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The price hike between 1997 and 2000 saw water prices rising by 120 per cent for households.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The upcoming increase comes amid rising living costs, GST hikes and higher transport fares, and the water agency did not take the decision lightly, said a PUB spokesman.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The water price increase is not popular, but necessary,” the spokesman said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We understand that it can draw strong reactions amid the other cost of living pressures. That’s something we are very mindful of, so PUB does not take this decision lightly.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It has been <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/gov.sg/posts/pfbid02GEJSfSUhnMQQDNhbykAJ8XE2MViepFgxMDvS1wHvCz8LMWtX7SvhKEG6ykfPQq8ol?__cft__[0]=AZUyjnNqcGz6K5kouMyW0O7n9KFhmp3zl4dFA3fUpRBMnaOejRZaUUDk6lBCtWrmfNRlzpQhvOe7UuFczyVXJwn6hngL1jkleaPfSWccNmWlOxDUhUHdchiNVjwiJsvVdzPiwlnI2oENO7-oPz0pprmH&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">increasingly more expensive to produce and supply water</a></b>, PUB said, and there is a need to invest more in local water infrastructure – especially in <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/newater-desalination-ensures-s-pore-s-water-security-even-with-el-nino-s-dry-weather" target="_blank">weather-resilient Newater and desalinated water</a></b> – to prepare Singapore for drier days ahead due to climate change.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And Singapore’s water demand, which is currently at about 1.95 million cubic m – or 440 million gallons – daily, is expected to almost double by 2065.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MSEsingapore/posts/pfbid0258wepamyQJPXkCB7TiHiHEoFtkxBtZjSsXVmGUjFFaKWDufpvEqYCtWR2TiX5x1yl?__cft__[0]=AZVjSg1jeXgdUlNxWifo6z7OpS-nZBVxZG5AdaH5holnCSKRpff4CiB7oROAd70IXVw6pifiJQF5R3-vKo-3N2lfb9cgEVjeqDrxpo4uO-IbuyyvK-HN8Ag4eqwLXJUloWJ1v5YMx92mI2BKRWMYcJ7kc78dQlXNpo_tanO0fikEEvF0tUn_xRFLcX3D6ORXr3w&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Singapore</a></b> has four sources of water: imports from Malaysia, water from local catchments, Newater and desalinated seawater.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The pressure of higher energy prices and construction costs, among others, has contributed to PUB’s annual operating costs exceeding its revenue in the financial years of 2021 and 2022.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2019 and 2020, PUB saw a slight net positive in revenue owing to the 2017 water price hike.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/higher-electricity-bills-from-july-to-september-as-tariff-increases-by-12" target="_blank">Electricity tariffs have risen by about 37 per cent</a></b>, while construction costs have gone up by 35 per cent, with higher increases for specialised works such as tunnelling and pipeline projects through highly urbanised areas.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Due to inflationary pressures and supply chain disruptions, the cost of essential chemicals to treat used water, for example, has also risen by about 33 per cent. Higher manpower costs have driven up maintenance expenses by 18 per cent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These external cost drivers have worsened the operating deficit significantly in the latest fiscal year, said PUB.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Its spokesman said: “If we were to defer the price increase any further... essentially we would have an even bigger price increase moving forward.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rising operational costs and inflation are not affecting Singapore alone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Between July 2022 and July 2023, the average increase in water-related bills worldwide was 8.2 per cent, the second-highest rise recorded by the Global Water Intelligence, a leading publisher for the international water scene.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By April 2025, three in four households will see an increase of less than $10 in their monthly water bills, with tenants of one- and two-room flats paying about $4 more.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Water bills account for less than 2 per cent of an average household’s expenditure.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Most households use less than 40 cubic m of water every month. But about 4 per cent of homes exceed this, and they will be charged a higher rate of 70 cents more per cubic m – or a total of $4.39 – to discourage water wastage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As for businesses, about 75 per cent of them will fork out less than $25 more every month with the price hike. Three in four hawkers will also pay less than $15 more each month.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Most businesses’ utility bills make up less than 5 per cent of their business costs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They will be reminded not to engage in profiteering from the water price hike.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheE7JMEvS-N1s_zGZozA_oNs6VLSRjBjjcXjVbyg6TQIJmKVCC1nTYujeaqBVUj0tWtrCOhWlRiKaVxs-4_67GMKTgAUpfAQwimjwTxof77Z3W8-_itUa0DsZoo2FmXZmSv7HRZEhHG4v8H-Rmn7Oko-h3aQuxdbulwEQDUv0dGUunjRPTyf1ubppW6UEQ/s1280/Singapore-Cost-of-Living-Support-Package-October-2023.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheE7JMEvS-N1s_zGZozA_oNs6VLSRjBjjcXjVbyg6TQIJmKVCC1nTYujeaqBVUj0tWtrCOhWlRiKaVxs-4_67GMKTgAUpfAQwimjwTxof77Z3W8-_itUa0DsZoo2FmXZmSv7HRZEhHG4v8H-Rmn7Oko-h3aQuxdbulwEQDUv0dGUunjRPTyf1ubppW6UEQ/w512-h640/Singapore-Cost-of-Living-Support-Package-October-2023.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The price hike will be phased in over two years to give households and businesses more time to adjust and adopt water conservation measures.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PUB urged businesses to tap the recently enhanced <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/firms-looking-to-save-water-can-get-more-grants-under-pub-fund" target="_blank">Water Efficiency Fund</a></b> to set up recycling and water-efficient technologies, so that their water usage and bills shrink.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One- to three-room households can redeem $50 in e-vouchers under the Climate Friendly Households Programme to buy water-efficient shower fittings that can help to save water and reduce their bills.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The PUB spokesman said the additional revenue from the water price increase is expected to cover about one-third of its investments in the next few years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PUB may expand its Newater capacity because there will be more used water to treat as demand grows, and it is more cost-effective than desalination.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By 2025, the price of every cubic m of Newater will also increase by 17 cents to $2.50.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Newater is mainly supplied to wafer fabrication plants, industrial estates and commercial buildings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By 2065, two-thirds of water demand is expected to come from non-domestic sectors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Several countries have less reliable and comprehensive water services, noted Dr Cecilia Tortajada, an adjunct senior research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy’s Institute for Environment and Sustainability.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She cited how in the United States, some residents receive regular advisories to boil their tap water to get rid of contaminants. When people move into newly built houses in parts of South Africa, water infrastructure and piping may be unfinished.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Tortajada said: “People in Singapore are not just paying for the amount of water they use, but also for its excellent quality and reliable service that allows clean drinkable water to flow from taps at any time.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/whRN-CJZDr0?list=PLbnMTcZEga8SIL3-qfW6qtKHjx9_YrPOG" title="Lee Kuan Yew: In His Own Words | The ideas, values and career of Singapore's first Prime Minister" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To commemorate the <span style="color: #04ff00;"><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/graphics/2023/09/lky-personal-life/index.html" target="_blank">100th anniversary</a></b> </span><span>of his birth on 16 September</span>, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChannelNewsAsia/posts/pfbid02GoiD6kdj5KHrzsoS92AUizT9T4kh8DVHnV9HZBVTmvjv8NGbxKfdEUmzaXT7t9nnl?__cft__[0]=AZXMjCuceeqJW3GV8SZGN27xtHRfqREwQuhQmDgVT2BWy3zekYhhSzR5VlAV8p840dLDv8Ofyl42vItwhAUD-vbTOKhdcoAskGjIY55MHa1cv30Bz5SordOiVjtKyefAuqYj7TAnDKjNa8zc7t03q5xM&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">CNA</a></b> combed through 150 hours of footage to bring you this documentary that follows him through the different stages of his political career.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-11129974824739507232023-09-15T22:33:00.009+08:002023-11-25T12:16:28.433+08:00Tharman Shanmugaratnam sworn in as Singapore’s 9th President, reiterates plans to unite nation<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">President Tharman </span></b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>Shanmugaratnam </b></span></span><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">vows to strengthen multiracialism, nurture more inclusive society</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02hS51NDAyNyaXntyzczwjnsZTGS382vUL2aZRM6RgxW9SDxYUoRXQLVGQ8AoXTgBal?__cft__[0]=AZV3s9yae-23gZsDBRIRIaJ7UzJC39SN1sgVaf6ahpcwpBSj_tzyqGmbKnze_Zji9schMJfFxuUlbjUQgIdHBe-NHTGYkC_TlBMHAoDOb7f8d-3ro0G4t4txSWWRsP0KJOHjU-9onwXHugcpV6k2i2z-RP1MuLCSGW-NjfkyjDI_gODR5fQsg80EGoGDJ9mntWhvhWV_UBUg0KsogPpTleVd&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-y-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 14 Sep 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5QhHrc5xjnpOkjtkCRcfLlrm19L3FBa5DfR4VBn0ElKMINGxlq5Ke7b4lOrN4kWrQ0O2q0RvdbfShADfXuV0b1T575rjNtxn6t4pNSKzMCPz7Dbdvj7t-AxoS7W8qrXp8DV5JGp1QcJTuwyPHVK1HqFaIh4FYF1IGtzEUsTozdPfs3YlgnhDGR-tHZPd/s764/President-Tharman-inauguration-ceremony-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="764" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5QhHrc5xjnpOkjtkCRcfLlrm19L3FBa5DfR4VBn0ElKMINGxlq5Ke7b4lOrN4kWrQ0O2q0RvdbfShADfXuV0b1T575rjNtxn6t4pNSKzMCPz7Dbdvj7t-AxoS7W8qrXp8DV5JGp1QcJTuwyPHVK1HqFaIh4FYF1IGtzEUsTozdPfs3YlgnhDGR-tHZPd/w400-h325/President-Tharman-inauguration-ceremony-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TharmanShanmugaratnam/posts/pfbid02JxDA4ZPhaHqVmACdFj8c9e2RFBfiAzSDkfjvSYG93Q9iMFA9rHe92zUaiHDQFZQvl?__cft__[0]=AZW3x02mSj1KJstTlzJTURzs8W9SwhHVylcGww51IvcLA95dzka5YM0034EOFG25KprQTG9NHgKC4eKeUFsswy6CIjWhvaHVM26ja0FWUTY4GerVHc7APzZHxQ0cbucBVb2u4jq0NPHqvB9qaJE_gSzv2UUXWCbDplui1mf7au17QMaBdghDHGaXnAfb9sf7okBiUNAFdbsm1iQC7kcYsTx45uJAP75CYdUqv68gGiMDyw&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Tharman Shanmugaratnam</a></b> is officially Singapore’s ninth president, having been sworn in about two weeks after his <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/tharman-elected-singapore-president.html" target="_blank">resounding win at the polls</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tharman, 66, took the oath on Thursday evening at his inauguration ceremony after completing an inspection of the guards at the Istana.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shortly before that, his predecessor, <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/halimah-yacob-president-for-everyone.html" target="_blank">Madam Halimah Yacob</a></b>, had also inspected the guards and <b><a href="https://youtu.be/Vf4UvVtwOiY?si=2UEavjjZ8jREvZVb" target="_blank">bade farewell</a></b> to the line of honour before departing the grounds for the last time as president. She was accompanied by her husband, Mr Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.istana.gov.sg/Newsroom/Speeches/2023/09/14/Speech-by-President-Tharman-Shanmugaratnam-at-the-Swearing-In-Ceremony" target="_blank">In his inauguration speech</a></b>, Mr Tharman said he was <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/tharman-pledges-to-strengthen-multiracialism-nurture-more-inclusive-society" target="_blank"><b>honoured and humbled to have been elected</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This was a vote of confidence in Singapore’s future, a future where we all progress together and deepen our solidarity as Singaporeans,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8vyWzNzeLto?si=phvnRzIaamw05hrZ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He stressed that more than ever before, Singaporeans must grow their sense of togetherness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It will make us a better society, and add to our ballast as we face a more turbulent world.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the strong mandate given to him by the people, he said he will work with the Government, community groups and other voluntary organisations, and the entire nation to strengthen multiracialism and nurture a more inclusive society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sY0lr-Q6szs?si=Y-4GsFfG7bp8cR4h" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the specific roles of the president, Mr Tharman said he will confer closely with the Council of Presidential Advisers, and be thorough and impartial in his assessments, and in exercising his veto powers on the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/08/singapore-reserves-revealed.html" target="_blank">reserves</a></b> and key public service appointments.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added that he will “be scrupulous and independent in making judgments that involve the use of the ‘second key’ on our reserves”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Going back to his campaign promises, Mr Tharman also reiterated his plans to promote greater interactions between different communities, and <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/tharman-pledges-to-build-future-of-optimism-solidarity-as-president" target="_blank">enhance respect and appreciation for one another</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fg3nW_ZRThc?list=PLbnMTcZEga8Sac3T5uAUBhcTVKlV-Gjph" title="Inauguration: Tharman Shanmugaratnam sworn in as President of Singapore" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added that he also plans to lend active support to the arts and sports scene here, and represent Singapore and promote its interests abroad.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To this, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/pfbid0vV1K4895Lh4t1LMDH4AEDZR2RTkurkTvBYys1DT8o4CybSGctCEh7JpnEJJH2C39l?__cft__[0]=AZWmWCt7EVfG1ECq3iFejUSo45Yp86xt-VvsDoDRoln-ZQ5m61W8XktIEd3hc9ONMoHkFmEnoU2muIybFAKtTp4I3jV1H0J5yjPDD_t4UhNTU5kOtabuVCGqhrUpmA9r9iKOnWS9e3Gqs-f4Y5pZHUNDCJxwipIH1qzefijTENGvsbiQ9j-foZqTyXSK5ElPpwc&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</a></b> said in his <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-at-the-Swearing-in-Ceremony-for-President-Tharman-Shanmugaratnam" target="_blank">speech</a></b> that he looks forward to Mr Tharman’s support in sports and the arts, which will help Singapore become a rich and rounded society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I pledge my government’s full support and cooperation as we operate this unique system to protect our reserves and key appointments,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B3FmPdjwNE0?list=PLbnMTcZEga8Sac3T5uAUBhcTVKlV-Gjph" title="Singaporeans have chosen a President who is "eminently qualified": PM Lee at Tharman's inauguration" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Noting Mr Tharman’s wealth of experience in economic and financial matters, and his familiarity with how the system of the second key works, PM Lee said he <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/outcome-of-2023-presidential-election-was-positive-bodes-well-for-singapore-s-future-pm-lee" target="_blank">has every confidence in Mr Tharman’s ability</a></b> to fulfil the important duty of the president in holding the second key.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee added that Mr Tharman’s experience in public service has prepared him well for his new responsibilities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He cited Mr Tharman’s appointments in Cabinet, his time at the Monetary Authority of Singapore and his <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/economist-sportsman-and-poet-6-things-about-sm-tharman-who-will-run-for-president" target="_blank">22 years of service as an MP for Jurong GRC</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z-oW7R96eQg?si=9oPCYN4oWme8njm-" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said that the Government shares Mr Tharman’s declared goal – to build a more inclusive society, one where everyone is valued for who they are, and every Singaporean has a place.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also said that he looks forward to Mr Tharman’s help in strengthening ties with other countries and international partners, and opening opportunities abroad for Singaporeans and local businesses as Singapore’s top diplomat.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1XSLr2c9ZMucofGXxqI0L768b_TtwlnmpubJP9DZ9Lm8tAzJZ25ZzreV3iH_rQR_jWmddbGWQEa4rosamXVRjuFdsIrA_Ae-STG0RrM6fQ-OkSnh64GnRCH0OuagSGdv3wQia9rkZ35pok5GFG0vMwx1tPtXTeeQVmQi_PR6dyIqwE6ifjrLD8E4vJVI/s856/President-Tharman-Shanmugaratnam-with-PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="856" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1XSLr2c9ZMucofGXxqI0L768b_TtwlnmpubJP9DZ9Lm8tAzJZ25ZzreV3iH_rQR_jWmddbGWQEa4rosamXVRjuFdsIrA_Ae-STG0RrM6fQ-OkSnh64GnRCH0OuagSGdv3wQia9rkZ35pok5GFG0vMwx1tPtXTeeQVmQi_PR6dyIqwE6ifjrLD8E4vJVI/w400-h289/President-Tharman-Shanmugaratnam-with-PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said he has no doubt that Mr Tharman, having held high-level appointments in international organisations and blue-ribbon advisory panels, will fulfil this role with distinction.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The Government will work closely with you and support you to make the most of your experience and personal standing, in order to advance Singapore’s interests and enhance our status in the world,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee also noted that there is one person whose personal support will matter greatly to Mr Tharman.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Let me take this opportunity to welcome your wife, <b><a href="https://youtu.be/abzFxsOSisw?si=g009CWKy59JDuW_8" target="_blank">Mrs Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam</a></b>, to the new role that she will play as the spouse of the president in the years to come,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In closing, PM Lee said that Singapore is navigating its way forward in an increasingly troubled and uncertain world.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Our society is in transition as we adapt to and evolve with changing circumstances. At such times, it is crucial that our nation’s highest office be occupied by someone with the right experience and abilities, values and character.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I am sure that like your predecessors, you, too, will be a president for all Singaporeans, and serve Singapore with dedication and distinction.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Outcome of 2023 presidential election positive, bodes well for Singapore’s future: PM Lee Hsien Loong</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 14 Sep 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The outcome of the 2023 Presidential Election was positive for Singapore, and bodes well for the nation’s future, said <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/pfbid0vV1K4895Lh4t1LMDH4AEDZR2RTkurkTvBYys1DT8o4CybSGctCEh7JpnEJJH2C39l?__cft__[0]=AZWmWCt7EVfG1ECq3iFejUSo45Yp86xt-VvsDoDRoln-ZQ5m61W8XktIEd3hc9ONMoHkFmEnoU2muIybFAKtTp4I3jV1H0J5yjPDD_t4UhNTU5kOtabuVCGqhrUpmA9r9iKOnWS9e3Gqs-f4Y5pZHUNDCJxwipIH1qzefijTENGvsbiQ9j-foZqTyXSK5ElPpwc&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It reflected Singaporeans’ collective choice of a well-qualified candidate, that <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/race-in-singapore-politics-tharman-is.html" target="_blank">race has become a smaller factor in voting</a></b>, and that there is now better understanding of the role and duties of the president, he noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking at <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TharmanShanmugaratnam/posts/pfbid02JxDA4ZPhaHqVmACdFj8c9e2RFBfiAzSDkfjvSYG93Q9iMFA9rHe92zUaiHDQFZQvl?__cft__[0]=AZW3x02mSj1KJstTlzJTURzs8W9SwhHVylcGww51IvcLA95dzka5YM0034EOFG25KprQTG9NHgKC4eKeUFsswy6CIjWhvaHVM26ja0FWUTY4GerVHc7APzZHxQ0cbucBVb2u4jq0NPHqvB9qaJE_gSzv2UUXWCbDplui1mf7au17QMaBdghDHGaXnAfb9sf7okBiUNAFdbsm1iQC7kcYsTx45uJAP75CYdUqv68gGiMDyw&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">President Tharman Shanmugaratnam</a></b>’s inauguration ceremony at the Istana on Thursday, PM Lee congratulated his former Cabinet colleague on a decisive election win.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It was good that there was a contest, and Singaporeans had the opportunity to exercise their right to vote,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“<b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-at-the-Swearing-in-Ceremony-for-President-Tharman-Shanmugaratnam" target="_blank">The strong vote share you garnered showed the regard and support voters had for you, and for your message of unity expressed in your campaign theme ‘Respect for All’</a></b>.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said Singaporeans have chosen a candidate who is “eminently qualified” for the high office of the president.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The people have elected someone who not only has the ability, experience and stature to carry out his duties both at home and abroad, but also has sound judgment and unquestioned integrity – all vital prerequisites for being president, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The election, which culminated in a <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/tharman-elected-singapore-president.html" target="_blank">70.41 per cent vote share for Mr Tharman</a></b>, had also shown that when it comes to voting, race is a smaller factor now than it used to be, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“As you, Mr President, said on election night, race is a factor in politics everywhere, but Singaporean voters today look at many other factors too,” said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It is indeed a good sign that in a national vote, Singaporeans have elected a candidate from a minority community as president, on his merits, by an overwhelming majority.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/voters-say-president-elect-tharman-s-landslide-victory-reflects-mature-and-thoughtful-electorate" target="_blank">Voters have also shown greater understanding</a></b> of the roles and duties of the president than previously, noted PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The president is someone who represents all of us with dignity and grace, and fulfils his custodial duties with integrity and independent judgment, while staying above the dust and heat of politics,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that the campaign was focused on how the candidates intended to exercise these custodial powers, and what personal experience and attributes they would bring to the post, rather than on government policies or political issues.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Singaporeans understood that they were choosing a president for the nation, and not electing the next government,” said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“All these bode well for the nation’s future.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee wished Mr Tharman success as he embarks on his presidency, and said his Government will work closely with the Republic’s ninth president to take the country forward towards a better, brighter future for all Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He pledged his Government’s full support and cooperation in operating Singapore’s unique two-key system to protect the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/08/singapore-reserves-revealed.html" target="_blank">country’s reserves</a></b> and key appointments.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He expressed every confidence in Mr Tharman’s ability to fulfil this important duty, given his wealth of experience in economic and financial matters and experience with the system.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfu_G7_282q2w-IcaXVtqXiGcPIlTAxTF945bbj3Nq8XIPH5Aez8NZYje_Hq8quaUPBWF9dm7RwWXXEPxiuBUwP82CUnkOl5oJ6-iAG5y2neLC_RWc1fNBZjWbm7OUB4KA9DRSmhtNzEufuuxrKr0r6UnwbK6eXiQVSg2UtwJRx2wFWftT5SrHhsWEJEog/s852/President-Tharman-Shanmugaratnam-inauguration-ceremony-14-September-2023-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="852" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfu_G7_282q2w-IcaXVtqXiGcPIlTAxTF945bbj3Nq8XIPH5Aez8NZYje_Hq8quaUPBWF9dm7RwWXXEPxiuBUwP82CUnkOl5oJ6-iAG5y2neLC_RWc1fNBZjWbm7OUB4KA9DRSmhtNzEufuuxrKr0r6UnwbK6eXiQVSg2UtwJRx2wFWftT5SrHhsWEJEog/w400-h291/President-Tharman-Shanmugaratnam-inauguration-ceremony-14-September-2023-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was also sure that Mr Tharman would be able to fulfil the role of Singapore’s top diplomat with distinction, having participated actively in international discussions on economic and monetary issues.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government will work closely with him and support him to make the most of his experience and personal standing, in order to advance Singapore’s interests and enhance the nation’s status in the world, PM Lee added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee also spoke of <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/tharman-pledges-to-build-future-of-optimism-solidarity-as-president" target="_blank">Mr Tharman’s campaign message to unite all Singaporeans</a></b> regardless of race, language or religion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The Government shares your declared goal: to build a more inclusive society, one where everyone is valued for who they are, and every Singaporean has a place.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">President Tharman vows to strengthen multiracialism, nurture more inclusive society</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Tham Yuen-C, Senior Political Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid034FAmWJFved54LexZisBzoDLuk5zZVEzFZLikLPiUAhjHC5Jc562R7bbT5oL9mhmxl?__cft__[0]=AZXu3PtyU9jKUrhddE1D7sp1qh1cA_SnSCOUTG186Kot21_eSGp77H8PR86ZuVSmWZjvPAzMSI6N_plqZj31tt8wH0aNI9SEsLHhTtHrXujzgDM5n9zaUUp9YIcWHv8x519qqKCcE7Pj-lIjTZlI5-0L&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 14 Sep 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TharmanShanmugaratnam/posts/pfbid02JxDA4ZPhaHqVmACdFj8c9e2RFBfiAzSDkfjvSYG93Q9iMFA9rHe92zUaiHDQFZQvl?__cft__[0]=AZW3x02mSj1KJstTlzJTURzs8W9SwhHVylcGww51IvcLA95dzka5YM0034EOFG25KprQTG9NHgKC4eKeUFsswy6CIjWhvaHVM26ja0FWUTY4GerVHc7APzZHxQ0cbucBVb2u4jq0NPHqvB9qaJE_gSzv2UUXWCbDplui1mf7au17QMaBdghDHGaXnAfb9sf7okBiUNAFdbsm1iQC7kcYsTx45uJAP75CYdUqv68gGiMDyw&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">President Tharman Shanmugaratnam</a></b> has promised to use the strong mandate he was given at the ballot box to strengthen Singapore’s multiracialism, and to nurture a more inclusive society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tharman, who was sworn in as Singapore’s ninth president on Thursday, said he will work alongside the Government, community groups, voluntary organisations and the nation to enhance people’s respect and appreciation for one another.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“<b><a href="https://www.istana.gov.sg/Newsroom/Speeches/2023/09/14/Speech-by-President-Tharman-Shanmugaratnam-at-the-Swearing-In-Ceremony" target="_blank">I will do my utmost to support initiatives that deepen the respect we accord to our fellow citizens, of all backgrounds and in every walk of life, the respect for all that is at the heart of our solidarity as Singaporeans</a></b>,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also pledged to be independent in exercising his custodial role over <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/08/singapore-reserves-revealed.html" target="_blank">Singapore’s reserves</a></b> and the integrity of the public service.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I will be scrupulous and independent in making judgments that involve the use of the ‘second key’ on our reserves – whether in responding to the future crises that will come from time to time, or in ensuring Singapore remains a safe and liveable home over the longer term,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Addressing Singaporeans for the first time as their president, he said: “This evening, as I stand before you as your newly elected president, I pledge to discharge my duties diligently, faithfully, and to the best of my abilities, for the betterment of Singapore and Singaporeans. I will serve with all my heart.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tharman was <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/tharman-elected-singapore-president.html" target="_blank">elected into office on Sept 1 with 70.41 per cent of the vote</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Giving his first speech as head of state, he said the elected president holds a non-partisan office in Singapore’s system of governance. It is precisely because the office is above the political fray that the president can be a symbol of the nation, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the president exercises important custodial responsibilities under the Constitution, in most other matters such as foreign relations, the president acts on the advice of the Cabinet, he noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Nevertheless, within that framework, there is room for the president to take a special interest in specific issues, or champion causes close to his or her heart,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Respect for All” had been the theme of his campaign during the presidential election, and on Thursday night, Mr Tharman set out how he would achieve this during his presidency.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This includes promoting greater interaction between the different communities while ensuring the vibrancy of the different cultures, such as by encouraging youth to play sports that are mainly played today by a particular ethnic group or promoting collaborations between self-help groups, community organisations and business chambers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore has made itself into a cohesive, multiracial society with high trust and unity, but Mr Tharman urged people to recognise that none of what has been achieved is permanent, as what has happened in many other countries has shown.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the Republic matures, a greater diversity of views and preferences must be expected, but Singapore must not allow any of these differences to cause division, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Now, more than before, we must grow our sense of togetherness as fellow Singaporeans. It will make us a better society, and add to our ballast as we face a more turbulent world.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that it had taken many years of mutual accommodation to bridge racial and religious differences, and urged people to continue building closer bonds, starting in their neighbourhoods and in other shared spaces such as schools and workplaces.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We must continue to take steps forward, to add depth and resilience to our multiracialism, and never let it fray. We must continue to strengthen the experience of growing up together, and our connections and emotional ties with one another,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tharman also spoke about how he intends to foster a more inclusive society by encouraging an active community and thriving civil society. He also plans to lend his support to the arts and sports.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More can be done to help ground-up and purpose-driven initiatives “sprout and grow”, including those aimed at supporting disadvantaged youth and people who need a second or third chance, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He called on Singaporeans to jointly build a culture of kinship and respect, so that there is empathy for one’s fellow citizens, with people bringing out the best in one another, and feeling that they only truly succeed when everyone succeeds together.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I remain committed to making Singapore a more inclusive and socially just society, which has been my life’s purpose,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An avid sportsman in his youth, Mr Tharman said that while Singapore has made great strides in the arts and sports, “in both fields, our best years are ahead of us”. Nurturing every talent in these fields and supporting their journeys will inspire all Singaporeans, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tharman also spoke about how he would perform his custodial and diplomatic roles.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In exercising his veto powers on the reserves and key public service appointments, he said he would confer closely with the Council of Presidential Advisers and be thorough and impartial in his assessments.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Should the need arise in future to use the reserves to tackle crises and existential threats, such as climate change, “we will weigh the matter carefully” and balance between meeting immediate needs and preserving the reserves so that every generation can enjoy its benefits, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On his diplomatic role, Mr Tharman said he will promote the country’s interests abroad, in line with the objectives and priorities of the Government. Amid an era of profound global uncertainty caused by developments such as the war in Ukraine and the lack of strategic trust between the world’s major powers, he said Singapore must find its way forward and advance its long-term national interests by standing up firmly for its principles, rather than choosing sides.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“By remaining a voice of reason and striving for solutions that are of mutual benefit, we will remain a partner that others find worthwhile to engage with,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanking Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for his support and encouragement, he said: “I look forward to working constructively with you and your Cabinet.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5Htb6YqUvbKfCFyj3bLSBR5eEsE6o2L4owNlaytYs0fWh24fQa8WIyY3nMKZ-Hx7kA8TRU065EkzK0OKTERVRdHL3u8fhL5XQgKWo3Ht0JgKwBDKuB7ZmB3TNwCGWm_7UNxp-R7lY6IT7TTIY8H_-EYE8vhkl8k-UA8ee9Pz4SwTk34_gGKWEthxAukH/s853/Halimah-Yacob-with-PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-at-Istana-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="853" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5Htb6YqUvbKfCFyj3bLSBR5eEsE6o2L4owNlaytYs0fWh24fQa8WIyY3nMKZ-Hx7kA8TRU065EkzK0OKTERVRdHL3u8fhL5XQgKWo3Ht0JgKwBDKuB7ZmB3TNwCGWm_7UNxp-R7lY6IT7TTIY8H_-EYE8vhkl8k-UA8ee9Pz4SwTk34_gGKWEthxAukH/w400-h288/Halimah-Yacob-with-PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-at-Istana-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tharman also thanked his predecessor, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/halimahyacob" target="_blank">former president Halimah Yacob</a></b>, for her service to Singapore and her counsel and advice.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He closed his speech by thanking Singaporeans for their strong endorsement.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Regardless of the challenges ahead of us or the differences amongst us that we will inevitably have, let us remember that we are bound by a common destiny,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Let us take confidence in what we have achieved together so far, and pledge to work together for a future of optimism and respect for all.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Related</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/halimah-yacob-president-for-everyone.html" target="_blank">Halimah Yacob: A President For Everyone</a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/tharman-elected-singapore-president.html" target="_blank">Tharman Shanmugaratnam elected as Singapore’s 9th president</a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/08/singapore-presidential-election-2023.html" target="_blank">Singapore Presidential Election 2023</a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/06/tharman-president-singapore.html" target="_blank">Tharman Shanmugaratnam to run for President in Singapore</a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/race-in-singapore-politics-tharman-is.html" target="_blank">Tharman is president-elect. Is Singapore a post-race society?</a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;"><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/08/singapore-reserves-revealed.html" target="_blank">Singapore Reserves Revealed</a></span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-77422713182437270822023-09-13T09:05:00.019+08:002023-11-01T20:11:46.829+08:00Halimah Yacob: A President For Everyone<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Singapore’s eighth President <a href="https://www.facebook.com/halimahyacob" target="_blank">Halimah Yacob</a> reflects on the defining moments of her six years in office, from unlocking past reserves, to advocating for causes close to her heart.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Farewell, Madam Halimah: Singapore’s first female president’s last day in office</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Jean Iau and Natasha Ann Zachariah, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02Kxxu98AFMsrEhMoWFUN9y5xicVD1XTbmzgZruXQNNjziPQXD3s447hCXmXCmxxVMl?__cft__[0]=AZWloYs2pclXelcjMp_4k_C1rgW6fqtq8DzCduEiM6YYFsQUiR3_Fjc3bljhAxTf4MAqaCNC9eaDY7L-kr8o26X3CFN_NpeQ70IzlBdAf19lifBvLrYfU7acbTwF-hsEG2iObzjbrUMAQT2wFvPKLHNk&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 14 Sep 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9FQkiGuFmZv7cDvCt6eLDPJ4w8IiZBbkru49K-_qQBBbcXtoN_YQ2Be7ujp1ixXKQe9RpplDMCF5-xb0efSQambWrLUoG2kZ4uNzPJi-CE3UXgOOQh4TPAVhmU2clwh1kZbAcSdy2CqcT7lp7c9BZz4A2RnEVb3UjFYyTx_ZwNiqp7mwN7bymKt13pV7/s1026/President-Halimah-Yacob-last-day-in-office-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1026" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9FQkiGuFmZv7cDvCt6eLDPJ4w8IiZBbkru49K-_qQBBbcXtoN_YQ2Be7ujp1ixXKQe9RpplDMCF5-xb0efSQambWrLUoG2kZ4uNzPJi-CE3UXgOOQh4TPAVhmU2clwh1kZbAcSdy2CqcT7lp7c9BZz4A2RnEVb3UjFYyTx_ZwNiqp7mwN7bymKt13pV7/w400-h285/President-Halimah-Yacob-last-day-in-office-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Six years after making history as <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2017/09/halimah-yacob-is-singapores-first.html" target="_blank">Singapore’s first woman head of state</a></b>, President Halimah Yacob left the highest office in the land with accolades of being a powerful symbol of unity for all Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At her <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/halimahyacob/posts/pfbid0tJYJLCWxT4cxWTuUBLTkEXAtx7KCBY9LSEazqzQDdy652TaBEAkpcasszEjwqkXMl?__cft__[0]=AZVCG9XrkEgCvMHHdVG0HPVBpuGcW042tHXGvWZJfRyzECfnWX8QlbEIED1usRYYG0Pxc8tSAqL3nASDpCFmA1D_sOBYk8mqzfVYWKK7o6p6gSLKcybd18xEz0WczCMVh4QFn7o_bdUgCOttG-luGNCnLza5bBwxfxYtfdLT6j4hLeAa0EuVZjE5yHyoI-NAq_Q&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">farewell reception</a></b> held at the <b><a href="https://www.istana.gov.sg/" target="_blank">Istana</a></b> on Wednesday evening, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/pfbid02uXJnvJgkbpFrnx3cQP7RFCSAnm1MSBT1rB2YprxTzJmSM63FEecmTr1ayJhTG1vhl?__cft__[0]=AZWfCmPb-OVCPbvsSZSdzsVMN1ModHeOkXHayyVrJomGmxurl7x2a3fKovVDu_cUU2XQEePAN13HWZxnIyq43zXUzN9S6y1FThO-89Ua4Rah3S4MLrerZDl-yafJnH9Hn4SBf19JuOc8n3HgwkrtLMKaUBYcVvWlPTqX1f6yr_m8qjHRRj2sYDUvZUBW8IZfAuU&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</a></b> said Madam Halimah’s efforts to expand opportunities for all made for a more united and inclusive Singapore, where everyone belongs and has a part to play.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Recalling that when she was <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2017/09/president-halimah-yacob-takes-oath-and.html" target="_blank">elected in 2017</a></b>, Madam Halimah said she was a <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/halimah-yacob-set-to-be-singapores-first-female-president-a-timeline-of-her-career" target="_blank">president for everyone</a></b>, PM Lee said: “<b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-at-the-Farewell-Ceremony-for-President-Halimah-Yacob" target="_blank">Through your leadership and heart for the people, you have certainly fulfilled your promise</a></b>.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said that throughout her tenure, Madam Halimah showed the way with “grounded leadership, and a warm heart for the people”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Your ability to empathise and resonate with Singaporeans from all walks of life has brought our nation closer together, and reminded us that we all have a role to play to make Singapore a better home,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/it-has-been-a-privilege-to-be-your-voice-to-work-tirelessly-on-your-behalf-madam-halimah" target="_blank">In her speech following PM Lee’s</a></b>, Madam Halimah said the president plays “an important role in uniting and rallying people together”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“In this capacity, I focused on creating a more caring, compassionate and just society,” she added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/halimahyacob/posts/pfbid0tJYJLCWxT4cxWTuUBLTkEXAtx7KCBY9LSEazqzQDdy652TaBEAkpcasszEjwqkXMl?__cft__[0]=AZVCG9XrkEgCvMHHdVG0HPVBpuGcW042tHXGvWZJfRyzECfnWX8QlbEIED1usRYYG0Pxc8tSAqL3nASDpCFmA1D_sOBYk8mqzfVYWKK7o6p6gSLKcybd18xEz0WczCMVh4QFn7o_bdUgCOttG-luGNCnLza5bBwxfxYtfdLT6j4hLeAa0EuVZjE5yHyoI-NAq_Q&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Madam Halimah</a></b>, 69, said she reached out to different communities and underprivileged people, and highlighted various programmes that she launched while in office.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She championed issues such as providing more support for caregivers, skills upgrading for lower-income families, and building interracial and interreligious harmony and social cohesion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Diplomacy was also a key part of her work, and she saw it as a chance to raise Singapore’s international image, strengthen the nation’s bilateral ties, and open new economic opportunities for companies here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the first female president, Madam Halimah knew that she had the “distinct opportunity” to inspire other women and girls.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She shared that someone had told her she had “allowed people to imagine the president as a woman” and that “images and ideas give birth to reality”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I wish Mr <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TharmanShanmugaratnam/posts/pfbid02BQw2Sc9thy5VZqufiivXcPRjhmLA8LfAyYnKnVW8Cfce9515kxDSWeSREqbVVrvJl?__cft__[0]=AZUErwLuvGAtxmQza9x82yCiwDSgZ3sYIb5QHplg9xQrYcZAq6TMsGBxAVgeuzZmtbD4chVaYuWTr42YHandoLgd6BaWkn5qdZ_gwVZy5xYZQG8J6qRVS8Cwhd-4Zjy_b2Hmm-DJXIzxtfGT6dT6J_ftulzdpOpEWoeR4aBWGrmn5XzlZfOnKngOj_X3Gd02lnw&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Tharman Shanmugaratnam</a></b> all the best in discharging his duties,” Madam Halimah said, addressing the President-elect, who was standing near the front of the audience with his wife, Ms Jane Ittogi.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tharman, 66, <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/tharman-sworn-in-as-singapores-9th.html" target="_blank">will be sworn in on 14 September</a></b>, after <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/tharman-elected-singapore-president.html" target="_blank">securing 70.41 per cent of the vote</a></b> at the presidential election on Sept 1.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As she left the podium, Madam Halimah received rousing applause from an audience of more than 200, including foreign diplomats, MPs and leaders from the social service sector.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With her husband, Mr <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/halimahyacob/posts/pfbid025JscpnwemkEuNpF49ZgCgZNVMeL9A6m17y51VYvjFtEfsY81ZpHdGvdb4aSURyf1l?__cft__[0]=AZUN0iwUlfrS6KhhmZG6KR8Vi4zAnTljSW39miO-QCxbR9_yBp7QXK4gXgpxmzEdNEUTQX5eGt5U5yVS9mIygXT7CH73SWU3i_p8Eis7T3sSpJhspeV5cg-QnD43j6PoVEbiuuvhFMGGuBbEoz9xyhYfGcIx5BwFlya2QX8secUtj1eR-TNSwmVk8v9iarlm_dQ&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee</a></b>, by her side, she received well wishes and took wefies with guests, including MPs from both sides of the House.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She had earlier in her speech called her family’s love, encouragement and sacrifices “the bedrock of (her) strength” and said she was forever grateful for their support.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Chua Chu Kang GRC MP Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, who was among the crowd, said Madam Halimah has been a unifying figure not just for Singapore but a symbol of aspiration for minority women everywhere.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“She will be remembered not only as a decisive president who supported the Government in steering our country out of the pandemic safely, but also as a president who is generous in lending her voice to speak up on behalf of various segments in our society such as youth, women and workers,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Before departing the Istana, Madam Halimah posed for pictures on the staircase by the main entrance with her family. She had said her <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/president-halimah-bids-farewell-to-istana-staff" target="_blank">farewells to members of the Istana staff</a></b> earlier on Wednesday morning, shaking their hands and sharing laughs before taking a group photo.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Her aide-de-camp, Major Toh Su Sin, said it had been an honour to serve Singapore’s first female president. “As challenging as it was to plan and manage the range of events in Madam President’s packed diary, it was even more rewarding to be able to witness the difference she makes in the lives of others,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She added that Madam Halimah’s warmth and genuine care for everyone she meets will be missed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Senior butler Zaidi Hashim recalled feeling awestruck on Madam Halimah’s first day in office. He said: “Madam President treated everyone with equal respect, dignity, and compassion – whether they were foreign dignitaries or her staff.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It was bittersweet bidding farewell to her on her last day in office.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">‘It has been a privilege to be your voice, to work tirelessly on your behalf’: President Halimah</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Jean Iau, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid034t5g2L5YkudgBzTaanPfqGCBWbRFLgMq69KBeFX7y1AFxcijmgBBCM2oFnMiTL96l?__cft__[0]=AZX5uxrfuEFom18u8DBX_qdc11tOETkggDsL7caprn2n_zHQjOFStWFU7iOKteevDStDZGs16kwGOUrkRT67z-jz2Hi6Dsy81GyAhGmpyDa85CGShPThHFIZeR4okJYww-S5DDfwUG30rpjP_fymb_E7&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R">The Straits Times</a>, 14 Sep 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqd0vE_cL7Er_BiCAacSRxazsjvzZ2rhNXHDTCqBiK2Gch1VvomQUDUyT1H4k-tb0OkZDuREq6vQVIE-mk5I8yR0y3qVZClEKRg5BSMCYCkFigZ4i5hID2BVQO8jYPBZydvvrFgq6iEDkoYYTc7PN47Zai61HZU1JRvIVEWyS3TaakBi9gn_XXiiQL1D6D/s1027/President-Halimah-Yacob-farewell-speech-at-Istana-September-13-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="1027" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqd0vE_cL7Er_BiCAacSRxazsjvzZ2rhNXHDTCqBiK2Gch1VvomQUDUyT1H4k-tb0OkZDuREq6vQVIE-mk5I8yR0y3qVZClEKRg5BSMCYCkFigZ4i5hID2BVQO8jYPBZydvvrFgq6iEDkoYYTc7PN47Zai61HZU1JRvIVEWyS3TaakBi9gn_XXiiQL1D6D/w400-h289/President-Halimah-Yacob-farewell-speech-at-Istana-September-13-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the final hours of her presidency, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/halimahyacob/posts/pfbid0tJYJLCWxT4cxWTuUBLTkEXAtx7KCBY9LSEazqzQDdy652TaBEAkpcasszEjwqkXMl?__cft__[0]=AZVCG9XrkEgCvMHHdVG0HPVBpuGcW042tHXGvWZJfRyzECfnWX8QlbEIED1usRYYG0Pxc8tSAqL3nASDpCFmA1D_sOBYk8mqzfVYWKK7o6p6gSLKcybd18xEz0WczCMVh4QFn7o_bdUgCOttG-luGNCnLza5bBwxfxYtfdLT6j4hLeAa0EuVZjE5yHyoI-NAq_Q&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank"><b>Madam Halimah Yacob</b></a> said she was humbled that the people of Singapore had placed their trust and faith in her as their President.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was this unwavering support that fuelled her determination to serve every day of her six years in office, President Halimah, 69, said in her farewell speech at the Istana on Wednesday night.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Noting that Covid-19 was the most severe and unprecedented crisis during her presidency, Madam Halimah reflected on how it required her and the Government to make very difficult decisions concerning the <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/08/singapore-reserves-revealed.html" target="_blank">Republic’s past reserves</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It was an excruciating balance between saving for the future and immediate withdrawals to protect jobs and livelihoods,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yet, it also gave Singapore the opportunity to once again test the workings of the two-key system, where, as the holder of the second key, the president assesses the need and gravity of the Government’s request to unlock the country’s past reserves, she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The pandemic saw the Government seek Madam Halimah’s <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/president-halimah-yacob-approves-budget-including-6b-draw-on-reserves-to-battle-covid-19" target="_blank">approval to withdraw up to $69 billion from the reserves over three years</a></b>, with about $40 billion used eventually.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This was the largest amount drawn from the nation’s past savings since the two-key system was created. In 2009, then President S R Nathan approved the withdrawal of past reserves to counter the global financial crisis.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government drew $4 billion then, which it returned to the pot in 2011.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The greatest lesson from the pandemic period is how the past reserves, built up so painstakingly over the years by successive governments, enabled the Republic to act decisively without having to face the burden of crippling debt, she added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The Covid-19 pandemic is a memory of the past now, but it would be a mistake to let the memory fade with time,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madam Halimah said her task as custodian of the second key was to ensure that the threat facing Singapore was so severe that it warranted an exceptional response from the Government.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Giving insight into how she decided to consent to the withdrawal, Madam Halimah said she was briefed by the Government and that she had very extensive, robust and thorough discussions with the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA) before she gave her consent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The severity of the pandemic necessitated five withdrawals as the infection spread with great speed and intensity, and the Government had to respond quickly with support measures,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As laid out in the Constitution, the President’s Office is “not meant to operate as a parallel ministry of finance or investment advisory body of our past reserves”, she emphasised.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Instead, her office worked closely with public officers dealing with matters related to finance and past reserves.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These officers were always open and accessible, and performed their duties with great professionalism, she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Looking back, Madam Halimah said she had a good working relationship with the Government that was based on mutual trust, respect and a clear understanding of each other’s roles and responsibilities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The relationship was always at arm’s length and conducted with great propriety and decorum,” she said. “My queries and requests for information were taken seriously, and I was always able to carry out my duties properly and independently.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In her role of uniting Singaporeans, Madam Halimah said she endeavoured to create a more caring, compassionate, and just society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The strong support of donors to the President’s Challenge not only aided communities in need, but also allowed for an important shift where help could go towards empowering the less well-off, and to include caregivers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For instance, the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/presidents-challenge-to-set-aside-10-million-for-customised-support-for-low-income" target="_blank">Empowering for Life Fund</a></b> she launched has programmes that promote skills upgrading, capacity-building, and employment for beneficiaries from disadvantaged families.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madam Halimah also spent many hours on the ground during her tenure, officiating at more than 1,400 community events.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She made the Istana more accessible, particularly to Singaporeans who would otherwise have no chance to visit, such as hospice care patients and those suffering from motor neuron disease.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_fhDJ_IEuhmCnZvK29Piy3L83VFtPOIJObTq3o0Bam4RIBMCBf1TaRaXSRX4KU10aYkQB5FDkSWpHJsjaDySUpbZ2s4lNGdFwpdO8KM38JhxLVFP3aBhcMcUGGur0pJbFhGHcCmo-aot_H7m3SfGsuKHuhQQTCbd1oPWeVi4E3l-9FixjTkST2q7339S/s1026/President-Halimah-Yacob-achievements-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="1026" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_fhDJ_IEuhmCnZvK29Piy3L83VFtPOIJObTq3o0Bam4RIBMCBf1TaRaXSRX4KU10aYkQB5FDkSWpHJsjaDySUpbZ2s4lNGdFwpdO8KM38JhxLVFP3aBhcMcUGGur0pJbFhGHcCmo-aot_H7m3SfGsuKHuhQQTCbd1oPWeVi4E3l-9FixjTkST2q7339S/w400-h291/President-Halimah-Yacob-achievements-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Istana Gardens were also <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/small-scale-istana-open-house-for-cny-sees-18-guests-return-in-person-new-inclusive-garden" target="_blank">enhanced to be made more wheelchair-friendly</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madam Halimah said she also reached out to different communities, including persons with disabilities and those suffering from mental health issues, and was proud of Supporting Youth in Community, a collaboration with the Institute of Mental Health and four social service agencies to offer mental health support services to young people.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madam Halimah thanked the Presidential Councils, the CPA and the many social service agencies and business organisations that supported and worked with her over the last six years to uplift the underprivileged in the society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As Singapore’s top diplomat, she flew the flag on the international stage with 21 overseas visits, including 12 state visits, even amid the pandemic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/halimah-yacob-set-to-be-singapores-first-female-president-a-timeline-of-her-career" target="_blank">Singapore’s first female president</a></b>, Madam Halimah said she had the unique opportunity to inspire other women and girls.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15KYFePqnG6FiPpFE1TPgZkef5kavoYKyGd2z8O7EI9uTX2T2VGwTzYGkgBeEDq1c4WHawlk45zjnvqG117ueubEuJfv8lRLiZy2iY7lB91oNpm4vUDi_NQuU-Oa5t-Aj1u1IAWd7_SST8xsPCJetCocim8nWW2XQd_5eg3d-Fb5i390K1sIw4n72bODX/s1027/President-Halimah-Yacob-Singapore-Womens-Hall-of-Fame-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1027" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15KYFePqnG6FiPpFE1TPgZkef5kavoYKyGd2z8O7EI9uTX2T2VGwTzYGkgBeEDq1c4WHawlk45zjnvqG117ueubEuJfv8lRLiZy2iY7lB91oNpm4vUDi_NQuU-Oa5t-Aj1u1IAWd7_SST8xsPCJetCocim8nWW2XQd_5eg3d-Fb5i390K1sIw4n72bODX/w400-h290/President-Halimah-Yacob-Singapore-Womens-Hall-of-Fame-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Many have shared with me about how uplifting it was for them to see a female head of state and its strong message about women’s place in our society,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She added: “If I have been able to empower women in Singapore, to push the boundaries and reach their fullest potential, I am most grateful for the chance to do so.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Being the first female head of state and coming from a minority community, Madam Halimah said her presidency let the outside world see that in Singapore, meritocracy and diversity are real and not mere slogans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She ended her farewell speech by thanking her husband, Mr <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/halimahyacob/posts/pfbid025JscpnwemkEuNpF49ZgCgZNVMeL9A6m17y51VYvjFtEfsY81ZpHdGvdb4aSURyf1l?__cft__[0]=AZUN0iwUlfrS6KhhmZG6KR8Vi4zAnTljSW39miO-QCxbR9_yBp7QXK4gXgpxmzEdNEUTQX5eGt5U5yVS9mIygXT7CH73SWU3i_p8Eis7T3sSpJhspeV5cg-QnD43j6PoVEbiuuvhFMGGuBbEoz9xyhYfGcIx5BwFlya2QX8secUtj1eR-TNSwmVk8v9iarlm_dQ&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee</a></b>, and her family for supporting her through her term.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Addressing the people of Singapore, Madam Halimah said: “I am humbled by your trust and faith in me as your President. It has been a privilege to be your voice, to listen to your concerns, and to work tirelessly on your behalf.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I carried your aspirations in my heart, and it is your unwavering support that has fuelled my determination to serve, every day and every step of the way.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">President Halimah a powerful symbol of unity who has been an inspiration to all Singaporeans: PM Lee Hsien Loong</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Natasha Ann Zachariah, Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02ztmsF5YtUKYyTdrKqMnNiEo54CbDfY3Cd6mvEeBGbCkHpskopykFJB7TAefSiwPql?__cft__[0]=AZX4qdEXxxvyNBtcIFiDDOXgsbRAPeWTke2Il5-0ioZgL7SNHIuQkkPmbC9n7WT9SWUK8askXmz28q8u5zveBMySFtttBQC_Eqc7mKn_SqGfRYHkSPV_ewkyL4w9Mj5eRLflq3td80a3h_Dlk0TAbLUN&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 14 Sep 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On President Halimah Yacob’s last day in office on Wednesday, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/pfbid02uXJnvJgkbpFrnx3cQP7RFCSAnm1MSBT1rB2YprxTzJmSM63FEecmTr1ayJhTG1vhl?__cft__[0]=AZWfCmPb-OVCPbvsSZSdzsVMN1ModHeOkXHayyVrJomGmxurl7x2a3fKovVDu_cUU2XQEePAN13HWZxnIyq43zXUzN9S6y1FThO-89Ua4Rah3S4MLrerZDl-yafJnH9Hn4SBf19JuOc8n3HgwkrtLMKaUBYcVvWlPTqX1f6yr_m8qjHRRj2sYDUvZUBW8IZfAuU&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</a></b> paid a heartfelt tribute to her for bringing Singaporeans together, being a conscientious custodian of the country’s reserves, and building a more inclusive society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-at-the-Farewell-Ceremony-for-President-Halimah-Yacob" target="_blank">In a speech at a farewell reception at the Istana</a></b> to thank her for her “illustrious service” to Singapore, PM Lee called Madam Halimah “a powerful symbol of unity for all Singaporeans”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said it was not just because of what the office represents, but also how she carried out her duties and led Singapore as its eighth president.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Throughout your tenure, you showed the way with grounded leadership and a warm heart for the people,” said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Your ability to empathise and resonate with Singaporeans from all walks of life has brought our nation closer together, and reminded us that we all have a role to play to make Singapore a better home.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said Madam Halimah had led the way in crucial times, citing how she was <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/president-halimah-gets-covid-19-jab-reassures-on-spores-strict-safety-standards-for" target="_blank">among the first to take the Covid-19 vaccine</a></b> and visited front-line workers on the ground during the pandemic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She later hosted them at the Istana to thank them and recognise their sacrifices.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Your presence and your concern lifted spirits, and made all the difference,” said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added: “Seeing our President with us gave everyone hope, showed that every contribution was appreciated, and inspired us to soldier on despite the difficulties and personal sacrifices.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Being a woman from a minority community, and coming from a humble family background, <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/halimah-yacob-set-to-be-singapores-first-female-president-a-timeline-of-her-career" target="_blank">Madam Halimah proves that Singapore’s meritocratic system works</a></b>, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Her father, a watchman, died when she was eight. Madam Halimah, who is the youngest of five children, helped her mother who sold nasi padang, doing the cleaning, washing, clearing of tables and serving customers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Singapore Chinese Girls’ School and Tanjong Katong Girls’ School alumna later graduated from the University of Singapore with a law degree.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1978, she joined the National Trades Union Congress as a legal officer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She later joined politics, and in 2011, became minister of state at the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. Two years later, she became Singapore’s first female Speaker of Parliament.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2017, she become Singapore’s first female president, occupying the highest office in the country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said Madam Halimah’s lived experience had to be a major reason why she strongly believed in building a more egalitarian and inclusive society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During her time in office, he said she worked hard to strengthen mutual understanding, trust and respect across diverse community groups.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She also took an interest in many worthy causes, especially those focused on helping the less privileged, so that they would feel valued and recognised in society, added PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He highlighted four areas she particularly championed: gender equality, disability inclusion, mental health issues, especially among the young, and workers’ interests.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On elevating women, PM Lee said Madam Halimah’s efforts “challenged gender stereotypes and heightened awareness of the biases still faced by women”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that she paid particular attention to those with disabilities. Under the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/110-employers-including-the-public-service-commit-to-more-inclusive-workforce-for-those" target="_blank">President’s Challenge Enabling Employment Pledge</a></b>, she advocated for more inclusive and accessible workplaces and employment policies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To understand the challenges faced by people with disabilities and to encourage employers and Singaporeans to be more accepting and understanding, Madam Halimah frequently visited social welfare agencies, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Concerned about mental health issues among young people, Madam Halimah launched the Supporting Youth in Community programme to provide this group with psychosocial support.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said: “This programme has helped many young people to overcome their mental struggles and emerge from dark moments in their lives.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also praised her for always looking out for workers’ interests, in particular lower-wage workers, given her close ties with the labour movement.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee noted that she <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/presidents-challenge-to-set-aside-10-million-for-customised-support-for-low-income" target="_blank">launched the Empowering for Life Fund</a></b> in 2018 to offer tailored support for skills upgrading and employment assistance to vulnerable individuals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlbfYVX4Xbp2HgeVlvzEOwjD5bsZmtNE4wyDMmu3Lm6nkeeYODXBF8ngnmWnmmzYRjZOuEkaCgwm3uUDn3tr_0z6Wwz3tN_C0bneR_7zYwdpRjOvMuRTXve2gfWk35on8zebOx6LH21p-XABb-SGltHrbI1YHmpt3NbbXrYbO5QXqDftIRPT-UjqbZfqE/s1030/President-Halimah-Yacob-Presidents-Star-Charity-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="1030" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlbfYVX4Xbp2HgeVlvzEOwjD5bsZmtNE4wyDMmu3Lm6nkeeYODXBF8ngnmWnmmzYRjZOuEkaCgwm3uUDn3tr_0z6Wwz3tN_C0bneR_7zYwdpRjOvMuRTXve2gfWk35on8zebOx6LH21p-XABb-SGltHrbI1YHmpt3NbbXrYbO5QXqDftIRPT-UjqbZfqE/w400-h283/President-Halimah-Yacob-Presidents-Star-Charity-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2022, she focused the President’s Challenge’s fund-raising efforts on “<b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/give-more-generously-to-low-income-families-as-they-re-hardest-hit-by-pandemic-president-halimah" target="_blank">Supporting Lower-Income Families</a></b>” – the group hardest hit by the pandemic – raising a record $17.3 million.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beyond her ceremonial and symbolic roles, PM Lee noted that Madam Halimah also carried out her duties as the custodian of Singapore’s reserves thoroughly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Holding the “second key” to the nation’s reserves, she “had to exercise this important duty on an unprecedented scale” because of the pandemic, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over three years, the Government sought Madam Halimah’s approval to draw on the reserves repeatedly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said Madam Halimah, who was advised by the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA), worked closely with the Government to understand the rapidly developing situation and to assess its proposed responses and requests.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She also had to ensure the requested draws on reserves were necessary and justified, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added that he was glad the officials were able to deal fully with her “searching” queries and clarifications, and address the reservations and concerns that she and the CPA raised.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said: “As the officials involved will attest, you participated actively in a thorough process. Rigorous, but not antagonistic.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Eventually, Madam Halimah <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/president-halimah-yacob-approves-budget-including-6b-draw-on-reserves-to-battle-covid-19" target="_blank">approved a cumulative $69 billion draw on the reserves</a></b> over three years, though only about $40 billion was used, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that this was the largest amount ever drawn since the system of the “second key” was created.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Doing so enabled the Government to move swiftly and confidently to tackle the crisis, without having to take on a heavy debt burden and encumbering future generations, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Madam Halimah’s decision to approve the requests,PM Lee said: “With your support, the Government was able to save lives, stabilise the economy, preserve jobs, and ensure that Singapore emerged more resilient and stronger after Covid-19.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also paid homage to her efforts in representing Singapore on the world stage and strengthening relations and friendships with other countries, despite the pandemic’s limitations on travel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madam Halimah had hosted many foreign leaders in Singapore and made impactful state and official visits, including to several Asean countries, the Middle East, Central Asia, China, Japan and Europe, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In doing so, he said she helped other countries understand Singapore better, and opened new opportunities, such as through the numerous bilateral agreements concluded during her trips.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also mentioned that she always took special care to engage overseas Singaporeans and keep them in touch with home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Calling her “Singapore’s top diplomat”, PM Lee said she fulfilled these duties with dignity and grace.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee also expressed appreciation for Madam Halimah’s husband, Mr Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee, who he said played a “critical role” in supporting her during her time in office.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“He was constantly by your side as you carried out your official duties, be it engaging foreign dignitaries or meeting Singaporeans,” said PM Lee. “His calm and informal nature complemented well your own warmth and approachability.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As he closed his tribute to Madam Halimah, PM Lee recalled what she said when she was first elected six years ago: “I’m a President for everyone.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Through her leadership and heart for the people, PM Lee said she had “certainly fulfilled (her) promise”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNncfjGXkaLUOpOI-CbIaWnglBPXAZva3YfdWH5U_cCtvybHhQKgMJ_dhID0IMH-00A85UB4EGffT0DX-lahcFMA6bGmWQ-zGocgU4gsJk_bad1J2nLMrFRlLmi588DOtOwr8FGRtNuywWEhS8aO1f-k-nGdaGlmPRk5jMHep8lYiuVhLErPNi8-KHwec/s1027/Singapore-Prime-Minister-Lee-Hsien-Loong-and-President-Halimah-Yacob-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1027" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNncfjGXkaLUOpOI-CbIaWnglBPXAZva3YfdWH5U_cCtvybHhQKgMJ_dhID0IMH-00A85UB4EGffT0DX-lahcFMA6bGmWQ-zGocgU4gsJk_bad1J2nLMrFRlLmi588DOtOwr8FGRtNuywWEhS8aO1f-k-nGdaGlmPRk5jMHep8lYiuVhLErPNi8-KHwec/w400-h284/Singapore-Prime-Minister-Lee-Hsien-Loong-and-President-Halimah-Yacob-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said that her efforts to expand opportunities for all have made for a more united and inclusive Singapore, where everyone belongs and has a part to play.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Your commitment to improving our society and concern for every Singaporean will continue to inspire and guide Singaporeans as we refresh our social compact and press forward together.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Friday night, MOF also posted on Facebook a condolence message to Dr Hu’s family. “<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MOFsg/posts/pfbid0Fhvt6B9qaak5F6ysiVwJAYCTbZhXT6F7Ve5VnENFrFqDLbn5PbfoFjQ7vCQJHkkKl?__cft__[0]=AZUtFnFs8F-Fqf-mGSCdryy7q-e9jycr4Yg9VZaavdANL0qKs0I3d9hjRmX1oZnZVoWltkshdnf1GwmkWL_iFwjporVI4mSp3XOfQszIlQxSZ7YiwwKyV3B7-WUjdCKt0PyBng57sZRL0R7g8Vy5QA8f&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">We will remember Dr Hu for his many valuable contributions</a></b>,” the ministry said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">People’s Action Party member <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehongchuang/posts/pfbid02ByuoS5PTqCLAnPnBU5VKYfJnv3VncnhVGkUUhb8YLFde16SMdkftTpi8JhgUBq2Xl?__cft__[0]=AZXkCWHisIaCxpyY4RX4Ls6I7UPumIl0vmRx0MYVAfyDHniXICgL2fMhiytBnSC8jowyq1gP0HR5mU2P7zDgfB2WBXeVQkdnyAiQCEZ1MAY3kb1AZn2D3cfs02c87AMW7JHnA_VVOpvNaMfA8fOJ_BOK&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Lee Hong Chuang</a></b>, an IT manager who contested unsuccessfully in the Workers’ Party Hougang stronghold in the 2015 and 2020 general elections, uploaded a photo after attending Dr Hu’s wake on Friday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He wrote: “I remember the late Dr Richard Hu when I was growing up as a real stalwart of our economy... May you rest in peace.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Hu was a senior Shell executive before he entered politics in 1984.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was the director of marketing of Shell Singapore and general manager of Shell West Malaysia – the first Asian to be appointed director in the Shell Group – before he was promoted to chairman of Shell Malaysia in 1974 and Shell Singapore in 1977.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was a board member of MAS for 26 years, from 1971 to 1997, and was appointed its managing director in 1983 after he retired from Shell.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1984, Dr Hu was elected MP for Kreta Ayer constituency and was immediately made trade and industry minister, making him among the few MPs since independence to be appointed to the Cabinet right after winning an election.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He went on to spend 17 years in politics, <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/from-the-archives-finance-minister-hu-steps-down-after-16-years" target="_blank">retiring in 2001 as finance minister</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Hu was associated with several key policies during his term.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He oversaw the reform of Singapore’s financial and banking sectors, which included privatising the Post Office Savings Bank and selling it to DBS Bank.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1993, he introduced the goods and services tax (GST) in Parliament to reduce the Government’s dependence on direct taxation as a revenue source.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was credited with the smooth implementation of GST on April 1, 1994, at the rate of 3 per cent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, Dr Hu oversaw the introduction of two off-Budget stimulus packages totalling $12.5 billion <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/from-the-archives-singapore-emerges-unscathed-thanks-to-hu-and-his-team" target="_blank">to help companies and families affected by the downturn</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This was repeated in 2001 in response to another recession, when an $11.3 billion off-Budget package was drawn up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hengsweekeat/posts/pfbid03XZN7KXYtEcm8eyNUksmzcpZhW1B1h6xsns4FUyPTY9UUVK4uc321LaZuKZSDCYDl?__cft__[0]=AZWESmmQxZr8HD-3VoZjzcFSbjuS7wgi-7M8YeRy8Rd-6HXefx4eV-PmQASikbhyi8NyKEX-vrxFSepo1Cc7E-vW23bSotBnn-kdoYG2b5JlD3Oi1wLIYGsJtJPi368Ikk01xz9o9x8BA50FRtA5VFve1Ywxc6gK1bSCcQo7c_UNOPjGWVlwBAecj8Hb2nofuec&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat</a></b> said in a Facebook post that Dr Hu played an instrumental role in transforming Singapore into a leading financial hub.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“His wisdom and foresight shaped our key policies, including the GST, which created a more resilient tax base for Singapore and boosted our international competitiveness,” he wrote.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">MAS, which Dr Hu chaired from 1985 to 1997, said in a statement that he upheld a strong commitment to sound monetary policy and prudent currency management.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This conviction underpinned price stability and confidence in the Singapore dollar during much of the 1980s and 1990s,” it added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The agency noted that Dr Hu emphasised the high standards of financial regulation and supervision that Singapore is known for.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“He firmly believed that high prudential standards and close supervision were critical for the long-term competitiveness and growth of Singapore’s financial sector.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“He oversaw the overhaul of the securities regulatory framework which facilitated the subsequent development of Singapore’s capital markets,” it said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Many of the older staff in MAS fondly remember Dr Hu for his wise and steady leadership,” added MAS.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides being Singapore’s longest-serving finance minister, Dr Hu also held other key appointments during his years in the Cabinet, including the ministerial portfolios of health and national development.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After retiring from politics in 2001, he continued to serve on the board of GIC until 2009, and remained an adviser until 2012.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A private funeral for Dr Hu will be held on Sunday at the Mandai Crematorium, Lianhe Zaobao reported.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Singapore leaders express condolences after death of Republic’s longest-serving Finance Minister Richard Hu</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Ang Qing, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02SuHweVBounc5LK4pUcFKYTzkaHhBFGrG2Zwtqz3GiWMzNeMHFoakPSotBkARKTcCl?__cft__[0]=AZV6iDTbpVIGaaKkRvpln7GmloUBget1Nj_XHsJZtsJk45Bjq3iI8faYxizJ7Bc7cXMmCBY-ou1BLnm6AO4mE4-e7DTtnPpfplsr2u1Yslk4--xB41j6z3D-xPaVzdYStt0h2i56b-D0WzOvcl44BnrTobZUUAJZChUE9LuOGZIsL2HPjVQw4wdDnemdeSzSmVY&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 9 Sep 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/pfbid037dk9wN5tUb7DWGEd5oZNNpwHpbMsh8onSGyTnwappeYHK8zzwYiG8Vo77dqnD82pl?__cft__[0]=AZVyUyOUEetlVC_X91U4Yzik4na70euXUB0_nMi3Lxmjttg5AENtGfpvuXUntue2g_l2dY4uSkohCJe3R2er95AUJ28btuIiqpdpPFY1D5UiNiG9jWjBplq86iws0KOPN0BwUsw-OhAfn436pklAnttE&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</a></b>, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MParader/posts/pfbid027ogboo2SYiPCJgGeJQCJBhGsPNT5yHmWrP2Kj83YUMjJbBwroiq6Y8Zi1HgHvkvMl?__cft__[0]=AZVAd_crXlBdAMMTDurqmGVOIg8haZSEFruXx9W4Vx4DD_UD7nc7Ej85yyjnyfHcJ9_A4CyNH9jCs8ApKRKjsM1cdR5EIngNCBVDQsGLrBHXVLQqNd3SrWw5ki5tUH0oshhsMSJM8W0Q9h0NWOuXVh4h&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong</a></b> and President-elect <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TharmanShanmugaratnam/posts/pfbid02Jn3vqyWHzqYUmmNDXNpjs8uCweGZbGwz78NoPgiCtfHEnwMnMw6ymswyfGcxi3gSl?__cft__[0]=AZV1EeEqUk1W0jBslK10F7y_731Kbuz8ebVAshLfm0QZAci23gMjup-_--X7QEd5Yp-UU46OkkbVtzTPCAR10X-3s57yyVb_ZMuD5UzUaK9te-6j1k9P8hFS3Dq1kC5ppgpphZ4LNCHkGdY8iXthmZSC&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Tharman Shanmugaratnam</a></b> offered their condolences to the family of Singapore’s longest-serving finance minister Richard Hu, who died on Friday at 96.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a Facebook post on Saturday, PM Lee said he was “deeply saddened” by the passing of “a close colleague and friend for many years” and paid tribute to Dr Hu, who was finance minister from 1985 to 2001.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said: “We entered politics in the same year – 1984. From the beginning we worked closely together, in MTI (Ministry of Trade and Industry) and MOF (Ministry of Finance), managing the Singapore economy and the nation’s finances.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/pfbid037dk9wN5tUb7DWGEd5oZNNpwHpbMsh8onSGyTnwappeYHK8zzwYiG8Vo77dqnD82pl?__cft__[0]=AZVyUyOUEetlVC_X91U4Yzik4na70euXUB0_nMi3Lxmjttg5AENtGfpvuXUntue2g_l2dY4uSkohCJe3R2er95AUJ28btuIiqpdpPFY1D5UiNiG9jWjBplq86iws0KOPN0BwUsw-OhAfn436pklAnttE&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">I will always warmly remember his wise counsel, strong sense of stewardship and deep concern for Singaporeans</a></b>.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1984, Dr Hu was elected MP for Kreta Ayer while PM Lee was elected as MP for Teck Ghee. Dr Hu was made trade and industry minister, while PM Lee was appointed as minister of state for trade and industry as well as defence.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said Dr Hu left a lasting legacy in finance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added: “He joined the GIC Board when it was first formed in 1981 and was its first private sector member. When GIC’s real estate arm, GIC RE, was corporatised into a separate entity in 1999, he was concurrently appointed its chairman.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“With him at the helm, the GIC real estate team made its first foray into the region, and has since grown into a global real estate institutional investor.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1983, Dr Hu retired from global energy and petrochemical company Shell and joined the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) as its managing director. Two years later, he became MAS chairman.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Under Dr Hu’s leadership, MAS established its credentials for stringent supervision and regulation of the financial sector, and sound monetary policy, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said: “The 1980s and 1990s saw episodes of volatility in international financial markets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Throughout, MAS steadfastly maintained its exchange rate-centred monetary policy, emphasising the role of a stable Singapore dollar in preserving the purchasing power of Singaporean households, and saw off a few speculative attacks on the exchange rate.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“(Dr Hu) also oversaw the overhaul of our securities regulatory framework, which facilitated the subsequent development of our capital markets and laid the foundation for Singapore to become a thriving global financial hub.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As Singapore’s longest-serving finance minister, Dr Hu tabled in Parliament a record 16 Budgets, overseeing a period of high growth and substantial Budget surpluses, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added: “Under his prudent management, these surpluses steadily accumulated in our reserves, to become the unique resource that Singapore can now rely upon, both for routine Budget spending, and in crises with the permission of the president.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A key policy overseen by Dr Hu was the introduction of the goods and services tax (GST) in 1994, added PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said the policy enabled Singapore to lower income and corporate taxes at a time when many other countries were doing the same, challenging the nation’s international competitiveness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also credited the policy for becoming a resilient source of revenue, which became increasingly important as the Government’s spending needs grew.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said: “But Richard did not just push through the GST. He introduced a comprehensive package of support and offset to help businesses and households cope. This was the model for many subsequent assistance packages from the Government that have benefited generations of Singaporeans.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He concluded: “Singapore owes Richard our gratitude for a lifetime of contribution and service to nation. I offer my deepest condolences to his family in this time of loss and grief. He will be deeply missed.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Saturday, ESM Goh also paid tribute to Dr Hu, whose post as finance minister had spanned almost the entire time ESM Goh was Singapore’s prime minister between 1990 and 2004.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a Facebook post, ESM Goh said Dr Hu was a key member of Singapore’s 2G leadership team. A different “G” is used to label different prime ministers’ Cabinets, indicating a distinct generational change.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">ESM Goh said: “<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MParader/posts/pfbid027ogboo2SYiPCJgGeJQCJBhGsPNT5yHmWrP2Kj83YUMjJbBwroiq6Y8Zi1HgHvkvMl?__cft__[0]=AZVAd_crXlBdAMMTDurqmGVOIg8haZSEFruXx9W4Vx4DD_UD7nc7Ej85yyjnyfHcJ9_A4CyNH9jCs8ApKRKjsM1cdR5EIngNCBVDQsGLrBHXVLQqNd3SrWw5ki5tUH0oshhsMSJM8W0Q9h0NWOuXVh4h&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">I am indebted to Dr Hu for agreeing to join the (People’s Action Party) to help the 2G team. It took me not one, not two but three meetings to persuade him to do so</a></b>.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added that Dr Hu had just retired from Shell and was already serving the Government as MAS’ managing director, and both Dr Hu and his family preferred a quiet life away from the public glare.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But ESM Goh was determined to get Dr Hu on his team, as Dr Hu’s private sector experience added depth and breadth, and the latter eventually relented.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said: “Thank you, Richard, for your selfless service to the nation. My deepest condolences to Richard’s wife, Irene, and his family.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">President-elect Tharman also posted a tribute on Saturday, saying Singapore owes “<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TharmanShanmugaratnam/posts/pfbid02Jn3vqyWHzqYUmmNDXNpjs8uCweGZbGwz78NoPgiCtfHEnwMnMw6ymswyfGcxi3gSl?__cft__[0]=AZV1EeEqUk1W0jBslK10F7y_731Kbuz8ebVAshLfm0QZAci23gMjup-_--X7QEd5Yp-UU46OkkbVtzTPCAR10X-3s57yyVb_ZMuD5UzUaK9te-6j1k9P8hFS3Dq1kC5ppgpphZ4LNCHkGdY8iXthmZSC&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">a permanent debt of gratitude</a></b>” to Dr Hu.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said Dr Hu contributed greatly to the nation through his various appointments and “strengthened our foundations in each area”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This benefited Singaporeans at the time and also brought lasting benefits for the future, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I enjoyed working under him for over a decade when he was chairman of the MAS, and I was a professional economist there, in the 1980s/90s. He had the most gentle and calm demeanour,” said Mr Tharman.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also noted that even though Dr Hu did not have much background knowledge on monetary and financial matters when he came into government, he “more than made up for it” by being a good and discerning listener, and by making sound decisions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Hu leaves behind his wife Irene and their two children. A private funeral for him will be held on Sunday at Mandai Crematorium.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-5009594422592287502023-09-06T17:27:00.010+08:002023-09-09T20:58:07.844+08:00Tharman is president-elect. Is Singapore a post-race society?<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">His presidency is a chance to shape race relations positively. Singapore still has some way to go.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By <a href="https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/ips/publications/details/tharman-is-president-elect.-is-singapore-a-post-race-society" target="_blank">Mathew Mathews</a>, Published <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid02sU9vVHNmK5uRtKbcsg5E76vFzQSMKn39AXjCXRxg4PiMaxe24o4PgexyY1NmFqYVl?__cft__[0]=AZW9p_2eAmCuH66RDoIHjCpFZoyQO7q-GAl5S6ky2ryCl7RZlAii4tyHYEy6LBcv2_aN54TiN2sb_mC3QX5MRfoqW23GM6eJyUyV-3EyyISoemoZQBFMcx1A5ThtALLrwSG_VRJjQ_k0g8XqS3V02FQShxmz0o0Cb-flBqa4tpNidtVOdt7jdukRl43ASxrJKfU&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 6 Sep 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1Yf2ZfOYYoiOybuZOrELe3r1SiMo51-xPuQJBxAFwD0vLJJAbcirmluPLCsB1IGNlO68Q_vKQV7TIbL8KEX3jKZU_8hNvbtGScfQVK0fsGO7C0ue79t33Ff9IfSFniVAiY1j5VqHfKeN_rg7U5Kb4SN8BjW7BknD4O1Wa0MZJDhuW7czE83OCjitodtP/s1027/Race-in-politics-Singapore-President-Tharman-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1027" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1Yf2ZfOYYoiOybuZOrELe3r1SiMo51-xPuQJBxAFwD0vLJJAbcirmluPLCsB1IGNlO68Q_vKQV7TIbL8KEX3jKZU_8hNvbtGScfQVK0fsGO7C0ue79t33Ff9IfSFniVAiY1j5VqHfKeN_rg7U5Kb4SN8BjW7BknD4O1Wa0MZJDhuW7czE83OCjitodtP/w400-h284/Race-in-politics-Singapore-President-Tharman-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The election of Mr <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TharmanShanmugaratnam/posts/pfbid0axvqg82KarQ7wRK1PqYaNaPvaK5A1baZySiXVvzaM9f9xhaKsSkBmDeNW69ZT6H9l?__cft__[0]=AZVR6JjOVYFl-S-HizEca3f10oT19QSqC7aF2-bMPc1Dgj4foGbautyG2jMud3CjGE5LhMuhnm5_VbJ78QMAU0JJJo9JcG0H4NEat4uXJisA1DvgmqgxJ1jmmTZtdR1VjbGAvD2se786K8tGE-IEL9e3Fpo8-7Gfcoi01FWbuRzidHKK-90-04skoREEC5ZN9oE&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Tharman Shanmugaratnam</a></b> as <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/09/tharman-elected-singapore-president.html" target="_blank">Singapore’s ninth president</a></b> stands as a profound testament to the nation’s commitment to racial inclusivity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tharman’s resounding victory, with <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/landslide-704-per-cent-victory-for-president-elect-tharman" target="_blank">70.4 per cent of the vote</a></b>, realises an aspiration shared by many Singaporeans: to elect a competent and qualified president – whether from a minority race or otherwise – through an open contest in line with the nation’s commitment to meritocracy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Race was almost a non-factor at the ballot box in some sense. Mr Tharman’s impeccable credentials, coupled with his popularity built over two decades in politics, overcame any lingering racial prejudices.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Racial representation in the presidency</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Having good racial representation in the presidency is important for the development of multiracialism in Singapore. Recognising this, Parliament consistently appointed presidents from all the main racial groups in Singapore since Mr Yusof Ishak first assumed the role, even though there was no constitutional requirement to do so.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, the public was sensitised to this objective only after <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2016/11/parliamentary-debate-on-changes-to.html" target="_blank">constitutional amendments were passed in 2016</a></b> to <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2017/10/reserved-presidential-election-was.html" target="_blank">reserve the elected presidency for candidates of a particular racial group</a></b> if there had not been a president from that group for the five most recent presidential terms.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The population has largely come to accept these interventions as necessary to uphold the multiracial character of the presidency. In the <b><a href="https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/ips/news/details/attitudes-actions-and-aspirations-key-findings-from-the-cna-ips-survey-on-race-relations-2021" target="_blank">2021 CNA-IPS Survey on Race Relations</a></b>, over 70 per cent of the 2,000 Singaporeans surveyed <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/most-spore-residents-especially-those-younger-and-better-educated-feel-racism-is-an-important-problem-survey" target="_blank">believed that the reserved presidency helped preserve racial harmony in Singapore</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Seeing a minority candidate win the race was never a given. The 2011 Presidential Election, featuring four candidates from the majority race, illustrated the growing challenges facing any qualified minority candidate in the race for the top job.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With qualifying conditions subsequently tightened, the very high bar for a nomination meant that only a small number of eminent minority representatives would be eligible to contest the president’s post. They, too, might be concerned that their chances of getting elected might be adversely impacted by the potential influence of racial preferences.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">The high-water mark of race relations?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/08/singapore-presidential-election-2023.html" target="_blank">Mr Tharman’s victory</a></b> represents a significant milestone, it by no means signals that Singapore has fully transcended racial divisions and become a post-race society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Race is unlikely to lose its significance entirely after Mr Tharman’s assumption of the presidency, just as it did not disappear as a political force in the United States after President Barack Obama’s historic election win in 2008.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many observers have remarked on the irony that the mountain top of race relations in the US coincided with Mr Obama’s inauguration as the first African-American president, only to steadily deteriorate to the valleys through his tenure with heightening racial tensions ranging from the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/ferguson-unrest-america-struggles-with-human-rights-too-yet-lectures-others-say" target="_blank">riots in Ferguson</a></b> to the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/world/summer-of-reckoning-black-lives-matter-protests-in-trumps-america" target="_blank">rise of the Black Lives Matter movement</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore has been fortunate in maintaining generally positive race relations due to a combination of state interventions and the resolve of the population. Yet, racial preferences undeniably persist within the population, as highlighted by the same CNA-IPS survey. The survey showed high levels of in-group preferences for various roles, particularly among Chinese respondents.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When asked about the acceptability of different races to manage their business, nearly all were accepting of an ethnic Chinese in that role, although only about half were accepting of a Singaporean Malay (51.9 per cent) or Indian (52.8 per cent). Similar trends were evident when respondents were asked about renting a property to people of different racial groups or having someone from another race marry into the family.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It would be overly simplistic to attribute these racial preferences, and the general proclivity to see one another in terms of race, solely to state policies, such as the Chinese-Malay-Indian-Others system and the Ethnic Integration Policy in housing. Research suggests that some of these preferences may be ingrained from infancy and reinforced through early socialisation experiences.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Race in PE2023</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not only do racial preferences exist within the population, but efforts to mobilise racial sentiments in the context of the recent presidential election were also evident. Despite the guidelines given by the Elections Department to guard against campaign practices that may provoke racial or religious tensions, there were racially charged messages circulating on social media and instant messaging apps.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfFZ8JBJWm5Hwc1W9SbgVk9m3zCaQbGgidlkhpj5c5XzKWKsvbzVI4ewJWJF2jO51uRber_U3gnyMYH6ZrwsB37kT817E4ELF84DKlrc4b4LWxrQSGo0oSgIHN7Ip6BXmyt67r6KKM3DiM4tFEGt-HeI7SxMkp4jf8fJBTxZJo6WWDdNsravcrQu4QMx8/s559/President-Tharman.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="402" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfFZ8JBJWm5Hwc1W9SbgVk9m3zCaQbGgidlkhpj5c5XzKWKsvbzVI4ewJWJF2jO51uRber_U3gnyMYH6ZrwsB37kT817E4ELF84DKlrc4b4LWxrQSGo0oSgIHN7Ip6BXmyt67r6KKM3DiM4tFEGt-HeI7SxMkp4jf8fJBTxZJo6WWDdNsravcrQu4QMx8/w288-h400/President-Tharman.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These included comments which alleged that the majority Chinese population needed a Chinese president to represent them after years of having a non-Chinese president, remarks that Mr Tharman was the champion of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, or Ceca – by now, a derogatory way of highlighting the presence of non-resident Indians working in Singapore – and attacks on the Japanese ancestry of Mr Tharman’s wife.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is unclear where some of these messages originated from, or whether they were propagated by foreign actors seeking to sow discord or hatched locally. Yet, the mere fact that they were shared around, often without any criticism, underscores that these messages had traction with at least some Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Recognising that race is never absent in elections, Mr Tharman conducted an energetic campaign to bridge potential gaps with demographic groups that might have hesitated to endorse an Indian candidate. His campaign slogan, “Respect for All”, and the use of the auspicious pineapple symbol were apt choices, resonating with Singapore’s culturally diverse population.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Towards a more racially harmonious society</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While a post-racial Singapore may not be within immediate grasp despite President-elect Tharman’s successful election, his victory can further Singapore’s development into a more racially harmonious society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/race-ips-survey-discrimination-work-chinese-malay-indian-2601676" target="_blank">The same CNA-IPS survey</a></b> showed that since the reserved presidency in 2017 which saw <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2017/09/halimah-yacob-is-singapores-first.html" target="_blank">Madam Halimah Yacob</a></b> assume the role, the population has become more at ease with a Malay president, particularly among Chinese respondents. In 2016, 58.8 per cent of Chinese respondents, based on an earlier CNA-IPS survey, said they would accept a Malay president. This increased to 79.4 per cent in 2021.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Segments of the population, which may have been more wary before the reserved presidency was instituted, were won over by President Halimah’s performance in office, which may have dispelled any remaining prejudice and misconceptions over the suitability of Malays for the role of president.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Structures preserving racial harmony still needed</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Still, it will be naive to think that Mr Tharman’s win is a strong enough justification that Singapore can do away with structures that maintain racial harmony, particularly the representation of minorities in politics through the group representation constituencies (GRC).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Opponents of the GRC system claim that racial minorities can and have stood for elections in single-member constituencies and been assessed by the electorate on their own merits, while voters would not be racially prejudiced as evidenced by Mr Tharman’s landslide win.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But this argument fails to recognise that Mr Tharman’s popularity today was possible only because he entered Parliament, and through the GRC system back in 2001.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is insufficient evidence to suggest that racial preferences no longer matter in political contests to risk the situation where the lack of a mechanism to ensure racial representation in Parliament may result in one ethnic minority group being disproportionally under-represented in Parliament. This would have serious consequences for Singapore’s racial harmony.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hopefully, the fact that Mr Tharman was endorsed by 70.4 per cent of Singaporeans will help those still harbouring doubts about the suitability of ethnic minorities for top positions to reconsider their stance. People should be evaluated based on the unique talents they bring rather than their ethnic origins.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore’s journey towards racial harmony continues, and Mr Tharman’s victory is a pivotal chapter in that ongoing narrative.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tharman himself best articulated this in saying: “With each half decade, Singapore is changing and evolving. I hope that my being elected president is seen as another milestone in that process of evolution.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Mathew Mathews is principal research fellow and head of the Social Lab at the <a href="https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/ips/publications/details/tharman-is-president-elect.-is-singapore-a-post-race-society" target="_blank">Institute of Policy Studies at the National University of Singapore</a>.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-43764828170990806902023-09-02T20:15:00.016+08:002023-09-14T16:43:08.264+08:00Tharman Shanmugaratnam elected as Singapore’s 9th president<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Landslide 70.4 per cent victory for Tharman as Singapore’s next president</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid036scgQCaWzZx9jLi9d8ZvDfXQRFJ8psyjnbYKfrTZhNDGDHRqqbnMevAUFDZ4CnNl?__cft__[0]=AZVDW_PdklQ6nYdVmSCLVIV-5dBVRhVdW0vcCyK90B6CwKT5CQAhqBN20LgCI1wzpPzWCVwAPVx-cR30sNXa5yIkcEg-HOE6BWl1YVy1HmvI5jMkj13b10Wh4q_Q_j7K_xWlYwOpvKKmbzqMXsg_GDzZW8C5AETXiwcU9oqsQX-L26gnqqflt7Xte8Vx30pGwh9HMy1eWwl6SFdirf2-1cuC&__tn__=%2CO*F" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 2 Sep 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmkfmiqyM0Yq8Oghln7qpzfbUz37oNYQ9TRCzMdKpnw1wYYEQfL2Om5BYhmCyaKEkQ476m0ccnG6GA30BSBuuMMn690UQqQ-Ej7zGKY0wSE4M1cvwLUQ_p_DuIhuXPGcEVjEuqPSSgPpIdWwTPeWUgL5jUzzwqPu18Tyaf64YPaaCOGYgsFiRXssx9RAV/s939/Singapore-President-Tharman-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="939" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmkfmiqyM0Yq8Oghln7qpzfbUz37oNYQ9TRCzMdKpnw1wYYEQfL2Om5BYhmCyaKEkQ476m0ccnG6GA30BSBuuMMn690UQqQ-Ej7zGKY0wSE4M1cvwLUQ_p_DuIhuXPGcEVjEuqPSSgPpIdWwTPeWUgL5jUzzwqPu18Tyaf64YPaaCOGYgsFiRXssx9RAV/w400-h285/Singapore-President-Tharman-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singaporeans have given Mr <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TharmanShanmugaratnam/posts/pfbid0aqHKhkzbQGWHe14pDeAG1Vi9D5Jxx368f8tadjRTnDuAXwks2wnm3MrJYJY1Vhthl?__cft__[0]=AZULJ7Q1bFOcyZDwlOz5qi0d1_FCnb5JKa36G85bd7dKVOl_1yBrfBQtU62TslDbUN6LjwGz9iviV5MtkckDe3TKU2sffz6Ca--avZZCw-h5f--IYhN7IzQVv20ASHwsv0M623jQNB4w11PJbcUqXANXZ9ovrq6lvA5BQs3MwqJBy5Pn69jQlr628ymXndypSSE&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Tharman Shanmugaratnam</a></b> a resounding mandate to be Singapore’s ninth president.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 66-year-old former senior minister scored a big win with 70.4 per cent of the vote, while Mr Ng Kok Song and Mr Tan Kin Lian received 15.72 per cent and 13.88 per cent, respectively.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even before the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChannelNewsAsia/posts/pfbid02ATZDq13tE7yDZLhRXexryeYJGGQGGA3ULFxwhacd9wPjwTPP1ePZL8utRd1qeAjol?__cft__[0]=AZX3DsmWBx9HiOwx6eEJczSZjU-jrKvA_6UGG1tmYA3E-XXUJr6Rg7a9gKNmZVvuloKwMH7-HogjdvPZt0GaYV_b8XdC-RDVVDcqEbOX29esXx1I5Ldlr5VqgnG3LJY6DTd5ExoXCjTYmVQmaV3MZPKATEGM1XgelzL6JKTNNhmPNtqmmDPa4c4oPUp-xD0QzQ32_3Py7alMgMHtQZzGuYtD&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-y-R" target="_blank">official result</a></b> was announced by Returning Officer Tan Meng Dui at 12.22am, it was clear who the winner was.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/pe2023-tharman-holds-commanding-lead-based-on-sample-count-with-70-per-cent-of-the-votes" target="_blank">sample count released at about 10.40pm</a> showed <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid0iQdjHrepPkkc7gQh3eEAVFQQdkz1YvVzcC9HPqXoP9BmNb1AcFvBNjqQUus6573Wl?__cft__[0]=AZUFQWb_tG5YeS4DGldRgnbMLcB9Gm6kz6iCD0kNQ59frYNeZ7FTLrYrMr0wCs1ATFIbzlNq3K17MMkXaNX_wb9m83zlkbc2mSAwEbVcYYtPVB0iKmkZG56eMI7MJVjnzS6rNuPF8x17-BWdNCBM7jA2Utdr-B3Hz_YuL6XTBxI-3x9gaOZbpstpaPJSZzICjuMv_TldvfTlMQtDC9ylOWQl&__tn__=%2CO*F" target="_blank">Mr Tharman leading with 70 per cent</a></b>, while Mr Ng and Mr Tan were trailing with 16 per cent and 14 per cent, respectively.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Addressing the media at Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre shortly after that, Mr Tharman said he was “humbled by the strong endorsement that Singaporeans have given to me”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I believe that the vote for me and what I stand for is a vote of confidence in Singapore... It is a vote of optimism for a future in which we can progress together,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also thanked his fellow candidates for making the presidential election a worthy contest.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He spoke about the future he envisioned for Singapore – one where people have deeper respect for one another, and where every generation gets the confidence of knowing that Singapore has reserves that will help the people in the future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It has to be a future in which Singapore is never treated as just another small country, a future where we are taken seriously in the world, we are a partner of choice, and where we can project our voice of reason internationally,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier at 10pm, when he arrived in Jurong, where he served as an MP for 22 years, Mr Tharman was mobbed by jubilant supporters holding up pineapples as he made his way through the centre.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was greeted with chants of “ong lai” and “huat ah”, referring to his campaign symbol of a pineapple. Ong lai means pineapple in Hokkien, and it symbolises prosperity and good fortune to come.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His supporters erupted into loud cheers once the sample count result was in.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/pm-lee-congratulates-tharman-on-winning-presidency-by-decisive-margin" target="_blank">In a statement released</a></b> after the official result, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/pfbid0WBCt2ZXwYSGC3Z1HkKtYCbZMTh3HhtDaB64ABgXnwkGhVFiQyjyYjKEVTkvFSz1ul?__cft__[0]=AZWR8BfJavWk61t9idurWo4KRsAkxpU_TJWpNHSSCpy_fuUvfR_5rPdQtx4DU-s5YGoYxD89KepMcm7jox8W8s2YEXr-zklZ2yOzwYQYMFZuZRUGJRqNRaKCuNH4Mr26SHM4dYAuPBmd4wl1UFVo7_V476iqJQCNjUjdP8DXsq_pvq4t6x6_ONBwDu2cAYwO0AY&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</a></b> said he had called Mr Tharman to congratulate him, and assured him of his Government’s full cooperation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tharman had also declared his intention to work closely with the Government, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMOIDuum89HF1_Bz2QJNNDfMDSsHWqvC8NVKnjnatFzPgDsII1LS3pB64B5PA2plopv_XfQ3dfzzR7ioogOa0rtWtXCsZVoPQXSRkZQWIpCsj7g1HriXdwoGNrksc7Phrk99iRE-yknOTZjGHArTMLw3xwRtTAzQMOlaTnNjtIvSCEAGeYCHCnS0T206U0/s1080/Tharman-Shanmugaratnam-won-presidential-election-2023-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMOIDuum89HF1_Bz2QJNNDfMDSsHWqvC8NVKnjnatFzPgDsII1LS3pB64B5PA2plopv_XfQ3dfzzR7ioogOa0rtWtXCsZVoPQXSRkZQWIpCsj7g1HriXdwoGNrksc7Phrk99iRE-yknOTZjGHArTMLw3xwRtTAzQMOlaTnNjtIvSCEAGeYCHCnS0T206U0/w400-h400/Tharman-Shanmugaratnam-won-presidential-election-2023-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Noting Mr Tharman’s long and distinguished record of public service, PM Lee said he had every confidence that Mr Tharman would carry out his duties as president with distinction.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“<b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-on-the-Presidential-Election-2023" target="_blank">Singaporeans have chosen Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam to be our next president by a decisive margin... I thank the three candidates for putting themselves forward in this presidential election</a></b>,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said he was happy that Singaporeans were able to exercise the right to vote for their next president, and to focus on what the elected president is about.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Now that the election is over, let us come together again as Singaporeans, to tackle the challenges ahead and build a stronger and more united nation,” said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tharman will be sworn in as president at the Istana on Sept 14.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gAsV1_Vfvno?list=PLnK3VE4BKduNv2_p8CBHTrrQVSkZo7OXW" title="[FULL] I have achieved my goal for Singapore: Ng Kok Song speak to media after sample count" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ng-kok-song-concedes-presidential-election-says-he-achieved-goal-of-giving-s-poreans-chance-to-vote" target="_blank">Mr Ng conceded the contest</a></b> shortly after the sample count result was made known.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He told the media that he received a call from Mr Tharman, who lauded him and his team for putting up a “vigorous campaign”. Mr Ng also congratulated Mr Tharman on a “magnificent victory”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“When I came forward to stand for the presidency, I said that my No. 1 goal was to ensure that the people of Singapore have redeemed their right to vote in this presidential election. I think I have accomplished that goal because the presidential election did take place today,” said Mr Ng.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I am delighted for him. And I am very glad for him, that he has indeed earned a mandate from the people of Singapore.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tan said he congratulated Mr Tharman on the result, but for himself, “I expected to do much better, but I think in an election, things are uncertain”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevqc9SGNEEfXxkbhDDkNI6uXVl_QUqULSCdPru_frazZ2RkoHCEOXJuxViYF8ISMo2THFOuFB6C2lAp9ejjxVcGEwYXL1acpjsfEYO5APDBuDhyxf1Hi1JA3DLxS4qeVXE5IrSg6jhpaK7VU0vycIkvo-dINeYi5q2H0lGMT_GjL-GdJOBNRAh5uEMU9A/s1080/Singapore-9th-president-Tharman-Shanmugaratnam-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevqc9SGNEEfXxkbhDDkNI6uXVl_QUqULSCdPru_frazZ2RkoHCEOXJuxViYF8ISMo2THFOuFB6C2lAp9ejjxVcGEwYXL1acpjsfEYO5APDBuDhyxf1Hi1JA3DLxS4qeVXE5IrSg6jhpaK7VU0vycIkvo-dINeYi5q2H0lGMT_GjL-GdJOBNRAh5uEMU9A/s320/Singapore-9th-president-Tharman-Shanmugaratnam-ST-photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I will now heed the advice of my family to take life easy and live a normal life. I will spend more time with my grandchildren. In my free time, I will continue to do my part in voicing the hardship and aspirations of the people through other channels,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/about-85-of-voters-have-voted-in-presidential-election-as-at-5pm-eld" target="_blank">More than 2.5 million Singaporeans went to the polls</a></b> on Friday at 1,264 polling stations across the island, after nine busy days of hustings and a calm Cooling-off Day on Thursday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There were 2,480,760 votes cast for the candidates, while 50,152 votes were rejected – 1.98 per cent of votes cast. Voter turnout was over 93 per cent of eligible voters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many Singaporeans decided to have an early start to their public holiday and long weekend, <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/presidential-election-singaporeans-advised-to-vote-throughout-the-day-long-morning-queues-eased" target="_blank">with long queues seen at polling stations</a></b> at 8am as some faced issues with the voter e-registration system.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Several polling stations had queues of about 200 people at one point, according to data from the VoteQ website, which voters could check to see the queue status of their polling stations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Elections Department put out an advisory at 8.40am to encourage voters to cast their ballots in the afternoon, and queues eased by lunchtime.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It seemed that the queues did not deter Singaporeans who preferred to vote early, with more than half of the votes cast by noon, after only a third of polling hours had passed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By 5pm, about 85 per cent of voters had voted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Friday’s election saw several firsts – the use of a new X-stamp, meant to be an improvement over the X-pen from the 2020 General Election, as well as the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/trial-brings-voting-to-nursing-homes-lets-bedridden-residents-vote-for-the-first-time" target="_blank">trial of mobile polling stations at 31 nursing homes islandwide</a></b> that made it easier for over 4,000 elderly voters to exercise their right to vote.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/singaporeans-overseas-vote-for-next-president" target="_blank">Voters abroad also turned up at 10 overseas polling stations</a></b> to cast their ballots, with a looming typhoon not discouraging those living in Hong Kong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v6ndMW75BsQ?list=PL-0fodBZbYubNEf1Dcz9Af58trhw5bYPb" title="All the key moments from Presidential Election 2023" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This election also <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/more-than-half-of-6649-registered-overseas-voters-to-try-new-postal-voting-for-presidential-election" target="_blank">featured postal voting for the first time</a></b>, which over 3,400 overseas voters registered for. Their envelopes had to be postmarked before Polling Day in Singapore, and must reach the Returning Officer by Sept 11.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All the overseas votes will be counted at 9am on Sept 12 at the Elections Department premises in Novena.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This election also saw the use of the new ePoll cards via the Singpass app, meaning that voters could turn up at polling stations with just their mobile phones as they could also use the digital NRIC in the app to prove their identity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Queues were virtually non-existent as evening fell on Friday, with the last of the voters trickled in to the polling stations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Polls closed at 8pm and counting began, with ballot boxes sealed and transported to counting centres where the ballots were poured out and sorted by candidate.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After the count, the ballot papers were sealed back into boxes and transported to safe custody at the Supreme Court before they are destroyed at an incineration plant six months later.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Tharman pledges to build ‘future of optimism, solidarity’ as president</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Danson Cheong, Assistant ST Now Editor, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid0dfry2R24J2cZv1gbvYTRtfvAxt9bPtEcoNkAkhKwXHAWxw59S8QNGuWHB39jL6ool?__cft__[0]=AZWkv4fnd7xsY6F3U2dbvuvSsUfFqhVuW2X7BjYi1j0_X5Ml9IZ8oMjP62IYsiIHIJ-ciIM6C_IG0NAz1OST1UH_glImMT3qBSUBjTUd8ZZP-fgaluE0WRgq9vIh9-fsAzxZSNmgUDR-ftaKcRfS3Dwb&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 2 Sep 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOs3bM_ebdb0Zvv_dgUKhUp0EcBgTBhkmuQGy1Bk5zIvPM2s-znVPU9MXKnG8l3fNMcyL_2sO5PaF5z_coR1XaK30iJy_cA5jiNUWaKNNbpw765-0tuTMWKwf71KEgIUKrSxasYCTGbx1GAv2CMR8KxlJtnY5TvlPHprtqTDsHfxBAaRIhbjj5CD5WogF/s1024/Tharman-presidential-election-vote-share-70percent-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="1024" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOs3bM_ebdb0Zvv_dgUKhUp0EcBgTBhkmuQGy1Bk5zIvPM2s-znVPU9MXKnG8l3fNMcyL_2sO5PaF5z_coR1XaK30iJy_cA5jiNUWaKNNbpw765-0tuTMWKwf71KEgIUKrSxasYCTGbx1GAv2CMR8KxlJtnY5TvlPHprtqTDsHfxBAaRIhbjj5CD5WogF/w400-h281/Tharman-presidential-election-vote-share-70percent-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TharmanShanmugaratnam/posts/pfbid0aqHKhkzbQGWHe14pDeAG1Vi9D5Jxx368f8tadjRTnDuAXwks2wnm3MrJYJY1Vhthl?__cft__[0]=AZULJ7Q1bFOcyZDwlOz5qi0d1_FCnb5JKa36G85bd7dKVOl_1yBrfBQtU62TslDbUN6LjwGz9iviV5MtkckDe3TKU2sffz6Ca--avZZCw-h5f--IYhN7IzQVv20ASHwsv0M623jQNB4w11PJbcUqXANXZ9ovrq6lvA5BQs3MwqJBy5Pn69jQlr628ymXndypSSE&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">President-elect Tharman Shanmugaratnam</a></b> pledged to use his presidency to help build a future of optimism and solidarity among all Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Making his first remarks to the media after early indications that he had won the election by a landslide, Mr Tharman said his win was a vote of confidence in Singapore’s future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I pledge and it will be my duty to use the roles and responsibilities of the president to advance this future of optimism and solidarity among Singaporeans. That is my pledge,” Mr Tharman said at the Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre, surrounded by hundreds of jubilant supporters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Once again, let me just say that I am truly humbled, and I will honour the trust that Singaporeans have placed in me and respect all Singaporeans for the views they have expressed, including those who did not vote for me.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tharman, 66, will be Singapore’s ninth president. He won the election with a vote share of 70.4 per cent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His rivals, Mr Ng Kok Song and Mr Tan Kin Lian, received 15.72 and 13.88 per cent of the vote, respectively.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanking Singaporeans, Mr Tharman said his win was both a vote of confidence in Singapore, and also “a vote of optimism for a future in which we can progress together and support each other as Singaporeans”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“That has been my platform, and I believe it has received strong endorsement by Singaporeans,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During his presidential election campaign, the former senior minister had often cited his track record in connecting with people from all backgrounds in Jurong, and said if he was elected, he would support ground-up initiatives to uplift the disadvantaged and work to bridge diverse views in society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tharman is the first non-Chinese presidential candidate to win a contested election.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his remarks to the media, he pointed out that this was a contested election with a multiracial slate.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I have always said that race is never absent in politics anywhere in the world, or even in an apolitical election like this case. Race is never absent, but it is not the only factor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“And I think with each half decade, Singapore is changing and evolving, and I hope that my being elected president is seen as another milestone in that process of evolution.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Before he stepped down from his posts to run in the election, Mr Tharman had been an MP for Jurong GRC’s Taman Jurong division for over two decades.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was where he made his political debut in the 2001 General Election. Over the years, the veteran politician built a solid base of support in the constituency.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the 2020 General Election, Mr Tharman led the People’s Action Party’s Jurong GRC team to a thumping victory, with a 74.62 per cent vote share.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Political observers said it was Mr Tharman’s relatability and personality that helped him get such an overwhelming lead.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, a senior international affairs analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore, said Mr Tharman was one of the more respected and popular ministers before he resigned from the Cabinet.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I think the primary reason people voted for him is because of his honesty, sincerity, his genuineness and his international standing,” said Dr Mustafa.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Among the three candidates, he was the one who was able to articulate the role of the president the best.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some of the key issues during the hustings included the limit of the president’s role, how he would perform his custodial functions, as well as his independence from the establishment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Ng cited his credentials as former GIC chief investment officer and emphasised that he had the financial nous for the job. He also stressed that he was the only candidate without any prior party affiliations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, Mr Tan, the former chief executive of NTUC Income, who was seen largely as the anti-establishment candidate, had prominent opposition politicians including Dr Tan Cheng Bock and Mr Tan Jee Say throw their support behind him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During his campaign, Mr Tan would often bring up bread-and-butter issues, and stoke what his critics said were xenophobic and nativist sentiments.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It became a polarising contest, and voters in the middle ground became cautious and decided pragmatically to vote for Tharman,” said Dr Mustafa.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/snXKMQNv0VQ?list=PLbnMTcZEga8Sac3T5uAUBhcTVKlV-Gjph" title="Singapore Presidential Election: Sample count results" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Tharman’s early lead, once the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid0iQdjHrepPkkc7gQh3eEAVFQQdkz1YvVzcC9HPqXoP9BmNb1AcFvBNjqQUus6573Wl?__cft__[0]=AZUFQWb_tG5YeS4DGldRgnbMLcB9Gm6kz6iCD0kNQ59frYNeZ7FTLrYrMr0wCs1ATFIbzlNq3K17MMkXaNX_wb9m83zlkbc2mSAwEbVcYYtPVB0iKmkZG56eMI7MJVjnzS6rNuPF8x17-BWdNCBM7jA2Utdr-B3Hz_YuL6XTBxI-3x9gaOZbpstpaPJSZzICjuMv_TldvfTlMQtDC9ylOWQl&__tn__=%2CO*F" target="_blank">sample counts were published</a></b>, meant the contest was as good as over even before the official results were announced.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But the writing was on the wall from about 10pm.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then, Mr Tan arrived at his home in Yio Chu Kang where his supporters had gathered after visiting several counting centres. He went straight inside without saying much to reporters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, Mr Tharman was mobbed by hundreds of jubilant supporters when he arrived at Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Both Mr Ng and Mr Tan would go on to congratulate Mr Tharman before the official results were announced.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-76530684739702577402023-08-21T12:56:00.020+08:002023-11-18T13:17:47.115+08:00National Day Rally 2023: A Better Home, A Brighter Future<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>From housing to retirement, PM Lee Hsien Loong provides reassurances amid anxieties and storms</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 21 Aug 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHWWqVFMNp_OyKwOcoet8jCJx4sScaHJZ-L1-700ZtjOsDSk5z9exlWhBNxNY0m6IMk73PzJOlXjSyKSy9FR_oOBTmNPIMuY6wzeIpDpG1DbK6qLInTc2Vcs5xvoldzZbJtKYPUt-hm4MefXgGpw0uB6tFig9_uT2qfQxgx4wRDuqloNLyArXMDLrd_sI/s2048/NDR2023-Prime-Minister-Lee-Hsien-Loong-National-Day-Rally-speech-2023-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHWWqVFMNp_OyKwOcoet8jCJx4sScaHJZ-L1-700ZtjOsDSk5z9exlWhBNxNY0m6IMk73PzJOlXjSyKSy9FR_oOBTmNPIMuY6wzeIpDpG1DbK6qLInTc2Vcs5xvoldzZbJtKYPUt-hm4MefXgGpw0uB6tFig9_uT2qfQxgx4wRDuqloNLyArXMDLrd_sI/w400-h266/NDR2023-Prime-Minister-Lee-Hsien-Loong-National-Day-Rally-speech-2023-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/pfbid02Y5pvweJmH7Vkq8cxMf2wUjgspv1HbwTWvwRFi5K6gxsA2BGvWMf1BeRckahwi4r6l?__cft__[0]=AZVjj9Xu_I5Npkxi6XZ2cGzDE1BAzjbwTfM6WqJM2q9xJRvKK4_rNkKTTMs3tMcObgjg-7rVdkCjuJpn85ZRQME4y7MWa1m8uhsdDCawc7u1FKlm8BtnsoV_N--RzzWjMUEh3jGxVx1xAQUQMuPPvAjm_tOCg1MHEBaO7t9y9kQmRCcqE6joNRwhy8QTY4gUJ9Y&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</a></b> sought to reassure Singaporeans on Sunday that his government would continue to take care of their needs, as the country faces mounting global challenges and growing anxiety over jobs, housing and costs of living.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His tone of reassurance ran across all three of his speeches during the <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/National-Day-Rally-2023" target="_blank">National Day Rally</a></b> at the Institute of Technical Education College Central.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee lauded Singapore’s efforts in pulling through the Covid-19 pandemic, which he called “the most challenging ordeal for our nation since independence”, and said it is a testament to the country’s indomitable spirit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But challenges from US-China tensions, the war in Ukraine and global warming have affected the global economic order, disrupted supply chains and food production, and will especially hurt small trading nations such as Singapore, he noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These will contribute to anxieties over bread-and-butter concerns. PM Lee warned that Singaporeans should expect higher food prices and more job disruptions in the future. Inflation is at last coming down but “will probably stay higher than what we were used to”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He promised that the Government will weather this storm together with Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IdWSpat3Uq0?list=PLqvAkd0-laMdRqRhWtiyGj3Y4SiXnmiZq" title="National Day Rally 2023" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the rally, which lays out the Government’s priorities and is seen as the most important political speech of the year, PM Lee also unveiled measures to support Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lzzQa5rs9aeAGrSNPZsgHdiyHtgRvDYAfDIzg-Pg1wtOg6Jq2eCvhIQB1WcGD-iBHpm69E7T-m5_34s9yAsUC-bvn2mndETq22sEqi3FfJDI4vWHXzgg6MG_Eycjhbd6QgsjYjsiy1IJAuTqHqG5Di4t5FMBLM4BUpqx71amHZbLcNHkwGNP4_A3NCFx/s1650/NDR2023-highlights-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1650" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lzzQa5rs9aeAGrSNPZsgHdiyHtgRvDYAfDIzg-Pg1wtOg6Jq2eCvhIQB1WcGD-iBHpm69E7T-m5_34s9yAsUC-bvn2mndETq22sEqi3FfJDI4vWHXzgg6MG_Eycjhbd6QgsjYjsiy1IJAuTqHqG5Di4t5FMBLM4BUpqx71amHZbLcNHkwGNP4_A3NCFx/w418-h640/NDR2023-highlights-ST-photo.jpg" width="418" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These include a <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-14-million-singaporeans-aged-50-and-up-to-get-more-help-meeting-retirement-needs" target="_blank">$7 billion Majulah Package</a></b> that will benefit about 1.4 million older Singaporeans, especially those in their 50s and early 60s.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a group PM Lee called “young seniors”, who are in a particularly sandwiched phase of life where they might have to care for both the young and the old in their families.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said to them: “Beyond the daily cost-of-living pressures, you know that retirement is creeping up on you, and you wonder, ‘Will I have enough to get by? Can I cope?’ But don’t worry, the Government will help you. You will not be left behind.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The new Majulah Package, to help those born in 1973 or earlier meet their retirement needs, will consist of three components:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">– An Earn and Save bonus, where the Government will credit up to $1,000 a year into the Central Provident Fund (CPF) accounts of lower- and middle-income workers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">– A one-time CPF bonus of up to $1,500 for Singaporeans who have not reached the Basic Retirement Sum in their CPF balances.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">– A one-time MediSave top-up of $1,000.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ll6YF0aL8cI?list=PLbnMTcZEga8QO0ZugpvMSvhSv55KXnkXP" title="NDR 2023: Key takeaways from PM Lee Hsien Loong’s English speech" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More details will be released in 2024, PM Lee said. He added that the Government will also enhance existing retirement and income supplement schemes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Taken together, these improvements will help seniors to meet basic retirement needs, especially for lower- and middle-income Singaporeans, so you can have greater peace of mind in your golden years,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E0UMRuJpxZ4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There will also be <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-retrenched-workers-to-get-interim-financial-support-while-reskilling-for-better-jobs" target="_blank">more support for those who lose their jobs</a></b>, said PM Lee, adding that a scheme is being developed that will offer temporary financial support to retrenched workers while they upgrade their skills.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is part of the Forward Singapore exercise driven by the fourth generation of leaders who will share further details soon, he added. Turning to housing, PM Lee assured Singaporeans that <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-new-public-housing-framework-needed-to-ensure-affordability-fairness-and-good-social-mix" target="_blank">the Government will keep Housing Board (HDB) flats affordable</a></b>, while maintaining a good social mix in every town and ensuring the system is fair for everyone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Record-high HDB flat prices have fuelled anxieties among Singaporeans in recent months over the cost of home ownership.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AZHOdkzY014?list=PLbnMTcZEga8QO0ZugpvMSvhSv55KXnkXP" title="National Day Rally 2023: New classification framework for HDB projects - Standard, Plus, Prime" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In order to ensure HDB flats remain affordable, <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-hdb-to-launch-new-plus-flats-at-choicer-locations-with-10-year-mop-stricter-conditions" target="_blank">new Build-To-Order (BTO) projects will be classified as Standard, Plus or Prime</a></b> – depending on their location.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This will replace HDB’s current classification of projects as mature or non-mature, and kick in from the second half of 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A Prime flat, in the “choicest and most central locations”, will have the most subsidies and tightest restrictions. These subsidies and restrictions scale progressively downwards with Plus and Standard flats.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The idea is to moderate the higher prices of flats in choice locations while imposing stricter sale conditions on these units.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee gave the example of how Plus flats will receive more subsidies over Standard flats, but also will face more restrictive sale conditions. He cited a 10-year minimum occupation period before any sale, a subsidy-recovery clause to claw back extra discounts upon such a sale, and an income ceiling on resale buyers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XyozZmBKfLU?list=PLbnMTcZEga8QO0ZugpvMSvhSv55KXnkXP" title="National Day Rally 2023: More options for singles to buy BTO flats" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another change: <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-singles-can-buy-2-room-flexi-bto-flats-in-all-locations-from-second-half-of-2024" target="_blank">Singles will be able to buy BTO two-room flexi flats across all three of the new categories</a></b> – they are currently restricted to BTO units in non-mature estates.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We will build a good mix of projects within and across regions, to cater to different needs and budgets. And that is how we can fulfil our commitment to keep high-quality HDB flats accessible and affordable to you and to your children for a very long time to come,” PM Lee said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q3inD7l5FQA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the issue of ageing, PM Lee added that the Government will <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-active-ageing-centres-to-be-expanded-to-help-seniors-stay-active-and-healthy" target="_blank">take steps to prepare for what he called a “super-aged society”</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These will include <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-wider-toilet-entrances-shower-seats-among-new-elder-friendly-features-for-hdb-flats" target="_blank">efforts such as investing more resources so seniors can install fittings</a></b>, including foldable shower seats and wider toilet entrances at home; revamping housing estates so they are more senior-friendly, and building more flats that have senior care and community facilities integrated.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_osFBTX5J7Q?list=PLbnMTcZEga8QO0ZugpvMSvhSv55KXnkXP" title="National Day Rally 2023: HDB homes and precincts to be made more senior-friendly" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee, who was delivering his 19th National Day Rally speech, also said his <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-recent-controversies-do-not-delay-leadership-renewal-timetable-says-pm-lee" target="_blank">succession plans are back on track</a></b> after they were disrupted by the pandemic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-pm-lee-pledges-to-do-his-utmost-to-keep-the-system-clean" target="_blank">sought to allay concerns over recent political scandals</a></b> involving People’s Action Party politicians. Transport Minister S. Iswaran is under investigation for corruption, and Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and backbench MP Cheng Li Hui resigned in July after their affair was made public.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Let me assure you: These incidents will not delay my timetable for renewal. We are on track,” PM Lee added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Future generations of PAP leaders must continue to keep the political system clean and incorruptible, he said, adding that he has every confidence in Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his team.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/513GLvtLoqg?list=PLbnMTcZEga8QO0ZugpvMSvhSv55KXnkXP" title="National Day Rally 2023: “My succession plans are back on track,” says PM Lee Hsien Loong" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanking Singaporeans for their support, he urged them to give DPM Wong and his team their “fullest support, now and after they take over”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The Singapore story has been an unlikely one from the start. Our nation is still young, and will always be tiny. We will forever be an unlikely nation, created out of the sheer collective will of our people. Nobody expected us to survive, much less to flourish, but, each time, we beat the odds; each time, we showed the world what Singapore can be,” said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It has been an exceptional story but I believe the best parts are still to be written.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bXNcVU0_yoc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="760" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fleehsienloong%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02Y5pvweJmH7Vkq8cxMf2wUjgspv1HbwTWvwRFi5K6gxsA2BGvWMf1BeRckahwi4r6l&width=500&show_text=true&height=760&appId" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="500"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>8 highlights of NDR 2023: New Plus flats, $7 billion Majulah Package with retirement help for ‘young seniors’</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid026fi7HGXwz5A6erMjVnuvYzDmeLZ5m9DNsjEGxLc2RojGEtzATVyquNgbEkZDxtDAl?__cft__[0]=AZVzF2VSDx5AfntGjE6t7zHXU7vfB3g7khYGnbWoighMYZ9l7IJwGHxdsWZZE8fWKzTt-rxInR7-gSMlPHO648gf0XgGfyC98dxiN0vQDuAGJNtV9RiTvNCRBGeilQiVGhiirveVgDc1l1hiloV2UkPMzITx88iUyIOXShRrdzAxeodLe0fRafsT-JQUTQghB2xZZh3PQkF2-UXp7idr275c&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-y-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 21 Aug 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An overhaul of the classification system for mature and non-mature estates and a new retirement support package for workers born in 1973 or earlier are among the key announcements in <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/National-Day-Rally-2023" target="_blank">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s National Day Rally</a></b> speech on Sunday. Here are eight highlights from his speech:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/njKp1nXHmTE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>1. New Standard, Plus and Prime framework to classify BTO projects</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The framework will split Build-to-Order housing projects into Standard, Plus and Prime, depending on whether they are in “choicer locations”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The current system of labelling the estates as mature and non-mature will no longer work as newer towns have become much more developed, with excellent connectivity and a full suite of amenities, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GEm8AIXz8rI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The classification framework will be implemented for BTO projects from the second half of 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8zNQzHLbU0Y?si=HUB9F-PWjL4oyeXz" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Standard projects will continue to have a five-year minimum occupation period (MOP), regular subsidies and no income ceiling for resale buyers. Most Housing Board projects in the future will still be Standard projects.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Plus projects will be those that are in choicer locations in each region and will have more subsidies than Standard projects to moderate the prices of Plus flats.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They will have a longer MOP of 10 years and tighter restrictions when the flats are resold. This includes a subsidy recovery applied on the resale prices as well as an income ceiling on resale buyers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimI75ae7cm4eu6bwRW2aUZtFSyBgkilIldI0bt-jS_t69ltEBnBcWo8ezXNJbpx3mROpG_CIY6EoR6QjPuNxeyKca-m_SHdz1AVmMb7LdXz06Yra0nTKtV7fias45_Q_RF6jZwSHP4weK6cAzXar4EN1FDeg-nHKtSJ8FmB1qt0vyOaBrhZxuuhYSBE9Xo/s2048/NDR2023-HDB-new-framework-standard-plus-prime-flats.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1638" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimI75ae7cm4eu6bwRW2aUZtFSyBgkilIldI0bt-jS_t69ltEBnBcWo8ezXNJbpx3mROpG_CIY6EoR6QjPuNxeyKca-m_SHdz1AVmMb7LdXz06Yra0nTKtV7fias45_Q_RF6jZwSHP4weK6cAzXar4EN1FDeg-nHKtSJ8FmB1qt0vyOaBrhZxuuhYSBE9Xo/w512-h640/NDR2023-HDB-new-framework-standard-plus-prime-flats.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Prime projects will have the most subsidies and also the tightest resale restrictions such as a higher subsidy recovery rate than Plus projects. They will also have a 10-year MOP.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGOUF0pfjhvOgHtklC6-cUlB1nt9mvy2TVHF8lOpz8ACEg2V9iiQgRJPBdQFOodhHQhivR_U3TkOlFLj26AiVkwJJ5Dpna4ySzbepJCSWe25yasMen29LpsbWz_vYeu254FMjeuCXhgWi2A8LpfBYVFpVjLoe3f8EV95mro3n6kbr69Np-VmkcANsvop_/s1650/NDR2023-HDB-flats-new-classification-scheme-ST-photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1650" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGOUF0pfjhvOgHtklC6-cUlB1nt9mvy2TVHF8lOpz8ACEg2V9iiQgRJPBdQFOodhHQhivR_U3TkOlFLj26AiVkwJJ5Dpna4ySzbepJCSWe25yasMen29LpsbWz_vYeu254FMjeuCXhgWi2A8LpfBYVFpVjLoe3f8EV95mro3n6kbr69Np-VmkcANsvop_/w418-h640/NDR2023-HDB-flats-new-classification-scheme-ST-photo.jpg" width="418" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-hdb-to-launch-new-plus-flats-at-choicer-locations-with-10-year-mop-stricter-conditions" target="_blank"><b>READ FULL STORY: NDR 2023: HDB to launch new ‘Plus’ flats at choicer locations with 10-year MOP, stricter conditions</b></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>2. New $7 billion Majulah Package to help ‘young seniors’ meet retirement needs</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This package is meant to help “young seniors” – aged 50 and above this year, or born in 1973 or earlier – meet their retirement needs. About 1.4 million older people will benefit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ka19PjZr4LI?list=PLqvAkd0-laMdRqRhWtiyGj3Y4SiXnmiZq" title="The Majulah Package (National Day Rally 2023)" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The support will be tiered, depending on the individual’s income and Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There will be an Earn and Save Bonus to help them build up CPF savings as they work. Lower- and middle-income workers will get a CPF bonus of up to $1,000 a year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIo0T_bRkWe5GyH9mQKOJR7FI36PXUgZ9dSmqRgIPNH-G3B1sTgRg6dRG7_k-bvT6PDfzpVHkitnb93nd9VWwBRZiMcJmQJ5YbvHAxwg8iHijJvEipAqvgEPiOQgI2ZSfM9b0Zmki4Bka3CogH51R8-lK8nHZQ5AtCbdCbODzpteptp56SrEXGtbUj1cdQ/s1440/Majulah-Package-Singapore-National-Day-Rally-2023-CNA-photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIo0T_bRkWe5GyH9mQKOJR7FI36PXUgZ9dSmqRgIPNH-G3B1sTgRg6dRG7_k-bvT6PDfzpVHkitnb93nd9VWwBRZiMcJmQJ5YbvHAxwg8iHijJvEipAqvgEPiOQgI2ZSfM9b0Zmki4Bka3CogH51R8-lK8nHZQ5AtCbdCbODzpteptp56SrEXGtbUj1cdQ/w640-h480/Majulah-Package-Singapore-National-Day-Rally-2023-CNA-photo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is also a one-time Retirement Savings Bonus of up to $1,500 for those whose CPF balances have not reached the CPF Basic Retirement Sum. Those who are not working will also receive this bonus.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A one-time MediSave Bonus of up to $1,000 will help allay worries about healthcare costs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFa36ctnXNuvY6XArnXIS9zCDjhBX1RcgE_ofSr1t1c9mggRd29cMiT4U5OpQCl7X_TPdZ3KrSNjyeeNqmFQEzjdZ8_zv2x2S8Zqno8rqC45f4WCd2ZklgISCS6qt9QwQ_ht8yhylbk2bZlT2VoB5Jv5MBgNV90v1-LyVKzeOocn8IUIbPAct3yXIevjGz/s2048/NDR2023-Majulah-Package-7-billion.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1638" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFa36ctnXNuvY6XArnXIS9zCDjhBX1RcgE_ofSr1t1c9mggRd29cMiT4U5OpQCl7X_TPdZ3KrSNjyeeNqmFQEzjdZ8_zv2x2S8Zqno8rqC45f4WCd2ZklgISCS6qt9QwQ_ht8yhylbk2bZlT2VoB5Jv5MBgNV90v1-LyVKzeOocn8IUIbPAct3yXIevjGz/w512-h640/NDR2023-Majulah-Package-7-billion.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The package will cost the Government about $7 billion, and the Finance Ministry will create a new fund to meet the full lifetime costs of the package.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Existing schemes, such as Silver Support, Workfare Income Supplement and the Matched Retirement Savings, will also be enhanced, with details to come in 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-14-million-singaporeans-aged-50-and-up-to-get-more-help-meeting-retirement-needs" target="_blank"><b>READ FULL STORY: 1.4 million Singaporeans aged 50 and up to get more help meeting retirement needs</b></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>3. Financial support for workers who are upskilling after losing jobs</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are plans to introduce more financial support for workers who lose their jobs, while they upgrade their skills, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These plans will be part of the <b><a href="https://www.forwardsingapore.gov.sg/" target="_blank">Forward Singapore</a></b> nationwide engagement exercise that Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong is leading with the fourth-generation (4G) team. The exercise, which was launched in June 2022, will culminate in a report later in 2023.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The financial support will be a temporary safety net for these workers to meet immediate needs. It will also free them to upskill and train as they prepare themselves for a good long-term job.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ndr-2023-retrenched-workers-to-get-interim-financial-support-while-reskilling-for-better-jobs" target="_blank"><b>READ FULL STORY: Retrenched workers to get interim financial support while reskilling for better jobs</b></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>4. Govt studying whether more support needed to ease impact of GST increase</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said he was confident that the existing Assurance Package will be effective in buffering the impact of the next stage of the goods and services tax (GST) increase, from 8 per cent to 9 per cent starting Jan 1, 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government will continue with the package as planned, and DPM Wong will also study if there can be further enhancements to it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government has already given out various subsidies to reduce the burden of rising costs on Singaporeans as prices soar globally, leading to higher inflation, PM Lee noted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq6hJTVIfbyTdZx1tAdZCILwpWknDRUVeYKyGqJmGCYmvyS8LgFGarFGd9f1y6qlQChiZvvgmkMLhIf6H8IdB3L3LjJB7Zk0wuACIWs1niLUzqpiYJxvxQPJRRszU45-uuGdfR0AhGyaoqrtTDVTvmliNomORjrKGTMlXvpy43eBhQBh9y1cVRXJxb7q6/s1350/NDR2023-Singaporeans-receive-government-support-every-month-ST-photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq6hJTVIfbyTdZx1tAdZCILwpWknDRUVeYKyGqJmGCYmvyS8LgFGarFGd9f1y6qlQChiZvvgmkMLhIf6H8IdB3L3LjJB7Zk0wuACIWs1niLUzqpiYJxvxQPJRRszU45-uuGdfR0AhGyaoqrtTDVTvmliNomORjrKGTMlXvpy43eBhQBh9y1cVRXJxb7q6/w512-h640/NDR2023-Singaporeans-receive-government-support-every-month-ST-photo.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, Singaporeans must understand that the Government cannot give out subsidies infinitely.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The long-term solution is to make ourselves more productive, transform businesses and grow the economy so that real incomes can rise, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ndr-2023-govt-studying-if-assurance-package-can-be-enhanced-to-help-s-poreans-cope-with-gst-hike" target="_blank"><b>READ FULL STORY: Govt studying if Assurance Package can be enhanced to help S’poreans cope with GST hike</b></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">5. More senior-friendly homes and neighbourhoods</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">HDB homes and precincts will be made more senior-friendly so that people can live out their golden years in their own homes and neighbourhoods.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There will soon be an expanded suite of fittings that can be installed in homes under the <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Enhancement for Active Seniors 2.0</span></b> programme. This will include foldable shower seats and widened toilet entrances.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/living-in-an-hdb-flat/for-our-seniors/ease" target="_blank">current programme</a></b> allows for ramps as well as grab bars and slip-resistant floors in the toilet.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In neighbourhoods, streets and linkways frequented by seniors will have more shelters and rest points.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There will also be more therapeutic gardens, fitness trails and exercise machines.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Road will become more pedestrian-friendly, such as having longer green man signals and 3D road markings and narrowed roads to slow cars down.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MNDsingapore/posts/pfbid02xcjyJwjoMye2DhWiD6g5Hp8gtk8vWJ22J17NrrjVFyNDxNa1SnDY6dQwm7A9bwxl?__cft__[0]=AZXSOQ82WyqOzI5U2PgWoomBSu8wqk3T9kDa8ifJxJRCvQQn5wtLBhVbvciO6uF-l5uvBacjRBjJrjXzTi3hy-9D85uFDRWQFpe9P0ASK7pXt7ynHFGwGOmYIcIWG2ud_jc4wSl6LZ9ke-KozyVOI4yT&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Government</a></b> will also be building more assisted living facilities for those who need more help.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These efforts will be rolled out across Singapore, starting with towns with more seniors such as Ang Mo Kio and Bukit Merah.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ndr-2023-wider-toilet-entrances-shower-seats-among-new-elder-friendly-features-for-hdb-flats" target="_blank"><b>READ FULL STORY: Wider toilet entrances, shower seats among new elder-friendly features for HDB flats</b></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">6. Expanding the network of active ageing centres</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The network of active ageing centres in Singapore will be expanded to help seniors stay active and healthy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government will invest in this and work with community partners to enhance the centres’ services and reach.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bZmu7ohZ9Vn9xVF_WU_lg36IdmdycgHmh-v8DXEOkMJ1mTdUgPXRPGSoFXk6BnqlsFDK4U4thH0j0ipYMwKgGSVRNtCmSD26EIVkWkSV0Akcf-Ob0JK4gbGBO6__nk3TasRRZKoI7LrYPcLAAVZHlPr0uCnmr5I_z_GSTWXO5R6dfXxQJJb-CpfLL95f/s2048/NDR2023-Active-Ageing-Centres.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1638" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bZmu7ohZ9Vn9xVF_WU_lg36IdmdycgHmh-v8DXEOkMJ1mTdUgPXRPGSoFXk6BnqlsFDK4U4thH0j0ipYMwKgGSVRNtCmSD26EIVkWkSV0Akcf-Ob0JK4gbGBO6__nk3TasRRZKoI7LrYPcLAAVZHlPr0uCnmr5I_z_GSTWXO5R6dfXxQJJb-CpfLL95f/w512-h640/NDR2023-Active-Ageing-Centres.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee encouraged seniors to join a nearby centre to live well and age well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that one of the biggest threats to the well-being of seniors is loneliness, and they risk becoming socially isolated.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These steps to expand the network of the centres, together with efforts to create more senior-friendly homes and neighbourhoods, will be part of a new national programme called Age Well SG. It will complement Healthier SG in improving the health of older Singaporeans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ndr-2023-active-ageing-centres-to-be-expanded-to-help-seniors-stay-active-and-healthy" target="_blank"><b>READ FULL STORY: Active ageing centres to be expanded to help seniors stay active and healthy</b></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">7. No delay in timetable for succession plans</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The recent controversial issues involving political figures will not delay his timetable for leadership renewal, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Succession plans are back on track, with the Covid-19 pandemic in the past, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Increasingly, his task is to support the 4G team and their agenda so that they can get off to the best start possible, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee added that the themes of National Day Rally 2023 are all Forward Singapore themes. He has every confidence in DPM Wong and his team, and shares the same core convictions as them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“That we are stewards of Singapore, entrusted with the immense responsibility to lead and care for our nation, that our time as stewards is transient, but we are building a Singapore for the ages, and that our best service to this nation is to hand over a better, stronger Singapore to those who follow us.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ndr-2023-recent-controversies-do-not-delay-leadership-renewal-timetable-says-pm-lee" target="_blank"><b>READ FULL STORY: Recent controversies do not delay leadership renewal timetable, says PM Lee</b></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>8. Founding values of integrity and incorruptibility fundamental to Singapore</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Integrity and incorruptibility are fundamental to Singapore, said PM Lee, adding that they are the foundation for the running of a clean and effective Government.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“No matter the price; no matter the embarrassment or political cost – I will do my utmost to keep the system clean,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ef2WW6sOfEo?list=PLbnMTcZEga8QO0ZugpvMSvhSv55KXnkXP" title="National Day Rally 2023: Integrity and incorruptibility are fundamental to Singapore, says PM Lee" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Noting that in a few weeks’ time, Singapore will mark the 100th birth anniversary of the late Mr <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/pfbid02B1Sah4gAkd8Z6GYgGiLh1wgduwNsRp2bzzwALjzwMq6WMjb8PLwTcqFBEHMzdwLnl?__cft__[0]=AZVGBgSgjzyT1B5feZjFy0r6SPn5IqYlkUGkUjxCxcESCywbSwzKEvXCXpQAultFU-Ff_rulDsFjTUDIrKDXawD1ZKSNPIGCbmCDyeVsNjs6cKDW_0kaUET8cRmiYi2hKdfXoRm7V3c62pvhifV17b3C&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Lee Kuan Yew</a></b>, PM Lee said it was timely to reflect upon the values and ideals championed by Mr Lee and the founding fathers of Singapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is also timely for the Government to renew its commitment to these enduring values and ideals – justice and equality, religious freedom and racial harmony, a commitment to excellence, a fair system of meritocracy, and an uncompromising insistence on an honest, clean government.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These ideals are not just abstract aspirations, but the compass that guides every decision made by each generation of People’s Action Party leaders, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ndr-2023-pm-lee-pledges-to-do-his-utmost-to-keep-the-system-clean" target="_blank"><b>READ FULL STORY: NDR 2023: PM Lee pledges to do his utmost to keep the system clean</b></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-9576341200352346912023-08-19T13:49:00.002+08:002023-09-20T09:46:26.890+08:00Singapore Reserves Revealed<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><b>Singapore’s reserves cannot be built up again once gone: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>Think of Singapore’s reserves as ‘rainy day’ money</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid0ZT1FWZkRwTd52vgmc9UhHj2PyCjwzxcE5j4Anug2w3njj7si1FHJqfqVNqEVqXhol?__cft__[0]=AZW2AurezT3d-hbmqX_OUQ3doQA5kzdDhjkJopo8nmU8bEfGQ9liQQeji5EXRYhDL-sg2v7m-Mh2yy8ybP5kpN6JbBPFQJrmOZHm_17KwAfxEcOp9PJ3oqGH3vv0X7YFKFqLu6t3JXd0LAZ5H8TB6qa1&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 16 Aug 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWOJaSWZanhXVEv5F8yzop_DR6wQW4Ed-q7pN7sf0H5xDRoQ5aLPJg1-Gr-odLMAQdDusuOqn8QvtcIkDszlOQQPD92bwhXLG1t8E5WRLS9z8erAWT465tR10sIfDuE9sajOVLosrCDmgPD8yc3B4JsysWx-8TXQDc-6CIL3eiSCsX9e2w2kKoyQQbX2gZ/s1021/Reserves-of-Singapore-Government-Lee-Hsien-Loong-interview-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="1021" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWOJaSWZanhXVEv5F8yzop_DR6wQW4Ed-q7pN7sf0H5xDRoQ5aLPJg1-Gr-odLMAQdDusuOqn8QvtcIkDszlOQQPD92bwhXLG1t8E5WRLS9z8erAWT465tR10sIfDuE9sajOVLosrCDmgPD8yc3B4JsysWx-8TXQDc-6CIL3eiSCsX9e2w2kKoyQQbX2gZ/w400-h286/Reserves-of-Singapore-Government-Lee-Hsien-Loong-interview-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore’s reserves cannot be built up again once they are gone, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/pfbid0QB32NzHWx3LsCrNgziDqKtohBcXNXPHUVJv9VgUgr656WuTBZ8qeMZ1HjxYh8jQUl?__cft__[0]=AZUsC_I16V3h5K4hidTg-AYZaSBvXw0ER412lN_hCERhSBbigfncL_X7iK97EBBp7Q_R-AZ6phZPTrbSSBOGCBPtuffTxnp8bae_Ozbb06LUbEEmSeSazlARXgJPG0ocJ_z-m_Zoq64DBYulkYGKsR5d9-VPMFHxC1-zscki7aWxCNyllhlybRA2Ot9LF80KH7A&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</a></b> said in an <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-Interview-with-CNA-for-Singapore-Reserves-Revealed-Aug-2023" target="_blank">interview</a></b> published on Wednesday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The country is no longer in a situation like it was in the 1970s and early 80s. This was when it had strong growth and budget surpluses yearly, and there was the possibility of putting aside some of the prosperity for a future rainy day, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today, Singapore is not as poor as it was before, with higher incomes and a higher standard of living. But expectations and needs have also grown, noted PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“So, to say today you put aside systematically 2 per cent, 3 per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) and build up a sovereign fund from scratch, I think it is very hard. The economy will not be able to take it,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u-o_7hl9HyY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said he was proud that <b><a href="https://www.mof.gov.sg/policies/reserves/what-comprises-the-reserves-and-who-manages-them" target="_blank">Singapore had built up the reserves</a></b>, and is anxious that the country keeps it like this for as long as it can.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Because it is one of those things – once it is gone, it will never come back again. It is finished,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I think we need to be very, very conscious that this is a Garden of Eden state. You are here, it is marvellous. You may not always feel great, but please be aware this is the Garden of Eden because if you come out from it, you cannot go back in again by the sweat of your brow.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RbsmEEuHwuA?list=PLbnMTcZEga8SQpk1tO3NQjP79rIqkj2Iv" title="[CNA Exclusive] PM Lee shares inside story of the reserves - Pt 1/3 | Singapore Reserves Revealed" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee was responding to questions on Singapore’s reserves, including its functions and its history, in an <b><a href="https://youtu.be/RbsmEEuHwuA?list=PLbnMTcZEga8SQpk1tO3NQjP79rIqkj2Iv" target="_blank">interview with national broadcaster CNA</a></b> that was aired on Wednesday in a documentary titled <b><a href="https://youtu.be/Et1JYZ0RrC8?list=PLkMf14VQEvTa4OYFd1iaCQV65hBOONi-r" target="_blank">Singapore Reserves Revealed</a></b>. The <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-Interview-with-CNA-for-Singapore-Reserves-Revealed-Aug-2023" target="_blank">interview</a></b> was conducted on June 8.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When asked what the reserves mean to him, PM Lee said they are a great source of comfort and reassurance that if Singapore runs into a jam, it will not be destitute and will have “one extra card to play”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It gives the Government confidence, but is also a reminder of the forefathers’ contributions and a responsibility to generations to come, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore’s reserves are managed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the Republic’s investment company Temasek and sovereign wealth fund GIC.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The reserves also include those of key statutory boards like the Housing Board, Central Provident Fund and JTC Corporation, which together with MAS, GIC and Temasek are listed in the Constitution as Fifth Schedule entities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Are the reserves enough?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said that the biggest misconception among Singaporeans on the reserves was that “there is such (a) thing as enough”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“And how much is enough? If I have more than that, I can spend it. If I have less than that, well, maybe I hope to get there. I do not know how much is enough. There is no such idea of how much is enough,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The future is unpredictable and many things can go wrong, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“From the long-term point of view, will I have enough if the world is steady and peaceful? I hope so. Will I have enough under all circumstances? That is what I do not know, and that is what the Government has to worry about on behalf of Singaporeans.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that when the global financial crisis of 2008 hit, the Government needed to draw $4 billion to $5 billion from the reserves. <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/budget-2022-6b-draw-on-past-reserves-to-pay-for-covid-19-public-health-expenditure" target="_blank">For the Covid-19 crisis, it needed over $40 billion</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“So, you have no idea how much you will need because Covid-19 is far from the worst thing that can happen to us,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He suggested that Singaporeans look at the reserves as “rainy-day money”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If it is not raining, I do not touch it. If it is a sunny day and I can afford to, I put a little bit more into it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“However much there is, I keep on having this attitude that I would like to build it up a little bit more when I can, so that the next generation will be in a more secure position than I am today,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee added that while the Government managed to put back the money it drew for the global financial crisis, he did not think it was possible for the Covid-19 draws to be put back.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When asked if there was any anxiety over <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-flags-errors-good-calls-and-lessons-from-the-complex-and-wicked-covid-19-pandemic" target="_blank">Singapore’s response to the Covid-19 crisis</a></b>, PM Lee said he had no doubt that the Government was doing the right thing, and it was doing what it needed to do.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I was relieved that we were not held back because of the lack of resources to do, at least not lack of dollars, to do what we needed to do.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It could have been overdone, but in such situations, it is not worth trying to fine-tune,” he said, adding that the eventual spending was less than expected, though still substantial.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When asked how large the reserves are, PM Lee said he could not answer the question, but said they are “enough for most circumstances” and enough to provide a substantial support in the Budget every year, by contributing to a fifth of the Government’s revenues.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But it may or may not be enough if you have a catastrophe – who knows what the world will bring? So, I do not ask whether it is enough; I ask, can we husband it and if possible, gradually grow it bit by bit year by year,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted the importance of the contributions from the reserves to Singapore’s Budget, without which the Government might have to make up the revenue from other sources, such as doubling corporate income tax or personal income tax, or increasing the goods and services tax rate further.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“When people say, why don’t we use the reserves in order to benefit the current generation? The answer – we are, to a very big degree. But you may not realise because we have gotten used to it,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When asked if the structure of having MAS, Temasek and GIC overseeing the reserves is correct and useful in today’s context, PM Lee said that from time to time, the Government has asked itself if it should have two GICs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Because you have a certain amount of funds now, it is not small. Conceivably, you could have two and they could compete with one another, then you would know who is doing well and who is not doing so well,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Every few years we argue about this, but finally we will conclude that building one team is hard enough, let us concentrate on making that one team succeed. And I think we keep it like that.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">The elected president</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the singular pivotal moment in the history of Singapore’s reserves, PM Lee pointed to the time when the Government decided to recognise the reserves as being a lot of money, and needing to have a second key.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The idea was first floated by former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew in his 1984 National Day Rally speech, before the scheme was worked out and implemented over the next few years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I think that was the key turning point because it crystallised people’s focus. They knew that there is such a thing called the reserves, that it is quite a lot of money and that it needs to be protected,” said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RbsmEEuHwuA?start=201" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When drafting the system, it was important to protect the reserves but not paralyse the government of the day, noted PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted a phrase used by the late Mr Lee on the topic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The phrase which he used was that one day, if you have a rogue government, everything is finished.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“That was the way we explained and marketed it, that one day, if you have a freak election, you have the wrong team in charge, you have a rogue government who wants to raid the reserves, in one term, all your life savings of generations of Singaporeans will be gone. And therefore, we must prevent that,” said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also noted that when the system of the elected presidency was first devised, there was no clear distinction in the original legislation between income from the reserves and investment returns.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In those days, the portfolio was not invested as systematically and comprehensively as it is today. The premise then was that the principal sum would be locked up, and all of the income from the reserves could be spent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee said that when former president Ong Teng Cheong took on the role, Mr Ong asked why all the income was being spent, and asked the Government to set some aside for the future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Ong then suggested that half be split for now, and the other half for the future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Government accepted the suggestion and amended the Constitution.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was an arbitrariness to the decision of the 50-50 split, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But when you do deals, 50 per cent is not an arbitrary number. Fifty per cent has a certain psychological resonance to it,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the same time, barring accidents and if everything goes well, the reserves should be able to grow by about 2 per cent yearly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This will ensure the contribution to the Budget every year can be maintained, said PM Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Net Investment Returns Contribution (NIRC), which comes from the reserves, is the largest contributor to the Government’s revenue yearly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When asked about potential scenarios where the 50-50 rule could be changed, PM Lee replied: “If the world completely changed, and I would say several successors from me, from now.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added: “Where we are does not give me any reason to need to reconsider this 50-50 NIRC rule.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VNR2Jle6NWQ?list=PLbnMTcZEga8SQpk1tO3NQjP79rIqkj2Iv" title="Singapore Reserves: The Untold Story - Ep 2/2 | Singapore Reserves Revealed | Full TV Episode" width="560"></iframe>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">Singapore not 'oversaving' with reserves 'barely keeping pace' with its economy: DPM Wong</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">“If we don’t have anything going back into the reserves, the value of the reserves will diminish over time,” says DPM Wong in the CNA series Singapore Reserves Revealed.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Tang See Kit, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChannelNewsAsia/posts/pfbid05i7zbdMXMdyygQA3VKrK7s8gEHMLTwsALXpCdb68Q6syBaYygs3KWSWjubVirikyl?__cft__[0]=AZVYihQxnIyFjZvFXp67RbMn-WfGhGVIqxmn888fPZmuflHTDr3TSeoon8Iwp6lSt7-OAryUgpU7Fye6QS6J976zJUPZ9-JSFQLf1Dpury0OCKwwn46AlgL5PwVuu_7h2ZmREJ033QJv94vOITN7UOxH&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Channel NewsAsia</a>, 17 Aug 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore is not "oversaving" – in fact, the <b><a href="https://www.mof.gov.sg/policies/reserves/what-comprises-the-reserves-and-who-manages-them" target="_blank">national reserves</a></b> are growing at a rate that is "barely keeping pace" with economic growth, said <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceWongST/posts/pfbid033U3rjofcoj5wd13cMqgJeEhgT9hQXLtyPm9aScLZFPVhf7Htyn5wrWmasYdRSdLLl?__cft__[0]=AZUu2ZvhLgxZAVfeF8FLXwN2wNhjpfrLvlk_nlG-10aqDluFkJ_idOyPNVmxR43Nx-a3qyrzfba5knmJAKeCLR77t5YJo7flW7p-QSvR9l-1LjZUlVIAEu0fTqyU48ksvwFsv2dZliRlwJTFVlTJ0jvzy_iWVaeBaXILNMbESnXkenq7br5TaRlKCAYpbOlpomw&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Some people think … just take more from the NIRC (Net Investment Returns Contribution), what harm does it do? The other misconception is we already have so much, so what's the harm?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But the investment returns being channelled back into the national reserves is key to building up the country's coffers in the long run, Mr Wong said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If we don’t have anything going back into the reserves, the value of the reserves will diminish over time.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong was speaking to CNA in interviews for a brand-new series called <b><a href="https://youtu.be/Et1JYZ0RrC8?list=PLkMf14VQEvTa4OYFd1iaCQV65hBOONi-r" target="_blank">Singapore Reserves Revealed</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Under the NIRC framework, the government can spend up to 50 per cent of the net investment returns on net assets invested by GIC, the Monetary Authority of Singapore and Temasek – the three entities that manage and invest Singapore’s reserves – and up to 50 per cent of the net investment income derived from past reserves from the remaining assets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There have been calls by opposition parties for the government to increase the proportion of the NIRC that can be used for recurring expenditure needs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Workers’ Party, for one, had proposed drawing 60 per cent of the NIRC for government spending, up from the current 50 per cent, as one of the <b><a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/wp-object-budget-2022-gst-hike-pritam-singh-2525071" target="_blank">alternatives to raising the Goods and Services Tax (GST)</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Previously, Cabinet ministers, including Mr Wong, have defended the current framework as fair and that Singapore <b><a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/budget-2022-debate-opposition-alternative-tax-proposals-simplistic-lawrence-wong-2532256" target="_blank">needs to continue with its approach</a></b> as part of considering the needs of the next generation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In its 2022/23 annual report released last month, GIC said its 20-year annualised real rate of return came in at 4.6 per cent for the year ended Mar 31. This was <b><a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/gic-sovereign-wealth-fund-investments-inflation-2836321" target="_blank">up from 4.2 per cent in the previous financial year</a></b>, and its highest since 2015 when real returns hit 4.9 per cent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his interviews with CNA, Mr Wong raised an example of the country's reserves earning a return of 4 per cent, after adjusting for inflation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If we take half, it means 2 per cent goes into the Budget (and) 2 per cent goes back into the reserves.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the Singapore economy growing at about 2 per cent each year, it means that the “reserves (are) keeping pace, barely, with our economy”, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“So, it’s not as though we are oversaving.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">ORIGINS OF THE 50-50 RULE</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As part of the series, CNA was given exclusive access to a secret vault where the government stores its gold reserves. Financial influencers also took part in an <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-Interview-with-CNA-for-Singapore-Reserves-Revealed-Aug-2023" target="_blank">Ask Me Anything session with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</a></b> where he was asked, among other questions, who knows the exact amount of reserves which Singapore has.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Well, the ministers overseeing the finances of the government, which means the minister for finance and there’s a small team who are also involved and the PM will know this," Mr Lee said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The officials in Ministry of Finance will know this, who are involved in managing the reserves. And the president and the Council of Presidential Advisers will also know this because they are overseeing this and they are regularly briefed and they can ask any questions which they want."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/singapore-reserves-pm-lee-biggest-misconception-3699726" target="_blank">In his interview with CNA</a></b>, Mr Lee also said the 50-50 proportion of the NIRC framework is something that Singapore should keep.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“You could say nothing is forever. That is true. But when you have made a commitment, I will not come back and reopen the subject the next day.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On how the 50-50 spending rule first came about, Mr Lee noted that it was the idea of former President Ong Teng Cheong. Mr Ong served from 1993 to 1999 as Singapore's fifth President.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“When we first decided to lock away the reserves and introduce the elected President, we had not given a lot of thought to how to treat the income from the reserves, and we did not really have a very clear distinction between income from the reserves and investment returns," said Mr Lee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“So we just said: ‘Well alright, we lock up the principal sum and the income from the reserves, you can spend it.’ All of the income. But when we said income, what we meant was interests and dividends … and we didn’t think of what happens when you have capital gains, for example.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Ong had looked into this and asked why all the investment income was being spent and not have some be set aside for the future, Mr Lee recalled.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Then the question is, what is the formula for now, between now and the future? Mr Ong said: ‘Why not we just split it half – 50-50. Half for now, half for the future, and therefore you spend half of the net investment income’,” said the Prime Minister.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“So, fair enough, we accepted that and we amended the Constitution,”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This rule was put in place in 2001. The government explored further ways to improve the system, such as moving to the net investment returns (NIR) framework in 2008 to include capital gains in the definition of returns and the use of a calculation based on long-term expected real returns, as opposed to present returns.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">RESERVES BEING USED IN OTHER AREAS</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The NIRC supports about one-fifth of the government’s spending.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since 2016, the NIRC has been the largest single contributor to the Budget. However, collections from corporate income tax overtook the NIRC in FY2022/2023, totalling S$23.1 billion, based on the latest government financial statements released in July. The NIRC contributed S$22.4 billion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Sometimes we think that the reserves are there only for future emergency,” said Mr Wong in his CNA interviews. “But in fact, the reserves are also an endowment providing for today’s needs and all of us are benefiting from it right now.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong, who is also Finance Minister, said Singapore runs a “structural deficit” of about 3 per cent of gross domestic product in its primary fiscal balance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This gap is currently covered by the NIRC. Without that, Singapore “would have to cut back on almost 3 per cent of GDP of spending”, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“That's a lot. It will mean less public housing for Singaporeans. It will mean less infrastructure. Our trains, our buses – we will have to cut back on services,” said Mr Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This is tightening of the belt to an extent that no one has ever felt before.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The reserves are also being tapped for a range of other needs, such as special drawdowns in times of crisis.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore first tapped on its reserves in 2009, taking out S$4.9 billion (US$3.6 billion) to support the economy through the global financial crisis. Over a decade later, it drew on the reserves on three separate occasions during the COVID-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2022 – using about S$40 billion in all.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The only alternative would have been to borrow, which is what most other countries do,” said Mr Wong, who was co-chair of the country’s COVID-19 multi-ministry task force.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“When you borrow, you have great uncertainty. And therefore, I think it would have impacted the swiftness and the decisiveness of our response,” he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Citing how <b><a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/first-covid-19-vaccine-shipment-singapore-pfizer-biontech-494691" target="_blank">Singapore was the first in Asia to secure the Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine</a></b>, Mr Wong said the reserves had played “a critical role” in making that possible.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I have no doubt that without the reserves, we would have ended up with more lives lost to COVID-19, and certainly we would have ended up with a much higher unemployment.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The country’s reserves also play a key role in funding major infrastructure and land reclamation projects, such as the Tuas Port.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Noting that land reclamation projects are “costly” with benefits only apparent over the long run, Mr Wong said: “Without the use of past reserves for land reclamation, we would likely end up borrowing or using our own current resources. That would certainly be a bit of a constraint.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, he stressed that one “should not get the mistaken idea that this is a draw on reserves”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Because when we use past reserves to create new land, the land is also protected as past reserves. And when we create the land and eventually sell the land for development, those land proceeds go back to the reserves again,” Mr Wong said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“So from that point of view, it’s really just a conversion of assets from finance to land, and then back to finance.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-17327188761178289322023-08-16T10:29:00.004+08:002023-09-14T11:02:39.658+08:00DPM Lawrence Wong at the Ministerial Dialogue on Reinventing Destiny<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>Important to strike a balance with greater contestation of ideas: Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 14 Aug 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4Gvg4GDtAfkdqHwuW95jj-A0xKU4-nA_LLI8Xez6Y1DCMtHWxd9NETFkfVU9_HH8zcckeO5TV_iV6nRN5085nTBzZ0PXQSWqDStKyz_pHVewDPkWI3RwibuhwRfVNgxlpYMBFfQiT_7t89f0Bo5Z-Og9Xsf8pp0jRv5VwzYQR55n5ufbTdlLcflrHZGq/s963/Lawrence-Wong-dialogue-Reinventing-Destiny-conference-Fareed-Zakaria-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="963" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4Gvg4GDtAfkdqHwuW95jj-A0xKU4-nA_LLI8Xez6Y1DCMtHWxd9NETFkfVU9_HH8zcckeO5TV_iV6nRN5085nTBzZ0PXQSWqDStKyz_pHVewDPkWI3RwibuhwRfVNgxlpYMBFfQiT_7t89f0Bo5Z-Og9Xsf8pp0jRv5VwzYQR55n5ufbTdlLcflrHZGq/w400-h290/Lawrence-Wong-dialogue-Reinventing-Destiny-conference-Fareed-Zakaria-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is increasingly difficult to have policies that everyone agrees on, and trade-offs have to be made and balances struck, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceWongST/posts/pfbid0neZmo6F4cUi2eHV8KcZfcFatH1oU3QosJyAugDugL4WPsLSzwyPuA5Gc3QRgARSQl?__cft__[0]=AZUe3WGx50ZX-EvzPIC0l8VzOe39CO6tcV3sBowUgtJ2Pdcp2GNRKyLuRhfUrl6MSlvmyAPeGx1CuxkEHHLe9O6gYKy0VXMLq3ESHsXm48XJZPCKjPYUzz0R60MbvQp4__rNKMjb55MVwzCv4kj4i2EBad13Cm8JjcQTv_NXDcE0wdavm2d-LJJ9uQYgd4wwG6Y&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong</a></b> said on Monday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the Singapore environment today, there is a greater contestation of ideas for every new policy and decision that is made, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2022/04/lawrence-wong-to-lead-paps-4g-team.html" target="_blank">leader of the fourth-generation team</a> </b>of the<b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pap.sg/posts/pfbid02VGzWa4AC3Fw4XeaW7TSWYppK7PTDfTSLtNktmyVY7jfck6Az6fZ2jm4e95GtR1Ewl?__cft__[0]=AZW5nQIGTQ1asLNIlRRQcQfZcB5La8WdCIQe1UxQvPE5pu91V3kWwkPqntA85H7lkmqd6sj6EZlGcu0h2MfYayO4b7NOk2HwMWK6I4vpQIySqBE1Pi_SNoJZ4IErDDbMFjSfBrslUW-jb4MIiAPqQZbX60Rs6rjASWWshWUysCI5YYpEBBrGb5iKeX4kJpeHXAY&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">People’s Action Party (PAP)</a></b>, Mr Wong said he has to think about what makes sense, what is right for Singapore in the long term when developing policy, and “explain, persuade, convince people that this is the right thing to do”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong was <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/DPM-Lawrence-Wong-at-Ministerial-Dialogue-on-Reinventing-Destiny-Conference" target="_blank">speaking</a></b> at a <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/IPSLKYSPP/posts/pfbid0da4fJ2fawbVdfZaNGVRvqEwanySC3VbpjgMezKMvdoyxx1YTV3a9jgh35dVAqUN6l?__cft__[0]=AZXhANWntAgqyFI-n8PT-izyQ85YvJdql9dIirTPbAIIkvZ6eFpLVEDsznee_-ZdFrd68F8o3Iuq04ilx0-P6YZj6YSD_Mh46lubn5uWVVTnW59Qpb4YMPG5y0S636Dq04HkqQCUNgHD692hV0yxGGzYhAdQheHtxmSyx5Ogi45q7oLPZdtPYJn5pTQzF90SiDQ&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">dialogue</a></b> at the <b><a href="https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/ips/events/details/reinventing-destiny-a-conference-on-the-occasion-of-mr-lee-kuan-yew-s-100th-birth-anniversary" target="_blank">Reinventing Destiny</a></b> conference, held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre to mark the 100th birth anniversary of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was organised by the Singapore University of Technology and Design’s Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and Institute of Policy Studies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The dialogue was moderated by Dr Fareed Zakaria, the host of CNN’s weekly show Fareed Zakaria GPS and columnist for The Washington Post.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong was answering a question posed by Dr Fareed about whether he is worried about Singapore having to engage in populist policies, like other countries have done.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong, who is also Finance Minister, said that the pressure to do so is always there, given that information is widely available in today’s world.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Fareed noted that the PAP had recently faced some scandals, including <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/why-8500-and-not-no-pay-leave-6-key-questions-from-mps-on-cpib-s-iswaran-probe" target="_blank">one involving possible corruption</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Do you think that you will be able to clean up the image of the PAP enough that you will, in the next election, see a return to the kind of near-total dominance?” he asked.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong replied that PAP does not have near-total dominance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Political contestation is increasing. That is to be expected,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“At the end of the day, for me, looking at what we must do, particularly after the recent incidents and the setbacks we have suffered, it is really for us to reflect, learn, emerge and grow stronger from that experience and do everything we can to win the confidence and trust of Singaporeans.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added that there is currently a high base of trust between the people and their elected Government.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His immediate priority is then to see how he can strengthen the reservoir of social capital and trust, and ensure that the party can continue to earn the confidence and mandate when Singapore next goes to the polls.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong added that beyond the recent incidents, taking into account the broader experience he has had with government, he has learnt to have a “certain sense of equanimity”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“In government, when things go right, when things go well for us, when people praise us, and say, ‘We are No. 1, we are gold standard’ – don’t let that go into our heads,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But at the same time, when there are challenges, setbacks and mistakes, which are bound to happen, the Government will then learn from it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It is in the mistakes and the failures where we find greater motivation to learn and to be better. And that is the attitude I take,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Responding to questions from the audience on building and sustaining trust domestically and internationally, Mr Wong said that people know the way Singapore operates – consistent, principled and credible in its actions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Within the country, trust is built when the Government can ensure that every citizen, regardless of background, benefits from the nation’s success, and people feel they are part of shaping Singapore’s future, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added that the Government is now also reviewing its policies to strengthen these assurances for Singaporeans, as part of the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/over-14000-singaporeans-took-part-in-first-phase-of-forward-sg-engagement-exercise" target="_blank">nationwide engagement</a></b> exercise <b><a href="https://www.forwardsingapore.gov.sg/" target="_blank">Forward Singapore</a></b>. The exercise culminates in a report later this year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Responding to a question from the audience on whether there should be adjustments made to improve the lives of migrant workers here, Mr Wong said the Government is continually improving their living conditions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These include dormitory standards, as well as supporting their mental well-being and providing spaces for recreation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If we look around the world at countries with large proportions of migrant workers, in fact, I think we can, in good conscience, state that in Singapore, we treat our migrant workers well, and we will continue to do better,” said Mr Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But Singapore does not have the ability to integrate all of them into its society, and one has to understand the balance, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A small proportion of migrant workers will come in as permanent residents, including those who become citizens. The Government must ensure they are the ones with the best chance to integrate into Singapore society, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“That must be the approach. So that gating, that regulated flow will always be there, but it doesn’t mean that we treat the rest of the migrant workers badly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“On the contrary, we will do everything we can, from a government point of view, to improve their work conditions and their living conditions. And we also appeal to Singaporeans to do their part. And that is why if I were to build a dormitory next to your home, please welcome that dormitory with open arms,” said Mr Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">US-China tensions</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Wong was asked whether China’s current economic problems are a result of moving away from a more market-oriented approach to a more state-oriented one.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that China faces a challenge in the property sector – a very important part of its economy – as it has a supply overhang issue, and excess leverage in some large property firms.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">China’s domestic demand has also been weak, and with the measures that the West and the United States have imposed on it, its export sector trade has also decreased.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“So, they have to find some way to stimulate demand. The government, I am sure, is aware of this. There are very competent technocrats in government, they know what to do. But to get consumption going again requires not just short-term measures,” said Mr Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It also requires longer-term structural solutions to strengthen their social safety net.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He noted that the new defining feature of the US-China relationship is no longer one of engagement, but extreme strategic competition.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The worry about this dynamic is the potential for retaliation that can result in huge costs for both countries, and “a lot of trouble for the rest of us in the world”, said Mr Wong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On concerns that measures imposed by the US and the West will slow down China in terms of accessing cutting-edge technology, Mr Wong said this would not keep China down.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Because (the Chinese) are determined for what they see as… China’s time in the world. And China wants to take its rightful place in the world as a modern, great nation,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“And so there is a tremendous drive and determination not just at the government leadership level, but also amongst the private businesses… to move forward.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Related</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Reinventing Destiny — <a href="https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/ips/events/details/reinventing-destiny-a-conference-on-the-occasion-of-mr-lee-kuan-yew-s-100th-birth-anniversary" target="_blank">A Conference on the Occasion of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s 100th Birth Anniversary, on 14 August 2023</a></span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2461716624803953434.post-12536169924785898802023-08-14T10:45:00.003+08:002023-09-20T10:18:48.613+08:00The asset-rich, cash-poor have a housing dilemma<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;"><b>The elderly might not downsize and monetise their homes for retirement income. Their concerns centre on preserving the value of their flat and ageing in place.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By Sing Tien Foo, Published <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheStraitsTimes/posts/pfbid0nPpcFG5HbnAYJ2bwBgJ8N2rfdQouqit8LyeQgbNAGDhUg7vjGFZRyK1gxt5Fv9HCl?__cft__[0]=AZWk_BiENq_zIRvyp4S4b4onbh0pzK-LYIQVcoteYQ1w1Qp68Q0rsKDXh_0Z4Zac7LbNN8AqZf2PSD35Ag0aDuHnDr3fDfZkChIAgt3VyssT26oC-ph7uHTTMNJXBhQTUXz0HXng4cJnmNlHCN8b1cBk&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">The Straits Times</a>, 12 Aug 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-kNnXxGzc2Pjt3AbHw1Mpn9EGiFIZNVOfKObvmczVF4gcE1xt0kO75Lt1t6WivlaZysQ3QJblP502f0ffOlcbTcu4tOpvPAKCXWXgpNs06bGVuWBzSjbyWIvNbvJ7Ux9e71FLPyCcDXXg9L2cjgbRcfnG3SfBWrfKdRVZgGJbR7kNw0rRXcFsB0orH1A/s961/Singaporeans-asset-rich-cash-poor-retirement-adequacy-ST-photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="961" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-kNnXxGzc2Pjt3AbHw1Mpn9EGiFIZNVOfKObvmczVF4gcE1xt0kO75Lt1t6WivlaZysQ3QJblP502f0ffOlcbTcu4tOpvPAKCXWXgpNs06bGVuWBzSjbyWIvNbvJ7Ux9e71FLPyCcDXXg9L2cjgbRcfnG3SfBWrfKdRVZgGJbR7kNw0rRXcFsB0orH1A/w400-h284/Singaporeans-asset-rich-cash-poor-retirement-adequacy-ST-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Are homes nest eggs for retirement? It turns out the answer is not straightforward.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Delivering his <b><a href="https://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2023/08/ndp-2023-onward-as-one.html" target="_blank">National Day message</a></b> this week, <b><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/National-Day-Message-2023" target="_blank">Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong</a></b> highlighted the Government’s desire to <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/public-housing-schemes-to-be-adjusted-older-workers-to-get-help-with-cpf-retirement-savings-pm-lee" target="_blank">refresh its approach to public housing</a></b>, with a special effort on adapting Housing Board estates and flats to serve a rapidly ageing population.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Although he had referred to physical infrastructure, community spaces and active ageing centres, he also highlighted the importance of retirement adequacy. More details will be announced at the upcoming National Day Rally, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Ageing population, ageing homes</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Lee’s remarks are timely. <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapores-population-ageing-rapidly-184-of-citizens-are-65-years-and-older" target="_blank">By 2030, one in four Singaporean residents will hit 65</a></b>. Today, only one in three in this age group is employed. We should technically see more monetising their homes to fund their retirement.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/living-in-an-hdb-flat/for-our-seniors" target="_blank">In Singapore</a></b>, the <b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/living-in-an-hdb-flat/for-our-seniors/monetising-your-flat-for-retirement" target="_blank">HDB has two schemes</a></b> by which elderly home owners can unlock the value of their homes – the <b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/living-in-an-hdb-flat/for-our-seniors/monetising-your-flat-for-retirement/silver-housing-bonus" target="_blank">Silver Housing Bonus (SHB)</a></b> and <b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/living-in-an-hdb-flat/for-our-seniors/monetising-your-flat-for-retirement/lease-buyback-scheme" target="_blank">Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS)</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">SHB incentivises eligible households to right-size their homes. If they downsize to a three-room or smaller HDB flat, use the proceeds of the sale of their home to top up their <b><a href="https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/retirement-income" target="_blank">Central Provident Fund (CPF)</a></b> Retirement Account (RA) and join the <b><a href="https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/retirement-income/monthly-payouts/cpf-life" target="_blank">CPF Life</a></b> lifelong annuity scheme, they can receive a cash bonus of up to $30,000.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Similar to a reverse mortgage, the LBS allows seniors aged 65 and older to sell the tail-end of the lease to HDB while continuing to live in their homes. The proceeds will go to their CPF RA and CPF Life, with the home owner receiving a monthly income for life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Recognising that the LBS holds the key to helping more Singaporeans unlock the value of their homes in their old age, the scheme, which was introduced in 2009 for those living in three-room and smaller flats, was subsequently expanded to include residents in all HDB flat types.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But is this thinking one-sided? Based on the 2022 population statistics of the 547,598 HDB dwellers aged 65 and older, and assuming that each household comprises two such dwellers, about 274,000 households are eligible for LBS. However, <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/9700-households-have-sold-part-of-their-remaining-leases-back-to-hdb-since-2009" target="_blank">as at December 2022, only about 9,700 households</a></b> – or 3.5 per cent of the estimated eligible households – have taken up the scheme.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The low response rate for the LBS betrays the popular sentiment among elderly Singaporeans that may become a problem for retirement adequacy: People seem unwilling to trade their homes for retirement income.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">They are asset-rich but cash-poor</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Instead, many middle-aged and retired home owners, usually referred to as the asset-rich, cash-poor segment, are more concerned if their homes will preserve their value, even as they stew over whether they can meet their financial needs in old age.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a problem because policymakers have long assumed that most Singaporeans purchase homes for capital appreciation, with the wealth accumulated to be freed up in old age.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In this housing life-cycle model, which has a hump-shaped curve, one accumulates wealth with age as the value of a house appreciates and the mortgage is paid off. But as homes age and begin to decline in value, the home owners must at some point sell off the property or find some way to monetise the asset, so that they can live reasonably comfortably in their golden years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Depending on the amount drawn down, home owners can still bequeath the remaining lease to a loved one. Else, the value of the home is exhausted when its lease runs down to zero.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Persistent accumulation of housing wealth</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Why aren’t Singaporeans monetising their homes? The uncertainties associated with life expectancy, bequest motives and medical expenses in old age may encourage many to keep a housing asset intact.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Data of about 154,000 HDB resale transactions from 2007 to 2012 with information on HDB resale flats, including housing prices, building age and the age of home buyers, bears this out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Buyers bought more expensive homes with age, as expected, up until 40. However, home buyers older than 40 did not buy cheaper houses as expected. In fact, there was no clear observable relationship between housing prices and age for buyers above 40.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some bought more expensive flats, instead of cutting on housing consumption to preserve their savings for retirement. The sample revealed that buyers aged 51 to their 70s bought flats at an average price of $360,547, compared with buyers aged 31 to 40 who bought flats at an average price of $376,527.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Desire to leave behind a home for the next generation</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One also expects home buyers to right-size their leases over their lifespan. Public policy certainly attempted to encourage so, with rules on CPF withdrawal for housing purchases and HDB loans <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/rules-on-cpf-usage-and-hdb-housing-loans-updated-to-ensure-homes-for-life" target="_blank">reviewed in May 2019</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The new rules removed <b><a href="https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/more-flexibility-to-buy-a-home-for-life-while-safeguarding-retirement-adequacy" target="_blank">previous restrictions on the use of CPF savings for an HDB loan to purchase a flat with a remaining lease of fewer than 60 years</a></b>. Buyers have since been allowed to use their CPF savings for an older flat as long as they can live in it for life, with the age of the youngest buyer and building age adding up to at least 95 years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, the 2007 to 2012 resale transactions show a positive relationship between building age and buyer age only for buyers aged up to 50, with no clear relationship for older cohorts. Some older buyers will buy a newer resale flat with a lease outstripping their 95th birthday, so they can bequeath it to their children as a quid pro quo in return for supporting them in their old age.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If, contrary to the housing life-cycle model’s prediction, older Singaporeans consume more housing and continue accumulating wealth well past their prime working years, or if they buy flats with longer leases that outstrip their life expectancy, they deplete much needed savings and lock up funds in housing, when they need cash most in old age.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The problem is especially acute for the 114,000 private property dwellers aged 65 and above, with over 59,000 living in non-landed private homes and over 54,000 living in landed properties.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Commercial banks do not offer reverse mortgage options. However, DBS Bank offers a Home Equity Income Loan scheme that allows home owners aged 65 and above to borrow to top up their CPF RA to enjoy higher CPF Life payouts. Borrowers then pay back the lump sum loan amount at the end of the term, usually by selling their properties.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #04ff00;"><span style="font-size: large;">Preserving the value of homes</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Should people continue to live in their homes for life and leave the remaining value for their children, the role HDB should play may be less of facilitating monetisation but in aiding to preserve their value and slow their decay.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Research on the relationship between the building age of HDB resale flats and their selling price carried out by myself, Professor Sumit Agarwal and Dr Zhang Xiaoyu at the NUS Business School shows that, fortunately, the physical depreciation of HDB flats occurs at a slower rate after 30 years compared with private non-landed properties.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/living-in-an-hdb-flat/sers-and-upgrading-programmes/upgrading-programmes/types" target="_blank">Various HDB programmes</a></b>, such as the <b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/living-in-an-hdb-flat/sers-and-upgrading-programmes/upgrading-programmes/types/neighbourhood-renewal-programme-nrp" target="_blank">Neighbourhood Renewal Programme</a></b>, <b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/living-in-an-hdb-flat/sers-and-upgrading-programmes/upgrading-programmes/types/home-improvement-programme-hip" target="_blank">Home Improvement Programme (HIP)</a></b>, the <b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/living-in-an-hdb-flat/sers-and-upgrading-programmes/upgrading-programmes/types/lift-upgrading-programme" target="_blank">Lift Upgrading Programme</a></b> and others help preserve housing values much better. A second round of HIP, known as <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/pfbid0Px35nDzdbZuAA61mVNumJtBELFvB5jJCFcznSweWaFGYhagidu1Gu26K2Bk2U336l?__cft__[0]=AZUTCaZSqbPnWo9wxayjhnwAzyW5yEVLLM29rckFsS_oxU8AagVfmBevRzSE4wEWnWHmgTL6bek6g-LUb6rGaD6CXnNwT1qQsOwY1DeY0dy_BxOF1mEsKykceiH4Ywb3zUA&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">HIP-II</a></b>, and the <b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/living-in-an-hdb-flat/for-our-seniors/ease" target="_blank">Enhancement of Active Seniors (EASE)</a></b>, which involves the installation of slip-resistant tiles, amps and grab bars, make the living spaces of older flats more elder-friendly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All this does not negate needing to deal with the conundrum of preserving the value of homes past their halfway mark, after which the asset will begin to depreciate in value. The litmus test is whether the announced <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/national-day-rally-2018-two-decades-from-now-residents-in-old-hdb-flats-can-vote-to-let" target="_blank">Voluntary En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (VERS)</a></b> can help ease such concerns of seniors living in <b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/about-us/news-and-publications/publications/hdbspeaks/upgrading-and-rejuvenating-our-hdb-flats-and-estates" target="_blank">older flats built in the 1970s and 1980s</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Still, VERS is insufficient in and of itself. The issue will also require careful relocation and sensitive management, as ageing home owners may eventually need more assisted living support and services, such as those offered in the <b><a href="https://www.mynicehome.gov.sg/hdb-how-to/buy-your-flat/5-things-to-know-about-the-community-care-apartments/" target="_blank">Community Care Apartments (CCAs)</a></b> in new Build-To-Order projects at the <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/singapores-first-assisted-living-hdb-flats-for-seniors-to-launch-in-bukit-batok-in" target="_blank">Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok</a></b> launched in February 2021 and <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/240-assisted-living-flats-to-be-launched-in-queensway-in-november" target="_blank">Queensway Canopy</a></b> launched in November 2022.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Whatever housing options seniors choose – whether to age in place or to monetise and downsize to a smaller flat – providing care support, such as <b><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/life/community-care-apartments-the-future-of-growing-old-independently-in-singapore" target="_blank">assisted living in CCA flats</a></b>, or enabling changes so flats are more elder-friendly, such as through the EASE programme, are necessary and must be twinned with the proposed VERS and HIP-II policies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The vertical retirement village model at <b><a href="https://www.hdb.gov.sg/residential/where2shop/explore/woodlands/kampung-admiralty" target="_blank">Kampung Admiralty</a></b>, with amenities including a polyclinic, senior daycare centre, hawker centre and supermarkets co-located, could be extended to more neighbourhoods and integrated into other surrounding blocks to reap scale economics.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Residents from nearby blocks can use the shared facilities and amenities, participate in senior activities and build strong social bonds with seniors there. Better connectivity can also strengthen these social networks of seniors, encourage more community activities and support active ageing goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dealing with the issue of housing for asset-rich, cash-poor seniors will differ greatly from the approach for younger residents living in ageing flats. Perhaps we will get a glimpse of what is to come at the National Day Rally.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Sing Tien Foo is the Provost’s Chair Professor at the Department of Real Estate, NUS Business School, National University of Singapore. The views in the op-ed are the author’s and do not represent the views of NUS and its affiliates.</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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