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Budget 2024 seems to be an ‘election budget’, says NCMP Hazel Poa
NCMP Hazel Poa views Budget 2024 as an “election budget with no additional taxes.” She urges a shift towards long-term strategies, emphasizing fundamental changes to boost real wages, reducing reliance on handouts for a more sustainable future.
SINGAPORE: Hazel Poa, Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) from the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), remarked on the recently unveiled Singapore Budget 2024, suggesting that it appears to be tailored as an “election budget with no additional taxes.”
In response to inquiries from local media about the budget, Ms Poa provided further insight into what constitutes an election budget, explaining that it typically involves offering numerous benefits without imposing the burden of increased taxes to ensure widespread satisfaction.
She expressed appreciation for the S$1.9 billion Assurance Package aimed at assisting Singaporeans in managing the cost of living.
However, she cautioned that these measures are short-term and expressed hope that the government’s focus would shift towards implementing fundamental changes to enable Singaporeans to increase their real wages, reducing the dependence on handouts for a significant portion of the population.
Ms Poa highlighted a favourable aspect of the budget—the modifications to the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme.
The program targets Singaporeans aged 40 and above and encompasses a S$4,000 top-up in SkillsFuture Credit allocated for selected courses.
“I like this focus on full-time courses because it allows those who have been retrenched or displaced to take on training that gives them deep learning, to enable them to move into a different industry and improve their employability overall.”
Ms Poa, also serving as PSP’s Vice Chairman, highlighted that in the past, the constraint of a smaller credit amount limited individuals to shorter courses with minimal impact.
When prompted to elaborate on the fundamental changes she proposed, Ms Poa reiterated the essential need to raise Singaporeans’ wages to cope with the cost of living.
She outlined various approaches to achieve this, one of which aligns with the PSP’s previous proposal—the implementation of a living wage, which establishes a minimum wage for all individuals.
In addition, she stressed the importance of empowering employees to negotiate better wages, citing the comparatively lower percentage of Singaporeans’ wage component in GDP compared to other OECD countries.
“This is something that we can work on to improve the percentage of wages and therefore improve the lives of Singaporeans.”
DPM Wong hands out goodies in Budget 2024 amidst early GE speculation
Last Friday (16 February), Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong announced the Singapore’s 2024 Budget in Parliament.
DPM Wong emphasized that this year’s budget addresses immediate concerns related to the cost of living for both households and businesses.
Simultaneously, the budget outlines strategies to enhance economic competitiveness, offer support to young families, and ensure the relevance of the workforce.
While reassuring the government’s dedication to providing increased support to households, it is challenging for Singaporeans not to view this year’s Budget announcement through the lens of an “Election Budget.”
Speculation about an early poll in 2024 adds a layer of significance to the budgetary decisions made.
On 20 August 2023, PM Lee revealed intentions to step down in favour of Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, potentially around the PAP’s 70th anniversary on 21 November 2024, although an exact timeline was not disclosed.
Previously expressing his wish “to step down before his 70th birthday in February 2022,” the unexpected challenges of the pandemic disrupted Lee’s plans.
Despite the absence of a clear timeline, PM Lee’s announcement suggests a likelihood of the General Election occurring next year, possibly before the party’s anniversary in November.
In response to the PAP’s dominant 2/3 majority in Parliament, Singapore’s political landscape has witnessed increased manoeuvring, intensifying grassroots outreach efforts, and witnessing alternative parties forming political alliances — both formal and informal — to contest in the upcoming GE.
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Real jokers, increasing gst already kp like hell the impact on cost of living. Increasing living wage such as having min wage impact on cost will 10x more. Always remember who pays the salary. Don’t just look at things superficially, be a smart oppo, okay?
Yes, election budget, can’t fool you all, you guys are so smart. Having said that do remember to repay their kindness when you go to the ballot box by putting the X next to the Lightning logo. You will garner good returns by doing so.
now telling you they help you manage high cost of living. tsk tsk tsk
who increase the 9% GST and affect the high cost of living? what do you think? tsk tsk tsk
Unfortunately, there is a significant population of politically bochup who are nurtured in a way that they will never wake up even on their death bed. This is the reality of humanity.
Given the perceived trillion dollar reserves, if used this way, can fund how many erections?
Let’s be BRUTALLY, Utterly, FRANK, NOT Mincing Words, AND Do NOT toy with the BRAINS of 4/10 SG Voters – the PAP Administration IS PLAYING it’s WORST MONEY Politics.
Robbing Singaporeans MONEY by the Millions and Millions every day, every year – to PAY owns Exorbitant Salaries, AND, RETURNING peanuts in a Celebration of, ONLY the PAP’s, called it a BUDGET.
When OPPOSITION ask for a few dollars a month the Poor needed – what DO the PAP Administration Questioned, the Poor Expected the PAP Administration to fete them at Restaurants, when EVERY Cent belongs to SG?
Budget 2024 is DEFINITELY an ELECTION BUDGET!
Using taxpayer money to sweeten the ground, especially the 60% Sinkies who are BLINDED over NTUC VOUCHERS, EH?
Would lw like to pofma hazel as well?
To pick apart the PAP political templates and mantras are quite easy – when they rely on past histories for future SG successes, sheeps are destined to be slaughtered with the assistance of foreigners the PAP rely on as accomplices
in the name of globalisation, and every country poaching for talents, Sheeps are resigned to voting PAP when the risk/rewards to vote Opposition is so tempting to give them, an almost guarantee their DESCENDANTS a MUCH BETTER LIFE is so traded off for the PAP’s more of the same which in fact is regression compared with others leaps and bounds.
Singapore PAP ruthless government are treating Singaporeans like beggars eager for money and dogs eager for food.
Has anyone seriously look into the VARIOUS ADMIN costs, tracking costs, audit ACCRUING to administer all these 10s of PAP give away schemes? How MUCH $ is spent to Disburse another $? Any surprise so many amateur mistakes in GST collection, fare calculations? Certainly to give away what is the People’s RIGHTFUL Money in the First instance is what PAP tested trick Sheeps into thinking PAP generous. And why should PAP bother to be COST EFFECTIVE? Look at these, it’s all A PIECE MEAL, organised way to MAGNIFY a FALSE IMPRESSION that PAP giving away ‘many items’ to DISLODGE rational… Read more »
The PAP Administration likes to play broken records for nostalgic votes – and rightly true I believe bcz MANY Sheeps prefer Old Times Sakes. Like if ain’t broken, why fix – handouts are effective tools.
Good luck SG – nolstagia is good for the Soul, Pamper your balls. BUT it’s NOT AI going fwd, stupid!
That it was an election budget is beyond doubt. It is hoped the opposition parties are seriously gearing up for a possible snap election. For sustained support and certainty, the PAP government could have easily allocated $500 per month for each senior Singaporean. Alternatively, Lawrence Wong could have used the Minimum Income Standards Report by Dr Ng Kok Hoe and Associate Professor Teo You Yenn as a reference point. In the report, it was suggested that a single elderly person needed S$1,421 a month (now increased to $1492) Even the adjustment to the Silver Support of the per capita household… Read more »