Parliament approved Singapore’s $131.4 billion budget for 2023 on March 7 after nine days of debate. This marked the first time in three years that members from the ruling People’s Action Party and opposition parties have openly supported a budget, according to Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng.
In her closing remarks, Leader of the House Indranee Rajah said that the Budget “lays out a clear plan to take Singapore forward into the future with optimism and hope” in an increasingly “messy, dangerous and unpredictable” world. It also ensured “ that no one is left behind.”
61 MPs spoke during the two-and-a-half day Budget Statement debate, Mr Seah noted. A total of 598 cuts were filed for the subsequent Committee of Supply debates.
Here is a summary of the announcements from the various ministries:
Grow Singapore’s economy and seize good opportunities for Singaporeans
As part of a move to grow Singapore’s economy and seize opportunities for Singaporeans, the Government will leverage Singapore’s trade networks, spearhead the adoption of new technologies, and develop local talent.
Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong said:” Transformation is a constant in this fast-changing world. We must remain agile and continue to grow our economy by seizing new opportunities, making ourselves ever more productive, innovative, and competitive.”
Initiatives to grow our economy include a new Refundable investment Credit (RIC) to enhance Singapore’s investment promotion toolkit and seizing green growth opportunities.
Strengthening and caring for workers and businesses in Singapore
To help workers ensure their careers stay on track, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng announced measures like a higher salary cap to train employees through the Career Conversion Programme.
The ministry will prioritise hiring quality foreign workers and deploy talent where they can contribute most to Singapore’s economic productivity, help local businesses grow and generate jobs for Singaporeans. Some measures include raising the Employment Pass salary threshold and increasing work permit levies for the marine shipyard sector.
Preparing Singaporeans for lifelong learning
“Life is full of opportunities… We have a whole lifetime to find our calling,” said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing.
The Ministry of Education is building an ecosystem to support lifelong learning. Starting May 1, Singaporeans aged 40 and above will receive a $4,000 SkillsFuture credit top-up. From early 2025, they will get training allowances for selected full-time courses to offset lost income and subsidies for a second publicly funded diploma.
ITE graduates under 30 will receive $5,000 in their Post-Secondary Education Account upon enrolling in a diploma programme, and $10,000 in their Central Provident Fund Ordinary Account upon completing the qualification.
MOE is also making preschool more affordable for lower-income families and enhancing accessibility and quality for special education students.
Strengthening Singapore’s artificial intelligence ecosystem
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the new buzz word. Minister Josephine Teo announced measures to develop local AI talent and equip Singaporeans for an AI-driven future.
Initiatives include an accelerated master’s programme, scholarships, overseas internships, and visiting professorships. The government will also invest in high-performance computing to support AI innovation and capacity building.
Supporting Singaporeans in their home ownership journey
The Ministry of National Development (MND) on Mar 5 unveiled some of its ambitious initiatives to boost home ownership in Singapore. They include measures to help young families buy their first home, support rental households in their homeownership journey, and enable seniors to age safely and independently in their communities.
The government is also building more homes. For example, building a new housing estate in Yishun, and possibility of a residential neighbourhood at art and lifestyle enclave Gillman Barracks.
National Development Minister Desmond Lee said in a Facebook post: “The Government is committed to supporting Singaporeans to own their homes and we are determined to remain a nation of homeowners.”
Building an inclusive, reliable, and sustainable transport system
The Ministry of Transport aims to build an accessible, reliable, and sustainable transportation network to enhance livability, surroundings and the livelihoods of Singaporeans.
Summarising the ministry’s plans in 2024, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said it is expanding and renewing rail networks to make the city more liveable. Seven new Thomson-East Coast Line stations will open in June. Punggol Coast station will open by year end. Bukit Panjang Light Rapid Transit (LRT) double loop service will progressively resume this month.
Singaporeans can travel around their neighborhoods easier and more comfortably, he noted. There will be more lifts at overhead bridges, more covered walkways, bus stop upgrades, and pedestrian-friendly streets in all public housing towns by 2030.
The Government will install 120 more electric vehicle fast chargers. Aviation and maritime sectors will receive help to adopt greener solutions through the Sustainable Air Hub Blueprint and $15 million Maritime Cluster Fund.
He said: “More good jobs for Singaporeans as we strengthen the competitiveness of our air and seaports. Terminal 5 will be ready to capture growth and create more aviation jobs.”
He added Terminal 5 adds 50 million passengers to Changi Airport’s capacity. The ministry will also continue to expand Tuas Port and develop our talent pool for the maritime sector.
Building stronger families for a stronger Singapore
Building on Forward SG to refresh Singapore’s social compact, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) is committed to helping those in need and supporting families. It unveiled a slew of measures that includes expanding the Families for Life programme to 18 towns this year, and broadening ComLink+ to help more lower-income families.
Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli said: “A society is only as strong as its families…We hope for all families, especially the lower income, to achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility.”
Helping Singaporeans to tackle rising healthcare costs
Summarisng MOH’s budget announcements, Health Minister Ong Yu Kung said MOH is doing a comprehensive review of the MediShield Life Scheme. The Government wants to raise claim limits to better cover Singaporeans’ large hospital bills, he said. However, this would likely increase MediShield Life premiums, which may require MOH to find ways to help Singaporeans pay the higher premiums, potentially through using Medisave.
MOH will expand public hospital capacity to 4000 additional beds by 2030 to address hospital capacity. This includes a new hospital in Tengah. MOH will also offer virtual ward services at home as a mainstream service.
The government will equip General Practitioners to manage a wider range of diseases through health protocols to build a healthier population.
Mr Ong said: “It is important to have a healthier population in this grand scheme of things. HealthierSG is no longer just a programme but a social movement.”
Creating a clean, green, and resilient shared Singapore
The Singapore Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment has designated 2024 as the Year of Public Hygiene to create a clean, green and resilient nation, Minister Grace Fu announced in Parliament on March 4.
The Ministry will focus on implementing measures to improve public hygiene and tackle issues like littering, unclean public toilets, food safety, air quality and access to clean water to enhance community wellbeing.
Ms Fu said: “A clean and liveable environment with reliable access to safe food and water has been foundational to our success since the early days of our independence and remains essential for our continued progress.”
Separately, households in public housing will receive $300 in ‘climate’ vouchers to encourage buying energy and water saving appliances.
S’pore to keep defence spending at 3 per cent of GDP
The Government will keep military spending at about 3 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) over the next decade, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said, noting this is barring any conflicts or wars.
He announced several updates to the SAF’s platforms. The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will acquire eight F-35A fighter aircrafts. The Republic of Singapore Navy will launch its fourth and final Invincible-class submarine in Kiel, Germany later this year.
For the army, next-generation armoured track carriers and next-generation howitzers will enter service, providing soldiers with more protection, mobility, and firepower, he added.
He said: “We do spend precious dollars consistently on defence, some of you have observed, money which could have benefited other causes. But we know that without security, there can be no progress.”
Government will not allow foreign conflicts to undermine Singaporeans’ core interests
Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishan stressed that Singapore’s foreign policy “cannot be driven one way or the other by sentiment or affinity to any external group” though many Singaporeans feel deep and real emotions over the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“Our foreign policy must be based on understanding our core interests and acting consistently in accordance with the principles that safeguard our independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security.”
He also said that Singapore is providing a third round of humanitarian aid to Gaza through Jordan. Singaporean non-government organisations and the Government have raised more than S$10 million for relief operations to Gaza.
Keeping Singapore safe: tackling the drug abuse among youths and combatting scams
Combatting drug abuse among youths, and scams are two key priorities for the Ministry for Home Affairs in 2024.
Minister of Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam noted that while Singapore’s drug situation remains under control, the increase in arrests of new drug abusers under age 30 last year was concerning.
He highlighted three initiatives on drug prevention for youth. They include the launch of ‘Drug Victims Remembrance Day’, expanding teaching on drug harms in schools, and enhancing preventive drug education for National Service.
Regarding combating scams, a one-stop portal with all scam-related resources will be launched later in 2024. The government is also studying further measures to better protect unwitting members of the public.
Maintaining a legal system that is robust, fair, and effective
The Ministry of Law will continue to maintain a robust, accessible, and effective legal system while improving access to justice.
Mr. Shanmugan said the ministry will strengthen the Public Defender’s Office’s “capability and capacity to help more vulnerable persons”.
As part of efforts to ensure access to justice, MinLaw will also revise the means test threshold for those applying for civil legal aid and criminal defense aid. This move would allow more Singaporeans to access legal aid.
MinLaw is also helping individuals better handle divorces. Last year, it introduced the Maintenance Enforcement Process for divorces. It will now establish a new unit of officers to assist parties with enforcing maintenance orders.
Building a vibrant and cohesive home where diverse dreams thrive
The Government aims to foster a vibrant sporting culture in Singapore. It will allocate $165 million to host major sports events, build a new state-of-the-art indoor arena at Kallang Alive precinct, and update the Disability Sport Master Plan to better support persons with disabilities.
During the debate on his ministry’s budget on March 7, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) Edwin Tong said the initiatives are aimed at building a vibrant and cohesive home where diverse dreams can thrive.
“There is no one Singapore dream, no uniform pathway for success. What matters is that we live in a society that values our diverse passions and aspirations, and that there are opportunities for us to achieve our fullest potential.”
The government wants to empower Singaporeans to pursue their aspirations in sports and arts.
Youths will receive more opportunities to experience sports. The government will also invest an additional $100 million over the next four years to grow a vibrant arts and culture ecosystem and support the refreshed Our SG Arts Plan.
Better support for working professionals; more youth mentorships to help Malay/Muslim community
Support for working professionals and more youth mentorship were among the initiatives that Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli and other political office holders announced on March 6 during MCCY’s budget to help the Malay/Muslim community.
Mendaki will expand its professional networks to four more industries to help Malay/Muslim workers grow their support network and give back to the community. The industries include healthcare and media.
Mendaki will launch a new youth mentoring program in 2024 to mentor 1,000 Malay youth. It also aims to establish at least one youth mentoring program in each of its 11 M3@Towns by late 2024, up from four towns in 2023.
Source of image: The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reproduced with permission
