We are midway through the campaigning period, and it is time to focus on policy ideas, said Minister Ong Ye Kung.
“That is probably what residents want to hear, and for many residents, that is the basis on which they will decide who to vote for.”
Minister Ong spoke to reporters on the sidelines during a walkabout at Bukit Canberra on Saturday (26 April).
Fellow Sembawang GRC teammates, newcomers Ng Shi Xuan and Gabriel Lam and incumbent MPs Vikram Nair and Mariam Jaafar joined him.
When it comes to policies, Mr Ong is most concerned with how the opposition intends to fund their policies.
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has proposed cutting GST and spending more in other areas such as healthcare.
However, as health minister, Mr Ong understands the reality of our healthcare needs.
In 2015, our healthcare budget was around $9bn, recalled Mr Ong. That number has risen to $21bn today. By 2030, the budget is expected to hit $30bn.
“Healthcare costs are increasing so fast because of an ageing population. That is why GST is needed to subsidise healthcare for an ageing population.”
We cannot be spending more but collecting less, said Mr Ong.
“And I think the question will be, are you thinking of spending the reserves? That must be what they’re thinking of. If so, I think they need to explain.”
“It’s time, I think, for Singaporeans and voters to scrutinise these policies and compare them across the political parties,” added Mr Ong.
