| 1. Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank
all the members for their views and suggestions,
especially all those who have spoken in support
of the Budget. I have heard all of them, including
Madam Cynthia Phua, and we will take up their
views and act on them wherever it makes sense
to do so.
The specific issues which they have raised will
be dealt with by respective Ministers during
the Committee of Supply. In this response, I
will just
focus on the broad thrusts of the Budget.
2. Let me start by addressing a question which
many have asked - some rhetorically, others seriously. “Is
this an Election Budget, given its generous package
of incentives?”
3. I am glad that many Singaporeans and MPs
are happy with this Budget. The provisions and
measures, which we have taken, have received
wide support. But this is not a Budget merely
for the purpose of distributing hongbaos to get
votes.
4. It is a Budget with its feet on the ground
and with its eye on the future. It is the result
of consulting broadly and taking views from many
people. We have had many committees - the Low
Wage Workers committee, RECORD; Madam Halimah
Yacob and other Members of Parliament have participated
in many of these sessions and worked hard to
come up with initiatives which will achieve our
social objectives, address problems and stand
us in good stead for the long term.
5. This is a Budget:
- to support our ongoing
efforts to restructure the economy;
- to ensure that all Singaporeans can benefit
from growth and can manage the impact of
globalization; and
- that will maintain fiscal prudence and
long term sustainability.
6. These schemes
and initiatives have to be sound and sustainable.
To make promises and to
give money away - that is easy. But, to improve
lives, to give hope, to provide opportunities,
to have schemes which will lead to the objectives
which we have set out, and not to the opposite
of what we intend, to be affordable over the
long term - that is much more difficult. This
Budget makes the right long term commitments
so that the Government wins not just the next
election, but also the mandate to govern over
successive terms.
7. We are not issuing cheques thinking that
maybe we will not be here after the elections.
This is a Budget which we are taking responsibility
for, because we have to answer for the outcomes.
|
