Workers' Party calls for an Independent Budget Office

Singapore is one of the few triple-A credit rated countries left in the world. We are rated triple-A because of fiscal prudence and strong fundamentals.

Like DPM Heng Swee Keat said, Singapore has achieved world-leading outcomes while running one of the leanest governments in the world.

Until the pandemic, the Singapore Government has operated balanced budgets. In fact, it was the WP that was always pressurizing the Government to spend more, including more from reserves.

The WP called for an independent budget office to do what the WP MPs were elected to do. They have decided to delegate their responsibility to an independent office while completely ignoring the robust system of checks that we have. This include the Public Accounts Committee and Estimates Committee, both of which WP is also represented!

What's there left for WP to do in Parliament when government policies and budget spending will be scrutinised by an independent office?

If there is nothing left for them to do, in the name of scrutinising expenditure, we should ask why we spend so much taxpayers' money on the Leader of the Opposition and 8 WP MPs who have next to nothing to do in Parliament?

WP calls for an independent budget office to scrutinise government spending

 #overheard

I agree with Pritam.

The Government should establish Independent Parliamentary Office for Budget, Defence, Welfare, etc. manned by professionals and experts in each field.

Then we can cancel out all opposition parties especially WP. No need them anymore since the Independent Parliamentary Offices are doing the jobs that the Oppositions including WP have promised to do if elected i.e. check on the Government.

Problem solved! Yay!!!!!

Yup, folks. That's what it is.

WP is in Parliament to cast doubts, not to 'check and balance' the Government.

Pre-COVID time, they were also the ones pressurizing the Government to spend more from reserves.

Now, in a COVID crisis, and the Government allocating $24 billion over 3 years to help business and Singaporeans adapt to a post-COVID world, they suggest an independent Budget office to check on spending. What's there left for WP to do?

There is already an independent body to scrutinize spending in every ministry, statutory boards, public institutions and organisations. It's the AGO (Auditor-General's Office) which does its work without fear or favour and publishes an annual report of its audit of government ministries. That's how we hear of lapses and expect rectification from the concerned ministries.