WP should hold themselves to the same standard of scrutiny

WP wants an independent parliamentary budget office to scrutinise government expenditures.

But they do not hold themselves to the same scrutiny. Each time that they had called on the government to spend more, they had never provided any estimates on costs nor explained how the spending would be funded.

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?

After GE2020, WP promised to scrutinize the Government. By outsourcing?

After GE2020, WP promised to scrutinize the Government. By outsourcing?

From Fiscal Council to Budget Office, WP's ideas are all about setting up another body to examine what the government does. There's no need for WP in parliament since they are prepared to outsource their responsibility.

There also seems to be a lack of communication between Jamus Lim and Pritam Singh. The two seems to act independently of each other. When Pritam was asked by Minister Indranee if a Fiscal Council and a Budget Office mean the same thing, Pritam wasn't able to give an answer immediately. He went from being confused to saying it was just a terminalogy to finally saying they meant the same thing.

WP, politics of envy and CDCs

Workers' Party is about the politics of envy. They either cast doubts and make insinuations in Parliament or they indulge in the politics of envy to win political points.

They started with ministers' salaries and had to give that up when it turned out that the salary they recommended was even higher than that recommended by the salary review committee.

Then they tried to politicise the PA but the pandemic has shown the critical role played by PA in ensuring needs on the ground are met.

So they moved on to attempt to politicise the work of the CDCs and to engage once again in the politics of envy on the Mayors' salaries which Pritam Singh described as outrageous even though he has little idea what the mayors do in the CDCs.

If we were to follow Pritam Singh's tactic, then surely we can also ask if the salary of the Leader of the Opposition is outrageous? He is paid almost $400k a year just to make speeches in Parliament and he gets an office and paid assistants.

At least the mayors are working hard on the ground to engage many partners, build networks that enable them to be very nimble and able to respond very quickly to sudden needs on the ground, in addition to raising funds etc.

According to economist Jamus Lim of WP, currency speculation can be stabilising for an economy.

Well, what do we know? According to economist Jamus Lim of WP, currency speculation can be stabilising for an economy.

Try telling that to countries that were deeply hurt by the Asian Financial Crisis.

So what would it be like to have a WP Government based on what they have said in Parliament so far?

Workers will be earning just the minimum wages.

Carbon tax will be raised by 25 times its current rate with costs filtering down to every household.

Popular schools will see their funding cut to make them less popular with students.

Non-violent criminal records will be expunged.

State land will be sold for revenue to spend.

The full size of the Singapore reserves will be revealed to the world and currency speculation encouraged to help stabilise the Singapore currency.

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.

We don't fall in love with our plans: Chan Chun Sing

Finance Minister Goh Keng Swee was one of the chief architects of our early economic and national development. When asked later about his visionary role, Dr Goh said: "I had no initial vision. You just start it and hope for the best."

It's not that Dr Goh set out with no aim or direction in mind. It's about agility, humility and learning by doing. We don't fall for our own plans, or let that blind us from challenging our own assumptions.

For Singapore, we distil the essence from different countries, different models, and tailor them to our own unique context.

I think of our "model" of governance as one that evolves with time and in context. This is something that we have never taken for granted, and is always a work in progress.

So instead of getting caught up in theoretical debates, we need to understand what works best for us, and apply it boldly, creatively and judiciously.

As a nation, we have weathered numerous crises, precisely because we have never been dogmatic about our approach.

- Chan Chun Sing

Read speech by Minister Chan Chun Sing here: https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/evolve-adapt-innovate-spores-keys-to-the-future

Global citizen Kirsten Han always comes alive when Singapore comes under attack

Global citizen Kirsten Han always comes alive when Singapore comes under attack, not to support Singapore but to join in the attack.

We may take her seriously if she takes a flight to Myanmar to stand in front with the protestors to fight against oppression. After all, she is all for foreign interference. Otherwise she is just a keyboard warrior.

Singapore businesses in Myanmar create jobs for the people there. Boycotting Ya Kun Kaya Toast or BreadTalk will also hurt Myanmar citizens employed by these businesses.

$24 billion will be spent over the next 3 years to help workers and businesses emerge stronger.

$24 billion will be spent over the next 3 years to help workers and businesses emerge stronger.

The efforts will build on the momentum of the transformation push started five years ago, when the Industry Transformation Maps were launched.

The SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package is a key pillar in our industry transformation, to enable Singaporeans to learn and thrive, as our jobs and workplace change, and as businesses transform.

As of end last year, nearly 76,000 individuals were placed into jobs, traineeships, attachments, and skills training. Under the Jobs Growth Incentive, or JGI, an estimated 110,000 local jobseekers were collectively hired within two months from the implementation of the scheme.

Through the next phase of the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package, we have set aside the budget to support the hiring of 200,000 locals this year through the JGI, and provide up to 35,000 traineeship and training opportunities to continue to support jobseekers in upskilling and accessing employment opportunities.

The NRF will be supporting about 500 Fellowships under the new Innovation and Enterprise Fellowship Programme, or IFP, over the next five years, to meet needs in areas such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and health tech. It will work with a range of partners, including accelerators, venture capital firms and deep tech startups.

FY2020 budget deficit is a whopping $64.9 billion or 13.9% of GDP.

 

FY2020 budget deficit is a whopping $64.9 billion or 13.9% of GDP.

For FY2021, the budget position remains expansionary as the Government continues to tide Singaporeans and our businesses over this crisis with the COVID-19 Resilience Package. An overall deficit of $11 billion or 2.2% of GDP is expected.

#prudencepays #saveingoodtimes #neversquanderawaysurpluses #alwaysbepreparedforrainydays #itneverrainbutitpours #resistpopulism #leaveabettertomorrow #goodstewardship

Singapore has to act now to re-think our processes, our value proposition and how we can build a new economy: Chan Chun Sing

Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said that we are starting 2021 with cautious optimism and hopeful of some global economic recovery in the second half of the year.

However, uncertainties remains and the global rollout of vaccination is not a silver bullet.

"That is why Singapore has to act now to re-think our processes, our value proposition and how we can build a new economy by transforming ourselves, in order to seize the opportunities available amidst the crisis," he said.

"The faster we are able to do this collectively, the sooner and the better we will be able to seize the growth opportunities available and be ready for the recovery when it comes."

Our role as a business hub will changed. We will no longer be an intermediary matching supply and demand.

We will endeavour to be a business hub that cannot be easily displaced, "where we offer the services of being able to mobilise capital, aggregate talent, protect intellectual property, and provide a predictable environment for businesses to thrive, not just to serve any particular domestic market, but to serve international markets."

In crisis, there is opportunity.

"The digital world presents fresh opportunities that are up for grabs for those who are willing to try. Technology is neutral. Whoever who can master technology best will win. This applies to us and our businesses as well. So, it is not about technology per se. It is about how we position ourselves in this rapidly transforming world," Mr Chan said.

Energy will be our next challenge after water

Have confidence.

In the last 50 years, we work to overcome our water challenges. In the next 50 years, we can also solve the energy challenge. Let's work together as one united people.

Ho Ching: CEO with a big heart

 

CEO with a big heart.

Under Ms Ho, Temasek became increasingly transparent.

Despite being an exempt private company which does not need to disclose its numbers to anyone but its single shareholder (that is, the Singapore Government), Temasek started publishing its detailed annual report 16 years ago.

Anyone with time to go through a Bloomberg terminal can find out, to the nearest cent, the exact value of Temasek's investments, gains, losses and overall portfolio.

Ms Ho also ensured Temasek - and corporate Singapore - has a heart.

Using her bully pulpit, she prompted corporate Singapore to take on issues of environment, social responsibility and governance (ESG) seriously.

The establishment of Temasek Trust and Temasek Foundation as the organisation's philanthropic platforms to support public good and social causes was a clear signal to corporate Singapore, and especially the "big boys", about where their hearts should be.

Source: ST

Jamus Lim suggests that criminal records of non-violent crimes be expunged

Jamus Lim has not given much thought to his suggestion to eliminate the criminal records of non-violent offenders from public records.

As the Law and Home Affairs Minister Shanmugam pointed out, many serious crimes are non-violent in nature. Like sexual grooming, outrage of modesty, theft in dwelling and criminal breach of trust.

Can you imagine a convicted child molester unknowingly employed to work with young children because no criminal record? Or a person convicted of corruption being employed as a fund manager managing millions of dollars because he has no criminal record?

Law Minister Shanmugam said:

A few days ago, a 29 year old tutor was charged with molesting a 3-year-old during class.

If the MP’s suggestion is taken up, it means that this man can continue to work with children without employers being informed of his record. Would Singaporean parents be comfortable with this?

It also means, for example, that an offender convicted of housebreaking could be employed as a security officer in a condominium, without his employers knowing of his record.

Such an approach may not be wise.

The Government’s approach is to help offenders rehabilitate, find jobs. They have to be given second chances. But this is done in a transparent manner. (https://www.yellowribbon.gov.sg/partnership-programmes)

In his written reply to Jamus Lim, Mr Shanmugam also said: The Member can make a more detailed suggestion, if he wishes, and the Government will consider his suggestions.

Nobody likes taxes but let's have a 'tax and rebate' carbon tax

When it comes to their own proposal, WP thinks "tax and rebate" is a good thing for a laudable purpose.

AND YET, they oppose the GST hike even through it is also "tax and rebate" and even though it is for the laudable purposes of funding healthcare for an aged population and preschool for the low income.

A $6 billion package will be introduced when the GST rate is raised to cushion the increase. Most Singaporean households will get offsets to cover at least five years' worth of extra GST expenses incurred.

Those living in one- to three-room HDB flats will receive offsets amounting to about 10 years' worth of additional GST expenses.

Every adult Singaporean will get a cash payout of between $700 and $1,600 over five years, depending on their household income and dwelling type.

No good reason to oppose when the government wants to ensure that Singapore remains fundamentally financially sound for future generations and not just today.

 

Leong Mun Wai says Police cannot use TraceTogether data

Will Leong Mun Wai or Tan Cheng Bock still stick to this position if their child or grandchild is kidnapped? Will they say Police have enough tools to solve crime and they don't need TraceTogether data?

It’s not whether Police already has enough tools in their bag. It's the case of 'if an additional tool will help Police crack a crime more efficiently and speedily, why deny them the tool'? And by crimes, we are referring to serious crimes.

We have seen in recent days how unsolved murder cases have brought immense grief with no closure to the families concerned. Each crime solved brings a measure of closure.