Jamus Lim gets called out for blatant lying

 

Singaporeans are enjoying the best in the world while paying low taxes

And this is so true. Our income taxes are among the lowest in the world and yet, we are enjoying - easily - the best in the world.

We don't have to worry about water.

Primary and secondary education is free because each child gets an annual edusave amount that can be used to pay for miscellaneous fees.

People who have gone through the public healthcare system know that it is highly subsidised and affordable.

Our publics transport is among the top in the world with fares among the lowest in developed countries. By 2030, everyone lives within 10-min of an MRT station.

Our CPF fund is among the top pension funds in the world and Singaporeans now recognise how great it is as they voluntarily top up their CPF accounts.

Our public housing is like no other in the world because the government took it upon themselves to upgrade our flats 2 times (at 30th and 60th year) to keep them in liveable conditions.

Half of working Singaporeans enjoy all this and more without paying any income tax. 80% of the other half enjoy all of this paying less than 4% income tax.

Paying among the lowest income tax in the world to enjoy (among) the best in the world. 

How much does Singaporeans pay in personal income tax?

I am not a lawyer but I speak from facts, so I stand on solid ground.

Half of Singaporean workers do not even pay any income tax. Of the other half, 80% of them pay an effective tax rate of less than 4%.

How is that remotely close to 'beggaring the taxpayers'?

What is being (deliberately?) ignored by all who oppose the GSTis the fact of the Permanent Enhanced GST Voucher Scheme which reduces the effective GST rate for the bottom 30% of households to less than 3%.

This is a permanent scheme that costs at least $1 billion annually.

Some people ask: where did surplus go? Some of it goes to top up the GST Voucher Scheme to give back to Singaporeans.

The GST Voucher Scheme makes GST a multi-tiered system based on income. It ensures that those who pay less are truly those who have less.

The PAP has the political courage to do what is unpopular in order to ensure that social programmes are sustainable.

Endemic income equality problems?

The Government is taking a holistic, multi-ministry, multi-agency approach to help uplift families and children from the vulnerable groups.

This approach is taken because the problems faced by these families are complex. Complex problems do not have a simple solution. This approach is also resource-intensive but produces better outcomes.

How about we match our concern not with words but with actions? The GST hike will make resources available to help vulnerable people and narrow income gap.

Assurance Package.

The cry is: Delay the GST hike because there is inflation.

The Assurance Package does that. It delays it by 5 years for majority of people.

Now you've got your wish and you call it some kind of gimmick on an election basis? Come on lah.

By the way, the Assurance Package was announced during the previous term of government, not during this term.

This lawyer asked for his comment to be shot down. His wish is granted.

The effective GST rate for the bottom 30% of households is less than 3% after factoring in the GST voucher scheme.

You read correctly. The effective GST rate for the bottom 30% of households is less than 3% after factoring in the GST voucher scheme.

The full impact of the GST will be borne largely by higher-income households, as well as tourists, and foreigners who are based here. This is also the group that contributes the biggest share (70%) to net GST revenues from households and individuals.

𝟑𝟎% 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐒𝐓 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝟖𝟎% 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬. They include households earning good incomes.

In other words, 80% of households contributed around $1.7 billion in net GST revenue while tourists, foreigners and top 20% households contributed to $4 billion (2018 and 2019 data).

The Government gives $1 billion annually in GST Vouchers to lower and lower-middle income households.

Data in this post are data given in Parliament speeches and replies to MPs' questions.

Tourists and foreigners living in Singapore contribute to 50% of net GST revenue

Come, let us reason together.

50% of NET GST collected (after tourist refunds) is from tourists and foreigners living here. Another 20% is paid by the top 20% of households. (Data provided in Parliament).

This means 𝟑𝟎% 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐒𝐓 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝟖𝟎% 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 including people earning sufficiently good income.

Someone asked in Parliament if it is worth collecting 50% of the NET GST from tourists and foreigners living here because Singaporeans earning 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 are also affected by inflation.

The question that should be asked is: is it smart to give up more than $3 billion (after hike) you can collect from tourists and foreigners yearly, and lay it all on Singaporeans when you don't have to?

Inflation affects everyone.

If you are earning a sufficiently good income of $10k or $16k, you should be able to bear it with some adjustments and not expect to be totally shielded from it.

The rich are already being taxed more. In fact, the top 20% households, together with tourists and foreigners, account for around $4 billion of NET GST in 2019.

As you can see from data, GST is mainly borne by tourists, foreigners and top income earners.