Pleasant Budget Surprise

[aurvandil]

Based on the Hansard, Lee Kuan Yew and the following PAP heavyweights did not vote on the White Paper. This would explain why Inderjit Singh suddenly became a Bengal tiger.

http://160.96.186.106/search/report.jsp?currentPubID=00078672-WA

Mr Lee Kuan Yew (MP, Tanjong Pagar GRC)
Dr Chia Shi-Lu (MP, Tangong Pagar GRC)
Ms Indranee Rajah (MP, Tanjong Pagar GRC)
Mr Inderjit Singh (MP, Ang Mo Kio GRC)
Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat (MP, East Coast GRC)
Dr Ng Eng Hen (Minister for Defence, Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC)
Ms Tan Su Shan (NMP)
Mr Alvin Yeo (MP, Chua Chu Kang GRC)

Agree to some extent it is one of the more populist budgets in a long time, but as Aurvandil correctly pointed out, the 6.9 million thing overshadows everything else.

 

[enterprise2]

Based on the Hansard, Lee Kuan Yew and the following PAP heavyweights did not vote on the White Paper.

http://160.96.186.106/search/report.jsp?currentPubID=00078672-WA

Mr Lee Kuan Yew (MP, Tanjong Pagar GRC)
Dr Chia Shi-Lu (MP, Tangong Pagar GRC)
Ms Indranee Rajah (MP, Tanjong Pagar GRC)
Mr Inderjit Singh (MP, Ang Mo Kio GRC)
Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat (MP, East Coast GRC)
Dr Ng Eng Hen (Minister for Defence, Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC)
Ms Tan Su Shan (NMP)
Mr Alvin Yeo (MP, Chua Chu Kang GRC)

Friend! He can hardly walk!! Give him a break!

 

[aurvandil]

What about the Minister and the other MPs? What's their excuse?
I wouldn't be surprised if the latest health scare was to cover that he did not vote for the White Paper.

Low Thia Kiang call for a division to the motion which captured this result is looking more and more than just a simple call for the record.

Friend! He can hardly walk!! Give him a break!

 

[scroobal]

This budget is the first indication by the PAP that they think that something is wrong. I agree with Locke that we have thank the voters of Aljunied and the 2 BEs. The white Paper was an insult. It is also inter-ministry rivalry that is in play. Two distinct and different approaches. Subsidising promotional increases was a curved ball.

Also note that it is to prepare the ground for 2016.


I also agree that white paper is still an open issue, a festering wound, made worse by voting for it.

 

[enterprise2]

This budget is the first indication by the PAP that they think that something is wrong. I agree with Locke that we have thank the voters of Aljunied and the 2 BEs. The white Paper was an insult. It is also inter-ministry rivalry that is in play. Two distinct and different approaches. Subsidising promotional increases was a curved ball.

Also note that it is to prepare the ground for 2016.


I also agree that white paper is still an open issue, a festering wound, made worse by voting for it.

Yeah!! This slapping really works!

 

[kingrant]

You are right! It is 40% co-funding by govt, not 60%. I stand corrected. The logic stays.

Actually the bigger joke is that at first the SME boss intended to give $10 increment to his staff. Now he only need to give $4/- and the $6/ he can use to chiong!!
(is the gahment funding 40% or 60%...can't remember...anyway can use the same logic to apply!)

 

[kingrant]

Yeah!! This slapping really works!

They still have a long way to go when it comes to listening and learning. Note at first Grace Fu trashed the WP white paper, but now, she says the govt is studying it.

 

[aurvandil]

VW got in a good one in his SDP Press release.

http://sammyboy.com/showthread.php?146245-SDP-s-response-to-Budget-2013

The SDP also welcomes the Finance Minister's attempt to control the inflow of migrant workers by raising the foreign workers levy for 2014 and 2015. This is consistent with the previous Budget.

However, the fact the Government intends to continue to increase the intake of foreign workers by an average of 100,000 per year until 6 million in 2020 as announced in its recently published White Paper, the increase in the levy serves little purpose. Against such a backdrop, raising the levy only increases the cost of doing business without affecting our dependence on foreign workers.

This budget is the first indication by the PAP that they think that something is wrong. I agree with Locke that we have thank the voters of Aljunied and the 2 BEs. The white Paper was an insult. It is also inter-ministry rivalry that is in play. Two distinct and different approaches. Subsidising promotional increases was a curved ball.

Also note that it is to prepare the ground for 2016.


I also agree that white paper is still an open issue, a festering wound, made worse by voting for it.

 

[Fook Seng]

VW got in a good one in his SDP Press release.
The SDP also welcomes the Finance Minister's attempt to control the inflow of migrant workers by raising the foreign workers levy for 2014 and 2015. This is consistent with the previous Budget.

However, the fact the Government intends to continue to increase the intake of foreign workers by an average of 100,000 per year until 6 million in 2020 as announced in its recently published White Paper, the increase in the levy serves little purpose. Against such a backdrop, raising the levy only increases the cost of doing business without affecting our dependence on foreign workers.

Maybe to vote on the White Paper was to save face. To implement the WP proposal is to save the party.

 

[Summerbee]

Looks like this Minister was listening. Go thru the link below

http://www.singaporebudget.gov.sg/budget_2013/key_initiatives/business1.html#s2

By June 2015, much of the impact will be felt and the following year will be 2016.

Pity those who have been depending on cheap labour. Note the dramatic increase in property tax for top end. Note the reduction in dependency ratios. Note the the WCS, productivity incentives etc etc.

Looks like MOF outperformed PMO by a factor of 10.

Ps. Sadly, the humble beedie and its close cousin the Ang Hoon will have the tax rates hiked by 25%. The beedie for the uninitiated was the tobacco of choice behind the guard house at the Istana.

I don't see how this budget make Tharman or MOF any better than PMO. Looks more like a MOM paper than a MOF's budget, manpower policy is strictly not a budgetary matter.

I am surprised Tharman felt 67000 net foreign worker inflow in 2012 was high, given that he himself was the manpower minister most of the time after GE2011.

There was a huge media playout on how employers were suffering under the 'tight labour control' both pre- and post- budget. However, those were more show than substance. There was no tight labour controls at all, those measures were minor tweaks to be implemented over a long period, same for the previous announcements.

Net foreign workers continued to increase in 2012 depsite only 1.3% GDP growth. Skilled FTs were totally left out of any tightening. Employers are not facing a survival issue, more like not growing more profits, like shouting for insufficient foreign workers to operate they 5th, 6th or 7th outlets.

There is no fundamental change in PAP direction, I don't even see anything on raising TFR, just minor tweaks, still import to grow model.

 

[neddy]

They still have a long way to go when it comes to listening and learning. Note at first Grace Fu trashed the WP white paper, but now, she says the govt is studying it.

Learn to eat humble pie, and re-learn how to serve the people.

 

[Dreamer1]

Looks like this Minister was listening. Go thru the link below

http://www.singaporebudget.gov.sg/budget_2013/key_initiatives/business1.html#s2

By June 2015, much of the impact will be felt and the following year will be 2016.

Pity those who have been depending on cheap labour. Note the dramatic increase in property tax for top end. Note the reduction in dependency ratios. Note the the WCS, productivity incentives etc etc.

Looks like MOF outperformed PMO by a factor of 10.

Ps. Sadly, the humble beedie and its close cousin the Ang Hoon will have the tax rates hiked by 25%. The beedie for the uninitiated was the tobacco of choice behind the guard house at the Istana.

Brother Scroobal,thank you for the good news,I did n't follow at all as I have given up.These seem to be Good news but who knows,the question is whether PAP has changed for the better?but from the way they handled General Yam,not yet!