A new Bill introduced on Monday (April 5) will pave the way for the Government to pay for major national infrastructure projects through borrowing, something that has not been done since the 1990s.
The proposed Significant Infrastructure Government Loan Act (Singa) will allow the Government to borrow up to $90 billion to pay for infrastructure that will last for at least 50 years. This means the cost will be spread out over many years, with each generation that benefits bearing part of it.
Said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat in a Facebook post shortly after he tabled the draft law, which will be debated when Parliament sits next month: "Singa will allow the Government to borrow to finance nationally significant infrastructure that is critical for our long-term development.