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VERBAL SPARRING
Towards the end of the session, a heated exchange ensued between Ms Fu and the WP's Associate Professor Lim, over the amount of carbon tax to be imposed on firms.
Assoc Prof Lim suggested to allow the carbon tax to vary over time and adapt the rate to the state of the economy, rather than impose a steady increase as the Government suggested.
“Following standard principles of stabilisation policy, such an optimal tax would strike a balance between safeguarding the economy and jobs, while protecting the environment," he said.
"If the economy is in a recession … the tax would be scaled back. In contrast, if the economy is expanding strongly, it should be able to bear a stiffer increase in the carbon tax rate."
He suggested that a carbon tax ranging from S$58 to S$133 would be more “tenable”, compared to the Government’s S$50 and S$80 per tonne by 2030.
Ms Fu asked how Assoc Prof Lim arrived at his proposed range without knowing economic circumstances in the future.
During their exchange, Ms Fu interrupted Associate Professor Lim, prompting Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh (WP-Aljunied) to raise his hand and say: “Point of order, Mr Speaker. I understand that when a member asks a question, the other member sits down; question is answered, vice versa. There is some decorum between both parties." Ms Fu apologised.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sin...sed-parliament-wps-proposals-rejected-3053876
