SINGAPORE - The National Solidarity Party (NSP) has suggested that the maximum number of foreigners let in annually for the next decade should not exceed 50,000.
This is double the 23,000 births required to hit the 60,000 babies needed each year to replace the Republic's population, said secretary-general Hazel Poa in the party's response to the Government's Budget announced on Friday.
Ms Poa said it is difficult to assess whether the proposed expansion in capacity for buses and hospitals, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam, is adequate because there is "an absence of a population plan for Singapore".
This was one of three areas the NSP felt was "inadequately addressed" in what it described as an otherwise "well-balanced Budget, (that was) hard-nosed in some areas and compassionate in others".
The NSP also said that while there were measures to take better care of older Singaporeans, it was "very disappointing" that there were none announced to address the problem of the falling total fertility rate (TFR).
"Our falling TFR is by far one of the most important issues facing the Government. For a "Budget for our future", it is very disappointing that the budget statement failed to mention any initiatives to continue battling this problem," she said. "We hope that Parliament will debate over this matter and develop fiscally supportable proposals in the coming days."
The third suggestion was for greater flexibility in the withdrawal of Central Provident Fund (CPF) for certain groups of older Singaporeans. For example, someone who was over 55, unemployed and diagnosed with a terminal illness like cancer, could be allowed to use the money in their CPF for treatment.
"The gradual raising of the CPF withdrawal age has created real difficulties for some Singaporeans who really need their money that is sitting in the CPF account," said Ms Poa. "While we agree with the general principle that people need to save up for their retirement, there are always circumstances when departing from the principle is the sensible thing to do."
The NSP also repeated its proposal of allowing more bus operators into the market to spur competition, as well as bring in added capital and capacity.
"This will make it unnecessary for taxpayers to foot the full S$1.1 billion bill to increase the bus capacity of private bus operators," she said.
SPP's response
Like the NSP, the Singapore People's Party (SPP) also welcomed the proposed further curbs on foreign labour, which had caused businesses some degree of concern.
SPP chairman Lina Chiam agreed with the Government's stance that "the flood of cheap foreign labour had provided Singapore an unsustainable economic model".
"The effect of foreign labour is akin to the use of performance-enhancement drugs in sports. Growth of the economy is our end goal," said Mrs Chiam, who is a Non-Constituency MP. "Sustainable economic growth that brings about prosperity of existing Singaporeans should be the key measure of our economic performance."
She added though, that the People's Action Party has to "think out of the box for more creative solutions to enhance productivity in our industries during this tough economic year".
Conditions must be conducive for Small and Medium Enterprises to grow alongside the multinational corporations the Trade and Industry Ministry brings in, said Mrs Chiam, who noted the recent complaints about labour, cost of doing business, and industrial rental rates.
"The Government should be publicly accountable for each of these issues that dampen the entrepreneurial abilities of local businesses," she added.
The NSP, said the quota cuts "underscores the fact that the Government has heard the electorate and taken steps to address some of their concerns".
Both parties also welcomed the slew of other measures Mr Tharman announced that were aimed at helping the elderly and low-income.
SDP's response
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), meanwhile, felt this year's Budget was "nothing new". "Without significant re-allocation of our expenditure, our economy will continue to remain unstable and prone to wild swings," said SDP treasurer Vincent Wijeysingha.
"As a result, Singaporeans will continue to hurt and their socio-economic problems will not be addressed."
The SDP said it will present its Shadow Budget tomorrow.
The Workers' Party has reserved comments on the Budget, while the Reform Party did not respond by press time. Teo Xuanwei
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120219-0000023/Opposition-parties-weigh-in-on-Budget-measures
