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HOLLAND-BUKIT TIMAH GRC
Government has heart, says Vivian
Various measures in place to help with rising costs, he assures voters
By Ong Hwee Hwee
THE People's Action Party (PAP) Government is a caring one which listens to the fears and concerns of Singaporeans, said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan yesterday as he made a heartfelt appeal to voters.
The anchor minister for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC explained how the Government was taking steps to tackle hot-button issues such as the growing cost of living and rising property prices.
Dr Balakrishnan, the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, also rebutted criticism that he has been 'stingy' in extending a helping hand to needy citizens.
Of the $1.9 billion allocated to the ministry in the recent Budget, about $700 million to $800 million was spent on baby bonuses, childcare and other forms of subsidies, he pointed out.
Dr Balakrishnan acknowledged at the start of his speech that the upcoming polls is 'not an easy election'.
'I think there is one key question the voters of Singapore are asking us. The question is, 'Do you care about me?'
'It is not about how smart you are or a matter of how detailed your plans are. But your heart,' he said.
'We need to remind ourselves and the voters of Singapore that we care for you and we'll look after you,' he added.
He acknowledged that the Government has to sometimes make unpopular but necessary decisions, and these were criticised by the opposition parties.
But, he said, 'the PAP Government and people are on the same side'.
'The opposition wants you to believe that we are creating problems for you, making things worse for you. It's not true.'
The Holland-Bukit Timah GRC has not been contested since its creation in 2001. But this time round, Dr Balakrishnan's four-member team - which includes incumbents Liang Eng Hwa and Christopher de Souza as well as newcomer Sim Ann - is facing contest.
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) is fielding its strongest team there, including former civil servant Tan Jee Say and psychiatrist and former army colonel Ang Yong Guan.
In his speech in Jelapang Road, Dr Balakrishnan outlined steps the Government is taking to address voters' three top concerns: growing cost of living, rising property prices and job security.
On inflation, he reiterated the PAP's argument that the prices of imported goods - from food and water to clothes - are beyond the control of the Government.
But steps have been taken to tackle the issue, he said.
A strong Singapore dollar, for instance, goes some way to mitigate the impact.
But if the SDP wins and dips into the national reserves to fund its $60 billion economic proposal, the exchange rate could fall and further push up prices, he warned.
In the meantime, the Government has also helped Singaporeans to cushion the impact of rising costs, such as rolling out the Grow and Share Package and goods and services tax (GST) rebates.
'We do this because many people need it, because we care. This is a caring government,' he said.
His ministry has also extended a helping hand to needy families, he pointed out.
'The opposition has accused me of being stingy in helping people who are less well-off. They got their figures wrong,' he said.
Since he took over as MCYS minister, he has also increased the public assistance rate to $400 from $260 per single-person household per month, he added.
While critics have said the amount is still too low, it is higher than what other countries are offering in real terms because families with children, for instance, receive additional help with school-related costs.
'The money you have, you can use it on food and clothes... If you have difficulty cooking, we even have a food scheme to deliver cooked food to you,' he said.
'This is not a stingy government.'
On the cost of housing, Dr Balakrishnan said a concern of residents was that their children might not be able to afford flats.
He gave the assurance that steps are being taken to help first-time owners afford new flats.
He pointed out that there will be 22,000 Build-to-Order flats available this year, on top of some 4,000 flats offered under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS). There are also another 4,000 executive condominiums, and many more unsold private apartments coming into the market in the next two to three years.
Referring to National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, he said: 'The message is: Please don't worry - Mr Mah will make sure there are enough flats and will help your children to buy their first flats.'
Wrapping up his speech, he urged voters not to be taken in by the 'populist measures' proposed by the opposition as they would do 'long-term harm for our children'.
The PAP, he stressed, had measures to protect people's homes, jobs and their children's future.
[email protected]
Government has heart, says Vivian
Various measures in place to help with rising costs, he assures voters
By Ong Hwee Hwee
THE People's Action Party (PAP) Government is a caring one which listens to the fears and concerns of Singaporeans, said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan yesterday as he made a heartfelt appeal to voters.
The anchor minister for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC explained how the Government was taking steps to tackle hot-button issues such as the growing cost of living and rising property prices.
Dr Balakrishnan, the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, also rebutted criticism that he has been 'stingy' in extending a helping hand to needy citizens.
Of the $1.9 billion allocated to the ministry in the recent Budget, about $700 million to $800 million was spent on baby bonuses, childcare and other forms of subsidies, he pointed out.
Dr Balakrishnan acknowledged at the start of his speech that the upcoming polls is 'not an easy election'.
'I think there is one key question the voters of Singapore are asking us. The question is, 'Do you care about me?'
'It is not about how smart you are or a matter of how detailed your plans are. But your heart,' he said.
'We need to remind ourselves and the voters of Singapore that we care for you and we'll look after you,' he added.
He acknowledged that the Government has to sometimes make unpopular but necessary decisions, and these were criticised by the opposition parties.
But, he said, 'the PAP Government and people are on the same side'.
'The opposition wants you to believe that we are creating problems for you, making things worse for you. It's not true.'
The Holland-Bukit Timah GRC has not been contested since its creation in 2001. But this time round, Dr Balakrishnan's four-member team - which includes incumbents Liang Eng Hwa and Christopher de Souza as well as newcomer Sim Ann - is facing contest.
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) is fielding its strongest team there, including former civil servant Tan Jee Say and psychiatrist and former army colonel Ang Yong Guan.
In his speech in Jelapang Road, Dr Balakrishnan outlined steps the Government is taking to address voters' three top concerns: growing cost of living, rising property prices and job security.
On inflation, he reiterated the PAP's argument that the prices of imported goods - from food and water to clothes - are beyond the control of the Government.
But steps have been taken to tackle the issue, he said.
A strong Singapore dollar, for instance, goes some way to mitigate the impact.
But if the SDP wins and dips into the national reserves to fund its $60 billion economic proposal, the exchange rate could fall and further push up prices, he warned.
In the meantime, the Government has also helped Singaporeans to cushion the impact of rising costs, such as rolling out the Grow and Share Package and goods and services tax (GST) rebates.
'We do this because many people need it, because we care. This is a caring government,' he said.
His ministry has also extended a helping hand to needy families, he pointed out.
'The opposition has accused me of being stingy in helping people who are less well-off. They got their figures wrong,' he said.
Since he took over as MCYS minister, he has also increased the public assistance rate to $400 from $260 per single-person household per month, he added.
While critics have said the amount is still too low, it is higher than what other countries are offering in real terms because families with children, for instance, receive additional help with school-related costs.
'The money you have, you can use it on food and clothes... If you have difficulty cooking, we even have a food scheme to deliver cooked food to you,' he said.
'This is not a stingy government.'
On the cost of housing, Dr Balakrishnan said a concern of residents was that their children might not be able to afford flats.
He gave the assurance that steps are being taken to help first-time owners afford new flats.
He pointed out that there will be 22,000 Build-to-Order flats available this year, on top of some 4,000 flats offered under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS). There are also another 4,000 executive condominiums, and many more unsold private apartments coming into the market in the next two to three years.
Referring to National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, he said: 'The message is: Please don't worry - Mr Mah will make sure there are enough flats and will help your children to buy their first flats.'
Wrapping up his speech, he urged voters not to be taken in by the 'populist measures' proposed by the opposition as they would do 'long-term harm for our children'.
The PAP, he stressed, had measures to protect people's homes, jobs and their children's future.
[email protected]
