ECONOMY
• Kwek Hian Chuan Henry (HK): if economy worsens, will government take lead to lower rent in JTC and HDB properties
• HK: support growth of start-ups. SG-Innovate, which helps start-ups commercialise, should work with Jurong Innovation District to increase impact
• HK: extend Industry Transformation Programme to sectors without trade associations and heartland retail sector
• Dr Lee Bee Wah (LBW): strike a balance between helping businesses and making them too reliant on government
• LBW: cut red tape so grants are not creamed off by middlemen
• Louis Ng (LN): how will Budget help micro-SMEs
MANPOWER
• HK: government withstood pressure to stop increasing foreign worker levies as the economy slows down. This will help local workers, especially older Singaporeans being reskilled.
• A/P Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (FI): how will Government help locals, especially older workers, manage the economic slowdown
• LBW: when firms have to retrench, retain as many Singaporeans as possible, including in
high-income jobs
• LBW: groom more engineers, especially locals, to meet Singapore’s needs
• LN: Better collaboration between MOM and NGOs working with migrant workers
WOMEN/ FAMILIES
• LN: Increase maternity leave for single mothers
• LN: increase childcare leave and let those with more children take more leave
• LBW: Capping of tax reliefs for high-income mothers may drive them away from workforce or having more children
SOCIAL WELFARE
• LBW: If everyone asks for Silver Support, government can’t help truly needy
• LN: Coordinating office to help elders with ElderShield matters, extend Eldershield payout period past 72 months
• LBW/ LN: Ramp up supply of rental flats
• LBW: expedite flats for divorcees with children and singles
TRANSPORT
• HK: decrease COE for motorcycles by 5-15%
• LBW: more campaigns & enforcement on giving up seats on public transport
• LBW: when upgrading Khatib MRT, alleviate overcrowding, heat and make it more elderly- and disabled- friendly
• LN: move towards a car-lite city
• LN: Speed counters (like those on military vehicles) on heavy vehicles that ferry passengers
ENVIRONMENT/ ANIMALS
• LBW: community initiatives to further combat littering and second-hand smoke
• LN: what is being done to reach renewable energy goals and cut emissions
• LBW/LN: more efforts to tackle transboundary haze
• LN: Increase Electronic Waste Recycling
• LN: extend Active, Beautiful, Clean(ABC) waters programme, including to Nee Soon East
• LBW/LN: plans for flood management
• LN: Divert funding from companies that manage and cull strays to animal welfare groups
FOREIGN RELATIONS
• FI: update on relations with Malaysia and Indonesia, especially efforts to relieve Causeway congestion
• FI: update on relations with Southeast Asian neighbours with new leadership
OTHERS
• LN: consult Singaporeans for 5 months before finalizing Budget, including releasing a draft
Budget for comments
• LBW: re-design and re-build Yishun Swimming Complex