~by: Ng Yi Shu~
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) unveiled its new Shadow Budget at its headquarters yesterday as its alternative financial policy for the year 2012.
Key principles in SDP’s alternative budget this year included alternative measures to restore security and wellbeing to Singaporeans as well as measures to transform the economy of Singapore to face new challenges in today’s world.
In SDP’s unveiling of the Shadow Budget yesterday, Vincent Wijeysingha, the principal contributor to SDP's Shadow Budget, acknowledged several measures the Government had announced, such as the permanent GST voucher scheme and the Silver Housing Bonus.
However, Dr Wijeysingha also slammed what the SDP deemed as a populist approach in this year’s Budget speech. Dr Wijeysingha and Dr Chee Soon Juan, secretary-general of the SDP, cited several examples, such as the wavering stance on foreign workers, as proof of a populist approach in recent Budgets. He added that he believed that this would not solve the problems Singapore was facing.
“Cosmetic changes should be frowned upon and fundamental changes should be made to guarantee the future,” Dr Wijeysingha said.
The SDP also repeated its call for minimum wage and proposed for a Fair Wage Commission to be created to investigate how a minimum wage could be implemented without hurting employer interests.
In addition, the SDP also proposed a Singaporean First employment policy that will “reward companies which hire Singaporeans and make it less easy to recruit from abroad.”
Other policies proposed included that of raising public assistance to half the median wage in Singapore as well as a creation of a Central Healthcare Fund, which would be partly funded at a citizen to government proportion of 1:5, to pay for citizens’ healthcare costs.
When asked how the SDP expected their alternative financial policy to be heard and implemented, Dr Wijeysingha said that alternative policy documents like the Shadow Budget will help contribute in the Budget debate as public interest is generated by media coverage of alternative policies.
The full Shadow Budget document can be found here.
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LOL! Who's adopting populist measures here???? This Shadow budget looks good for this year but wonder if there will be enough to SUSTAIN it….
Marko Ramius23 February 2012
but wonder if there will be enough to SUSTAIN it….
…………………
why not? if we demand a reductions in ther minister wages which in turn reduced the permanent secrectaries earnin and without a doubt FIRED the presidente(do we need a figurehead in the 1st place?
Even with the whole YSL saga, i think the WP still has more credibility than the SDP.
Too much baggage associated with Chee Soon Juan and how he ousted Chiam See Tong from the party he formed..
We as Singaporeans work alot on a trusted brand, clearly SDP hasnt proven itself to be trusted, how then can we look upon its "shadow budget" without any skepticism or scorn?
I look forward to WP & SPP shadow budget.
the problem is not with SDP,the problem is how bias some sgporeans are bein made to be by MSM, no less.
it is a shame we think more highly of those who mistreat us thna those ,amongst us,who are trying to serve us.
I was willing to vote in real dogs, cats and rats in the GE. So I’m willing to give SDP a fair chance. At least they bother to work out alternative proposals. It is also self-sustaining from taxes and other govt revenue, and no need to dig from reserves. Their proposal also involves 40%-50% of govt surplus going to GIC/TH and the rest going to help the people. Instaed of the 80% now going to GIC/TH for them to gamble.
HALF the median wage? I can bet you a whole bunch of Singaporeans will stop working and just rely on handouts, while the rest of us work and find our $$ doled out.
I'm more for helping out the less privileged, but I'm not in favour of turning us into a welfare state.
Great work SDP. We appreciate the effort put in. Compare to MIW who has the whole cabinet and civil service behind them – SDP with limited manpower can come up with the shadow budget with good recommendations is remarkable. We truly have talent amongst us. Thanks.
“HALF the median wage? I can bet you a whole bunch of Singaporeans will stop working and just rely on handouts, while the rest of us work and find our $$ doled out.”
They didn’t say anything about changing the qualifying criteria. So even if increase public assistance to $20K a month, not 1 in 10,000 will qualify for it.
Anyway the median wage for working Sinkies is only about $1950. Now you know the income gap in Singapore is really bad. If you include all Sinkies above 18 yrs old, then the median wage will be even lesser.
The current public assistance is about $450/month.
SDP & Chee Soon Juan is a joke. Although i dont really like PAP in recent years because of Foreign Wokers Policy. SDP & Chee Soon Juan is even worse.
Its an unrealistic budget and clearly one drawn as a wishlist without an understanding of how to implement the budget.
As an example, the $2,300 top up sounds good but in practice, no one manages household statistics (singstat does estimates). Instead 655,000+ members who earn under $20k a year will end up applying for it as individual households which will cost $6+ billion taking the median household income at the bottom 10% of $1,581 per month (likely more in some cases). Way above the allocation of $3.6 billion which also has to cover the jump in PA cases. Next, 3 member households eg son works with father and mother = cannot qualify? Too many other issues to highlight. More like a wishlist.
Who is PAYING for it?
Some magician?
No one guarantees anything these days in the age of globalisation.
Greece can have a minimum wage but she has no MONEY to pay. How?
Jobs have moved to faster and cheaper locations in China, Korea, India, etc. In ECONOMICS capital is MOBILE.
Large resource rich countries can starve off using their resources as collaterals to borow in the international market in a downturn. Singapore?
Read the shadow budget. The SB has not done enough for the poor. The surplus funds being channelled to GIC/TH should be done on better years and when times are bad the surpluses should be distributed from the bottom rung poor onwards.
But some of the schemes proposed could do more. Instead of topping up for the poor the best solution is to increase their incomes. The SDP has recommended for all government and stat board contract employees to a wage increase of abot 40%. That is applauded. The minimum wage implementation is another good idea.
wasting time, can't see day light because shadow will be gone the moment light comes around. winning a seat in parliament is still light years away for SDP. if CSJ can win a seat as MP I will drop my pants in the Padang the next morning. CSJ, want to take my challenge?
Hi SDP, well done. Pleased to realise that we have Singaporeans who can present alternatives. Bravo, my hopes are raised for the next general elections.
The Pap is not inclined to make arrangements for Singaporeans stationed overseas to vote except in a few countries. Why should we not be allowed to vote through weblinks?
For the "Employ Singaporeans 1st" suggestion, How abt factoring in th percentage of SG citisens in the company bidding for Govt projects??
I.e, if ur company ALL non-SGcitisens, ur chance of getting a govt proj isX0= Zero! if 50% then X0.5 chance. Instead of current syst which penalise the FW n marginalise SGeans
Guaranteed 100% compliance w "Employ Singaporeans 1st"
@strong medicine for strong disease
Wow you good suggestion should entitle you to a seat in the CEC of SDP, Better than TJS's idea, I like.
Than I smart Alex will have 2 companies lor, one company 100% Singaporean to bid for Govt project and another 100% foreigner to do the real work lor. Hehe
Let's hear from SPP shadow budget or whatever they call it. As usual, Lina don't keep us waiting too long.
From where did this two twits, and "pin-head economists" picked up their two-cents economic theory to challenge Minister Tharman on his budget…
How come 377A champion is not wearing any earring in this photo?
TOC sure has some funny & strange commenters.
I enjoyed the part where local SME's were given a better lift.
The Youth Fund seems interesting.
Providing a decent handout for locals who are struggling looking for a decent job seems great too.
I hope people recognise these recommendations and SDP keeps doing a good job.
the only platform for sdp and other opposition for their voices to be taken seriously by govt is through winning mp seats in parliament just like WP – sdp socalled shadow
budget is really wasting time.
SDP worked hard for an increase in healthcare spending and attention to the lower-income group. It should have claimed credit rather than pwn PAP. The end game is to win hearts/votes.
Also a Shadow Budget is a hard act for those with seats in parliament to follow. So their supporters may feel uncomfortable.
Vote SDP!
@ steven goh
without first wasting time aka as investment on your effort w/o guarantee of success, how are you going to start with any endeavour & project in mind.
look at TRE, and Reach website, posters "write in" to tell admin, to make all contributors give ic name and particulars. Well the lockdown by garmen is happening.
Firstly, SDP should create a social impact by winning their fight for repeal of 377A.
They could begin by earnestly recruiting the help of Ms. Thio Li-ann who is a highly respected human rights lawyer and an expert in constitutional laws.
For political expediency anything goes, that is what is transpiring( lah); too many Singapoerans were blind and could not see that LHL pulled a stunt to garner votes. Now, it is back to the same old refrain ….. One jarring eg suffices – never know or has anyone heard of of any nation that allows for foreigners to take up residency so very easily, worse is that of locals losing out to foreigners, all cos of cheaper wages. The repercussions are palpably horrendous – MRt, HDB and so many other aspects of socioeconomic relevancy and its negative impacts are unimaginably appalling and it is simply a consequence (or can be attributed to) of very poor and inept governance. Yes, I am being cynical and the abovementioned .. appears to be digressing ffrom budgetary ….. but every policy has a social/econmic impact and to deny or ignore it is folly.
For those who think that they deliver, yes, they do but at what costs? and off late, it is beyond belief lah, catch the drift?
SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE TO RID THE ISLAND OF STRANGERS, SLAVES, SLAVE TRADERS, THIEVES FROM MALAYSIA, CHINESE AND INDIANS ESPECIALLY,
THEN GET RID OF ALL INDIANS FROM INDIA, PRC, PINOS, BURMESE TOO, BANGLAS TOO,
OUR OWN MALAYS AND CHINESE CAN BUILT FLATS, BUT PAY THEM THE CORRECT WAGES,
NOT…………….
20-30 DOLLARS A DAY………………….
F THE MOM AND SLAVE TRADERS, BUSINESS CHEATS,
Sounds like a "Black Operation" – shadow budget…ludicruous..only people like CSJ and Vincent …..
can come up with such insane proposals.
The SDP's biggest hurdle has always been its acceptibility by voters since CSJ ursurped CST as leader and embarked on some childish theatrics. It will not make any headway whatsoever so long as the maverick CSJ is leading the party. It is a pity becaise it does have a group of good politicians who can certainly make a contribution to Singapore's democratic development. So however well stated and however well argued this Shadow Budget may be, it is really wasted effort. Sorry, that is the Hard Truth from the conservative heartland grround. Get your act right first, SDP. We wish you well.
@Fyi,
If all contributors have to give their ic numbers and particulars, then the pap ministers, MPs, members and/or supporters have to stop posting rubbish on the social media.
Not a bad thing, is it?