- Lie 1: “Public expenditures is increasing”
- Lie 2: “Tax must increase”
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There will be no new deputy prime ministers (DPMs) in the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, and
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his successor will only be known after the next General Election.
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4G leadership as a team will become even more important than just choosing a 4G leader.
- Chan Chun Sing
How to fund spending on elderly - higher taxes or tap national reserves? Singaporeans divided
Two in five survey respondents said they were not comfortable with higher taxes and would rather tap reserves, while a slightly lower proportion - 34 per cent - indicated the opposite.
PUBLISHEDJAN 18, 2018, 2:00 PM SGT
Yasmine YahyaSenior Political Correspondent
SINGAPORE - Are you willing to pay more taxes to fund higher social spending on the elderly? Or should the national reserves be tapped instead?
If that seems a conundrum to you, you are not alone - a new survey by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) has found that Singaporeans are divided on the issue.
Two in five respondents - or 40 per cent - said they were not comfortable with higher taxes and would rather tap reserves, while a slightly lower proportion - 34 per cent - indicated the opposite. The remainder were neutral.
In particular, those aged 45 to 64 - sometimes called the “sandwiched generation” - are most likely to frown on higher taxes.
The tension is reflected in responses to other questions in the survey. One question found that 41 per cent believe each generation should take care of itself, without the need to be supported by other generations. An almost equal proportion - 38 per cent - disagreed.
Respondents were also asked if net investment returns should be used to fund spending for the current generation, thus decreasing the amount reserved for future generations. A higher proportion of respondents - 37 per cent - said yes, versus 26 per cent who said no.
Currently, half of these returns from investing national reserves can be spent on current needs.
The study delves into the subject of “intergenerational solidarity”, which is particularly important today as Singapore grapples with how to fund social spending for an ageing population, the IPS noted in its report.
“There is a tension between self-reliance and a sense of community. I think the results actually show that we can’t decide whether we should take care of ourselves or if we should care for other generations,” said IPS senior research fellow Christopher Gee - one of the study’s authors - at a media briefing on the survey on Thursday (Jan 18).
continue reading here :
http://www.straitstimes.com/politics...oreans-divided
When the US reduces its tax rates it is putting more money back into American workers for them to spend . Here the PAP government is going to increase tax and hence Singaporeans will be overburden and will have lesser spending power . When they have lesser spending power your domestic economy will drop . More of your Singaporean voters will be unhappy . Think about that .
STR helps to spread awareness of Budget 2018
January 26, 2018
States Times Review would like to help the Ministry of Finance to raise awareness for the coming Budget which will be delivered on Feb 19. Like other social media “influencers”, STR has a 42K followers with average article likes and comments at 350 – surpassing Mothership, Independent, and other government fake news websites. It is hence our duty to help spread awareness about the Budget, and reach out to Singaporeans to understand the real issues.
Like all government-led proposals, it is prudent to exercise caution and question the actual intent behind the actual, and often unspoken, message. For a start, the Budget 2018 has been built on imaginary boundaries spun by fake news like Straits Times and business lobbyists who only have tax cuts in their mind:
Sure they are of course, but the first question to ask is show us the accounting books. Only the silly will take Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s words as the noble truth. By far, there has been no figures to prove that government expenditures are not being adequately funded by existing tax revenues and investment returns from the national reserves. There is no accounting book, no balance sheet, and absolutely nothing to justify that more tax revenues is required. For a start, we don’t even know how much investment returns or even how much national reserves are there with Temasek Holdings and GIC in the first place. The government is showing only one column of the Profit and Loss statement, how much is the deficit/profit, nobody knows.
Everyone has been taken for a ride here because taxes have already increase. For readers who do not follow States Times Review, read here, here, here, here, here and here for a few of the increases already implemented in 2017. Budget 2018 actually intends to increase more taxes, more notably the existing 7% GST, new Carbon Tax, new Sugar Tax (remember Lee Hsien Loong talked about diabetes?), new online purchase tax and possibly a few other new taxes in their sleeves.
A recent forum where 40 energy companies voiced out in protest questioning Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli is the perfect example: when questioned what are the emission reduction benchmarks for the Carbon Tax, the Minister literally said he doesn’t know. The same question can be applied for the Sugar Tax. In short, the government just want to collect more money and doesn’t even bother with the reason.
continue reading here :
No new deputy prime ministers expected to be appointed after the Budget: PM Lee
By Afifah Ariffin @AfifahCNA
26 Jan 2018 05:00PM (Updated: 26 Jan 2018 08:11PM)
NEW DELHI: A Cabinet reshuffle – which is set to take place sometime after the Budget in February – will be a “significant step in exposing and building the new team of leaders”, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, speaking to reporters at the end of this trip to New Delhi for the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit on Friday (Jan 26).
However, Mr Lee is “not expecting to have new deputy prime ministers after the Budget".
Mr Lee’s comments follow a Facebook post by Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong which said that having the People’s Action Party’s fourth generation leadership in place and settled is an “urgent challenge” in 2018. Mr Goh added that he hoped the current cohort of younger officeholders would identify a leader from amongst themselves in six to nine months.
Mr Lee said that he would not be able to say for certain if they would be able to choose a leader in that time frame, but is confident that “it would be done in good time".
Mr Lee also said that Mr Goh was “speaking with the privilege of watching things”, rather than being responsible for making them happen.
He pointed out that the younger officeholders are aware that he would like to handover his duties to his successor soon after the next General Election.
Read more at
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...huffle-9899614
Looks like even PM also have problem selecting the next deputy PM . Does that mean the front 3 men are not up to standard ? By the way when will Lau Goh retire ?
PM Lee: I’d like to hand over to a successor after the next election
He said his own assessment is that leadership transition will take a while.
By Belmont Lay | 2 hours
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke to reporters on Jan. 26, 2018 about Singapore’s 4G leadership transition while in India to participate in the Asean-India Commemorative Summit.
PM Lee made clear two things: There will be no new deputy prime ministers in the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle and his successor will be known after the next General Election.
This is his interview in full, with important portions highlighted:
Reporter: He suggested a six- to nine-month timeline for the 16 4G ministers to come up with a leader of their own. What are your thoughts on this?
PM Lee: Well, ESM is speaking with the privilege of watching things rather than being responsible to make it happen. I think we know it is a very serious matter, it’s a pressing issue, as the younger ministers have already said in their statement. They know my timetable. After the next election, earlier rather than later, I would like to hand over to a successor.
I think that the team is taking shape. The dynamics amongst them, they’re working it out. They are learning to work together and also they need a bit of time for Singaporeans to get a feel of them, not just be known as public figures, but to be responsible for significant policies and making significant policies, to carrying them to justifying them, defending them, adapting them and making them work. And showing that they deserve to lead. And I think that will be done in good time, as they say, I would not be able to say for certain that it would be settled in the the next six to nine months but it will have to be done in good time. I’m confident it will be.
Reporter: PM Lee, if it is settled within the next six to nine months, are you prepared to designate this person as the next PM publicly by this year or would you…?
PM Lee: When we settle, everybody will know. But my assessment is that it will probably take a little longer. We’re going to do a reshuffle after the Budget, which will be a significant step and exposing and building the new team. And putting them into different portfolios. Successor designation will depend on the dynamics. I would not say that is imminent.
continue reading here :
Winners & non-winners of PM Lee’s first statement on leadership succession speculation
Okay, some clarity from PM Lee.
By Martino Tan | 12 mins
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke to reporters on Friday (Jan. 26) about Singapore’s 4G leadership transition while in India to participate in the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit.
He made clear three things:
What’s still unclear, though, is what this clear signal of a longer timeline for the next PM means for the political leaders involved.
One thing we can initially conclude, though, is that a longer timeline will suit everyone — everyone’s a winner! — as they have more time to be mentored by PM Lee, as well as DPMs Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
But without further ado, we bring you:
The winners
PM Lee: I’d like to hand over to a successor after the next election
He said his own assessment is that leadership transition will take a while.
PM Lee: No new DPMs in upcoming Cabinet reshuffle
On the three front-runners for PM, PM Lee said that he thought they are all good ministers.
Chan, 48, is likely to be given the opportunity to helm a heavyweight portfolio after the Cabinet reshuffle, which PM Lee says will be happening after this year’s Budget in February.
Currently, Chan is the Labour Chief and does not oversee any Ministry.
In the event that does occur, Chan will emerge looking pretty good from this — he’ll have the experience of running two different ministries (his first was Community Development, Youth and Sports, which was later restructured as Ministry of Social and Family Development) as well as the very valuable time he’s already been spending rallying support and understanding the labour movement and the People’s Association.
continue reading here :
The great 4G non-controversy
Sense And Nonsense - by Tan Bah Bah
January 28, 2018
Besides slanted news generated by the mainstream media and fake news in general, Singaporeans have to be aware of fake controversy. A kind of kite-flying exercise meant to test the waters – for whatever purpose.
The last couple of weeks’ mini-preoccupation with the issue of settling on the next Prime Minister sounds like fake controversy.
In April last year, PM Lee Hsien Loong spoke about impending Cabinet changes this year after the Budget in February. Coupled that with a much earlier public statement that he intended to step down after the next general election which must be held by January 2021, Singaporeans could not be blamed for thinking he was going to announce or at least indicate who of the 4G frontrunners would be THE real frontrunner. He has just said he is not.
Bear in mind that there was no groundswell or any kind of pressure from anyone to force the issue, as far as the public is concerned.
Firstly, this has always been an internal Cabinet/party matter. We do not vote the political leader, unlike in the American presidential system. We vote for the party which will then choose its own Prime Minister, meaning, ultimately in the Singapore context, it could be the incumbent PM who could have a lot of influence and say, never mind who party cadres have in mind.
In retrospect, Lee Kuan Yew tried to distance himself from the final selection of Goh Chok Tong as PM because his son, Hsien Loong, would later be in the running to be the post-Goh PM and the senior Lee would rather, at least technically, “recuse” himself and let the party decide, to set the right tone. His charisma, clout and contribution notwithstanding. Proper protocol is the phrase.
Secondly, there is really no polite way to say it, to explain the lack of excitement. None of the touted 4G “favourites” has shown enough to be PM material. As yet. There has only been muted interest in any of the trio and, as a consequence, who among them will be the next PM.
Ong Ye Kung, who has subtly though not totally ruled himself out, is still new. Plus he has to erase his baggage of having been part of the losing People’s Action Party team in the Aljunied GRC in GE2011. Chan Chun Sing has not carried any GRC on his own. Heng Swee Keat’s health continues to be a concern. Also, his performance in delivering a speech at an NDP Rally was generally perceived to be lacklustre.
continue reading here :
Singaporeans will lose their freedom to criticise government
January 28, 2018
Getting angry over train breakdowns or increasing taxes?
Criticise the government online now while you can because Law Minister K Shanmugam has in his sleeve to ban criticisms. The setup is ready, the Select Committee is ready, the Parliament is ready and all they need is sending the police officers to arrest the first “monkey” who probably wrote that K Shanmugam is a treacherous snake. It is just a matter of time Singapore becomes totalitarian as Lee Hsien Loong badly wanted a legacy like his father. Lee Hsien Loong wants people to cry louder at his funeral like his father did, and he also wants his son Li Hongyi to be the next Prime Minister.
You can’t call them “corrupted” for drawing the world’s highest salaries, you can’t punish them because they control even the judiciary and the President, and neither can you vote them out because the election laws are written in their favour or maybe the election result is a fraud. Temasek Holdings can lose billions of CPF money or even one day they decided to not return your CPF. So what redress does Singaporeans have against the ruling party PAP? Truthfully speaking, none.
The lack of avenues to feedback negatively resulted in the loss of respect for the Ministers and these are apparently giving them headaches. They can’t rest well knowing that there are a thousand commentators behind their back badmouthing their every move, and the issue is they are getting desperate – or desperate enough to pay “social media influencers” S$1,000 each to praise them.
As of now, disrespecting a Minister is still legal, until Lee Hsien Loong one day decided he had enough and extend the lese majesty law (a law making it a crime to insult the monarchy). Yes you heard me right: extend. Do you know that insulting Lee Kuan Yew warrants a jail sentence under a new law written in 2016?
◾The name or image or likeness of Mr Lee should be accorded dignity and respect.
Even at official-demarcated rallies like at the Nomination centres, do you know that you will also be arrested for “public nuisance”?
continue reading here :
Good for 4G ministers not to be constrained by ‘artificial deadline’ to select leader: Ong Ye Kung
Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung is regarded by observers as one of the three front runners to be Singapore’s next prime minister.
PUBLISHED 9 HOURS AGOUPDATED 2 HOURS AGO
SINGAPORE - It is good that the fourth generation ministers are not constrained by an “artificial deadline” to select Singapore’s next prime minister, said Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung on Sunday (Jan 28).
Mr Ong was responding to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s remarks last Friday that it will probably take a little bit longer for the younger ministers to choose a leader than the six to nine month timeline suggested by Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM) Goh Chok Tong.
“It is good not to be constrained by six or nine months. We do need time to work together, know each other well, and amongst us, I’m sure a leader will emerge in good time,” said Mr Ong, who spoke to the media at a community event.
“I think the PM has made it quite clear. Don’t get constrained by an artificial deadline,” he added.
PM Lee had said that no new deputy prime ministers will be appointed at the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, which suggests no clear front runners will be made known to the public even after the reshuffle.
The issue of leadership succession came to the fore when ESM Goh said last December that he hoped the younger ministers will choose their leader in the first six to nine months of this year, and that this person can be made PM-designate within 2018.
To this, PM Lee said last week: “My assessment is, it probably will take a little bit longer.
continue reading here :
Minister Ong Ye Kung: We need more time to know each other well
January 28, 2018
Distancing himself from Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung yesterday (Jan 28) told state media reporters that he support Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s comments to give more time to select a new PM. Minister Ong Ye Kung, who has been in the Cabinet for the past 2 years, echoed the PM saying that the ministers need more time to know each other:
“It is good that Singapore leaders are not constrained by an artificial deadline when choosing the next prime minister from among the country’s younger ministers. PM has said that it will need a while longer. I think it’s useful. As our younger-generation ministers have said, we would select somebody to be the leader among us in good time. So I think it’s good not to be constrained by six or nine months. We still need time to work together, know each other well and, among us, I’m sure a leader will emerge.”
Minister Ong Ye Kung, who shares half the Education Ministry with Education Minister Ng Chee Meng, is one of the three short-listed candidates alongside Minister Chan Chun Sing and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat.
continue reading here :
http://statestimesreview.com/2018/01...ch-other-well/
I wonder if it is time for Lau Goh to retire ?
Ong Ye Kung agrees with PM’s take, first to comment on longer leadership succession timeline
4th PM akan datang.
By Martino Tan | 5 hours
Minister Ong Ye Kung is the first among the three potential successors to break the ice.
So far, he is the only one who has commented on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s remarks about leadership succession, which were made on Jan. 26, 2018.
Artificial deadline
On Sunday, the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) and the Second Minister for Defence, told Channel NewsAsia and Today that he thought it was good not to be constrained by the “artificial deadline” of six or nine months to choose the next PM.
Ong was speaking to the media on the sidelines of an annual event by the North West Community Development Council, where Ong met low-income families at Sembawang GRC, as he is the MP there.
Fellow PM contender 4G Minister Chan Chun Sing was away overseas in Switzerland to represent Singapore at the World Economic Forum.
Interestingly, Chan had an exclusive interview with The Sunday Times, where he spoke to the editor-in-chief about leaders and leadership.
ST reported Chan’s comments on how leaders must deliver results to build trust, but there was no mention of Chan’s first reactions to Singapore’s leadership succession.
Very majestic.
“We still need time to work together, know each other well”
This was what Ong told CNA:
“PM has said that it will need a while longer. I think it’s useful. As our younger-generation ministers have said, we would select somebody to be the leader among us in good time… So I think it’s good not to be constrained by six or nine months. We still need time to work together, know each other well and, among us, I’m sure a leader will emerge.”
Like PM Lee, Ong also urged patience:
“I think the PM has made it quite clear. Don’t get constrained by an artificial deadline. We will work amongst ourselves and someone will emerge in good time.”
Ong already had a candidate in mind
Previously, in an interview with The Straits Times on Jan. 4, Ong revealed that he already has someone in mind and said it is not him.
“I am shaping up in my mind someone who can be the leader amongst us. I am sure my colleagues are thinking of the same issue too.”
Six to nine months was the time frame for leadership succession that was suggested by Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in his Facebook post on New Year’s eve.
Guess Ong now has more than nine months to reconsider the decision.
continue reading here :
https://mothership.sg/2018/01/ong-ye...ip-succession/
They will only select someone who shared the same views and who are obedient .