http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/mps-businesses-hope-budget-will-address-cost-living-labour-crunch
Several MPs Channel NewsAsia spoke to said that a key concern especially amongst the sandwiched class is the cost of living in the country.
As for the elderly residents, they are concerned about healthcare costs, said the MPs.
On their part, businesses are worried about the manpower crunch and over the past month, there have been several calls to ease the tightening of the foreign worker inflow.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak, chairman of GPC for Defence and Foreign Affairs, said: “We have received feedback as to the cost of childcare, cost of education and tuition, and these add a lot of stress to young parents. On top of that, they have to take care of their elderly parents. I think the key for that is the cost of healthcare.
“So within this Budget itself, I hope there will be some consideration for, especially the young and the old, and that will help the sandwiched class a lot.”
Mr Baey Yam Keng, chairman of GPC for Culture, Community and Youth, said: “There has been some anticipation, because there has been a (budget) surplus. People know there is a surplus and people would look forward to investment in infrastructure. The gaps that we are seeing now in transport, housing, healthcare...people want to see their immediate frustrations being addressed...as well as the cost of living, these would be the key issues from residents.
The Budget Statement will be delivered in Parliament by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
Channel NewsAsia will carry a special Budget programme from 3pm today, together with Mr Tharman’s speech live.
Budget 2013 will be tabled in Parliament against the backdrop of a 1.3 per cent GDP growth for the entire 2012.
For 2013, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has forecast an economic growth of one to three percent.
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