Beyond tackling immediate concerns, Budget 2024 makes significant policy shifts to better position Singapore for the future, said Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
These include measures aimed at achieving better growth and jobs, and to equip workers for life through a very significant enhancement to SkillsFuture, he said.
Speaking during an hour-long panel discussion on the Budget on Wednesday, DPM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, reiterated that Budget 2024 rolls out the first instalment of the Forward Singapore agenda.
“There will be more to come, because you can’t do everything in one Budget. But we will continue to fine-tune, review and update our plans,” he said.
DPM Wong recapped plans he had laid out in his Feb 16 speech that included more CDC vouchers, cash payouts for the lower- and middle-income groups, as well as a corporate income tax rebate for businesses.
He also touched on the moves to strengthen safety nets and give greater assurance to families and seniors in areas such as housing, retirement and healthcare.
DPM Wong said Budget 2024 comes as dramatic changes are happening around the world, and Singapore is entering a new era that will be marked by conflict and confrontation. “We can’t do very much about that – we have to accept the world as it is,” he said.
“But Singapore can take heart that the country had navigated similar external disruptions and shocks in the past, and each time had emerged stronger than before.”
The Straits Times
