PM Lawrence Wong to deliver Budget speech on Feb 12
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will deliver the Budget 2026 speech in Parliament on Feb 12. There will be live television and radio coverage of the statement, with a link to a live webcast of the delivery available on the Singapore Budget website. The complete Budget statement will also be available online after it has been delivered, said the Ministry of Finance on Dec 29.
PM Wong, who is also the Finance Minister, is expected to address concerns such as job security and cost of living. He said on Sept 19 that government spending will increase as a share of Singapore’s gross domestic product to meet rising needs, but that the Government will maintain a balanced Budget “over the medium term”.
Over 950,000 Singaporean households to get U-Save, S&CC rebates
More than 950,000 Singaporean households in HDB flats will receive rebates for their utility and conservancy bills in January, as part of a government scheme to help with the cost of living. On Dec 30, the Ministry of Finance said eligible households will receive up to S$190 in U-Save for their utility bills, and up to half a month of rebates for their service and conservancy charges (S&CC). Both will vary depending on the household’s flat type.
To be eligible for the U-Save rebate, there must be at least one Singaporean owner or occupier in the household if the flat is partially rented or not rented out. If the entire HDB flat is rented out, there must be at least one Singaporean tenant. Households with people who own more than one property are not eligible for U-Save rebates, said the ministry.
Changi Airport’s new underground link to take passengers from future T5 to T2 in 4 minutes
Passengers at the future Changi Airport Terminal 5 (T5) can expect to reach Terminal 2 in four minutes via the airport’s new underground link. The automated people-mover system – similar to the existing Skytrain, which serves Terminals 1, 2 and 3 – will operate at a frequency of four to eight minutes. Comprising two carriages, each train will be able to hold up to about 96 passengers, or 48 per carriage, with luggage.
Some 1.7km of the three underground tunnels between T5 and T2 – spanning a total of 2.5km – were completed in October 2024. Two of the tunnels are for the people mover, while the third tunnel is for baggage. With T5 being as big as Terminals 1 to 4 combined, it will allow Changi Airport to serve 140 million passengers yearly – over 55 per cent more than its present capacity of 90 million – once it opens in the mid-2030s.
WP pledges to be constructive check on Government amid era of unprecedented disruption
Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh said his party would provide alternative ideas and act as a constructive check on the Government in the year ahead, as he reflected on the 2025 General Election that “reinforced the importance of political diversity”.
In his New Year message, Mr Singh, who is also Leader of the Opposition, said the election results are an acknowledgement by Singaporeans that a balanced political system is “not a luxury, but a requirement” for Singapore’s stability and resilience.
RELATED STORIES
28 Dec 2025 19:10
