[Bigiron]

Sylvia Lim questions Budget accuracy, affordability, and support for vulnerable homemakers 

Workers' Party MP Sylvia Lim has raised concerns over budget accuracy, affordability, and support for vulnerable Singaporeans in the Budget 2025 debate. She questioned the government's revenue underestimation and reliance on handouts to ease living costs. Lim also proposed mandatory spousal consent for CPF nominations to protect non-working spouses.

https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2025/02...omemakers/

[Bigiron]

Sylvia Lim Questions Budget Accuracy, Affordability, and Support for Vulnerable Homemakers
 
Source: The Online Citizen, February 26, 2025
 
Author: Not specified
 
Article Summary:
 
Theme: Workers' Party MP Sylvia Lim's critique of the Budget 2025, highlighting concerns about budget accuracy, affordability, and support for vulnerable Singaporeans, particularly non-working spouses.
 
Core Points:
 
- Budget Accuracy: Lim questioned the government's revenue underestimation and the reliance on handouts to address rising living costs. She pointed out the significant discrepancy between projected and actual revenue, particularly from corporate income tax, COEs, and GST, raising concerns about transparency and accurate forecasting.
 
- Affordability: Lim argued that affordability in Singapore is increasingly reliant on government assistance through vouchers, subsidies, and grants, suggesting that basic needs like utilities, housing, and childcare are becoming unaffordable without such aid. She questioned the long-term feasibility of this approach, citing concerns about an "endless upward spiral in prices and increased handouts."
 
- Support for Vulnerable Homemakers: Lim highlighted a policy gap in CPF nominations, where non-working spouses, often wives, could be excluded from their partner's retirement savings in the event of death. She proposed mandatory spousal consent for CPF nominations to ensure that non-working spouses are not financially vulnerable upon the death of their partner.
 
- Budget 2025: While acknowledging the broad-based benefits of Budget 2025, Lim expressed concerns about its long-term sustainability, especially as a pre-election measure. She urged the government to address the concerns she raised to ensure a more sustainable and equitable approach to budget management.
 
Phenomenon: Lim's speech highlights the growing concerns among Singaporeans about affordability and the need for greater government transparency and accountability in managing public finances. Her call for reform in CPF nominations underscores the importance of protecting the financial security of non-working spouses in the event of a partner's death.

[Ola]

They got huge budget surplus . . .

either Govt Finance bad in Math or

for the past several years, no correction was ever made