SINGAPORE - Social issues, employment
matters and the economy were among Singaporeans' list of top concerns, said
REACH after it conducted the Pre-Budget 2012 Feedback Exercise.
The government feedback arm received over
1,800 inputs from members of the public over the period of Nov 16, 2011 to Feb
5, 2012.
It received 38 per cent more feedback this
year than the last.
Social issues such as the rising cost of
living, promoting family life and strengthening social safety nets made up 24
per cent of inputs.
13 per cent of feedback was centred on
employment; while 10 per cent raised concerns about the economy.
Contributors called for more measures to curb
the rising costs of basic necessities and essential services like utilities,
transport and healthcare, and to improve the standard of living for the
low-income and sandwiched middle-income groups.
To boost Singapore's birth rate and make
raising families in Singapore more affordable, they requested for more measures
such as cash incentives, additional paternity and childcare leave, more
subsidised childcare facilities and waiver of the foreign domestic worker levy.
On supporting the elderly, they requested for
more aid like transport and medical subsidies to help elderly Singaporeans cope
with escalating costs, as well as measures to address elder care needs.
Many also called for more funds to be
channelled towards helping the less fortunate in Singapore.
There is also a call for greater efforts to
develop local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), promote entrepreneurship and
strengthen Singapore's business infrastructure so as to encourage more business
start-ups to enhance Singapore's economic growth.
Others requested for more measures, such as
corporate tax rebates and lower office rentals, to help local businesses cope
with the economic slowdown and rising business costs.
Contributors also urge the Government to
create more jobs for citizens and help companies keep existing jobs during the
economic slowdown.
They want
the quantum and income limit for Workfare incentives to be raised and
transitional schemes to be introduced to tide citizens over a short period of
unemployment.
Some also requested for more to be done to
encourage companies to hire and develop Singaporeans by providing training
schemes and subsidies to improve the competitiveness of the local workforce.
And instead of relying on low-cost labour, they want more initiatives to raise
productivity.
Besides these top issues, REACH has received
feedback and suggestions on other topics such as housing, healthcare, education
and transport.
AsiaOne
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