PM Lee, will GST increase after GE?

[nFn]

PM Lee, will GST increase after GE?
By Neo Chai Chin, TODAY | Posted: 13 April 2011 0721 hrs
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stori...122450/1/.html

SINGAPORE: There is unlikely to be any hike in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate if the government budgets remain prudent and the economy continues to grow, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Tuesday.

Mr Lee was responding to a question posed by a viewer during Channel NewsAsia's Question Time With The Prime Minister, who had asked if the GST rate of seven per cent would be raised after the coming General Election, as was the case in 2006.

Mr Lee's reply: "I very much doubt that, unless we go wild in our spending plans and of course we'll run out of money and then you'll have to raise the GST.

"But if we have prudent budgets and we're careful in our plans and if we grow the economy, I think we should be in good shape."

Mr Lee also took a jibe at the opposition's manifestos proposing ideas such as a needs-based welfare system and nationalised bus services, questioning how they would be sustainably funded.

Citing the findings of a survey commissioned by this newspaper - in which 54 per cent of the respondents said they did not feel that the government's measures to ease the rising cost of living were adequate - Today editor Walter Fernandez pointed out that the government's efforts in this regard were not sinking in.

In response, Mr Lee said it was not easy for people to connect with what the government has done.

This is because measures such as payments under the Grow and Share package are made "one day", while rising costs are felt through "little things" the whole year.

Thirty-year-old lawyer Rahayu Mahzam asked if the view that little was being done to ease rising costs was because they felt the government's overseas investments should be channelled to the needy, instead.

Mr Lee noted that the government invests "carefully" and the returns from these investments go towards funding programmes such as the S$3-billion Grow and Share package.

Under the package, households will receive S$3,000 to S$4,000 this year, Mr Lee said.

He added: "We're not doing a little, we're doing a lot and we're applying that (to), I think, where people most need the help."

-TODAY/wk

[Ong88]

will the sun rise from the east tomorrow?
but it may not rise in the east if there are heavy clouds or haze.

[BubbleBubble]

Fking blind... fishing with a carrot.

[Jeff1980]

so how do we know how much the GOV overspend when they are going to increase the GST.

[ryo88]

So does that mean the last increase in GST was becos the govt overspend?

[Ah_ZhaN]

I thought GST is meant to help the poor? What's with the "go wild in our spending plans and of course we'll run out of money"!????????

Is PM Lee admitting a mistake that the govt didn't did a good job last time and thus raise GST from to 3% to 5% and subsequently to 7% ?

[therat]

1. too many if
2. the way they increase their salary. Is that consider overspenting?

if we grow the economy

3. I thought that is the reason why we pay them $3M for the job. To grow the economy. Can had if want mah? If they can't grow the economy , will they cut their pay?

If this, If that
chey

I also know how to if.
If during O level, I study hard. I should able to wear sq hat
If after LB case, I bought a property. I should be earn big big now
If 2 yrs ago, I throw all my $$ + borrow $ from ah long, ah bank to share market. I should be earn until siao liao

If If
chey

Hope the Growth dividend is not part of their over-spending...

[jwhtan]

GST is to help the poor mah ..... what has it got to do with overspending

Previously most lower income dun pay tax ......... after implementing GST, at least it helps the poor to pay tax ..... so that the tax for the rich can be cut ..... this has greatly benefited the poor so that they dun feel left out not paying tax like all the better off do ....... see how kind and thoughtful our government is

[globalcookie]

He cannot raise GST too soon as it reflects very badly on his incompetent wife who has mismanaged Singapore's wealth by investing in lousily timed investments, where everyone is running out of the burning building, she ran in.

BUT than again, can we ever believe what he says?

Having more opposition means more resistent in the current gov's suka suka ways, where wrongs can be covered up and telling everyone to move on. Where salary adjustments of 30% is done overnight, while the majority of Singaporeans are struggling.

So, what's your tick on GE day? Decide carefully.