REACH 300 - What are your views and suggestions for the upcoming Budget 2022? How can we work together to thrive in a post-COVID-19 world, build a fairer, more inclusive home, and work toward a greener, more sustainable future?(SK)

08 Dec 2021 (10am - 7pm)

REACH

[10:06 am, 08/12/2021] +REACH: Dear Contributors,

Welcome back! 😊

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Megan 😊

[10:10 am, 08/12/2021] +REACH: 📢 Topic 📢 

Ahead of the Budget 2022 presentation in February, Singaporeans may share their views and suggestions for the upcoming Budget from 7 Dec 2021 till 17 Jan 2022. 

The post-Covid-19 world will be a fundamentally different one that will call for Singapore to refine its strategies and plans to seize new opportunities, said the Ministry of Finance, government feedback unit Reach and the People's Association in a joint statement on 7 Dec (Tues).

💬 What are your views and suggestions for the upcoming Budget 2022? How can we work together to thrive in a post-COVID-19 world, build a fairer, more inclusive home, and work toward a greener, more sustainable future?

Suggestions are being sought based on three themes:

📌 Thriving in a Post-COVID World

What are the challenges and opportunities for families/households, workers and businesses in the post-COVID-19 world? What more can be done to help them thrive and seize new opportunities?

📌 Strengthening our social compact to build a fairer and more inclusive home for all

What can we do as individuals and as a community, together with the Government, to build a fairer and more inclusive home? What are some under-served needs and concerns of lower-income and vulnerable groups?

📌 Preparing Singaporeans and Singapore for a greener and more sustainable future

How can businesses, individuals and households contribute to a greener, more sustainable Singapore? How can the Government facilitate these efforts and help businesses and workers seize green growth opportunities?

👉 https://str.sg/3xb4 

👉 https://www.mof.gov.sg/singaporebudget/about-budget

👉 https://www.mof.gov.sg/singaporebudget/budget-2021/resources/

📌 You may also share your views and find more resources here: https://www.reach.gov.sg/budget2022

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[11:29 am, 08/12/2021] +Anthony: Hi Reach,

I urge the Governmentnt to given out more GST Voucher to those who only work for Part-Time &  Those who are Low-Income earner by giving away another few more hundreds dollars ,

This group of national Wil be able to enjoy better quality of living

From Food to Necessities.

As well, Given out more such like Rediscovery Voucher. every year to those well unfortunate one & low income earner to explore more singapore famous location

Thank You

[0:57 pm, 08/12/2021] +Elena Woo: More subsidies for childcare for all parents.

[1:03 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: Focus on: sustainability through technology; Non academic Education programmes; Community support and events;  Mental and physical screening and support.

[1:04 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: Invest to become a world leader in consultancy, operations, technology and digital services.

[1:05 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: Where people are struggling, create support services that benefit the many rather than individuals.

[1:05 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: One person or families problem is likely to be the same for many people.

[1:06 pm, 08/12/2021] +JC: 💬 What are your views and suggestions for the upcoming Budget 2022? How can we work together to thrive in a post-COVID-19 world, build a fairer, more inclusive home, and work toward a greener, more sustainable future?

I think there's no need to frame the future as "post-COVID" as most of the macro-trends confronting our nation like shrinking labor force/tax base, heightened wealth inequality and ageing population are all present before COVID and will continue to determine our future as a nation after COVID. Beyond the COVID resiliency package - which would still be needed to help the economy and households transit back to normalcy - I think the key focus of our government must be to figure out how to deal with the challenges of an ageing population. 

If our govt does as well in tackling this challenge as they have been in increasing our birth rates... we are doomed.

[1:06 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: Maintain political and social stability through inclusive policy making and distributed investment

[1:07 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: Agree with first point, let's not frame this as post covid.

[1:08 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: It'll look foolish if covid rears up again in late 2022

[1:08 pm, 08/12/2021] +JC: More specifically, I wish the government can take the lead and role-model hiring mid-career or post 50s workers into public-sector jobs. This is necessary as the private sector won't bother with that. Most MNCs will just weigh the cost-benefit and move if labor crunch in SG gets too severe.

[1:09 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: Interesting thought. Also mature workforce might be beneficial/motivated to public service.

[1:12 pm, 08/12/2021] +JC: My wish is also that the govt can be more focused on its budgetary plans. Given the significant fiscal impact of COVID, we need to be very judicious in the kind of programs that we fund with public money. For example - while eco-sustainability is a popular buzzword - there's very little impact that SG can have as a tiny city state on global climate change or eco-sustainability. Limited funds should be channeled towards our most pressing challenges and not be used to pursue fashionable ideas where we may or may not have an impact.

[1:14 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: We can make a difference through developing tech and knowledge that can be sold around the world. For example in food production, energy conversion and transport.

[1:14 pm, 08/12/2021] +JC: For every dollar that is spent on encouraging EV or recycling, I'd rather it be channeled to fund effective treatment for rare diseases in Singapore (it's not properly funded at the moment) to create a more equitable society.

[1:15 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: If we do it right, the investment into sustainability will generate a revenue stream to fund non income generating needs, such as healthcare.

[1:15 pm, 08/12/2021] +JC: I think we are already late in the game to this. I wonder how much difference public funding can do to improve things. Remember how our govt poured money into biomedical research in the early 2000s with the goal of creating a biomedical hub here in SG. Until now, we barely have anything to show for it.

[1:15 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: We are spending $100bn on climate change protection. This is a problem we cannot escape.

[1:16 pm, 08/12/2021] +JC: Sea wall - yes, good investment.

[1:16 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: We cannot solve it alone, agreed. But we can provide the tools to help other countries help to do their bit

[1:16 pm, 08/12/2021] +JC: but not necessary to subsidize EV, carbon tax, etc. no difference.

[1:16 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: Sure,I don't know about that.

[1:17 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: I'm looking from an investment point of creating tools and services we can sell that help combat climate change.

[1:17 pm, 08/12/2021] +JC: anyway just my opinion. I'm sure govt have their plans/analysis. Just voicing my personal wish.

[1:17 pm, 08/12/2021] +Dan: Hi Reach, I think we can explore the use of Segway more. I understand its used by SPF, CISCO. If Segway can be used within the neighbourhood colour-coded or sticker-labelled within each area, it will greatly minimise the traffic within the area.

[1:17 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: That's why we we all here 🙂

[1:18 pm, 08/12/2021] +JC: 👍

[1:22 pm, 08/12/2021] +JC: I guess my point is - esp looking at the biomedical experience - we can't be changing our focus/goals every time a new topic comes up. Many of these new areas/industry will require long term and very strategic investments - whole of govt effort. We need to focus on fewer things given our limited manpower and scale, on the things that that we will do anyway because of other considerations, regardless of the flavor of the month, so that we can do them well and to a world class standard in order to compete globally.

[1:24 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: That's true, but maybe it's finding a balance between riskier short-term investment to stimulate private money (like Bio) and long term infrastructure (like sea wall)

[1:31 pm, 08/12/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

Part A :- Sustainability - greener solutions for the upcoming Budget

1. Energy cost has been spiking recently. Also noted that despite hedging ourselves from fuel cost that can go up and down by subscribing to fixed tariff electricity rate - contract is short and when ends - will again subject to higher tariff if to take up a new tariff plan.

Hence, propose the following to hedge against fluctuating electricity price for common household :-

a. Install Solar Panel - on top of providing for electrical needs around the common housing amenties, should also consider installing solar panel to service each housing unit to cater for half the energy needs (this will help to even up or mitigate fluctuating oil price and power bill) - and make power bill more affordable and predictable every quarter for each household.

Household can pay a flat annual fee for maintenance of their solar panel.

Eg. of solar panel for each housing unit could be - windows solar panel, vertical wall of each housing unit (sufficient to cater for half of the energy needs for each housing unit).

(need not be in the roof top - as the roof top solar panel are for common amenities).

b. Roll out the use Extreme White Paint (or Ultra White Paint) for each housing unit - that can curb global warming - whitest paint yet. Coating buildings with this paint can cool the housing units enough to reduce the need for air conditioning.

(Note :- The new whitest paint formulation reflects up to 98.1% of sunlight – compared with the 95.5% of sunlight reflected by the researchers’ previous ultra-white paint – and sends infrared heat away from a surface at the same time.)

If the Ultra White Paint is successful, then DCS will only need to be pipe into common facilities like Community Club, MRT, Shopping Mall etc instead of each housing unit.

c. Implement District Cooling System (DCS) sector-by-sector - Central system that distribute chilled water to supply air-conditioning to each housing unit, MRT, shopping mall, Community Club etc.

DCS achieve the purpose of saving energy, saving space, and inhibiting air-pollution - a very efficient cooling system.

[1:51 pm, 08/12/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

Part B :- Build a fairer, more inclusive home

1. Share-Car for rent with EV-charging point. As owning car is a luxury, residents sometimes will need to rent a car to run errands, fetch school children or go out for family outing. Having a share-car system within the community will make it convenient for residents to access car-hiring services.

2. Supporting business - especially SME, F&B, toursim business, hospitality, events management, aviation etc - that are greatly hit by the covid.

- Even though the threat from the current Delta wave has been more or less controlled, Omicron threat is still looming worldwide.

- Though we have negotiated many VTLs, Omicron still make travelling wary and not picking up.

- Hence, all those mention business wil still face difficulties in recovering.

- In fact, walking around, notice that many f&b and stall-owners have closed shops.

- The Budget should compassionately provide support for these business by helping them to continue transforming digitally or other means and give some short term and medium term support to ensure they can tie over the covid.

3. Help those workers who have lost their jobs, those fresh graduates that have yet to find jobs, older mature workers who are retrenched to find jobs. For those part-time workers, free-lancers who wish to look for permanent jobs - provide help and support.

4. Need to rebuild our Economy and grow our Sovereign wealth - as we have dig out multiple billions from our reserves to finance our exceptional covid Budget for the last 2 years and the upcoming Budget.

We have to continue to grow our Sovereign Wealth to ensure that our reserves our strong so that we can:-

a. Produce higher NIRC every year - to help us to fund our fiscal budget - and cushion the impact of the need to raise tax.

b. Save for rainy days - in case future Disease X hit.

[1:52 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: Part B. Yes to 1. We already have an EV car share service, called Blue SG. I tried it for 6 months but the cars were rarely available. I assume this means it was popular and seems an obvious target fir investment.

[1:53 pm, 08/12/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

Not available near my place.

Need more.

[1:53 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: Yes to 2. People are desperate to travel. Singapore is safe and easy to come to. Let's do a push to bring more (vaxd) tourists.

[1:54 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: 100% agree

[1:54 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: Yes to 3. This is key to economic recovery and social cohesion.

[1:55 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: And yes to 4. We are dependent on a strong economy foundation. We need to replace the people who left SG over the last 18 months because they bring income, tax and expenditure with them.

[2:27 pm, 08/12/2021] +Boon: 👍

[2:47 pm, 08/12/2021] +RH: Yes to all.

[2:48 pm, 08/12/2021] +RH: Yes to 1a. 

Never heard of 'white paint ' ... 

Pls enlighten.  Tks.

[2:49 pm, 08/12/2021] +Gcml: Yes for all. 👍🏼

[2:51 pm, 08/12/2021] +Gcml: 1a. Yes. 

Indeed, our geographical location gives advantage to harness solar energy. There's room for growth in this aspect.

[3:03 pm, 08/12/2021] +RH: Building the sea wall is a necessary move in the right direction.

I applaud the Gov on their foresight in this. 

Also, spending $$$ on helping to mitigate climate change is not cost effective.

I wud rather tt we spend the same,  if not more,  on protecting our shores  (and underwater as well) 

from potential harm tt r indirect effects of climate change tt may affect us.  

We shd not take our geographical advantage for granted.

[5:58 pm, 08/12/2021] +Smiley face: https://youtu.be/7OpM_zKGE4o

[5:59 pm, 08/12/2021] +Smiley face: https://youtu.be/y5Vt8vJrvm4

[6:01 pm, 08/12/2021] +Smiley face: https://youtu.be/9UjnUjhEbW0

[6:03 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-first-jssl-fa-cup-for-youth-to-take-place-from-dec-10-12

[6:04 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: Well done STB! This is a positive move

[6:40 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: I buy all my electricity from a company that offers a 100% solar power option. Unfortunately I have to pay a premium for this, which is weird in my view. Surely polluting the planet should cost more to do......

[6:40 pm, 08/12/2021] +Rama: 😨😱😳🤦‍♀️

[6:43 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: Yep - 10% premium to use 100% solar! We're not talking Carbon Credits either, proper Sun powered energy :)

[6:44 pm, 08/12/2021] +Rama: What plausible explanation is there!?

[6:45 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: It's more expensive at the moment, so I understand that, but with a subsidy, maybe for lower income families, to even it out then we'd see economies of scale kick in to bring down the price for everyone.

[6:45 pm, 08/12/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

1. HDB can build new flats with solar panels upfront to power each HDB units.

2. For all existing HDB, retrofit with yearly Budget.

3. Use ultra white paint for all new HDB flat.

4. HIP home improvement program for all existing HDB flats to paint ultra white paint.

[6:45 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: Also the Singapore developed glass film that reduces heat and lowers the need for Air-Con

[6:46 pm, 08/12/2021] +REACH: Dear Contributors

⏰ We will be closing the chat in 15 minutes ⏰

Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.

Goodnight!

Megan

[6:46 pm, 08/12/2021] +BL: And building designs that use convection to create air flow and also reduce the need for air-con

[6:57 pm, 08/12/2021] +Ken Loh: Do note that solar power not 24/7… so you need battery during the non sun times…. 

Battery technology still not environmentally friendly to make. And often requires expensive materials… but of course earlier the implementation the better cause of the cost will increase over time. 

Unless new material is use. 

Cobalt, lithium and copper are still the core for all batteries

[6:59 pm, 08/12/2021] +REACH: Dear Contributors

We will be closing the chat for today.

Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.

Goodnight!

Megan 😊

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