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SINGAPORE: Young NTUC members in their 20s and 30s engaged Minister of State for Finance, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, at a forum called "Young NTUC Coffeeshop Talk" on Saturday.
In an attempt to reflect concerns raised in coffeeshops, the NTUC has organised this dialogue in a 'kopitiam' setting.
The questions that were asked at the forum covered a broad range of issues but certain themes kept coming up.
These included transport grouses, education and ways to do more for the needy – for example, one suggestion was to have Needy Meals like the Happy Meals at McDonald's.
Some of the explanations given had been heard before, but Mrs Lim attempted to give an idea of the dilemma faced by the authorities when crafting the Budget.
She said: "How do you define 'need'? And who is in need? Who are the needy? If you ask the average Singaporean, nobody will disagree that you should give to those who are in need and you should give more to those who are in need. But there'll be great disagreement when it comes to who is in need.
"We don't want to get to the stage of being populist and to do what we think will make you happy – we do what we think is right and what is sustainable."
The audience also got the answer to perhaps one of the biggest money question of them all.
Mrs Lim said: "You asked how much reserves we have. I'm sorry – I am not able to give you that answer. There are many, many people who are interested in how much we have. It has nothing to do with not wanting Singaporeans to know. It's only if we go public with you, a lot of other people will know."
About 100 NTUC members participated in the forum which was punctuated with snap poll questions to get the audience to participate.
- CNA/so
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