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The spotlight looks set to fall on a group of Singaporeans who are rising by the number and in danger of falling through the cracks when Parliament reconvenes on Tuesday, two weeks after Second Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam unveiled Budget 2007.
Some 60 Members of Parliament (MPs) have indicated their intention to speak on the Budget before it is passed.
And for the first time, MPs have gone online to submit questions on the allocations for the various ministries.
Previously, MPs had to send their queries via email to the Parliament Clerk, who would then forward them to the relevant Government bodies.
Some 21 questions have been tabled for oral answer when Parliament meets today. In all, nearly 370 topics have been filed for discussion by the Committee of Supply.
MPs whom TODAY spoke to said that they would highlight the plight of informal workers — or those doing odd jobs — during the Budget debate.
Through the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme, the Government intends to get more informal workers on the Central Provident Fund (CPF) scheme.
But these workers would have to make do with lower disposable incomes, by contributing to Medisave, in order to get their WIS payments, which will be disbursed at half-yearly or yearly intervals.
Sembawang GRC MP Ellen Lee wants to know what other steps the Government would be taking to ensure that these workers have enough savings.
Nominated MP and lawyer Siew Kum Hong's maiden speech would touch on concerns about whether these informal workers would join such a scheme, and how they would cope with the pay drop.
Dr Amy Khor, MP for Hong Kah GRC, said that she would be reflecting on public feedback gathered by the Government's feedback unit, which she chairs.
Issues she would speak on include implementation of WIS, personal tax rates and the difficulties faced by mature workers in finding jobs.
Away from the Budget debate, proposals will be tabled to amend the Legal Profession Rules, after rogue lawyer David Rasif shocked the fraternity last year by making off with $10 million of clients' money.
Parliament will also be looking to amend the Land Acquisition Act and pass a new Spam Control Act.
The former allows the Government to pay market rates for all acquired properties, while the latter is aimed at curbing the sending of unsolicited bulk mail via mobile phones or the Internet.
Minister for National Development, Mr Mah Bow Tan, is also expected to touch on plans to accommodate a growing population.
- TODAY/so
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