News Update Help all S'poreans to progress

THIS year's Budget is too broad base and does not address the root of the problem faced by low income Singaporeans even as there are some good measures to help them, said an MP in Parliament on Wednesday.
Calling for growth opportunities for all, Ms Indranee Rajah, MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, urged Singaporeans to also help fellow citizens grow and achieve a better life.
To drive home this message, she referred to the recent complaints by Pasir Ris and Tampines residents who had objected to rental blocks being built next to their blocks, citing blocked view, loss of privacy and safety concerns.
"They were afraid the rental flat neighbours would make the area unsafe and seedy and complaints that having rental flats near their homes would cause the value of their properties to drop," said Ms Indranee on Day 2 of the debate on the 2010 Budget Statement.
Expressing her dismay with their reactions, she lamented: 'This seems to me to be a fundamentally wrong approach. One of the things that we must never forget is that our vision for ourselves as a country is to enable all Singaporeans to progress and prosper.'
As those from low income and low educational backgrounds start off at a disadvantage, Singaporeans should help them to level up, she said.
'We should not forget that the people who need rental housing are our fellow Singaporeans. Singapore was built on the vision that we would, as a team, achieve prosperity and progress for all,' added the MP. 'There is something inherently objectionable in saying that I do not want somebody poor to live next to me because that housing for the poor will affect the value of my property.'
'We should not have the attitude that we do not mind rental housing so long it is not next to us. In other words, anywhere except in our backyard. If everyone were to adopt this attitude, then where would you put the poorer Singapore or house them? Surely, it is much more important to want to see our fellow Singaporeans grow and achieve a better life.'