Surprise ST front page

[phantom_opera]

I am very surprised that the family of five photo is featured in today ST front page ...a signal that PAP now is shifting gear?

http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/straitstimes.com/files/260213epaper.jpg

But no transport subsidy for physically disabled still

[eng81157]

lots of stuff for low wage, but not much help given for the sandwiched middle class though.

guess it's "good luck, you're on your own"

[thomastansb]

Got. Tax rebates lor. But cannot help too much also lah. Where got so much money? Unless income tax up 30% and gst 20%.





lots of stuff for low wage, but not much help given for the sandwiched middle class though.

guess it's "good luck, you're on your own"

[phantom_opera]

Got. Tax rebates lor. But cannot help too much also lah. Where got so much money? Unless income tax up 30% and gst 20%.

tax rebate capped at 1.5k ... good only for those around 100k taxable income ... lowering maid levy from 170 to 120 is also peanut

[Wild Falcon]

Budget just announced and immediately can find happy families to be featured on front page on how grateful they are with the budget? Obviously everything has been directed and planned and acted out to perfection by ST.

[eng81157]

Budget just announced and immediately can find happy families to be featured on front page on how grateful they are with the budget? Obviously everything has been directed and planned and acted out to perfection by ST.

well, there are couple of naive PAP supporters who believe the reports in MSM to the tee.

[Shanhz]

well, there are couple of naive PAP supporters who believe the reports in MSM to the tee.

to be frank, i dun do grassroots work, so what i say might not be true - for low income families, a little help fr the govt is alot. many of them, indeed, will be very grateful. dun forget that this is all about expectations - and since they come from a low base, a little help is a big help.

have we ever stopped to think that extra 10c on an aircon bus - some pple actually choose to wait for the next non-aircon bus? this anecdote was told to me by someone - his staff waited half an hour for the next next bus to save 10c. this was in the early days when bus just converted. but the idea is the same - what is peanuts to us, may be a lot to these poor folks.

indeed, there are genuine cases like these. of coz, i also never read MSM for many many months leow. :D

[eng81157]

to be frank, i dun do grassroots work, so what i say might not be true - for low income families, a little help fr the govt is alot. many of them, indeed, will be very grateful. dun forget that this is all about expectations - and since they come from a low base, a little help is a big help.

have we ever stopped to think that extra 10c on an aircon bus - some pple actually choose to wait for the next non-aircon bus? this anecdote was told to me by someone - his staff waited half an hour for the next next bus to save 10c. this was in the early days when bus just converted. but the idea is the same - what is peanuts to us, may be a lot to these poor folks.

indeed, there are genuine cases like these. of coz, i also never read MSM for many many months leow. :D

i'm not belittling the help the low-waged families are getting. i'm just mocking at how scripted MSM is, and the lack of alternative views being reported

[eng81157]

there were SMEs complaining about the govt's hardline approach in reducing FTs and how it is going to drive up costs. however, look at the extent of coverage, or rather the lack thereof, in today's papers - one teeny, weeny section (or box of text)

when WP is advocating the same stuff (with an added edge of boosting local re/employment), it gets blown all over with pyrotechnics and accusations of xenophobia.

entirely different ends of the spectrum

[cheerful]

Budget just announced and immediately can find happy families to be featured on front page on how grateful they are with the budget? Obviously everything has been directed and planned and acted out to perfection by ST.

Errrr .. think those pictures (families & individuals) were being featured by ST prior to Budget, to track at-the-end-of-the-day what benefits applicable to those different stories. Where got immediately find aft announcement just?
Anyway, typical for ST to show pictures rite ...:doh:

[minority]

Got. Tax rebates lor. But cannot help too much also lah. Where got so much money? Unless income tax up 30% and gst 20%.


either way give all the middle class they also wont feel its special. the impact have to be giving a lot. question is 1 time give a lot whats the use with helping the middle income.? must well focus on over all wage increase. increase the lower income middle will move up.

thus I say it wont be cheap moving forward. and middle wont feel special coz everyone also feel same with the peer. The middle should focus on self improvement and value improvement to diff among themselves. Wait for government? hah hah will never be feel enough.

Government help the poor is easier to make a diff and they are the folks that really need help.

[minority]

tax rebate capped at 1.5k ... good only for those around 100k taxable income ... lowering maid levy from 170 to 120 is also peanut


child care development centers improvement too. help middle class too mah.

[TravieJackie]

The ones that truly need more help are the lower income families so not wrong to focus on them. I think this new budget talk does more in taxing the rich and helping the poor. A good start to begin with.