Jurong GRC residents worry about rising cost of living and GST hike

SINGAPORE: Singaporeans worried about the cost of living even as they went to the polls last week to elect a new President. The opposition party, Red Dot United, met the residents at Hong Kah Point at Jurong GRC on the eve of Polling Day.

The residents expressed concern over the escalating cost of living and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) increase earlier this year. During Budget 2022, the Government announced plans to raise the GST rate from 7 per cent to 8 per cent in January 2023, with a further increase to 9 per cent slated for January 2024.

Posting on their Facebook page, Red Dot United said the residents mentioned that it is difficult to have savings as they had to spend most of their income on daily necessities due to the high cost of living.

The residents said they couldn’t cope with the increase in GST this year and were worried because it would go up even further next year. The residents also shared their sadness over the departure of a long-serving Member of Parliament (MP) from Jurong GRC.

Former Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, first elected as a Jurong GRC MP in the 2001 general election, resigned from his parliamentary seat earlier this year to be elected President last Friday (Sept 1). The parliamentary duties will now be shared among the existing Jurong GRC MPs: Rahayu Mahzam, Xie Yao Quan, Dr Tan Wu Meng, and Shawn Huang Wei Zhong.

“Already we cannot see him, and now we have to share him with the residents in Taman Jurong,” said a resident, referring to Mr Tharman.

Former Senior Minister Tharman was elected Singapore’s ninth President as he secured an astounding 70.4% (1,746,427) of the votes. Ex-GIC chief investment officer Ng Kok Song came in second, garnering 15.74% (390,041) of the votes, followed closely by former NTUC Income CEO Tan with 13.88% (344,292) of the votes.

“Congratulations Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, on your well-deserved victory as the President-Elect of the Republic of Singapore. It is an honour being acquainted with you. It is an honour to have gone up against you in GE 2020. You would be someone I’d proudly call, “My President”,” said Red Dot United secretary-general Ravi Philemon in a congratulatory note to President-elect Tharman.

While residents acknowledged the existence of certain forms of assistance for those in need, they raised concerns about the adequacy of such aid.

“Does the government want us to be dependent on all sorts of vouchers to live our daily lives? We should still have our dignity, right?” a resident told Red Dot United.

One resident told Red Dot United that the member of parliament for the ward distributed some carrots and broccoli to the residents with a tote bag and his calling card. The resident added “你需要鱼，他们会给你小虾。” (Translated: We need fish, but they give us little shrimps.)

Red Dot United reassured residents that they are committed to assisting with their limited resources. The party has implemented its own limited financial assistance programmes and a refurbished laptop distribution programme for individuals in need.