Heart of the Matter Podcast: Is Budget 2024 a blueprint for a new Singapore?

[LaksaNews]

From significant top-ups to SkillsFuture credits and ITE students getting incentives to upskill, Budget 2024 is a shift in the kind of society the new fourth generation, or 4G, leadership wants to shape.

Steven Chia gets views from Terence Ho, associate professor at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Professor Lawrence Loh, director of Centre for Governance and Sustainability, National University of Singapore.

Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong delivering the Budget 2024 speech in parliament on Feb 16, 2024.
Assoc Prof Terence Ho:

We're trying to find that balance where individuals, if they really want to take time off from work, and maybe even leave the employer to pivot to a different sector, they have that choice.

Prof Lawrence Loh:

You have a populace that is more used to a higher quality of life, we are no longer seeing people going into retirement (with a) very spartan lifestyle. So I think we need to adequately provide (for the) natural development of our society.

Jump to these key moments:

• 2:31 Will people use their SkillsFuture credit?
• 5:40 What will unemployment support look like?
• 9:22 CPF changes signal greater shift to adequacy
• 13:26 Will the government always give CDC vouchers?
• 16:22 Why focus on ITE graduates

Find more episodes of Heart of the Matter here.

A new episode of Heart of the Matter drops every Friday. Follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify for the latest updates.

Have a great topic for us? Drop the team an email at cnapodcasts [at] mediacorp.com.sg

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