SINGAPORE: The following are some highlights of Singapore's budget proposals for the fiscal year that will begin April 1.
Keen to shore up its popularity as election talk rises, the Singapore government is announcing a series of measures to support a broad cross-section of society in its budget on Monday.
The next election can wait until January 2017. But there is intense speculation it will be called soon after Singapore celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence in August.
In recent years, Singapore's electorate has become testy over the high cost of living and a wide gap between rich and poor, prompting the long-ruling People's Action Party (PAP) to focus on providing more affordable healthcare and extra support measures to the less well-off.
The government is seeking to increase the productivity of Singaporean workers and reduce the country's reliance on foreign labour, whose presence riles some citizens.
The budget is being presented in parliament on Monday by Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
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