\n<\/p>\n
Mr Singh raised the issue at the start of the Budget debate on Tuesday, saying “significant” public interest surrounds how the government deploys its surpluses. Singapore recorded a surplus of S$15 billion (US$11.8 billion) for the 2025 financial year.<\/p>\n
He pointed to the S$40 billion Forward Singapore package announced during Budget 2024, and the Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2030 plan, for which funding has increased to S$37 billion, saying there has been insufficient public accounting of how the money has been spent or what outcomes have been achieved.<\/p>\n
Also on Tuesday, Mr Yip asked whether the government’s artificial intelligence missions to drive transformation across key sectors would come with \u201cmeasurable labour outcomes\u201d.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Dr Haresh said policy outcomes should be tracked across domains to enable proper assessment, generate insights and support planning.<\/p>\n
Reiterating his concerns after Mr Wong’s speech on Thursday, Mr Singh said the public would want to know how the S$37 billion RIE 2030 funding would be expanded, how it would enhance job prospects for Singaporeans and what opportunities it would create.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there’s quite a lot of work to be done there,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I hope in this term of government, we see a new approach from the PAP government.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Wong said he saw the value in ministries sharing more about how public resources are being used and what results they have delivered.<\/p>\n
“We are getting ministries to do more,” he said, adding that greater transparency could encourage Singaporeans to engage with the information and develop a clearer understanding of what has been achieved.<\/p>\n
\u201cHopefully with more information, we can have a more holistic appreciation of the various outcomes we have achieved, and we are not complacent. We are always looking at ways to do better, we acknowledge that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving the information to provide (for) more informed debate is always something we would encourage.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n