The debate on housing policy continues between the People's Action Party and Workers' Party. (AFP phot …
In the latest exchange of words between thePeople's Action Party and Workers' Party, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tancalled WP chief Low Thia Khiang "mischievous" for saying the government has been guilty of raiding the reserves.
Speaking to reporters after a youth dialogue on the proposed Tampines Town Hub and the soft launch of the Tampines Eco Green Park on Sunday, Minister Mah said, "This is a very fiscally prudent government."
The government has only drawn from the reserves once, in 2009, during the worst economic crisis in Singapore, Minister Mah was quoted by mainstream media as saying.
Last week, the Minister said WP's proposal to lower flat prices by lowering the cost of land would amount to an "illegal raid" on the reserves.
In response, Low said that going by the same logic, the PAP has been guilty of taking from the reserves for years and using the Grow and Share package to please voters.
Minister Mah said on Sunday, however, that the package was completely funded by surpluses from the government. The government has also returned the S$4 billion it took from the reserves in 2009, even though it was not obliged to do so.
He pointed out, "I remember Mr Low himself commending the government for that. Yet now he is saying that we are actually using money from the reserves."
Adding that he is not targeting the WP but pointing out serious flaws in its proposals, the Minister said, the WP was able to make its proposals attractive to voters in the short term because it does not "seriously believe" it is going to form the government and would not have to implement all these policies.
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