Playing Robin Hood too much to tackle inequality may lead to a hardening of class distinctions, SMU Assistant Professor of Law and NMP Eugene Tan warned the Government yesterday. "A class war between the haves and the have-nots is debilitating," he added in his speech during the Budget debate. His speech was in contrast to those from MPs who called for a more progressive income tax structure in the wake of "wealth" taxes on luxury cars and property announced in last week's Budget. Assistant Prof Tan hoped that such redistribution programmes would be minimised, and asked Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam to elaborate on the development of this progressive tax system. "In the context of today's political climate, does the increasing progressivity of our tax system also signal the rise of redistribution as a means of managing the inequalities in our society?" he asked, questioning if these moves were "appeasement tendencies". Noting that income transfers have risen over the years, he cautioned such moves could unintentionally give rise to a crutch mentality. He suggested making non-income support a central feature of the social support system instead.