SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan was one of several academics and experts who were asked to comment on the fact that senior citizens are the major beneficiaries of this year’s Budget. He said that every Budget is a platform for the Government to seek progress amid stability, and obtain approval of how it runs the country. Since the Budget must take care of all the various groups, it is sometimes necessary to include policies that are difficult to accept. The reporter wrote that it is ideal to implement such policies in the middle of the Government’s term, so as not to affect votes. And this year happens to fall in the middle of its term after the 2011 elections.