Josephine Teo: Possibility of raising GST rate cannot be ruled out

SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan said that if the GST rate needs to be raised to meet increases in social expenditure, society must reach a consensus. He hopes the public can accept that such a raise is meant to let the Government help those who are in need. Also, the fact that the majority of workers do not need to pay income tax and one third of Singaporeans will face a heavier tax burden is a complex issue. The Government could raise the net investment returns on national reserves or adopt other measures to raise social expenditure. He pointed out that the crux lies in the extent of the increase, while people also hope that the money spent will achieve the desired effect.