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President Halimah Yacob has given her in-principle support for the government to draw S$6 billion from past reserves for Covid-19 public health spending in 2022.

S$6 billion

Halimah said she and the Council of Presidential Advisers had received a briefing from the respective ministers for health, trade and industry and finance, in her Facebook post on Feb. 18.

Ministers Ong Ye Kung, Gan Kim Yong and Lawrence Wong were part of this briefing on the public health situation, economy and Budget 2022.

Halimah said they had a "good discussion around the capabilities and strategies for Singapore to ride the Covid-19 wave safely".

Following which, she said she has given her "in-principle support" for the government to tap into S$6 billion worth of past reserves for 2022 Covid-19 public health spending.

"Public health spending remains a priority in our efforts for Singapore to continue to re-open and recover", said Halimah, who added that "the Covid-19 battle is not over".

She added that the "outlook is still uncertain", but said she was confident that Singaporeans would "emerge stronger and ready for future challenges", should they "continue to stay united and brave the fight against Covid-19".

Background

Wong delivered Singapore's 2022 budget yesterday (Feb. 18), part of which touched on the government's move to "set aside S$6 billion to maintain a multi-layered public health defence".

This move is "necessary", said Wong, who added that doing so allows the government to "react nimbly and confidently to the evolving Covid-19 situation."

He went on to explain the reason for the S$6 billion amount and said it was due to the "extraordinary nature" of the pandemic.

He also said Halimah has given her "in-principle" support for the move.

In a Facebook post on Feb. 18, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: "Budget 2022 will lay the basis for sound and sustainable government finances, post pandemic and beyond."

He followed up by requesting for Singaporeans to give the budget their "full support".

You can read Halimah's and Lee's Facebook post below.

https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/493410118811789

Here are some Budget 2022 stories if you've missed it

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Top image by Ngau Kai Yan from Halimah Yacob/Facebook and from Lawrence Wong/Facebook