Clarification by Minister, Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance

The following replies were provided by the Minister, Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah) for Question No 5 during Question Time at the Sitting of 10 September 2026 :

(a)

The Minister, Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah): [T]he 80% personal income tax relief cap is intended to make our personal income tax system more progressive. There are currently 13 personal income tax reliefs, and each one serves a worthy objective. Taken together, they may unduly reduce the taxable income for some individuals with high income, and that goes against the progressivity intent. [Please refer to "Refundable Working Mother’s Child Relief Top-up for Middle-income Working Mothers Who Have Reached Personal Income Tax Relief Cap", Official Report, 10 September 2026, Vol 96, Issue 37, Oral Answers to Questions section.]

(b)

The Minister, Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah): [A]ll mothers, not just the low-income, but also the middle-income ones and the higher-income ones, will get the $10,000 Baby Gift, the $2,000 credits per child per year, the Child Development Account First Step Grant, the co-matching, the $10 top-up to the Post-Secondary Education Account, as well as the existing benefits like the Medisave Grant for Newborns, of $5,000. [Please refer to "Refundable Working Mother’s Child Relief Top-up for Middle-income Working Mothers Who Have Reached Personal Income Tax Relief Cap", Official Report, 10 September 2026, Vol 96, Issue 37, Oral Answers to Questions section.]

Written statement by Ms Indranee Rajah circulated with leave of the Speaker in accordance with Standing Order No 29(5):

I wish to make the following factual corrections to my replies made at the Sitting of 10 September 2026. My replies should read as follows:

(a)

The Minister, Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah): [T]he

$80,000: personal income tax relief cap is intended to make our personal income tax system more progressive. There are currently 13 personal income tax reliefs, and each one serves a worthy objective. Taken together, they may unduly reduce the taxable income for some individuals with high income, and that goes against the progressivity intent.

(b)

The Minister, Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah): [A]ll mothers, not just the low-income, but also the middle-income ones and the higher-income ones, will get the $10,000 Baby Gift, the $2,000 credits per child per year, the Child Development Account First Step Grant, the co-matching, the

$10,000: top-up to the Post-Secondary Education Account, as well as the existing benefits like the Medisave Grant for Newborns, of $5,000.