A Budget to bring some cheer, and to secure Singapore

IN a year when it would scarcely have been criticised had it chosen to be exuberant in its gift-giving, the government has instead impressed with its prudence and restraint in keeping its one-off Budget goodies to a judicious level - focusing instead on the needed (though far less sexy) long-term efforts to build and grow the nation.

With 2019 being the 200th anniversary of Sir Stamford Raffles' landing on the island, Singapore is marking this as its bicentennial year, with celebrations lined up to commemorate that "key turning point in Singapore's development".

Coupled with the general election rumoured to be around the corner, the temptation to hand out a great many more sweeteners to the public would have been understandable (not to mention, expected).