As Singapore begins its (partial) lockdown, it’s becoming clear that the PAP government’s Resilience Budget is inadequate.

Upon its unveiling last week, the budget was widely praised as a “landmark plan”. But as folks began reading the terms & conditions attached to...

… such aid, the initial praise has given way to disappointment & quiet anger.

The budget has been criticized for its attention on employers, corporations, and landlords. In turn, there’s a relative disregard for workers, the poor & precariat, and migrant labourers.

Moreover, for a “smart nation”, much of the relief is being delivered in asinine ways.

For example, amidst an infectious pandemic, vulnerable folks are made to queue for (meagre) financial aid. They line up partly because they're required to satisfy absurd demands for proof.

That folks have to crawl through such red-tape is an established feature of our welfare system—which is premised on a distrust of the poor & marginalized (eg. “skali they cheat the system”).

These suspicions were immoral, violent, and stupid pre-pandemic & are even more so now.

Affected S'poreans (eg. tenants, freelancers, workers) have exposed the deficiencies of the latest budget. Even Bertha Henson, the doyenne of moderate punditry, has joined in.

Arguably, the growing protests have forced the PAP government to reveal…

… new “support measures” tomorrow. But any hope for some radical, equitable measure seems low.

In many ways then, our skepticism mirrors that of Malaysia, where Malaysians' early praise towards their (illegitimate) government’s stimulus package has turned into frustration.

We also need to realize that pandemics aren't some "great equalizer". Historically, they affect marginalized & vulnerable communities the most.

There’s already reports of low-income families pleading for funds. https://twitter.com/verkur/status/1246002680234831872?s=19

Crucially, we should ask why our government hasn’t considered temporary universal basic income, or permanent wage increases for non-bullshit jobs.

After all, this pandemic has confirmed our existing economic injustices & the dangers of our lack in labour and social protection.

Yet, so far, government aid has revolved around its long-standing beliefs in GDP astrology, trickle-down economics, austerity, and self-reliance.

At some level, perhaps S’poreans should have expected the deformed nature of the Resilience Budget.

Between the worker & the manager, the hawker & the landlord, the proletariat & the bourgeoisie, the PAP government has always made its allegiances clear.

Current evidence shows that even an upending pandemic won't change that. We hope it will though.