The Finance Minister said, "The Resilience Package provides a further boost to investments in making Singapore an extremely liveable global city and the best home for Singaporeans."

He listed four areas in which the government will push ahead:

• Expand and accelerate public sector infrastructure spending.
• Develop suburban nodes and rejuvenate our neighbourhoods.
• Push ahead on sustainable development.
• Spend more on our education and health infrastructure.

Expanding and accelerating infrastructure spending

Public sector construction spending will be increased significantly in 2009. The government will proceed with contracts worth $18 to 20 billion this year, as compared to $15 billion in 2008 and $6 billion in 2007.

This increase reflects plans already formulated by the Government for 2009, such as MRT and road networks.

$1.3 billion previously deferred government projects, which will comprise smaller infrastructural contracts worth up to $50 million each, will also be brought forward to 2009. These contracts can be taken up by small and medium-sized contractors.

These projects include HDB lift upgrading, building of park connectors and upgrading of military facilities.

Developing suburban nodes

The government will continue to develop both a distinctive business hub in the centre of the city and new suburban hubs that will de-centralise economic activity and create jobs closer to home.

Aside from Marina Bay, new regional commercial nodes will be: Jurong Lake District, the new Kallang Riverside and Paya Lebar Central.

Neighbourhoods will be rejuvenated by enlivening the public spaces within estates and pushing ahead with the ABC Waters programme.

Mr Tharman also announced the government's goal of linking the whole island through a comprehensive road and rail network.

The government will also spend more to maintain and upgrade the plumbing of the city.

Sustainable development

Over the next five years, the government plans to spend $1 billion on sustainable development initiatives. The funds will support programmes such as energy efficiency for industry and households, green transport, clean energy and the greening of our living spaces.

Best place for families

$1.6 billion will be spent this year, and about the same amount in each of the next three years to support marriage and parenthood - with initiatives such as government-paid maternity leave, and infant-care and childcare subsidies.

There will also be a significant investment in education and health.

Enhancing school education

The hardware and software of the education system will be upgraded, with an average of $9,200 to be spent per student in our schools each year over the next five years - or an increase of about 60% compared to the previous five years.

MOE is enhancing both the size and quality of the teaching force and bringing in many others into our schools to collaborate with teachers in providing better attention for every child. The government will also be providing better facilities in every school and accelerating some projects like the roll-out of indoor sports halls.

Expanding healthcare capacity

$4 billion will be invested in healthcare infrastructure over the next five years, which will include the redevelopment of older hospitals, medical centres and a new hospital in the west, as well as seeing through existing projects like the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in the north.

$200 million will be spent in the development of an electronic health records system accessible to authorised medical practitioners at our hospitals and polyclinics.

More will also be done to those who fall ill in their old age. $500 million will be spent over the next five years to improve long-term care for elderly Singaporeans. This includes building new community hospitals and boosting capabilities in treating chronic diseases such as stroke, heart and kidney failure, and other age-related conditions such as dementia.

Capabilities for long-term care will also be enhanced including rehabilitation, home care and palliative services after patients have been discharged from hospitals.

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