PREPARE for a 'rougher ride' as the economy slows, but the Government will ensure that low income Singaporeans can cope with the bumps.

Speaking at the annual National Day dinner at his Tanjong Pagar constituency, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said: 'We cannot protect our people completely from the high oil and food prices. But we will make sure that they can manage.'  He referred to the slew of relief measures this year, costing over $3 billion, with many of them targeted at low wage workers.

MM Lee believes it looks 'increasingly likely' that the US credit crunch will cause a downturn when the new US President takes over in January. He said: 'There will be retrenchments in those industries whose exports to America and Europe are affected,' he warned. But foreign workers will take the brunt, 'saving many Singaporeans their jobs'.

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