SINGAPORE - The upcoming Budget will be pro-Singaporean, pro-business, and pro-environment, said Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat on Sunday evening (Feb 18) during the River Hongbao celebrations.

Mr Heng, who is due to give his annual Budget statement in Parliament on Monday, was addressing crowds gathered at The Float@Marina Bay.

"Budget Day is tomorrow. Everyone has been asking me if there will be a 'hongbao'," Mr Heng joked in Mandarin.

But the Budget is actually a comprehensive, strategic plan for Singapore, he added in a more serious tone.

"In the coming 10 to 15 years, we will face some very large challenges, so we need a strategic plan to build a better Singapore," he said.

Ahead of Budget Day, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean also spoke on Sunday of the need to help companies improve their technology and workforce, and help workers gain skills needed for the "jobs of the future".

The Budget statement will be delivered at 3.30pm on Monday.

The Straits Times will cover the speech live at www.straitstimes.com. The public can also watch it on the official Budget website.