A10 TOPOF THENEWS | THE STRAITS TIMES | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019 |

Debate on ministries’ budgets

MORE EFFECTIVE HELP S’pore way of Our approach of providing multi-layered support is more responsive to the varied needs helping better of individuals than any single serves needs minimum or living wage. ’’MINISTER OF STATE FOR MANPOWER of low-wage Broad range of support for workers workers About 830,000 Annual Real gross monthly Employment For Singaporean households at the 20th Singaporeans have government incomes of workers at rate for percentile, real incomes grew by about bene ted from spending on the 20th percentile residents rose 40% cumulatively. In comparison, key $5.5 billion in Workfare will kept pace with the from 76.5% in Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Workfare payouts in grow to almost median income over 2007 to 80.7% Development countries3 experienced low or the last decade1. $1 billion in 2020. the past decade2. in 2017. negative income growth. Giving layers of support meets varied needs better than minimum or living wage: Zaqy HOLISTIC SUPPORT FOR WORKFARE RECIPIENTS receive Utilities-Save receive medical and dental of Workfare OVER 90% (U-Save) rebates and 4 IN 10 subsidies under the Community 75% recipients own Joanna Seow (WIS) scheme, which is being en- GST vouchers. Health Assist Scheme. their homes. Manpower Correspondent hanced to help more workers. Finance Minister said in his Budget speech last The approach – provid- month that the qualifying income CASE 2: ing multiple layers of support for cap for WIS will be raised from the CASE 1: low-wage workers and their fami- current $2,000 to $2,300 per Madam Goh Geok Mr Gunasegaran s/o lies – meets the varied needs of in- month from January next year. The Kee (Auntie Sellayya (Mr Guna), dividuals better than a minimum maximum annual payouts will also Geok), 64, her 49, his wife, three or living wage, Minister of State be increased by up to $400. husband and young children and for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad These enhancements will lead to his elderly mother said yesterday. almost $1 billion being paid out to 24-year-old son The cost of a key plank of such sup- close to 440,000 WIS recipients Auntie Geok lives Mr Guna works as a supervisor, port – Workfare – is borne fully by next year, including some self-em- with her husband managing eight other cleaners. the Government, and incomes have ployed people, Mr Zaqy noted. The and 24-year-old He and his wife live in a 3-room grown, particularly those of low- Government will continue to re- undergraduate son at with their three young in a 3-room at. children. Mr Guna also has an wage workers, he told Parliament. view the scheme regularly, he said. elderly mother. Between 2012 and 2017, real Older workers will continue to wages of workers at the 20th per- get higher payouts, as they have • Under the Progressive • Mr Guna receives Workfare centile grew by 24 per cent in total, less runway to upgrade their skills Wage Model, Auntie monthly to top up his salary and $1,700 faster than incomes at the median, and save for retirement compared Geok’s salary has $4,000 build up his retirement savings. KiFAS received by son which grew by 21 per cent. This is with younger workers, he said, re- increased cumulatively CDC/CCC Bursary* by 60% since 2012. received by son • Mr Guna’s two daughters in for Singaporeans in full-time work, plying to labour MP primary school are on the Ministry $396++ *Administered by the MOE FAS received by including employer contributions (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) on remov- • Both Auntie Geok and her Community Development of Education Financial Assistance to the Central Provident Fund, and ing the age differentiation. husband receive Workfare Councils (CDCs) and the (MOE FAS) Scheme. The scheme two daughters before government transfers. Mr Zaqy also said that from 2007 to in their jobs, which helps Citizens Consultative waives the standard miscellaneous (Standard misc. fee waiver Committees (CCCs). and public transport Low-income Singaporean house- 2017, 830,000 Singaporeans received with household expenses. fees, covers the costs of textbooks allowance + school attire + holds also saw household income $5.5 billion in Workfare payouts. From 2020, Workfare and school attire, and provides textbooks) grow by about 26 per cent in real The cost of this wage top-up is enhancements will give Up to $480 them with $120 of public transport credits per year. Up to $300 terms over those years, higher than not passed on to employers or con- Auntie Geok 25% more Chas Blue allowance. (Total of $333 subsidies for Chas Orange subsidies the 24 per cent for households at sumers, he said, adding that there per month, $200 into CPF chronic conditions • Mr Guna’s son receives for chronic conditions the median, said Mr Zaqy. are also other forms of government and $133 as cash) Kindergarten Financial Assistance Scheme (KiFAS) subsidies. With KiFAS, $360 At the same time, the employ- support, such as Utilities-Save re- $360 U-Save rebates ment rate for Singaporeans and per- bates and medical subsidies under • Auntie Geok, her husband, U-Save Rebates Mr Guna enjoys 99% of monthly and her son each have the kindergarten fee assistance, paying manent residents aged 25 to 64 re- the Community Health Assist $300 Chas Blue card. They receive $300 only $1 per month. mained high, at about 80 per cent. Scheme, to help low-income work- GST voucher-cash highly subsidised medical GST voucher-Cash Speaking on efforts to tackle in- ers meet their living needs. and dental services at Chas • Mr Guna’s retired mother has a Chas equality and ensure social mobility, “Our approach of providing clinics. Orange card and receives subsidised $2,500 Mr Zaqy said the Government must multi-layered support is more re- $4,000 care at Chas clinics. Workfare payouts stay focused on three strategies to sponsive to the varied needs of indi- • Auntie Geok’s household Workfare payouts after enhancements expenses are helped by after enhancements • Mr Guna’s household expenses continue getting such outcomes. viduals than any single minimum or are also helped by GST vouchers First, maintain a thriving econ- living wage,” he said. GST vouchers and U-Save Total: Total: rebates. and U-Save rebates. omy with a tight labour market, and There have also been efforts to About $9,000 About $5,500 create better jobs. raise the skills and productivity of Second, strive for quality growth low-wage workers. Since the Pro- NOTE: [1] Between 2007 and 2017. [2] Incomes of full-time employed citizens (before government transfers) at both the 20th percentile and median grew at about 30% cumulatively. [3] Real household income growth at the 20th percentile (cumulative): Finland (16% from 2003 to 2013), UK (3% from 2003 to 2013), US (-8% from 2003 to 2013), Hong Kong (-2% based on productivity improve- gressive Wage Model (PWM) was from 2001 to 2011). Source: MOF Occasional Paper “Income Growth, Inequality and Mobility Trends in Singapore”, August 2015. ments that all Singaporeans can implemented to set out career path- Source: MINISTRY OF MANPOWER STRAITS TIMES GRAPHIC benefit from. ways and minimum pay for various Third, support lower-income skill levels in the security, land- workers in general and in specific scape and cleaning sectors, work- scape maintenance workers and worker, not including employer compulsory requirement in the lift Voluntary PWMs have been set up sectors to ensure they can progress ers there have seen positive real cleaners had real wage increases of CPF contributions. Over 70,000 maintenance sector next. The Min- in the public transport and health- with the rest of the workforce. wage growth, said Mr Zaqy. 23 per cent, 36 per cent and 44 per resident workers have benefited istry of Manpower will also explore care sectors. One key support measure is the Between 2012 and 2017, resident cent, respectively, compared with from the PWM so far, said Mr Zaqy. facilitating the use of the model on Workfare Income Supplement full-time security guards, land- 21 per cent for the median resident The model is being extended as a a voluntary basis in other sectors. [email protected] Needy Singaporeans to get more in monthly aid Groups to run social service hubs near rental blocks

Theresa Tan Senior Social Affairs Correspondent ComCare Long-Term To provide a more coordinated who asked for more details about Assistance scheme and comprehensive support for ComLink. poor and vulnerable families with In response to Dr Neo’s ques- Needy Singaporeans will get more Household Current New rates multiple woes, the Ministry of So- tion on ComLink’s outreach ef- financial aid each month from type rates (from July 1) cial and Family Development forts, Mr Lee said that they will the Government. (MSF) is looking to bring together proactively reach out to families, From July 1, a single person on the 1 person $500 $600 groups to run social service and starting with those with young ComCare Long-Term Assistance 2 persons $870 $1,000 other programmes at or near children, to understand what scheme will get $600 a month, up 3 persons $1,130 $1,400 rental block precincts. they are going through and their from $500. Two-person house- 4 persons $1,450 $1,750 The MSF will set up the first aspirations, to help them. holds will get $1,000 a month, up Source: MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AND four social service hubs, to be Mr Alvin Goh, cluster director of from $870 now. FAMILY DEVELOPMENT called Community Link (Com- family services at Methodist Wel- The scheme, also known as Pub- STRAITS TIMES GRAPHICS Link), in Jalan Kukoh, Marsiling, fare Services, hopes ComLink will lic Assistance, provides a cash sum Kembangan-Chai Chee and Boon build up neighbourhood networks each month to destitute persons Madam Lee Ah Chah, 77, who lives alone in a rental flat, will get $600 a month Lay over the next two years. and not focus only on running pro- who cannot work permanently as a now. She is divorced and estranged from her sons. ST PHOTO: SAHIBA CHAWDHARY They were chosen as there are a grammes administered by chari- result of old age or illness, and have sizeable number of families with ties or government agencies. little or no family support. children living in rental flats Mr Lee also shared the MSF’s Most are elderly Singaporeans, may receive temporary support. $400 was given to families on the For Madam Lee Ah Chah, 77, an there, and the locations are plans to start a pilot Localised and recipients also get other help, “We have similarly reviewed SMTA each month, and the median extra $100 is very good news. She spread across the island. Community Network (LCN) pro- such as with their medical bills. ComCare SMTA to keep pace with length of help received was about now gets $500 each month from Minister for Social and Family gramme in the Boon Lay and Ju- The increase in Long-Term Assis- living expenses and changes in ex- six months. From 2015 to 2017, be- the Public Assistance scheme. Development Desmond Lee said rong West region to come up with tance quantums will benefit some penditure patterns.” tween 14,000 and 16,000 house- She is divorced, estranged from in Parliament yesterday that the ways to better support at-risk 4,000 households. Mr Lee said the amounts given holds received the SMTA at any her two sons and lives alone in a social service offices (SSO) will youth and their families. Recipients of Long-Term Assis- to SMTA recipients vary, depen- point in time. two-room rental flat. She stopped work with charities, government This comes under the work of tance will get help as long as they re- ding on their needs and financial Mr Lee announced the increases work as a cleaner over a decade ago agencies, grassroots groups and the National Committee on Pre- main eligible for the scheme. circumstances. in ComCare quantums in response to take care of her ailing mother. other partners to engage families vention, Rehabilitation and Re- New beneficiaries of the Com- The Ministry of Social and Fam- to questions from Dr Lily Neo (Jalan She suffers from asthma and to get a better understanding of cidivism. Care Short-to-Medium-Term Assis- ily Development’s (MSF) spokes- Besar GRC) and Mr other illnesses, and said it is hard to their needs and to provide rele- The LCN will facilitate data shar- tance (SMTA) and those who have man gave an example of a family of (Marine Parade GRC), who asked find a job, given her age and health, vant programmes and services ing between relevant government their SMTA aid renewed after July 1 two living in a one-room HDB about the efforts to strengthen the even if she wants to work. like parenting workshops or agencies and their partners to en- can also expect more money. rental flat with one person earning aid given to vulnerable families. To make ends meet, she is very night-time student care services. sure the youth get targeted aid. Minister for Social and Family $500 from working part-time, and Mr Lee said that in the past thrifty and often cooks simple The SSO administers the Gov- Mr Lee said: “Without proactive Development Desmond Lee said in the family getting about $360 a decade, the MSF has reviewed and meals. Fish and seafood are a lux- ernment’s financial aid schemes. early support and intervention, Parliament yesterday: “We also month from the SMTA to supple- adjusted the ComCare rates every ury, she said. Mr Lee said: “Most importantly, some of these students may un- provide ComCare Short-to- ment their income. two to three years. The last review “I am very thankful to the Govern- ComLink will develop a sense of derperform or start to skip school. Medium-Term Assistance to help The household can expect an in- was in 2016. ment. With more money, I can buy community and mutual help, with “Yet, these are young people families tide over difficult times crease of about $200 in aid from July. Mr Seah also asked if ComCare better food at times to treat myself. neighbours supporting one an- with potential and promise, and and regain stability. For example, The length of monetary aid given reviews and increments could be I also hope to save some money for other in their journeys.” we want to ensure they have the those whose breadwinners are tem- also varies from case to case, but in made more frequently, and Mr emergency use.” He was replying to Dr Lily Neo best chances in life.” porarily unable to work, looking a parliamentary reply last month, Lee said he would consider the (Jalan Besar GRC) and Mr Seah for jobs or earning a low income the MSF said a median sum of about suggestion. [email protected] Kian Peng (Marine Parade GRC), Theresa Tan

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