About 900,000 Singaporean HDB households will receive the next installment of the GST Voucher – Utilities-Save (U-Save) rebate in January 2019, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) announced in a press release on Wednesday (2 January).
The ministry stated that the U-Save rebate is one of three components under the permanent GST Voucher scheme.
“The U-Save rebate helps HDB households by offsetting part of their utilities bills, and therefore lower their overall household expenses,”stressed, adding that the rebate is disbursed every three months.
The total expenditure on U-Save rebates is expected to amount to around $300 million in 2019.
According to the ministry, the permanent GST Voucher – U-Save rebate has enabled households in 1- and 2-room HDB flats to receive support which is equivalent to about 3 to 4 months of their utilities bills on average annually.
Meanwhile, those living in 3- and 4-room HDB flats have received support equivalent to about 1 to 2 months of their utilities bills, it added.
In January 2019, eligible Singaporean households will each receive a GST Voucher – U-Save rebate of up to $100, depending on their HDB flat type. As announced in Budget 2018, eligible households will receive an additional $20 per year ($5 per quarter) for 3 years, from 2019 to 2021.
However, many Singaporeans are cynical towards this handout. In a previous distribution of the GST Vouchers on July 2018, many went to mainstream medias and wrote their skepticism.
Wee Pei Xiang wrote, “NO don’t give us!!! You give us we very scare.”
Raptor Fong wrote, “Give chicken wing take back whole chicken.”
Gary Choo wrote, “Please don’t give us anything.
Very scary.
Used to give drumstick and take back a chicken.
Now, give chicken wing, and take back 5 chickens.
Cannot tahan ah.”
Alex Neo wrote, “Just how many times PUB have increase within this year. If I still remember 4 times already plus home city gas as well.”
Arthur Lee wrote, “Remember this song we all sang in NS?
“They say that in the army, the pay is mighty fine. They give you hundred dollars and take back ninety nine.”
Now they take away more than 99.”
Fauziah Ahmad wrote, “True. There’s always a catch. Nothing is free in Singapore.”
