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MP defends govt saying help schemes available for elderly getting less than $1,379 a mth

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5 years ago

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A recent study by Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYPP) at National University of Singapore reveals that a minimum of $1,379 a month may be required for an elderly aged 65 and above to live decently in Singapore.

Yesterday, the Sunday Times published an article to delve into the issue further (‘$1,379 a month for retirement in Singapore: Too much or too little?‘, 2 Jun).

It featured an odd-job labourer Chow Yit Keong, 66, who began experiencing heart problems two years ago that made it hard for him to work. He soon found himself in dire straits. He has no children to look after him and exhausted what little savings he had. As a laborer, he only earned about $1,000. His savings were all gone for looking after his own father who died a few years ago.

Mr Chow now lives in a one-room rental flat in Tampines and receives only $250 from his monthly CPF payouts. Because of his predicament, he also gets an extra $750 each quarter or $250 per month from the government under the Silver Support scheme. In total, he gets $500 per month to survive in Singapore, less than half of the recommended $1,379.

“I mostly eat at home and only go out to the coffee shop or exercise corner nearby to socialise,” he said. “Money can get tight towards the end of the month, but I just have to be thick-skinned and borrow money from my friends to tide myself over.”

Clearly, Mr Chow is in a tight situation every month, barely able to have a decent living in Singapore.

Dr Jeremy Lim, a partner at consulting firm Oliver Wyman’s Asia-Pacific health and life sciences practice, noted that the LKYPP’s $1,379 figure had assumed that the elderly would be in good health, and so healthcare expenditure was not even factored in. Even though Singaporeans are all covered by MediShield Life scheme, co-payments are still required, said Dr Lim.

According to IPS, data from the Household Expenditure Survey done in 2012 and 2013 showed that about 58,300 resident retiree households, comprised solely of non-working people aged 60 and above, had a per capita income of $601 and below. They comprised of bottom 20 per cent among all households.

So, presumably, there would be even more households at more than the 20 per cent, getting a per capita income of $1,379 and below.

MP Lily Neo:  Help schemes available for the elderly poor

When the Sunday Times interviewed Jalan Besar GRC MP Lily Neo for her comments, she defended the government.

She said that $1,379 is “neither too much nor too little” for a senior aged 65 and above who is living alone. But this is not to say that those who get less than $1,379 a month are necessarily deprived.

She pointed out that a number of community care services and help schemes have been rolled out to assist those like Mr Chow who are relying on handouts that in total are still less than $1,379.

She added that these community groups have integrated their services so that an elderly in need will be able to take part in activities, like karaoke, or get home care services and meal deliveries at little to no extra cost.

These elderly can even go on organised day trips to Malaysia at subsidised costs of about $20 to $30 each, she said.

Many elderly forced to continue to work at the detriment of their health

Dr Jamie Phang, cluster director of community eldercare services at Methodist Welfare Services, said that a large percentage of her clients would not be able to meet the $1,379 budget, as her organisation primarily serves the elderly who are from the bottom 10 per cent of the household income group.

“Some of them are unable to retire due to income inadequacy,” she noted. “Often, these seniors continue working, sometimes to the detriment of their health, as they do not wish to be a burden to their families or even to social service organisations that extend financial assistance to them.”

Some also find it difficult and embarrassing to apply for the financial assistance that they need, she added. Indeed, several years ago, the Chinese media reported an elderly cleaner worked till she died inside a public toilet.

NMP Walter Theseira noted that a National Wages Council report out last week suggested that about 8 to 10 per cent of income earners get less than $1,400 a month. This group is unlikely to have enough savings to meet the $1,379 threshold when they retire if they continue to earn around the same amount, he added.

The LKYPP report also said that about 80 per cent of the elderly relied on adult children for financial support.

However, Dr Theseira said this dependence is not sustainable in the long run. “You’re just kicking the can down the road, as every $300 to $400 that children give their parents is a sum that they could be saving for their retirement,” he said.

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Hotel Properties Limited suspends trading ahead of Ong Beng Seng’s court hearing

Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), co-founded by Mr Ong Beng Seng, has halted trading ahead of his court appearance today (4 October). The announcement was made by HPL’s company secretary at about 7.45am, citing a pending release of an announcement. Mr Ong faces one charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts and another charge of obstruction of justice. He is due in court at 2.30pm.

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17 hours ago

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4 October 2024

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SINGAPORE: Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), the property and hotel developer co-founded by Mr Ong Beng Seng, has requested a trading halt ahead of the Singapore tycoon’s scheduled court appearance today (4 October) afternoon.

This announcement was made by HPL’s company secretary at approximately 7.45am, stating that the halt was due to a pending release of an announcement.

Mr Ong, who serves as HPL’s managing director and controlling shareholder, faces one charge under Section 165, accused of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts, as well as one charge of obstruction of justice.

He is set to appear in court at 2.30pm on 4 October.

Ong’s charges stem from his involvement in a high-profile corruption case linked to former Singaporean transport minister S Iswaran.

The 80-year-old businessman was named in Iswaran’s initial graft charges earlier this year.

These charges alleged that Iswaran had corruptly received valuable gifts from Ong, including tickets to the 2022 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, flights, and a hotel stay in Doha.

These gifts were allegedly provided to advance Ong’s business interests, particularly in securing contracts with the Singapore Tourism Board for the Singapore GP and the ABBA Voyage virtual concert.

Although Iswaran no longer faces the original corruption charges, the prosecution amended them to lesser charges under Section 165.

Iswaran pleaded guilty on 24 September, 2024, to four counts under this section, which covered over S$400,000 worth of gifts, including flight tickets, sports event access, and luxury items like whisky and wines.

Additionally, he faced one count of obstructing justice for repaying Ong for a Doha-Singapore flight shortly before the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) became involved.

On 3 October, Iswaran was sentenced to one year in jail by presiding judge Justice Vincent Hoong.

The prosecution had sought a sentence of six to seven months for all charges, while the defence had asked for a significantly reduced sentence of no more than eight weeks.

Ong, a Malaysian national based in Singapore, was arrested by CPIB in July 2023 and released on bail shortly thereafter. Although no charges were initially filed against him, Ong’s involvement in the case intensified following Iswaran’s guilty plea.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had earlier indicated that it would soon make a decision regarding Ong’s legal standing, which has now led to the current charges.

According to the statement of facts read during Iswaran’s conviction, Ong’s case came to light as part of a broader investigation into his associates, which revealed Iswaran’s use of Ong’s private jet for a flight from Singapore to Doha in December 2022.

CPIB investigators uncovered the flight manifest and seized the document.

Upon learning that the flight records had been obtained, Ong contacted Iswaran, advising him to arrange for Singapore GP to bill him for the flight.

Iswaran subsequently paid Singapore GP S$5,700 for the Doha-Singapore business class flight in May 2023, forming the basis of his obstruction of justice charge.

Mr Ong is recognised as the figure who brought Formula One to Singapore in 2008, marking the first night race in the sport’s history.

He holds the rights to the Singapore Grand Prix. Iswaran was the chairman of the F1 steering committee and acted as the chief negotiator with Singapore GP on business matters concerning the race.

 

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Current Affairs

Chee Soon Juan questions Shanmugam’s $88 million property sale amid silence from Mainstream Media

Dr Chee Soon Juan of the SDP raised concerns about the S$88 million sale of Mr K Shanmugam’s Good Class Bungalow at Astrid Hill, questioning transparency and the lack of mainstream media coverage. He called for clarity on the buyer, valuation, and potential conflicts of interest.

Published

2 weeks ago

on

23 September 2024

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On Sunday (22 Sep), Dr Chee Soon Juan, Secretary General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), issued a public statement on Facebook, expressing concerns regarding the sale of Minister for Home Affairs and Law, Mr K Shanmugam’s Good Class Bungalow (GCB) at Astrid Hill.

Dr Chee questioned the transparency of the S$88 million transaction and the absence of mainstream media coverage despite widespread discussion online.

According to multiple reports cited by Dr Chee, Mr Shanmugam’s property was transferred in August 2023 to UBS Trustees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, which holds the property in trust under the Jasmine Villa Settlement.

Dr Chee’s statement focused on two primary concerns: the lack of response from Mr Shanmugam regarding the transaction and the silence of major media outlets, including Singapore Press Holdings and Mediacorp.

He argued that, given the ongoing public discourse and the relevance of property prices in Singapore, the sale of a high-value asset by a public official warranted further scrutiny.

In his Facebook post, Dr Chee posed several questions directed at Mr Shanmugam and the government:

  1. Who purchased the property, and is the buyer a Singaporean citizen?
  2. Who owns Jasmine Villa Settlement?
  3. Were former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and current Prime Minister Lawrence Wong informed of the transaction, and what were their responses?
  4. How was it ensured that the funds were not linked to money laundering?
  5. How was the property’s valuation determined, and by whom?

The Astrid Hill property, originally purchased by Mr Shanmugam in 2003 for S$7.95 million, saw a significant increase in value, aligning with the high-end status of District 10, where it is located. The 3,170.7 square-meter property was sold for S$88 million in August 2023.

Dr Chee highlighted that, despite Mr Shanmugam’s detailed responses regarding the Ridout Road property, no such transparency had been offered in relation to the Astrid Hill sale.

He argued that the lack of mainstream media coverage was particularly concerning, as public interest in the sale is high. Dr Chee emphasized that property prices and housing affordability are critical issues in Singapore, and transparency from public officials is essential to maintain trust.

Dr Chee emphasized that the Ministerial Code of Conduct unambiguously states: “A Minister must scrupulously avoid any actual or apparent conflict of interest between his office and his private financial interests.”

He concluded his statement by reiterating the need for Mr Shanmugam to address the questions raised, as the matter involves not only the Minister himself but also the integrity of the government and its responsibility to the public.

The supposed sale of Mr Shamugam’s Astrid Hill property took place just a month after Mr Shanmugam spoke in Parliament over his rental of a state-owned bungalow at Ridout Road via a ministerial statement addressing potential conflicts of interest.

At that time, Mr Shanmugam explained that his decision to sell his home was due to concerns about over-investment in a single asset, noting that his financial planning prompted him to sell the property and move into rental accommodation.

The Ridout Road saga last year centred on concerns about Mr Shanmugam’s rental of a sprawling black-and-white colonial bungalow, occupying a massive plot of land, managed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), which he oversees in his capacity as Minister for Law. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, also rented a similarly expansive property nearby.

Mr Shanmugam is said to have recused himself from the decision-making process, and a subsequent investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) found no wrongdoing while Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean confirmed in Parliament that Mr Shanmugam had removed himself from any decisions involving the property.

As of now, Mr Shanmugam has not commented publicly on the sale of his Astrid Hill property.

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