SINGAPORE — A netizen recently shared that he was allegedly refused by a staff in a kopitiam stall when he attempted to combine his payment with his Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers.
On Monday(13 March), the netizen shared a post on the Complaint Singapore group, noted that he visited the Foodhub kopitiam located in Bedok South.
He approached a kopi stall that displayed a CDC voucher sticker, indicating that the stall accepted the vouchers as a payment method.
However, he was surprised when the staff informed him that they were unable to combine payment with CDC vouchers.
“I asked if they accept payment (note that some stalls have stickers but doesn’t accept cdc e-voucher).”
“The answer by the PRC staff – cannot combine payment, tabao is 2.60, will need to use 2 X $2 voucher. Can Ministry of Finance (Singapore) , Community Development Council ,explain?”
Users are allowed to combine CDC vouchers with cash to make purchases
According to info available on CDC’s website, the CDC voucher is available in fixed denominations of $2, $5, and $10. This reduces the chance of errors and confusion for residents, particularly those who are less digitally savvy.
However, users are allowed to combine CDC vouchers with cash to make purchases. For example, if an item costs $6, a user can use a $5 voucher and top up the difference of $1 using cash.
Several group members also joined the conversation to help explain the situation to the complainant.
One member, who is also a CDC merchant, clarified that customers can combine payment using CDC vouchers with cash or cashless payment methods.
“Those stores that paste CDC and does not accept, you may file a complaint,” he further noted that the voucher are not to be exchanged for cash and are meant for monetary purchases only.
Another group member suspected that maybe the staff was giving the wrong info, stating that it was possible to use one $2 voucher and pay the remaining $0.60 separately.
Another group member raised a similar question, asking if it was legal for a merchant to not return change if the total purchase price is less than the value of the CDC vouchers used.
The CDC merchant explained that this is how vouchers typically work. “Vouchers are a form entitlement to a discount. They are not forms of cash term as monies/notes/coins.”
In January 2023, every Singaporean household can claim $300 in CDC Vouchers.
This is part of the enhanced support under the Assurance Package to help cushion the impact of additional Goods & Services Tax (GST) for Singaporean households and the $1.5 billion Support Package announced in October 2022.
The value of the vouchers will be allocated equally (i.e., $150 each) to be spent at participating heartland merchants and hawkers, or at participating supermarkets.
Singaporean Households have until 31 December 2023 to claim and spend their CDC Vouchers 2023.
