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Closing Remarks by Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development at SMU-DBS Foundation Symposium on Essential Household Needs in Singapore on 12 July 2024 at Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium, SMU School of Accountancy

Type: Official Speeches (All), Official Speeches: Masagos Zulkifli

Topic(s): Financial Assistance & Social Support

Published on 12 July 2024

  1. We have heard a diversity of perspectives today, including from overseas academics. More importantly, our discussion today shows that Singaporeans care. And I have learnt so much from today’s sharing from our social workers and academicians.

     

    Takeaways from Symposium

  2. What struck me most, among other things, is that what is deemed to be essential can vary across social contexts. We have heard about the Japanese context, and it will be quite interesting to know what the differences in other countries are.

     

  3. There is broad agreement that beyond physical needs, there are also psychosocial needs – such as spending time together with friends and family, and other social connections. These are essential.

     

  4. I agree with these points. While the Government sets policy, including financial assistance schemes such as ComCare and what it should cover, we are informed by our social context. And this is not just about designing one assistance scheme or another; more fundamentally, it is about what we want our social fabric to be and what threads we want to weave into this fabric.

     

  5. The social compact we have in Singapore is rare and precious, and I hope we do not take this for granted. Individuals and their families, the community, the Government, corporates all have our roles to play – and I hear (from the Symposium) that we are joining hands to nurture and build lives together, to ensure that no Singaporean is left behind.

     

    Government’s support 

  6. In Singapore, families are the cornerstone of our society. It is therefore important that we, as a society, support families to progress and achieve stability, self-reliance, and social mobility for themselves and their children. We call this the ‘3Ses’.

     

  7. To help lower-income families achieve the ‘3Ses’:

     

    • We have invested considerably in social transfers to ensure families have access to affordable education, healthcare, and housing. We have also introduced many measures to alleviate daily cost of living pressures, such as the Assurance Package.

       

    • For those who need more help, we provide additional assistance.

       

      • For example, over the years, we have developed many schemes to give lower-income families a leg-up, to give their children a good start in life. KidSTART, ComLink+, just to name a few.

         

  8. The Government’s key philosophy is that everyone should be supported to meet their daily living needs.

     

    • And therefore, we have continually adjusted ComCare assistance to keep up-to-date with changing needs. For instance, ComCare assistance now covers mobile data plans as digital connectivity has become an essential need today for every one of us.

       

  9. We will continue to adjust our policies and programmes, recognising that needs evolve over time.

     

    10. SMU’s Household Needs Study and IPS’s poll are funded by MSF, and will inform our ongoing review of ComCare.

     

    • Let me thank the researchers who have put in a lot of hard work in identifying what they deemed to be the most suitable methodology, and in distilling the findings in clear and understandable terms.
    • This is a good example of how the academic community and the Government can work together, as part of our social compact, to build a stronger Singapore.

       

      Key findings

       

      11. The studies also reinforce our understanding of the Singaporean society. The IPS poll, for example, showed us that many Singaporeans believe in individuals taking responsibility for meeting their own needs, especially if they strive for a higher standard of living. This is not surprising at all. Singaporeans hold self-reliance in high regard. This includes the lower-income themselves, who find dignity in providing for themselves and their families.

       

      12. From the research presented and discussed today, we see though, that views differ on what needs are deemed essential, particularly for items that go beyond subsistence. It is not a straightforward task to draw up a definitive list of essentials that everyone accepts, because preferences and priorities are different for everyone. This is also what we heard from the Forward Singapore engagements.

       

      13. Implicit in these views is the public’s understanding that what social assistance provides must be reasonable and sustainable, bearing in mind that such assistance is funded by taxpayers.

       

    • We see this play out in the IPS poll findings. To fund essential items for those in need, most Singaporeans prefer not to pay more taxes. Instead, they prefer to re-allocate government spending from other areas. But the latter involves hard choices. Reallocating means taking away from one area, which  some Singaporeans may value, in order to fund this area which we value greatly. This is a delicate balance we will need to strike – between which items to provide for through government funding, and the trade-offs we need to make as a society.

       

    • The studies also show that there is much room for others besides the Government to provide support for lower-income and vulnerable families.  For instance, the community – both individuals, organisations, and corporates – can contribute their time, money and resources to help families achieve the 3Ses. 

       

      14. This year has been designated the Year of Celebrating Volunteers, and I want to specially recognise and celebrate every individual and organisation that has stepped forward to support families in need. Your voluntary service and contributions make a difference, and I thank you for all that you have done so far and all that you continue to do.

       

      15. I would also like to express my gratitude to SMU for organising the Symposium, and to DBS Foundation for co-sponsoring and participating in this event.

       

      16. Let us continue to link arms to contribute to this collective effort, to build a caring society, and ensure that no Singaporean is left behind.

       

      17. Thank you.