A6 MY NEWS HOME MY PAPER THURSDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2009 ●

ON EX-HUBBIES
WHO DEFAULT
More cash aid for the poor
ON ALIMONY
Higher Public Assistance payout, money for WHAT THE POOR
children and greater childcare subsidies WILL GET*
HOUSEHOLD TYPE FROM APRIL ’09 CHANGE
JOY FANG nus for me. After all, it’s not
my money, so any amount 1-person $360 +$30
they give me is enough.” 2-person $630 +$60
The increase in the

M R MOHAMMAD 3-person $790 +$90

Zakariya Arjini, 53,
who is disabled, was
relieved when he found out
yesterday that he would get
more public assistance from
the Government.
“ Someone suggested
that we inform the new
wives when men default on
From April, he will re-
ceive $1,150 under the Pub-
lic Assistance scheme – $50
amounts given to families
under the Public Assistance 4-person $950 +$120
scheme was announced by 5-persons $1,150 +$50
Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, or more
Minister of State for Com- *Those who are unable to work, or have little or no family support
munity Development, Youth & can qualify for public assistance. There is no income critieria.
Sports (MCYS), yesterday.
From April, the amounts
will increase by between
$30 and $120 a month, de-
SOURCE: MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH AND SPORTS

maintenance payments, so
they know that their men
don’t commit to their
(previous) spouses.
”
– Dr Vivian Balakrishnan
(above), Minister for
Community
Development, Youth
and Sports
ON LETTING
PARENTS DOWNLOAD
PAST EXAM PAPERS
“Can the MOE look into
doing the same for
worksheets and
assessment papers so that
parents can get them
online instead of from
shopping malls?”
– Ms Denise Phua, MP
for Jalan Besar GRC
ON PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE
FOR THE NEEDY
“There is a saying that one
should look after other
old people and children
the way they would with
their own.”
– Mr Sam Tan, MP
for Tanjong Pagar GRC
ON HOW COMCARE
REACHES
ALL SINGAPOREANS
“We have people who are
able to speak all languages
and dialects, even
Hainanese.”
– Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon,
Minister of State for
Community Development,
Youth and Sports
more than what he is get- from July this year. Families hope for needy Singapore-
pending on household size. with monthly incomes of ans”.
ting now. MCYS will also be provid-
Mr Zakariya became par- $1,500 and below will get at
ing additional assistance of
least 95 per cent in subsi- joyfang@sph.com.sg
alysed after a fall 10 years
ago and his wife, who looks
after their four children in a
two-room rental flat, de-
up to $130 a month for each
child to ensure they contin-
ue to receive care and educa-
dies. They need to pay only
about $10 for childcare and
$5 for kindergarten each
HELPDESK
tion during these difficult
pended on the money to get by. times. month. Paralysed:
 tān huàn
Asked if the extra income Childcare and kindergar- These measures are in
was enough, a grateful Mr ten financial-assistance line with MCYS’ objective of
Zakariya said: “$50 is a bo- schemes will also get a boost providing “assurance and Childcare:
 yòu tuō
PARLIAMENT BRIEFS
200 MORE CHILDCARE THREE GROUPS THAT NEED 23,000 RESTRAINT ORDERS TO
CENTRES TO BE SET UP HELP DURING DOWNTURN TACKLE PROBLEM GAMBLING
ANOTHER 200 new childcare cen- DR VIVIAN Balakrishnan, Minis- EFFORTS to tackle problem gam-
tres will be set up over the next few ter for MCYS, identified three bling would include issuing
years, said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, groups which need help. 23,000 restraint orders against in-
Minister for Community Develop- The first are those who are un- dividuals, such as those on bank-
ment, Youth and Sports (MCYS). able to work and who have no ruptcy lists. Casino exclusion or-
Urging preschool centres not to family support. They are eligible ders are also part of the law for
raise their fees this year as they for public-assistance schemes. gambling, said Mrs Yu-Foo Yee
would benefit from the Jobs Credit Another are those who can cope Shoon, Minister of State for
Scheme, he said there are over during good times but who now MCYS.
700 childcare centres here and al- face the threat of job losses. The Family members can apply for
most 98 per cent of children at- final includes individuals with so- the restraint orders. Details
tend them. cial and personal problems. would be available at a later date.
SPIN-OFF BUSINESS
MORE SOCIAL WORKERS FOR FUNDING FOR NATIONAL
FAMILY SERVICE CENTRES OPPORTUNITIES FROM YOG SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS
FAMILY service centres can hire THE 2010 Youth Olympic Games NATIONAL Sports Associations
more social workers and reduce (YOG) would create spin-off op- (NSAs) that are worried about
portunities for businesses here, funding could get sponsorships
each employee’s workload. and alternative sources of money,
The MCYS is expected to through the use of trademarks said Mr Teo Ser Luck, Senior Par-
spend $16 million this year to bet- like the YOG logo, said Mr Teo liamentary Secretary for MCYS.
ter support such centres. Ser Luck, Senior Parliamentary His comment follows concerns
Several initiatives, including Secretary for MCYS. by NSAs that while more money
the accreditation of social work- He was responding to queries had been allocated to sports, that
ers this year, will improve the in- on how companies can leverage money could be allocated to
dustry’s standard of practice and on the YOG during the down- YOG.
professionalism. turn. – KOH HUI THENG