Are we doing enough to help struggling Singaporeans?

For example, Kash pointed to Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu’s recent reply to a parliamentary question on public hygiene surrounding the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS).

Fu had written: “Rummaging through public refuse bins, removing items from them, and leaving or spilling waste on the ground are against the law.”

Noting that this could affect people who may depend on collecting recyclables for some money, Kash suggested a rebuttal: “If someone is collecting discarded items to earn a few dollars, should our first concern be how this reflects on Singapore, or what circumstances might have led that person to do so?

“Perhaps both deserve attention, but the human being should never be an afterthought.”

What more can we do?

Sharing his own struggles, Kash added: “Living day to day, paycheck to paycheck, is tiring. Anyone who’s been through this will be able to resonate with what I’m saying.”

The Stomper acknowledged the various Government assistance schemes available, such as cash payouts, CDC vouchers, utility rebates and healthcare subsidies for many households. To suggest that nothing has been done would thus be unfair.

However, he argued that the question should be whether existing measures adequately address the financial pressures faced by different groups of Singaporeans.

Among the factors considered are:

• Could more be done to help lower-income households meet their basic needs?
• Could we provide better protection for middle-income families who may not qualify for substantial assistance but are struggling with rising expenses?
• Could we make healthcare, childcare, housing and essential services more affordable in the long term, rather than relying predominantly on periodic financial assistance?

With these challenges in mind, Kash’s ultimate question is: “Are we doing enough for struggling Singaporeans?”

Many people face struggles we may never see

As a middle-income earner, Kash knows too well the dilemma families face.

They do not qualify for assistance targeted at lower-income households, yet may not have enough to comfortably afford housing, childcare, education and healthcare while maintaining a reasonable quality of life.

Having to pay taxes and contribute to CPF while caring for young children and ageing parents, their financial responsibilities can be substantial, even when their income appears reasonable on paper.

This is why he feels assistance should not be assessed solely by gross household income.

“Helping families manage these pressures is not simply about distributing more money. It is also about designing policies that recognise how people actually live,” he said.

He also clarified that he is not “advocating for handouts without accountability”, but believes there should be a balance between individual responsibility, sustainable public spending and collective responsibility towards those who need help.

“Sometimes, people do everything they are supposed to do and still find themselves struggling. That reality deserves our attention.”

‘Success should not be measured solely by economic growth’

Conundrums aside, Kash emphasised that he wants Singapore to continue succeeding and our economy to remain competitive.

“But I also want Singaporeans to be able to enjoy the fruits of that progress,” he stressed.

The Stomper believes success shouldn’t just be measured by economic growth, but by whether ordinary people can live with dignity, families have time for each other, the elderly can age without fear, and hard work leads to real financial security.

“There is a difference between surviving and truly living,” Kash pointed out.

“Perhaps it is time we gave more thought to how we can help more Singaporeans move from the former to the latter.”

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