<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Feisty exchange over aid for poorest households
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Dr Lily Neo (1st image) took issue with a reply from Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon (2nd image) to her appeal on government help for the needy. -- PHOTOS: LIANHE ZAOBAO AND ST FILE
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->A FEISTY exchange between Dr Lily Neo and Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon on the issue of aid for the poorest households took place during question time yesterday.
Dr Neo, an MP for Jalan Besar GRC, appealed to the Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports for more help for those with long-term problems in making ends meet.
She also asked the minister to confirm a survey's findings that there were 100,000 such households.
Mrs Yu-Foo replied by citing a list of help schemes for the poorest 20 per cent of Singaporeans and, in some cases, those earning more.
Mrs Yu-Foo also said: 'Our ministry's concern is...how far you want to cover.
'You want to cover up to 30 per cent, 40 per cent or 50 per cent?'
Just as Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Tarmugi was moving on to the next question, Dr Neo rose and insisted on her right to reply to what she saw as Mrs Yu-Foo's challenge to her.
'I have to come in here because I was asked a question,' Dr Neo said.
'I'd like to object to the fact that I was asked...what I wanted the assistance for; wasn't 20 per cent enough, 30 per cent enough?'
She added: 'I definitely never asked for 30 per cent or 40 per cent of assistance to Singaporeans, and I object to being asked that kind of question.'
Mrs Yu-Foo then clarified that her question was not directed at Dr Neo in particular, but at Singaporeans in general.
'I didn't say Dr Lily Neo asks for 30 per cent...My question was generally to Singaporeans, whether we want to cover beyond 20 per cent.'
=> If the question is really directed at Sporns, Sporns should storm into the Parleement to answer her question! And if this happens, expect her to twist and turn and say that question is directed at her grandmother! KNN!
The exchange took place as the Trade and Industry Ministry released figures that showed rising prices in the first half of this year had hit the bottom 20 per cent of Singaporeans the hardest.
They faced an inflation rate of 7.4 per cent in the first half of this year, compared to 6.9 per cent for the middle 60 per cent and top 20 per cent of households by income. GOH CHIN LIAN
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Dr Lily Neo (1st image) took issue with a reply from Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon (2nd image) to her appeal on government help for the needy. -- PHOTOS: LIANHE ZAOBAO AND ST FILE
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->A FEISTY exchange between Dr Lily Neo and Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon on the issue of aid for the poorest households took place during question time yesterday.
Dr Neo, an MP for Jalan Besar GRC, appealed to the Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports for more help for those with long-term problems in making ends meet.
She also asked the minister to confirm a survey's findings that there were 100,000 such households.
Mrs Yu-Foo replied by citing a list of help schemes for the poorest 20 per cent of Singaporeans and, in some cases, those earning more.
Mrs Yu-Foo also said: 'Our ministry's concern is...how far you want to cover.
'You want to cover up to 30 per cent, 40 per cent or 50 per cent?'
Just as Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Tarmugi was moving on to the next question, Dr Neo rose and insisted on her right to reply to what she saw as Mrs Yu-Foo's challenge to her.
'I have to come in here because I was asked a question,' Dr Neo said.
'I'd like to object to the fact that I was asked...what I wanted the assistance for; wasn't 20 per cent enough, 30 per cent enough?'
She added: 'I definitely never asked for 30 per cent or 40 per cent of assistance to Singaporeans, and I object to being asked that kind of question.'
Mrs Yu-Foo then clarified that her question was not directed at Dr Neo in particular, but at Singaporeans in general.
'I didn't say Dr Lily Neo asks for 30 per cent...My question was generally to Singaporeans, whether we want to cover beyond 20 per cent.'
=> If the question is really directed at Sporns, Sporns should storm into the Parleement to answer her question! And if this happens, expect her to twist and turn and say that question is directed at her grandmother! KNN!
The exchange took place as the Trade and Industry Ministry released figures that showed rising prices in the first half of this year had hit the bottom 20 per cent of Singaporeans the hardest.
They faced an inflation rate of 7.4 per cent in the first half of this year, compared to 6.9 per cent for the middle 60 per cent and top 20 per cent of households by income. GOH CHIN LIAN
