SINGAPORE'S social safety nets ensure that those in need will get help, but Singaporeans should be more self-reliant in the long run, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday.
He said: "We should never encourage people to rely on handouts, instead of their own efforts."
He was speaking at the Community Care Endowment Fund (ComCare) Appreciation Lunch, to mark ComCare's fifth anniversary.
It was held at the Concorde Hotel and attended by about 450 beneficiaries, grassroots leaders and guests.
Mr Lee pointed to three key elements which make up Singapore's comprehensive set of social safety nets: Keeping people in jobs; getting them to save money for old age; and help from family and the community.
He said: "We want the family to be strong and the family to be the first resort, the first line of support for people who need help.
"(The) system has worked well. It's delivered affordable, targeted, effective help. We've avoided a massive welfare bureaucracy."
Mr Lee said that Singapore cannot adopt a welfare-state system like Britain as the country lacks natural resources and a hinterland.
Britain provides generous unemployment benefits, social payments and pensions.
Funded by high taxes, this has led to trade-offs in growth and competitiveness, he said.
However, Europe was living beyond its means, and cracks showed during the recent financial crisis.
Britain has been cutting back on government spending by one quarter, said Mr Lee.
Speaking about the European situation, he said: "Citizens have grown used to these benefits and, now, to roll back the welfare state is going to cause tremendous upheaval.
"We knew from the start we couldn't afford what the Europeans were trying to do... And, so, we depend on the talent, the energies and the drive of our people."
Mr Lee stressed that Singapore's meritocratic system will not mean that "it's every man for himself", but it will be one of a "community helping one another and progressing together".
Singapore has four pillars to its social-security system, he said.
These are the Central Provident Fund; the "3Ms" - Medisave, MediShield and Medifund; the Housing Board; and Workfare.
ComCare was added around these pillars. It is "not as massive as the others but important when it counts", he said.
He added: "ComCare pulls together the efforts of many different segments of society to help needy and disadvantaged Singaporeans."
Needy families could access ComCare assistance via various channels such as family-service centres and voluntary welfare organisations.
ComCare has since disbursed more than $200 million to help over 160,000 needy individuals and households.
As of March this year, there were 25,200 cases receiving assistance under ComCare.
The ComCare fund, started in 2005, has now reached $800 million, but it is targeted to hit $1 billion.
Mr Lee pledged to continue to improve ComCare, and advised prudence and discipline in the implementation of welfare schemes to prevent them from becoming a "taxing burden".
ComCare beneficiary T. K. Sim, 58, suffered a stroke in June and was forced to temporarily stop working as a taxi driver.
He has received assistance in the form of $100 FairPrice vouchers and transport vouchers worth $30 monthly, from August till October.
He has a wife and two teenage children to support.
Mr Sim said: "I'm grateful for its help, but I think it's best if we can rely on ourselves."
