The PAP using the tried and trusted pork barrel politics again

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Up to $1m set aside for community innovation projects at CCs over next 3 years​

(From left) Free Wheelchair Repair @ Geylang West volunteers Jaslyn Li and Daron Hoon taking a look at Madam Kwek Eng Noy's wheelchair at Geylang West Community Club on March 22.ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Wong Pei Ting
Mar 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – Aged 92, Madam Kwek Eng Noy uses her motorised wheelchair to go to the active ageing centre for karaoke sessions, or to navigate around her home to get chores done.

But like her frail body, the $1,500 mobility device has its limits.

After eight years, one of its levers came loose and would switch from automatic to manual mode on its own, requiring her to get help to adjust the lever.

However, thanks to a free wheelchair repair initiative at Geylang West Community Club (CC), located near her four-room flat at Kallang Heights, Madam Kwek is now mobile again.

On March 22, the CC became the first of 10 CCs to launch a dedicated collaborative space for residents, volunteers and partners to curate projects that address the community’s needs.

Such spaces are called “Sparks”.

The other nine CCs are: Pek Kio CC, Buangkok CC, Pasir Ris East CC, Nee Soon South CC, Zhenghua CC, Mountbatten CC, Kampong Chai Chee CC, Boon Lay CC, and Tengah CC.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, who is Deputy Chairman of the People’s Association (PA), on March 22 announced that the PA will support up to 50 initiatives under the Sparks umbrella over the next three years.

Speaking at the official opening of Sparks at Geylang West CC, he said each project will receive funding of up to $20,000, which means up to $1 million will be set aside in total.

Addressing the audience, Mr Tong said: “This is about helping you seed the initiative to allow you that little bit of support to make sure that that dollar goes further through the work and effort of all our volunteers.”

Each of the Sparks spaces will be staffed by a community innovation taskforce comprising three to eight grassroots leaders and partners who will formulate the activities at each CC’s innovation space.

On the need for such taskforces, Mr Tong said: “A space without soul, without leadership, without people, is only a space. This space is only viable if we can have a team that comes together, thinks about and brainstorms what it is that our community needs.”

The rolling out of such spaces at CCs was first announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the PA Community Club Management Committees (CCMCs) 60th anniversary on Nov 4, 2024.

He had said CCMCs must support the refreshed PA mission, which includes expanding ground-up community participation, and CCs have to go beyond just renting out rooms and hosting classes.

Speaking at the event where certificates of appointment were presented to the 10 CCs’ community innovation taskforces on March 22, Mr Tong noted Singapore’s population has changed.

He said: “At PA, it is important for us to match our population. We cannot be in one direction, and our population grows in a different direction.”

Geylang West Community Club (CC) is the first of 10 CCs to launch Sparks.ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Citing the wheelchair repair initiative, Mr Tong said volunteers feel a sense of achievement, pride and giving back when they get involved.

Madam Kwek had her wheelchair fixed for free. The volunteers picked it up in the evening, and returned it to her the next morning, in working order.

The wheelchair repair programme came about as the Upper Boon Keng estate near Geylang West CC has a significantly elderly population, with 45 per cent of its residents aged 50 and above, with many requiring mobility assistance.

Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo, who is the MP for Jalan Besar GRC where Geylang West CC is located, said wheelchairs are not easy to repair.

While they can be replaced, they can cost up to $2,000 if they are motorised, or $300 for non-motorised ones, she noted.

She said with the initiative, not only do the seniors feel they have got back the use of their wheelchairs, they feel a greater sense of dignity because they can move around on their own.

She added: “Working together with other partners, we hope to continue to make this programme available to even more of our residents, perhaps even those extending beyond Upper Boon Keng, to the whole of the GRC.”

Mr Wan Kwong Weng, who chairs the Geylang West Community Innovation Taskforce, said volunteers helping with the wheelchair repair include employees of Micron Semiconductor Asia Operations, which has a facility at Bendeemer Road nearby.

He said most of them are educated in the principles of engineering, which are transferable skills.

Said Mr Wan: “If a rivet or screw is loose, we tighten it. So, I don’t think it is rocket science. But at the end of the day, I think this is a very well suited service when we are faced with an ageing population.”

 

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Honour Lee Kuan Yew’s legacy not just in remembrance, but in action: PM Wong​

Residents, grassroots leaders and members of the public gathering to lay flowers at the Lee Kuan Yew memorial tree in Duxton Plain Park on March 22.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Andrew Wong
Mar 23, 2025

SINGAPORE – On the 10th anniversary of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s death, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong called on Singaporeans to honour the legacy of Singapore’s founding father through their actions.

Modern Singapore stands as a testament to Mr Lee’s vision for the nation, having become a clean and green city-state that is “admired and respected around the world”.

“Together with his pioneering team, Mr Lee defied the odds to build a nation anchored in meritocracy, strengthened by economic resilience, and held together by a deep commitment to harmony,” said PM Wong in a Facebook post on March 23.

He added: “The Singapore story is still being written. Together, let’s forge a brighter future worthy of the foundation he laid.”

Mr Lee became Singapore’s prime minister in 1959, serving in that office until he stepped down in 1990. He remained in politics as a senior minister and minister mentor until his retirement in May 2011. He was then appointed as senior adviser to the GIC sovereign wealth fund.

Mr Lee died on March 23, 2015, at 91.

“Ten years on, the recent rains remind us of that solemn day in March 2015, when Singapore stood united under heavy skies to bid farewell to our founding prime minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew,” said PM Wong.


Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who was Mr Lee’s eldest child, also marked the 10th anniversary of his father’s death with a Facebook post.

“Singaporeans remember him for all he did for the nation. To me and my family, he was our father or grandfather, and meant the world to us. May we live up to his hopes and expectations, and always do him proud,” said SM Lee.


President Tharman Shanmugaratnam paid tribute to Singapore’s growth under Mr Lee’s charge, saying the nation would have looked very different if not for him.

“We survived as a small nation, became a multiracial society, and kept climbing up in the world because of him, the team he led, and his insistence that every generation should have its own leaders – and its own ideals and aspirations for the future,” said Mr Tharman on Facebook.

He added that Singaporeans can live up to Mr Lee’s legacy by constantly imagining a better future, working to make it possible, and to become a nation that uplifts every citizen.

On March 22, a ceremony was held at Duxton Plain Park in Tanjong Pagar GRC to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Mr Lee’s death.

Mr Lee was Tanjong Pagar’s first MP, after being elected in 1955 when it was a single-member constituency. He remained an MP of the constituency for almost 60 years.

The ceremony was attended by three out of five Tanjong Pagar MPs: Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah, and Ms Joan Pereira.

Mr Koo Tsai Kee, former MP of the Tiong Bahru division under Tanjong Pagar GRC from 1991 to 2011; and Ms Rachel Ong, an MP for West Coast GRC, were also in attendance. Under the latest changes to the electoral boundaries, parts of Ms Ong’s Telok Blangah ward in West Coast GRC have been ceded to Tanjong Pagar GRC.

All five placed bouquets of yellow and white chrysanthemums at the foot of the Lee Kuan Yew memorial tree to mark Mr Lee’s death anniversary.

(Front row, from left) West Coast GRC MP Rachel Ong, Tanjong Pagar GRC MPs Indranee Rajah and Chan Chun Sing, Radin Mas MP Melvin Yong, Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Joan Pereira and former Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Koo Tsai Kee observing a minute of silence at a ceremony at Duxton Plain Park, on March 22, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s death.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
The memorial tree was planted at Duxton Plain Park a month after Mr Lee’s death. Its planting was witnessed by then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, along with some 500 residents from the constituency. Among his many accolades, the founding father of the Republic was known as Singapore’s Chief Gardener.

Said Ms Indranee on March 22: “What he did for Tanjong Pagar, he also did at scale for the whole country. He oversaw this extraordinary transformation of Singapore in its journey from Third World to First.”

 

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Around 1,000 attend mass break-fast meal at Kampong Glam​

This is the third year the communal break-fast meal has been held in the area.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Lee Nian Tjoe
Mar 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – A stretch of Arab Street between North Bridge Road and Beach Road was closed off on March 22, as around 1,000 attendees gathered for a mass iftar, or communal break-fast meal.

It was part of the Gemilang Kampong Gelam 2025 Ramadan Bazaar, and guests included beneficiaries from non-profit organisations and Jalan Besar GRC.

This is the third year the communal break-fast meal has been held in the area.

In 2024, over 1,500 people attended the event.

Addressing attendees, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who was the guest of honour, said it was not common for people from different backgrounds, religions and races to celebrate the meaning of Ramadan and break fast together in this way.

He said: “In fact, it is very unique, and it’s something we should always cherish and protect here in Singapore, and always be that oasis of peace, stability and harmony, regardless of race, language or religion.”

PM Wong also distributed goodie bags to the beneficiaries.


Each bag included refreshments, a green packet and a voucher.

Mrs Josephine Teo, who is the Minister for Digital Development and Information and who helms the People’s Action Party team in Jalan Besar GRC, was present.

Her fellow MPs in the GRC – Mr Heng Chee How, Ms Denise Phua and Dr Wan Rizal – also attended.

Minister of State for National Development and Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim was also at the event.

Ramadan is the ninth and holiest month in the Muslim calendar, during which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. Iftar is the evening meal that marks the end of the fasting day during this period.

Mr Zaki Ma’arof, chairman of One Kampong Gelam, an association that aims to enliven and establish Kampong Glam as a vibrant cultural district, said: “Ramadan is a time of reflection, generosity and togetherness. Through this mass iftar, our aim is to foster a spirit of inclusivity and bring people from all walks of life together in a meaningful way.”

Safety officer Abdillah Hashim, 43, his wife, Madam Nur Raisah, 39, a homemaker, and four of their five children, were invited by the Muslim Handicap Society of Singapore to the event. The family was surprised by the scale of the mass iftar.

The communal iftar is part of the Ramadan festivities in the Kampong Glam heritage precinct that run till March 25. Among the activities is a food bazaar that features 80 food and beverage operators.

Since it opened on Feb 19, the bazaar has seen 900,000 visitors. It is open from 2pm till 11pm, other than Sunday, when it closes at 11.30pm.

 

[True Believer]

The Pappies are desperate to win this election by a landslide because absolute power corrupts absolutely. They want another 5 years to do as they please to enrich themselves and beggar up to 80% of the population.

 

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New preschools, primary school and sheltered linkway to Sembawang MRT in the works: Ong Ye Kung​

Health Minister and Sembawang GRC MP Ong Ye Kung at the launch of ActiveSG’s new outdoor obstacle course and water play area at the Bukit Canberra integrated sports and community hub on March 23.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

Zaihan Mohamed Yusof
Mar 23, 2025

SINGAPORE – Residents in Sembawang GRC can expect new developments such as more pre-schools, a high sheltered linkway to Sembawang MRT station and a new primary school in East Canberra by 2029.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung announced these upcoming initiatives on March 23 at the opening of two new facilities in the Bukit Canberra integrated sports and community hub.

Forest Gym, an outdoor obstacle course, is dubbed the largest outdoor ActiveSG gym in Singapore. The other facility, Canberra Cove, is a water play area for children.

In a speech at the opening, Mr Ong - who is the anchor minister for Sembawang GRC - said the Ministry of Education is supportive of his proposal to build another primary school in East Canberra.

He added that he is hopeful of getting good news from the ministry in the near future, and said residents will have another primary school by 2029 if “all goes well”.

Turning to pre-schools, he said there will be new centres at two Build-to-Order (BTO) projects - Canberra Vista and Sun Sails. Each will have 300 places.

A larger pre-school with 400 places will be built in East Canberra, he added.

“So therefore, in the coming two years, we will add 1,000 pre-school places in Sembawang town,” Mr Ong said.

He also told residents that a high linkway will be built across Sembawang Way - a road with two lanes in each direction - to provide a sheltered path to Sembawang MRT station.

Work will start soon and the structure is slated to be ready by the end of 2026, he added.

Sembawang GRC MPs Dr Lim Wee Kiak, Ms Mariam Jaafar and Ms Poh Li San attended the opening of the two facilities at the 12-ha Bukit Canberra integrated sports and community hub.

The MPs tried their hand at clearing the obstacles - which include a traverse wall and vertical rope climb - at the Forest Gym during a tour of the facilities.

Sembawang resident Dennis Lim, 50, was showing his son, Jayden, 8, how to clear the log jump.

“This obstacle reminds me of my time in the army during national service (NS),” said Mr Lim, a shipping executive. “These obstacles will be great for my son to prepare for NS.”

Forest Gym, an outdoor obstacle course, is dubbed the largest outdoor ActiveSG gym in Singapore.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
A short distance from the obstacles, the Canberra Cove was popular with children and adults.

There are two water play areas – one is a big, shallow wading pool while the other consists of areas with water fountains.

Mr Ong said more facilities at Bukit Canberra will open soon, including a dog run park, a new public library at the former Admiralty House as well as community and thematic gardens.

When Sembawang Shipyard moves out to Tuas next year, it will open up a big waterfront area for development, he noted.

Some 8,000 BTO flats and 2,000 private homes will be built at the upcoming 53ha Sembawang North estate.

Sembawang’s heritage area, known for its old black and white bungalows, may also see some development as 20 of the more than 100 bungalows have recently been tendered for commercial use that includes restaurants, chalets and retail.

Mr Ong brought up Sembawang’s charms such as being close to the sea, having a kampung mosque, a hot spring, forested areas and being close to Johor Bahru.

“We’ve got so many kampung folks still living here,” he said.

“So the vibe here is different. They are different from many towns in Singapore. And so we develop the town, but take care of a special characteristic.”

 

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More than 13,400 families to receive healthy grocery packs during Ramadan​

(From left) Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam, Second Advisor to Jurong GRC Grassroots Organisations Dr Hamid Razak and West Coast GRC MP Foo Mee Har chatting with beneficiaries at Gek Poh Ville Community Club on March 23.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

Chin Hui Shan
Mar 23, 2025

SINGAPORE – More than 13,400 Malay/Muslim families will receive grocery packs containing items with whole grains or less sugar by end-March under a programme that encourages families to eat healthier.

This is part of an initiative, which started on Feb 22, to encourage families to adopt healthier eating habits during the fasting month of Ramadan and beyond the festive season. Hari Raya Puasa falls on March 31.

Over 12,900 Malay/Muslim families, including lower-income households, have received the packs across 70 locations across Singapore by March 23.

The distribution in 2025 is an increase of about 3,000 from 2024, said Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam, who distributed 200 packs at Gek Poh Ville Community Club on March 23.

Items in the packs in 2025 all carry the Healthier Choice symbol and include products such as lower-sodium salt and whole grain brown rice.

“Year on year, we are hoping to provide more meaningful programmes for the residents as we use the Ramadan period to give out goodies to residents,” said Ms Rahayu, who is also an MP for Jurong GRC.

“I think it’s an opportunity for us to also educate and to share knowledge about how to keep a healthier lifestyle.”

The initiative is part of a collaboration between 68 community partners under the Jaga Kesihatan, Jaga Ummah (Look After Your Health, Look After Your Community) network and the Health Promotion Board (HPB), aiming to encourage healthier eating habits.

These efforts support the adoption of healthy lifestyles, which is part of the fifth focus area on community health under M³ – a collaboration by self-help group Mendaki, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) and the People’s Association Malay Activity Executive Committee.

Families can also take part in various activities aimed at healthy living organised by partners during such grocery distribution drives. For example, residents can attend a talk by HPB on how to prepare healthier and affordable meals at home.

HPB said its partners – including Caregivers Alliance Limited and Stroke Services Improvement – have engaged more than 3,100 families to share about adopting healthier lifestyles and the importance of health screening, among others.

Families with young children aged three to 12 can also sign up for HPB’s health coaching programme, where a health coach will work with each family to review their current lifestyle habits, develop a plan and give tips.

Items in the packs in 2025 all carry the Healthier Choice symbol and include products such as lower-sodium salt and whole-grain brown rice.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Ms Suhaidah Sabarudin, 45, who received one of the 200 packs of healthier groceries on March 23, said it gave her an opportunity to try products such as a healthier cooking oil, instead of normal cooking oil.

The homemaker said she has been trying to switch to healthier products as she has diabetes, among other conditions.

“Some of the things (in the pack)... are what I have been considering buying, but stepped back because of the pricing,” said Ms Sabarudin.

When Ms Rahayu was asked about her thoughts on the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) report released on March 11, she said: “I think the only thing I would say is that it is really business as usual for most of us. This is a good period to reach out to our residents, provide support and actually use it as an opportunity to check in on our residents.”

 

[True Believer]

In order to live a life most people don't (80% of S'poreans), we (the 20%) must be willing to do what most people won't.

 

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FairPrice to give out $1m in fresh eggs to 46,000 beneficiaries by 2030​

Mr Vipul Chawla (right), group chief executive of FairPrice Group, handing out eggs to beneficiaries.PHOTO: FAIRPRICE GROUP

Ian Cheng
Mar 25, 2025

SINGAPORE – Some 46,000 beneficiaries, such as low-income families, are set to receive regular egg deliveries as part of a new initiative to keep daily essentials within the reach of those in need, said FairPrice Group on March 25.

The group, along with its charity arm, FairPrice Foundation, announced its commitment to distribute $1 million worth of fresh protein in the form of fresh eggs to vulnerable communities, which include seniors and migrant workers, across Singapore by 2030.

Over the next five years, FairPrice Foundation will collaborate with charity and community partners across Singapore to “ensure that distributions reach the beneficiaries who need them most”, it said in its statement.

The move was a response to FairPrice Group’s findings in its study on the changing food habits, preferences and challenges of Singaporeans today, called A Full Plate: A Look At The Nutritional State Of The Nation.

Mr Vipul Chawla, group chief executive of FairPrice Group, distributing care packs to senior residents.PHOTO: FAIRPRICE GROUP
Citing its report, FairPrice Group said low-income respondents indicated a preference for receiving protein over processed or canned foods, which are more commonly distributed through food donation programmes.

To date, 18 of FairPrice Foundation’s charity and community partners, including the Lions Befrienders, Children’s Aid Society, Migrant Workers’ Centre and M3, have opted in to the Protein Pledge for 2025.

Organisations serving vulnerable communities can visit go.fpg.sg/protein-pledge to learn more about the Protein Pledge and apply to participate in the programme.

Senior residents from Marine Terrace engaging in games about nutrition.PHOTO: FAIRPRICE GROUP
“Through the Protein Pledge, we want to help bridge the food and nutrition gap for those in need by improving their access to fresh protein, a critical part of any healthy diet,” said Mr Vipul Chawla, group chief executive of FairPrice Group and board member of FairPrice Foundation.

“Our focus at FairPrice Foundation is on finding relevant ways to make every day a little better for the underprivileged, by providing them with the essentials they need to lead more fulfilling lives.”

 

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WP chief Pritam Singh questions fairness of electoral boundaries report​

Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh called the boundary changes “one of the most radical redrawing of boundaries Singapore has seen in recent memory”. PHOTO: ST FILE
Wong Pei Ting
Mar 26, 2025

SINGAPORE – Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh has questioned the fairness of Singapore’s new electoral boundaries, in his first remarks on the topic since the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) report was released on March 11.

In a Facebook post on March 25, the Leader of the Opposition called the changes “one of the most radical redrawing of boundaries Singapore has seen in recent memory”.

Many political observers had expressed incredulity that population growth was cited as the reason for these revisions, he noted.

“There has been significant public commentary, especially by young Singaporeans questioning the fairness of the political boundary redrawing process by the PAP government,” Mr Singh said.

He added: “Boundaries are important, and the reasons that justify their changes, matter. A lot.”

The EBRC determines electoral boundaries ahead of general elections, based on terms of reference set out by the prime minister. This year, it recommended boundary changes in 22 out of the existing 31 constituencies.

The committee had not explained its decisions in several decades. But this year, it stated that population shifts were a key driver for changes in certain areas, which had knock-on effects on boundaries in surrounding constituencies.

In particular, voter numbers in Pasir Ris-Punggol, Sembawang and Tampines GRCs, as well as the single seats of Hong Kah North and Potong Pasir, have increased by between 13,000 and 23,000 in each constituency since the 2020 polls.

Mr Singh called on the People’s Action Party to make public its information on how people in individual precincts voted, including those in the areas of Marine Parade GRC that have been ceded to East Coast GRC, and “allow the public to draw its own conclusions”.

He referenced a remark made during the 2016 Bukit Batok by-election by then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong about Mr Murali Pillai’s performance in Aljunied during the 2015 General Election.

Mr Lee, who is now Senior Minister, said during the by-election that Mr Murali would already have been an Aljunied MP if the division that he oversaw as grassroots adviser and PAP branch chairman had been a single-seat ward in 2015.

This was because Mr Murali got more votes in his ward than the Workers’ Party did, although his team collectively lost with 49.04 per cent of the vote.

Mr Murali prevailed in the 2016 Bukit Batok by-election and is now Minister of State for Law and Transport.

“Apart from highlighting that no opposition constituency is a safe seat and the risk of an opposition wipeout is an ever-existent reality, Lee’s revelation was instructive,” Mr Singh said. “The results of individual wards and precincts, even in GRCs, are closely watched.”

He added that the EBRC’s work is important for ordinary Singaporeans because all citizens seek a meaningful stake in the country, including a “functioning and robust social compact that creates trust”.

Mr Singh noted that the Forward Singapore report – which was put forth by the PAP’s fourth-generation leaders – upholds fairness as a shared value.

But such values can lose their meaning when “question marks about fairness abound right from square one, on an issue as fundamental as how we organise ourselves politically as a nation”, he said.

He added: “Opaque institutions like the EBRC carry a real risk of being unwittingly divisive, putting paid to a united people – ironically, one that is needed most at a time of important geopolitical shifts, potential external shocks and demographic transition.

“A report can be called anything. Forward Singapore, Singapore Together, Singapore 21 or Turbo-charge Singapore.”

Mr Singh concluded by saying that more can be done to build a more balanced political system.

“All the latest version of the EBRC report does is to show us how much further we have to go to build a democratic society, based on justice and equality. But each generation can and must do its part. And become one united people,” he said.

 

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HDB eases income assessment rules to allow young couples to buy more expensive BTO units​

The expansion of the scheme would help couples settle down earlier and buy a larger flat, said National Development Minister Desmond Lee.PHOTO: ST FILE
Isabelle Liew
Mar 26, 2025

SINGAPORE - The Housing Board will relax the way it assesses the income of young couples when they buy a Build-To-Order flat, making it easier for those who are still studying or just started working to buy more expensive units.

From the next BTO exercise in July, couples can choose to delay their income assessment for a housing loan until just before they collect the keys to their flat, as long as one party is a full-time student or national serviceman.

This would effectively mean that couples would be able to qualify for a higher loan amount as they would have been working for some time by then.

National Development Minister Desmond Lee announced this on March 26 at an engagement session about public housing at the National University of Singapore.

He also said 12,000 BTO flats with shorter waiting times of below three years will be launched from 2025 to 2027 - more than what HDB put out over the last five years. They will be among the over 50,000 flats the authorities will roll out in that period.

On relaxing the deferred income assessment criteria, Mr Lee said this would help couples settle down earlier and buy a four- or five-room flat if they plan to have children.

To qualify for deferred income assessment before this change, both parties would have to be either full-time students or national servicemen, or have completed their studies or national service in the 12 months before they applied for an HDB flat eligibility letter.

At least one of them must also be aged 30 or below.

“Each young couple’s life journey is different. Regardless of which path you take, if you are looking to settle down early... we hope to support you in achieving your housing aspirations,” Mr Lee told NUS students.

To illustrate how the deferred income assemment would help applicants buy larger flats, Mr Lee raised the example of a couple - where one person is studying and the other has worked for about a year - with a household income of $3,500 a month.

Previously, their budget would allow them to buy a three-room BTO flat in Yishun.

“However, the three-room flat might be small if they plan to have many children,” he said.

Under the expanded scheme, the couple can apply for a BTO flat first, and their HDB housing loan and assessment for the Enhanced Central Provident Fund (CPF) Housing Grant will be deferred for about three years, nearer to key collection.

“At that point, both parties would have started working. With a combined income of say $7,500, they will qualify for a sufficient loan to buy a four- or five-room BTO flat,” Mr Lee said.

He added that the scheme would also help couples who think a three-room flat is sufficient, but prefer to purchase a home closer to the city centre and amenities, which tend to be more expensive.

The initial downpayment they would have to fork out would be 2.5 per cent of the flat price.

Mr Lee said the expansion of the scheme will benefit a wide range of young couples, such as university, polytechnic and Institute of Technical Education graduates.

In his speech, Mr Lee also addressed concerns about the stock of BTO flats and waiting times.

The authorities are on track to exceed its initial commitment to launch 100,000 new flats from 2021 to 2025, he said.

The median waiting time for BTO flats has been shorted to less than four years, comparable with pre-pandemic waiting times, he added.

Mr Lee also acknowledged the calls to lower the minimum age for singles to buy BTO and resale flats, currently set at 35.

This is something that the authorities are reviewing even though they are “not quite ready to do so”, he said.

He noted that singles were able to apply for two-room flexi flats in all locations from last October. From mid-2025, singles will also get priority access when they buy a home near or with their parents under the Family Care Scheme.

Turning to housing affordability, Mr Lee acknowledged the anxiety felt by students after hearing about resale flats selling for more than $1 million.

“I want to assure you that there is a wide range of affordable housing for different housing budgets,” he said.

The new flat classification system, which sorts BTO projects into Standard, Plus and Prime categories based on their proximity to the city centre, transport connectivity and amenities, is meant to limit the “lottery effect” of owning flats in prime and central locations, Mr Lee said.

Plus and Prime flats will come with stricter resale conditions such as a 10-year minimum occupation period and a subsidy clawback.

They also have extra subsidies on top of existing BTO subsidies, to keep them affordable for first-timers, Mr Lee added.

 

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Singapore Red Cross pledges additional $400,000 to support communities in war-torn Gaza​

Palestinians in Rafah fleeing their homes on March 18 after the Israeli army issued evacuation orders for a number of neighbourhoods. PHOTO: REUTERS
Calista Wong
Mar 27, 2025

SINGAPORE - The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) is committing an additional $400,000 to humanitarian efforts in Gaza in response to the escalation in hostilities that began on March 18.

In a statement on March 27, it said that the funds will be used for emergency health services, primary healthcare, mental health support and relief efforts. The money will also support the operations of a 60-bed field hospital that delivers life-saving trauma care and essential medical care to 200 people daily in Rafah, Gaza Strip.

An operations coordinator, Mr DS Vickram, will be deployed to Cairo for two weeks, starting from April 13, to facilitate humanitarian aid movement from Egypt to the Gaza Strip, and oversee on-the-ground functions.

Mr Benjamin William, secretary-general and chief executive officer of the Singapore Red Cross, said that the deployment “enables SRC to provide more targeted and responsive interventions, ensuring that humanitarian aid is timely, relevant and impactful for the most vulnerable”.

Israel resumed strikes on Gaza on March 18, effectively ending the two-month-old ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Over 830 people have been killed in the enclave since hostilities resumed between Israel and Hamas, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

SRC previously committed $300,000 worth of relief supplies, including food parcels, hygiene kits and medical supplies, in response to the Jan 19 ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.

SRC’s current fund-raising appeal will run until April 30, and members of the public can donate online at https://redcross.sg/donate-gazacrisis. Donations through cheque or PayNow can be done at http://redcross.sg/gazacrisis.

The SRC said that to date, it has disbursed close to $1.5 million worth of humanitarian aid, such as medical supplies, hygiene kits, food provisions, water filtration systems and food parcels, through its partnership with the Egyptian Red Crescent Society.

 

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The Health Ministry said that healthcare staff will continue to receive annual salary increments, which aim to keep salaries in pace with inflation.PHOTO: ST FILE

Lee Li Ying
Mar 27, 2025

SINGAPORE - Some 63,000 healthcare professionals in the public sector will get an increase of up to 7 per cent to their monthly base salaries from July 1, 2025.

Specifically, 37,000 allied healthcare professionals, pharmacists, and administrative, ancillary and support staff will get the maximum salary increase of up to 7 per cent. The last salary increase for this group healthcare professionals was in 2021.

Another group of 26,000 public healthcare nurses will also have their monthly base salaries bumped up, but the cap is at 4 per cent. The adjustments are on top of the Award for Nurses’ Grace, Excellence and Loyalty (Angel) scheme in launched in September 2024 to attract and encourage nurses to build a lifelong career in nursing.

“With these salary increases, which are over and above the annual increments, we will enable the public healthcare sector to better attract and retain staff,” said the Ministry of Health in a statement on March 27.

The ministry said that healthcare staff will continue to receive annual salary increments, which aim to keep salaries in pace with inflation. It added that healthcare workers are the driving force behind good care, and salary reviews are conducted regularly to ensure it remains competitive.

“Beyond remuneration, we will continue to review our manpower development initiatives and improve opportunities for our healthcare workers through job redesign and career development,” said MOH.

Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung had in January announced the pay increase for the 37,000 allied healthcare professionals, pharmacists, and administrative, ancillary and support staff.

In a statement, President of the Healthcare Services Employees’ Union (HSEU) K Thanaletchimi thanked the three public healthcare clusters for their close collaboration to improve the wages of our public healthcare workers.

Besides salary increases, other outcomes like increases in salary ranges, as well as improved medical, dental and hospitalisation benefits were also achieved.

“Our healthcare workers are dedicated in their care for us. By recognising their dedication with wages and benefits that are both fair and competitive, we are reinforcing our commitment to their well-being. These enhancements will enable Singapore to continue attracting and retaining top talent, while strengthening our public healthcare system for the future,” said Ms Thanaletchimi.

 

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Parents to get 6 weeks of shared leave for babies born on or after April 1​

The six weeks of shared parental leave will apply to those with Singaporean children born on or after April 1, 2025.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Ian Cheng
Mar 27, 2025

SINGAPORE – Parents-to-be can soon look forward to spending more time with their babies born on or after April 1, when the new shared parental leave scheme kicks in.

As part of the scheme’s first phase, eligible working parents can get six weeks of shared leave on top of their current leave entitlement, said the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) on March 27.

This will apply to those with Singaporean children born on or after April 1.

Fathers of Singaporean children will also be entitled to a total of four weeks of mandatory government-paid paternity leave, up from the two currently.

The second phase of the scheme, which will be rolled out from April 1, 2026, will increase shared leave to 10 weeks for parents with Singaporean children born on or after that date. This will grant parents 50 per cent more parental leave days than they now have.

The scheme follows amendments made to the Child Development Co-Savings Act in November 2024.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong first announced these parental leave enhancements at his National Day Rally speech in August 2024.


MSF said: “The new shared parental leave scheme underscores the Government’s commitment to provide stronger caregiving support to parents during their child’s infancy stage, where their care needs are the greatest.”

In total, these enhancements will provide couples with 30 weeks of paid parental leave in their child’s first year, including 16 weeks of government-paid maternity leave.

Parents have the flexibility to decide how the shared leave entitlement is distributed, said MSF.

The default distribution stands at three weeks each for the first phase, and five weeks each for the second.

Those who wish to adjust this can do so when they are registering their child’s birth on the LifeSG website. They can make further changes up to four weeks after their child’s birth.

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Parents who would like to make further changes after this four-week period must reach a mutual agreement with their employers and submit supporting documents on the LifeSG website.

As for employers, they should verify their employees’ leave sharing arrangement via the government-paid leave portal after the four-week period.

Employers and self-employed parents can submit their reimbursement claims no later than three months after the last day of their shared parental leave via the same portal.

MSF said that the shared parental leave should be taken within 12 months of the child’s birth, and after parents have fully utilised their government-paid maternity or paternity leave.

“Parents should inform their employers of their planned shared parental leave arrangements as soon as possible when they are expecting a child,” added the ministry. “This will provide sufficient time for both parties to discuss and mutually agree on leave plans and make the necessary covering arrangements.”

If parents are unable to mutually agree on their leave plans, they may take their shared parental leave in a continuous block within the first 26 weeks of the child’s birth, after providing a minimum notice of four weeks, MSF said.

Parents can refer to this guide for more information, while employers can visit this link.

 

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Over 950,000 Singaporean households to get U-Save, S&CC rebates in April​

Eligible households will receive up to $190 in U-Save for their utility bills and up to a month of rebates for their service and conservancy charges.PHOTO: ST FILE

Sarah Koh
Mar 28, 2025

SINGAPORE - Close to a million Singaporean HDB households will receive rebates to their utility and conservancy bills in April.

In a statement on March 28, the Ministry of Finance said eligible households will receive up to $190 in U-Save for their utility bills and up to a month of rebates for their service and conservancy charges (S&CC). Both would vary depending on the household’s flat type.

In total, each eligible household can expect to receive up to $760 of U-Save and 3.5 months of S&CC rebates for the financial year from April 2025 to March 2026.

People living in a four-room flat will get $150 and one month respectively in rebates for their U-Save and S&CC in April, while those in one- and two-room flats will get $190 and a month respectively.

The rebates offset utility expenses and S&CC for lower- to middle-income households, as part of the permanent GST Voucher scheme and the enhanced Assurance Package, the finance ministry said.

To be eligible for the U-Save rebate, there must be at least one Singaporean owner or occupier in the household if the flat is partially rented or not rented out.

Also, there must be at least one Singaporean tenant if the entire HDB flat is rented out.

Households with people who own more than one property are not eligible for U-Save rebates, said the ministry.

The following types of households are not eligible for the S&CC rebate:

• Those without any Singaporean owner or occupier
• Owners or essential occupiers owning or having any interest in a private property
• Those who have rented out the entire flat

To check your eligibility for S&CC rebates, you may log in to the My HDBPage via Singpass.

The utility and S&CC rebates will be automatically credited to the eligible household’s accounts with grid operator SP Services and the town councils respectively.

Government officials will not ask the public to transfer money or disclose banking details over a call, said the ministry, adding that one should call the ScamShield helpline at 1799 if in doubt.

The U-Save and S&CC rebates are disbursed every three months - in April, July, October and January - each year.

 

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$3m boost for Pro Bono SG and Criminal Legal Aid Scheme to support free legal help service​

Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong at the Pro Bono SG Awards 2025 on March 28. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Andrew Wong
Mar 28, 2025

SINGAPORE – Registered charity Pro Bono Sg will receive $3 million over the next two years to support its programmes, which include providing free legal assistance for those charged with certain non-capital offences.

Announcing this on March 28, Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong said the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) is committing the sum in support of Pro Bono Sg’s key initiatives, including the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme.

The scheme, which was set up as a ground-up initiative 40 years ago when it was privately funded by the Law Society of Singapore and goodwill donations, gives the needy in Singapore access to criminal legal assistance.

“We want to do our part to continue to institutionalise access to justice in a very firm way in Singapore, so that this remains a bedrock for our legal system,” Mr Tong said of the financial support.

Speaking at the Pro Bono Sg Awards 2025 dinner at the Fairmont Singapore, Minister Tong said pro bono work is essential to the proper functioning of Singapore’s legal system.

“It reinforces the fundamental values of justice and fairness, and it ensures that legal protections are accessible to everyone, and not just by a select few or privileged ones,” he said.

“By ensuring this access to justice and making sure it is a cornerstone pillar of our legal system, we will continue to be able to maintain and foster trust in this system,” said Mr Tong at the event attended by more than 350 volunteers, partners and donors.


Pro Bono Sg started as a department within the Law Society of Singapore and later became Law Society Pro Bono Services.

The charity raised close to $7 million in donations between April 2024 and February 2025, with more than half coming from government support and grants.

In his speech, Mr Tong noted that over the past year, Pro Bono Sg helped more than 15,000 individuals and social impact organisations.

These organisations include the Community Law Centres at Tian De Temple in Hougang, and Realm of Tranquility at Woodlands, which collectively provided legal support to around 1,500 people in 2024.

The other social impact organisations include the Transnational Family Care Centre at South Central Community Family Service Centre.

Pro Bono SG chairmen Dinesh Dhillon (left) and Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong at the Pro Bono SG Awards 2025 on March 28. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Pro Bono SG will also support the Migrant Workers’ Law Centre in Little India.

The centre is slated to open by the second quarter of 2025, said Mr Dinesh Dhillon, chairman of the charity.

Besides fund-raising activities, Pro Bono Sg over the past year also rallied and recruited 660 active volunteer lawyers, more than 230 law school undergraduates and 200 non-legal volunteers, including social service professionals.

These volunteers ensure that the help provided goes beyond legal assistance, said Mr Tong, who is also Minister for Culture, Community and Youth.

“Many individuals and families who encounter legal problems, they might not start as a legal problem. Often we find ourselves going beyond providing legal aid and assistance,” the minister said, adding that support can include counselling and mental health interventions.

“Sometimes, help seekers who come to us require financial assistance. Very often, they require a stronger social support network,” said Mr Tong.

Apart from those in the legal services, volunteers from non-legal professions, including those who can help in areas such as interpretation, translation, training, client support and programme design, are also needed at Pro Bono SG.

A total of 140 awards were presented to supporters and volunteers at the event.

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Lawyer Muslim Albakri received the top volunteer award for his work with the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, where he is a committee member, and also for his work on the scheme’s training programme.

Aside from taking on pro bono cases, Mr Muslim also conducts merits testing for legal aid applicants.

“It really takes a village to achieve what we have done, and I am grateful for the network of lawyers and volunteers who are so committed to the cause,” said Mr Muslim. He added that Pro Bono SG’s work helps to bridge the inequality gap by providing access to legal services to the less-privileged in society.

Lawyer Imran Rahim was awarded the special recognition volunteer award for his work as chairman of Peguam, a Muslim-led organisation that provides pro bono legal services.

Through Peguam’s partnership with Pro Bono SG, Mr Imran and his team offer their expertise and mentorship to lawyers handling cases under the Muslim law.

“There are many, many people who need help but are not able to afford legal representation. A lot of these folk are facing serious and potentially life-changing challenges,” said Mr Imran.

“If we are able to offer some help during such dark times, then we should. It is something that we all would want if we were in their place.”

 

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$1 Marketplace in Hougang draws residents eager to bag over $12 of groceries​

Residents collecting fruits and vegetables at the $1 Marketplace event in Ci Yuan Community Club in Hougang on March 29.ST PHOTO: TARYN NG
Chin Soo Fang
Mar 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – The start time for a $1 Marketplace in Hougang was 10am on March 29 but by 8am, a queue of about 300 people had already formed at Ci Yuan Community Club.

These early birds were among 1,000 residents who had pre-purchased a $1 ticket to be part of the event, entitling them to bag groceries worth about $12 to $13, with items such as cabbage, lettuce, oranges and lemons.

The produce was provided by the Hougang Village Merchants’ Association in support of the marketplace hosted by the Ang Mo Kio-Hougang Citizens’ Consultative Committee and Ci Yuan CC management committee.

Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Darryl David, who turned up at about 9.30am and saw the long but orderly queues of mostly senior citizens, decided to start the event earlier.

“Don’t worry, don’t rush, take your time. And after you have taken everything, there are many other activities for you to check out here,” he told the participants who came with bags and supermarket trolleys.

Homemaker Koh Chai Hong, 70, who was among the earliest to queue, said: “I didn’t suffer any loss, it’s worth it. This is fun and I came early to mingle with the people in the queue since I’m bored at home.”

Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Darryl David (right) distributing fruits and vegetables to residents on March 29.ST PHOTO: TARYN NG
Ms Laxie Mary Sequeira, a 76-year-old retired insurance professional, said she was glad that, for $1, she could get something “fresh and substantial” as “every bit helps” to cope with the cost of living.

She took part to connect with fellow residents too. “Maybe I can get to know 50 people at this event today,” she quipped.

Retired insurance professional Laxie Mary Sequeira said she was glad she could get something “fresh and substantial” as “every bit helps” to cope with the cost of living.ST PHOTO: TARYN NG
The $1 Marketplace is the first of three similar events, organised as part of SG60 activities to mark Singapore’s diamond jubilee in the Ang Mo Kio-Hougang area, to foster stronger connections, care and active contribution within the community.

Mr David said: “It’s not like you come and then we give you a pack and then you go off. We want to build that sense of community where people come down and participate and have something to look forward to.”

He added: “It’s an opportunity to unite the Ang Mo Kio-Hougang community, bringing together heartland merchants and residents to celebrate our collective strength and solidarity.”

On March 29, the marketplace also had an SG60 message board where one could leave messages of gratitude and support for heartland merchants.

The organisers also launched a stamp card initiative to encourage participation at monthly SG60 events, including Racial Harmony Day and National Day carnivals. Ang Mo Kio-Hougang residents who attend at least two events will receive a $60 NTUC voucher per household.

There is a stamp card initiative to encourage participation at monthly SG60 events, including Racial Harmony Day and National Day carnivals.ST PHOTO: TARYN NG
Mr Francis Swee, president of Hougang Village Merchants’ Association, said the marketplace is one way to give back to regular customers of its more than 100 members.

“The items we have picked align with the ‘Heng Ong Huat’ prosperity slogan that we have in this area,” he added. “So we included ‘prosperous’ items like oranges, pineapple and cabbage.”

The association, which will organise a trade fair in Hougang Village with about 30 stalls for 19 days starting on April 26, is also planning to give about 1,000 vouchers to residents to spend at participating outlets in May.

The $1 Marketplace is the first of three similar events to foster stronger connections, care and active contribution within the community.ST PHOTO: TARYN NG
The next two $1 Marketplace sessions will take place on April 27 and June 22 at the same venue, with $1 vouchers on sale at the Ci Yuan CC.

On the upcoming $1 marketplaces, Mr David said the organisers are still engaging the partners on what to provide for the residents.

“In a way, it’s something the residents can look forward to with a sense of anticipation,” he added. “One certainty is that for $1, whatever you get will be much more than $1. The items must also have a practical use for the residents.”

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Tanjong Pagar ‘where it all began’ for Lee Kuan Yew and Singapore: Indranee Rajah​

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah said "there would be no Singapore as we know it" without Tanjong Pagar.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Vanessa Paige Chelvan
Mar 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – Tanjong Pagar is “where it all began” for Singapore’s founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah on March 29.

“Without Tanjong Pagar, there would be no Singapore as we know it,” she said.

“If Tanjong Pagar had not given Mr Lee that original mandate, he would not have become the MP for the area, and he would not have become our founding prime minister.”

Mr Lee died on March 23, 2015, at the age of 91. He was Tanjong Pagar’s first MP, after being elected in 1955 when it was a single-member constituency. He remained MP for the constituency for almost 60 years. Tanjong Pagar is now a five-member group representation constituency.

And people who live in Tanjong Pagar remember this, said Ms Indranee, who is also Second Minister for Finance and National Development and an MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC. She was speaking to reporters at the launch of Ramadan Festive Care 2025 at Tiong Bahru Community Centre.

“The journey started here, and I think Mr Lee and all successive MPs in this area have done their very best to build on that legacy and continue to take Singapore forward,” she added.

On whether there would be any movements in the GRC ahead of the upcoming general election, Ms Indranee said it is up to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to decide. The election is widely expected to be held by the first half of the year.

“He’s the man with the answers,” she said.

When asked what issues are on residents’ minds, Ms Indranee said the cost of living is “clearly” what people are worried about. For the 2025 Budget, the Government “has put in a lot of support”, she said.

Some 1.3 million Singaporean households will each get $800 in CDC vouchers and Housing Board households will get up to $760 in U-Save rebates in the 2025 financial year to help them cope with their utility bills. Families with children will also receive further support to defray expenses, as will lower-income families and individuals.

“So long as it’s needed, we will make sure that there is support for people,” Ms Indranee said.

“The key thing is for us to be sure that we continue to take care of residents, (their) concerns, their needs.”

Ramadan Festive Care 2025 is an annual initiative to help under-resourced families, and it has raised more than $21,000 this year, up from about $16,700 in 2024.

About 500 packages filled with essential food items were distributed to beneficiaries. The packages contained staples such as rice, dried and canned foods, as well as basic essentials like sugar and salt, and Milo, mee siam and honey.

The initiative, now into its fourth year, was started by real estate firm OrangeTee, in partnership with non-profit organisations Ray of Hope and Roses of Peace.

About 500 packages filled with essential food items were distributed to beneficiaries at Ramadan Festive Care 2025.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Mr Justin Quek, chief executive of OrangeTee, said the initiative aims to “ensure everyone has a chance to celebrate with the essentials needed”. He thanked Roses of Peace and Ray of Hope for helping to “amplify our efforts and bring more joy to families during this Ramadan”.

Ms Indranee helped to put together one of the packages and flagged off a group of volunteers who set off from the community centre at about 12.30pm to distribute the packages to beneficiaries in the area.

“The Government does many things but, at the same time, the community plays a really important role as well,” she said. For the less fortunate, having (businesses) like OrangeTee come forward during Ramadan is a signal that the community cares about them, she added.

“Kampung spirit is an indefinable thing, but it’s very real. It is that feeling that the people around you, the community that you live in, care about you, and I think that that is extremely important.”

 

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OCBC pumps $2 million into programme to help over 180k seniors​

Residents playing a memory game during the launch of an OCBC programme at Bukit Canberra in Sembawang on March 29.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Syarafana Shafeeq
Mar 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – A $2 million programme by OCBC Bank aims to help more than 180,000 seniors in Singapore over the next three years.

The programme was launched at Bukit Canberra in Sembawang on March 29, with Health Minister Ong Ye Kung in attendance.

Among the initiatives that OCBC SeniorCare will support is home-based counselling for seniors from underprivileged backgrounds.

In collaboration with Care Corner Singapore, OCBC will fund these sessions to ensure vulnerable seniors will have convenient access to eldercare-trained counsellors to navigate personal, social and psychological challenges.

More details like how seniors can sign up for the programme will be provided soon.

OCBC group chief executive Helen Wong, who spoke at the launch, hopes the programme will yield a big impact as the initiatives are focused on meeting practical needs based on data and first-hand experiences from the bank’s front-line staff.

Raffles Medical Group and Q&M Dental Group, for instance, will provide senior OCBC customers with member rates on selected services, with other initiatives progressively announced over the duration of the programme.


OCBC also created dialect-speaking roles at some branches to help seniors who may not speak English or Mandarin. These staff are fluent in at least two dialects including Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese and Hakka.

Seniors make up a majority of the footfall at its branches, with staff noting that family members sometimes tag along to help overcome language barriers, the bank said on March 29.

Ten OCBC Care Ambassadors have been hired so far and are stationed at branches popular with seniors, like Ang Mo Kio Central, Jurong Point and Toa Payoh Central. Other initiatives include better time-deposit rates for seniors plus senior deals from merchants.

All OCBC senior customers can get a voucher booklet from five branches – Ang Mo Kio Central, Jurong Point, Nex, Tampines and Toa Payoh Central – from April 3.

The vouchers can be used at participating merchants such as Eu Yan Sang, Sheng Siong, Soup Restaurant, Swensen’s and Watsons.

On March 29, more than 1,000 seniors attended the launch that had a Zumba workout, with Mr Ong and two new likely People’s Action Party candidates for Sembawang GRC in the upcoming general election – Mr Gabriel Lam and Mr Ng Shi Xuan – taking part.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung (centre) and two new likely PAP candidates for Sembawang GRC in the upcoming general election – Mr Ng Shi Xuan (left) and Mr Gabriel Lam – speaking to residents in Bukit Canberra on March 29.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
The seniors also learnt more about digital banking and scams at booths.

Mr Ong said he encourages people in the community to rethink what turning 65 means.

“Who says 65 is old? While the Government may call it ‘super-aged’, the people must say ‘no’. If your mind is not old and your body is fit, 65 is young.”

The Republic is on track to attain super-aged status in 2026. This means that by that year, more than one in five in Singapore’s population are expected to be 65 or older.

On the importance of companies working with the community to create impact, Mr Ong noted that OCBC requires its staff to clock certain hours of volunteer work. “I think whatever we do, everyone can devote that little bit of time to contribute to the community.”

 

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DBS Foundation launches $7.3m initiative to support vulnerable seniors​

Residents at DBS Foundation's Community Pop-up Market event in Khatib on March 29.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Deepanraj Ganesan
Mar 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – A $7.3 million programme to enhance vulnerable seniors’ physical and social well-being will be rolled out by DBS Foundation from June, the bank announced on March 29.

The initiative, which aims to address nutritional and social isolation gaps, will see a twice-weekly distribution of nutritious meals to 6,000 lower-income individuals aged 60 and above over two years, across 12 towns such as Ang Mo Kio, Bedok and Queenstown.

Volunteers from the bank’s 14,000-strong workforce will also befriend the seniors via monthly bonding and enrichment activities. In addition, there will be quarterly grocery shopping trips to stock up with $60 worth of items.

DBS Foundation said it will work with community partners as well to facilitate regular social engagement among the seniors.

The new programme, one of the bank’s ways to commemorate Singapore’s 60th birthday, was announced at the foundation’s Community Pop-up Market event in Khatib on March 29. Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam and his fellow Nee Soon GRC MPs Louis Ng and Carrie Tan were also in attendance.

Speaking at the event, the head of DBS Foundation and DBS group strategic marketing and communications, Ms Karen Ngui, said that apart from household and nutritional needs, isolation and loneliness are key concerns that the bank wants to address.

Of the new initiative, she added: “We hope that this will further strengthen the Singapore social compact. One of the things that the DBS Foundation is actually wanting to catalyse is mindset shifts around ageing.

“All walks of society will either be seniors of today, if not seniors of tomorrow. We want to work together to create that paradigm shift, to enable all of us to live with purpose, dignity, and to age well and strong. Together we can make Singapore a healthy, strong and vibrant aged society.”

The event in Khatib is the final instalment of a series of 38 pop-up markets that DBS Foundation has held over the past seven months.

The foundation said it has contributed $3.8 million and deployed 2,000 volunteers for the endeavour which has benefited more than 30,000 households.

Those from lower-income households can select around $100 worth of groceries and essentials for free, on top of picking up financial planning and nutrition tips.

Ms Karen Wee Siew Lin, executive director at Lions Befrienders Service Association, one of the foundation’s community partners, said the pop-up market has been “a vital platform for connecting vulnerable seniors with essential resources and social support”.

“We look forward to the DBS Foundation’s new SG60 programme, which will further strengthen these efforts, empowering communities with greater access to care and meaningful engagement,” she added.

 

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Close to $1m raised for Gaza during Ramadan: Masagos​

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli thanked the Malay/Muslim community for contributing generously towards the campaign.PHOTO: MDDI

Joyce Teo
Mar 30, 2025

SINGAPORE – Close to $1 million has been collected in an ongoing fund-raising campaign for humanitarian relief in Gaza, as contributions flowed in from the Malay/Muslim community and other Singaporeans throughout the month of Ramadan, said Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli.

In his Hari Raya Aidilfitri message on March 30, he thanked the contributors for their generosity towards the campaign conducted by local charity Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF).

The donations will help provide food, medical supplies and essential goods to the people of Gaza.

RLAF’s campaign, Aid For Gaza, started on Feb 24, and will run till April 6.

Israel launched its invasion of Gaza in response to the Oct 7, 2023, attack in southern Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas. Singapore’s humanitarian aid to Gaza has amounted to more than $19 million since then.

Mr Masagos’ Hari Raya message was delivered in Malay on TV channel Suria’s 8pm news on March 30.

In it, he also highlighted the Malay/Muslim community’s strong unity in supporting those in need through various charitable initiatives organised by mosques and community networks. Ramadan is the month for the community to reflect, worship and increase their good deeds, he said.

“I am glad to see the strong spirit of unity within our community. We come together in acts of worship, strengthen ties and help those in need,” said Mr Masagos.

“Throughout Ramadan, our mosques warmly welcome congregants for porridge distributions, breaking of fast, tarawih prayers and religious lessons, amongst many other activities.”

One such effort by a mosque is an initiative called Our Community Pantry at Masjid Al-Iman in Bukit Panjang.

The mosque works with community partners to provide food supplies to underprivileged families regardless of race or religion, underscoring the community’s core values of collaboration and helping one another, said Mr Masagos.

In 2025, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, also known as Hari Raya Puasa, falls on March 31. It marks the first day of Syawal – the 10th month of the Islamic calendar.

“This Syawal, let us preserve and build upon the noble values of compassion, concern and generosity that we embraced during Ramadan,” Mr Masagos said.

“Together, we can make positive change and leave a legacy that future generations can be proud of – one that embodies our vision of ‘Masyarakat Gemilang, Masa Depan Cemerlang’, or ‘Community of Success, Thriving Future’.”