$3 billion plan to help seniors age well: Action Plan for Successful Ageing

$3 billion plan to help seniors live more fulfilling lives
On the cards are active ageing hubs and programmes for learning and volunteering
By Linette Lai, The Straits Times, 27 Aug 2015

In a push to brighten the golden years, a $3 billion five-year plan will give Singapore's seniors opportunities to learn, volunteer and live independently, well after retirement.

The new Action Plan for Successful Ageing will open senior centres for social activities as well as daycare in at least 10 upcoming HDB projects, and launch a free PAssion Silver card with perks for those aged 60 and over. Up to $200 million could also be set aside for ageing-related research.

Announcing the measures yesterday, Health Minister and Minister- in-charge of Ageing Gan Kim Yong said the goal was to help seniors live more fulfilling lives.

"The ageing population need not be a burden to us," said Mr Gan. "In fact, longevity is something that we can celebrate."

There have been similar government-initiated plans for active ageing in the past, for instance in 2010, when $100 million was set aside to keep seniors healthy and involved in their communities.

By 2030, one in five people - or some 900,000 - will be aged over 65. By then, there will be only 2.1 working-age citizens to support each one aged 65 or above, compared with 5.2 as of last year.

In coming up with this action plan, the Ministerial Committee on Ageing, of which Mr Gan is chairman, spoke with more than 4,000 Singaporeans young and old over the past year.

The plan will also launch a National Seniors' Health Programme to address ageing-related health concerns that aims to reach out to at least 400,000 seniors aged 50 or above by 2030.

Active ageing hubs will be built in future Housing Board developments. They will be similar to senior activity centres but larger, said Mr Gan, and incorporate both social programmes and rehabilitation or daycare services.

Other plans on the cards include more elderly-friendly public transport and even therapeutic gardens designed to help seniors who have dementia and stroke.

Bigger Baby Bonus and Medisave grant for children born on or after 1 January 2015

Measures aimed at making it easier for couples to look after their children and support them, says Grace Fu
By Charissa Yong, The Straits Times, 26 Aug 2015

The Baby Bonus cash gift for children of married couples will be increased by $2,000, bringing the amount they will receive to at least $8,000.

It will be given to parents in two stages: the first when the child is 15 months old, and the rest at 18 months.



The Medisave grant for a newborn will be raised as well, by $1,000 to a total of $4,000, which will help pay for the child's MediShield Life premiums and other medical expenses. The full grant will be given to all Singaporean babies, regardless of whether their parents are married.

These extras for Singaporean babies born on or after Jan 1 this year will be given out from next January.

These details were released by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Grace Fu yesterday, after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the measures on Sunday.

"The package is really to make it easier for couples to look after their children, support them on their journey," said Ms Fu, who oversees population issues.

Previously, the first two children of a married couple got $6,000 in cash each under the Baby Bonus scheme, while the third and fourth child received $8,000 each.

There was nothing in cash for the fifth and subsequent children.

So, depending on the birth order, married couples will get $8,000 or $10,000 per child in cash from the Baby Bonus scheme.

The kind Singaporean uncle on MRT train lauded for his acts

Singaporean uncle's kind act towards foreign labourers in train goes viral
Thousands 'like' Facebook post of man telling foreign workers to keep their seats
By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 26 Aug 2015

A kind act by a Singaporean "uncle" towards three foreign labourers has been lauded by netizens in a Facebook post that went viral overnight.

It has also sparked a discussion on how Singaporeans treat foreigner workers in their midst.

Singaporean's kind act towards foreign labourers in train lauded. str.sg/Z7ANDirecting his comments to one of the trio...
Posted by The Straits Times on Monday, August 24, 2015

On Monday evening, Mr Rimy Lau, 68, encouraged the workers in an off-peak train to keep their seats after they tried to give them up to Singaporean commuters. "Hey, you can sit down," he said. "You don't always have to give up your seat, especially not to men on the train. You come here to build our homes, so you can sit also, you know?"

His action, captured in a Facebook post by this reporter, who was in the same carriage, has gone viral.

The post itself has been shared more than 15,000 times by users and organisations such as the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM). Its page chalked up about 14,000 likes and an online Straits Times story on the act reached more than 800,000 users and has been shared about 30,000 times.

People recounted similar experiences of foreign workers offering their seats to Singaporeans - often with little acknowledgement. Praising Mr Lau on Facebook, corporate trainer Faith Sudharman, 43, wrote: "Proud of this Singaporean uncle!"

The right attitude for a happy life

By Gary Hayden, The Straits Times, 25 Aug 2015

When it comes to leading a happy and fulfilled life, attitudes are more important than circumstances.

This is the core message of the first self-help manual, Enchiridion, which is a collection of practical precepts from the second-century Greek-speaking philosopher Epictetus.

What does Epictetus mean when he says that attitudes are more important than circumstances?

Well, imagine that you have a certain amount of money. What decides whether that amount of money is enough?

The money isn't going to tell you, says Epictetus.

Only you can decide.

Some people lead contented and happy lives on a modest amount of money. Others feel discontented and miserable on the same amount. So, precisely the same circumstances can make you happy or miserable, depending on your attitude.

We can't control our circumstances, says Epictetus, but we can control how we respond to these circumstances.

Ambulance calls surge with ageing population

SCDF says half-year figure is highest in 15 years, will increase fleet to cope
By Lim Yi Han, The Straits Times, 26 Aug 2015

More ambulance calls were made to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) in the first six months of the year, driven by an ageing population.

Mid-year statistics released by the SCDF yesterday showed that its emergency medical services responded to 81,686 calls between January and June this year, a 7.4 per cent increase over the same period last year. This half-year figure is also the highest in 15 years.

The SCDF attributed the spike to the growing demand for ambulance services from an ageing population. To cope, it will increase its fleet of emergency ambulances from 50 now to 80 by 2018.

Emergency calls made up about 94 per cent of the total calls responded. Of those, three out of every four were medical-related.

About 4 per cent - or 3,453 - were non-emergency calls - more than double that in the same period last year. The rest were false alarms.

The SCDF also urged the public to treat its staff with respect.

In the first half of the year, there were 10 cases of SCDF staff being physically or verbally abused while attending to patients.

The culprits included the patients themselves, or their family members. There were six such cases in the same period last year.

Noting that its emergency medical services personnel save lives by providing critical emergency care, the SCDF warned that it does not condone abuse against its officers, and will lodge police reports against culprits.

Separately, private ambulance operators have also seen greater demand for their services.

Jurong Region Line may be extended to join Circle Line

Engineering studies being done; extension would give residents in the west another way to get to CBD
By Christopher Tan, Senior Transport Correspondent, The Straits Times, 26 Aug 2015

In what may be his last public announcement, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said yesterday that the planned Jurong Region Line - a medium-capacity MRT line serving the west - could be extended southwards to join the Circle Line at Haw Par Villa station.

Mr Lui, who is leaving politics after the elections, said the new 20km line, with some 16 stations, will also stop at the North-South Line's Choa Chu Kang station and at Jurong East to link up with the planned Singapore-Kuala Lumpur high-speed rail terminus, the future Cross Island Line and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU).



Mr Lui said engineering studies are currently being done on the Jurong Region Line. The line is estimated to be ready by 2025, while the extension - if found to be feasible - will be completed by 2030.

Mr Lui said the new line will serve areas like Choa Chu Kang, Jurong East, Jurong West, the new Tengah town, Boon Lay as well as NTU.

Its so-called West Coast Extension, roughly 7km long, "will allow those who use the Jurong Region Line a direct connection into the new downtown, Marina Bay and the area around it", he added.

"Those living in the western area will have two avenues to get to the CBD - along the existing East-West Line to City Hall, and also using the Jurong Region Line connecting to the Circle Line into the downtown area," Mr Lui said. This will be possible when the final stage of the Circle Line - a 4km stretch linking HarbourFront station to Marina Bay station to make a complete circle - is completed by 2025.

Mr Lui said the project will make life more convenient for those who live and work in the west, and at the same time "add redundancy and resilience into the (rail) network", so that when there is a breakdown on one line, commuters can switch to an alternative line without travelling too far.

Online vitriol gives rise to dismay among politicians

By Ng Jing Yng, TODAY, 25 Aug 2015

To politicians, social media these days is a double-edged sword. While it is a valuable tool for engagement, retiring People’s Action Party Member of Parliament (MP) Ellen Lee is among those who have rolled up their sleeves and got their hands dirty, only to be disappointed by how falsehoods circulated online can undo years of good work by not only themselves, but also those before them.

Ms Lee, who entered politics in 2006, cited the Central Provident Fund (CPF) as an example. She said while many accept that the CPF system is largely beneficial to Singaporeans, opinions were being swayed online by lies. “Those who try to reason will be flamed and regarded as pro-government,” she said. People are just receiving information online whether it is true or not, she lamented.

Announcing her decision to step down earlier this month, Ms Lee said then that the atmosphere for politicians had changed. Speaking to TODAY, she stressed that her frustration with cyberspace did not contribute to her decision to leave politics.

Nevertheless, she said she had been on the receiving end of some criticism online. She tried to track the source of these negative comments on Facebook, but found that some had been posted via fake accounts, she added.

Veteran PAP MP Inderjit Singh, who has also announced his retirement, said he had encountered his fair share of online vitriol, including people who use vulgarities. Nevertheless, he felt that these experiences were a minority. He added that he does not respond to every single criticism. Instead, he would try to determine if the ground sentiment corroborates with the feedback online.

Like Ms Lee, he said it is important for more of those who have been silent to speak up, so the discourse online would be more balanced.

PAP MP Alvin Yeo, who is stepping down after two terms, said that even though he does not have a Facebook account, his friends would notify him of negative online comments about him. To him, it is important to discern what is genuine feedback and to stay focused on his work as a politician.

Following the announcement that Mr Lui Tuck Yew will step down as Transport Minister, some of his Cabinet colleagues spoke out against the vilification and mocking of him online.

Not only have politicians from the ruling party borne the brunt of online attacks. With people posting negative comments on the Facebook page of Mr Desmond Lim’s company, the online harassment of the Singapore Democratic Alliance chairman has become so bad that he said on Facebook last week that if the situation continues, it might lead him to quit his job or leave politics.

Since an edited version of one of his old campaign videos went viral earlier this month, Mr Lim has been ridiculed for his command of English. While he accepts that there will be detractors, there is no need to make him lose his livelihood and affect his family, he told TODAY. “Is this the way we want politics to be? Who else will dare step forward to contest?” he asked.

The normalisation of the political cyberspace since the 2011 GE

By Tan Tarn How, Published TODAY, 26 Aug 2015

One key question concerning the upcoming election is how the “political Internet” in Singapore has evolved since the last election in 2011.

The answer: In the last four years, the biggest change is the “normalisation” of political cyberspace. By that, I mean that the online world has become more like the “normal” offline world, where there is a wide range of views with most opinion clustering round the centre.

It has happened in these ways:

a) While the early Internet was almost exclusively used to express anti-government and anti-ruling party sentiments, the political Internet in Singapore is now home to a much wider spectrum of political views and players, and this is even more so since 2011. The alternative sites such as The Online Citizen (TOC), TR Emeritus and Yawning Bread are still around, but have been joined by new players. What’s more, some of these new and influential websites are politically in the centre such as Mothership, The Middle Ground and Inconvenient Questions. They are best called independent mainstream sites — “independent” in contrast to Singapore Press Holdings and MediaCorp (though some of their financial backers are not known publicly), and “mainstream” in offering news very similar to SPH and MediaCorp, though slightly more critical of the government. At the opposite end to TOC are new strongly pro-government/PAP sites such as Fabrications Against the PAP, Fabrications Led by Opposition Parties, and Singapore General Elections 2016 (slogan “Singapore is vulnerable. We cannot afford to fail. We need proven leaders.”)

b) The independent mainstream websites are giving the anti-establishment ones a run for their money. Mothership trumps The Online Citizen in readership, according to the figures provided to me by both sites.

GE2015: Polling Day on Sept 11

Singapore goes to the polls on Sept 11
It's the first time since 1997 that a general election will be held on a weekday
By Zakir Hussain, Deputy Political Editor, The Straits Times, 26 Aug 2015

Political parties and their supporters swung into action yesterday, after President Tony Tan Keng Yam dissolved Parliament and news followed that the general election would be held on Sept 11.

At People's Action Party (PAP) branches and opposition party offices across the island, activists finalised their candidate line-ups and worked to ensure that campaign flags, posters and, especially, nomination papers would be in order.

Nomination Day will be next Tuesday, Sept 1, with the minimum of nine days to campaign before Cooling-off Day on Sept 10. Polling Day will be a public holiday.

It is the first time since 1997 that a general election will be held on a weekday. Some PAP activists said holding the polls on Sept 12 would have clashed with community events planned for the last day of the Chinese Seventh Month.



The widely anticipated news came two days after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at the National Day Rally that he would be calling the elections soon, and that they would be a critical one for the country. Yesterday, he underlined his message that this general election is about renewing and reinforcing the PAP's slate in Parliament to give Singapore the best leadership team to take the country forward.

"I called this general election to seek your mandate to take Singapore beyond SG50, into its next half century," he said in a Facebook post. "You will be deciding who will govern Singapore for the next five years. More than that, you will be choosing the team to work with you for the next 15-20 years, and setting the direction for Singapore for the next 50 years."

The elections, Singapore's 12th since independence, are likely to be the first since 1963 to see the PAP challenged in all seats.

As many as nine opposition parties have indicated that they will put up a fight in all 89 seats across 16 group representation constituencies (GRCs) and 13 single-member constituencies (SMCs). The largest opposition party, the Workers' Party (WP), has said that it is targeting 28 seats.

The elections will be the first in 60 years without the presence of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who died in March.

Observers said the timing may be to the PAP's advantage, given the positive sentiments from the Golden Jubilee celebrations and the unprecedented expressions of solidarity in the week of national mourning following Mr Lee's death.

The polls will also take place against the backdrop of global economic uncertainty, with international markets routed in recent days. The full-year growth forecast for Singapore itself has been revised downward to 2 per cent to 2.5 per cent.

There are rising concerns too over global security and, indeed, Polling Day will be on the anniversary of the Sept 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States. The snap 2001 elections called here after those attacks and amid a global recession saw the PAP's vote share surge by 10 points from 65 per cent in the 1997 polls to 75.3 per cent.

The 2006 General Election, the first led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, saw the PAP get 66.6 per cent of the vote. But the 2011 election proved a watershed, when a rising opposition tide tapped into simmering discontent over housing affordability, immigration and cost of living issues to drag the PAP's vote share down to 60.1 per cent.

That election saw the WP winning its first GRC, ousting a high-powered PAP team led by Cabinet minister George Yeo. The WP retained Hougang SMC at the polls and went on to win Punggol East SMC in a by-election in 2013.

Since 2011, the Government has embarked on a range of policy measures - some of which had been in gestation before the polls - to address voter concerns, and analysts say this year's elections will show how its efforts have been received.

Said Dr Gillian Koh of the Institute of Policy Studies: "The GE will be a good measure of voters' sentiment on whether the Government has helped citizens access and afford the key essentials in life: if they think the Government has dealt with the immigration issue that was also tied to higher costs and congestion, and if they feel that the Government has, in the last four years, given them a stronger sense of security and assurance about work, family life and developing a fair and inclusive society."

However, she felt a segment of voters would also hold the view that it is important to have some opposition representation in Parliament "to ensure that the Government is indeed responsive to the needs and concerns of Singaporeans".

This is a theme the opposition parties can be expected to use to appeal to voters. The Singapore Democratic Party began introducing its candidates yesterday, and the WP will do so from today.

The PAP has announced its line-up in all but four GRCs and Fengshan and Punggol East SMCs. It will name its teams for Marine Parade and Nee Soon GRCs today.

Yesterday, Mr Lee said that strong support from Singaporeans is critical for the country to move ahead in a challenging environment and to stay special.

"Here many races live in peace, and many from humble homes make good. We will surely meet challenges ahead, but whatever the world throws at us, as one people, we will overcome," he said on Facebook.

"If you are proud of what we have achieved together, and support what we want to do for our future, please support me and my team. We have to do it with you, in order to do it for you, and for Singapore. Together, we can keep Singapore special for many years to come."

Proximity Housing Grant: $20,000 grant to help families live closer together

By Janice Heng, The Straits Times, 25 Aug 2015

All Singaporean families buying a Housing Board resale flat near or with their parents or married children will receive a new $20,000 grant, regardless of their income levels and whether they have received housing subsidies before.

Eligible singles now get $10,000 if they buy a resale flat with their parents.

Details of the Proximity Housing Grant (PHG) and other housing policy changes were released by the Ministry of National Development and HDB yesterday, after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the moves on Sunday.

Kicking in yesterday, the new grant is the latest move to help families live closer together.



Under the PHG, resale buyers receiving a subsidy for the first time get $10,000 more than under the previous Higher-Tier CPF Housing Grant. Singles get $5,000 more than before. The Higher-Tier grant will be discontinued.

The PHG is open to previously ineligible buyers, including owners of private property, though they must sell it within six months of buying the resale flat. Buyers can get the PHG only once. Grant recipients and their parents or married children must live near or with each other for at least five years afterwards.

Property experts believe the grant could boost transaction volumes in the sluggish resale market. But R'ST Research director Ong Kah Seng added: "It is unlikely to have a major impact on resale prices as (loan curbs) can effectively curb lifting of prices by sellers."

At Sunday's National Day Rally, Mr Lee also announced the higher income ceiling of $12,000 for HDB flats and $14,000 for executive condominiums (EC).

"The raising of the income ceiling is welcome news to us," said operations manager Ken Lee, 30, who is applying for a Build-to-Order (BTO) flat with his accountant girlfriend, 27. Their combined pay is $1,000 above the old $10,000 ceiling.

The new income ceilings, effective from yesterday, are not just for new homes, but also for the CPF Housing Grant for resale flats and the tiered CPF Housing Grant for ECs.

Helping those with acquired disabilities

Two schemes offer aid, including rehabilitation, job training, job matching and other pre-employment help
By Kok Xing Hui, The Straits Times, 24 Aug 2015

Last Friday, technician Tan Hwee Boon, 50, had his hands amputated after a bout of food poisoning and its treatment led to gangrene. He also needs to have his feet amputated in about two weeks.

Despondent, the father of two teenagers had told The New Paper that he was not sure what he could do for a living.

People who acquire disabilities halfway through life and can no longer do the same job, such as Mr Tan, may draw comfort from two schemes set up in the last year or so to help them.

The Transition Programme for Employment was piloted in June last year and aimed at people below 50 who have spinal cord injuries or strokes. The scheme is delivered by the SPD - formerly the Society for the Physically Disabled - and puts clients through rehabilitation, job training and counselling, and then job matching.

It has since taken in 63 clients and matched nine to jobs.

The other programme, iEnable, was launched in April last year and is helmed by SG Enable, a government-established agency formed to provide services for people with disabilities.

iEnable attaches a case manager to each client to help repair clients' confidence, support them emotionally, prepare them for job interviews, and get them a new job with an employer who understands their needs. It has taken in 51 clients and helped 19 get jobs.

While there are no national figures on people with acquired disabilities losing employment, SG Enable said there are about 300 patients suffering from spinal cord injuries and amputations discharged from hospitals every year.

Acquired disabilities can arise from severe stroke, traffic accidents, or diseases such as diabetes, which may require amputation. Those with new disabilities sometimes cannot carry out the same jobs. There were 6,567 stroke cases in 2013 and studies done in other countries show that only 20.7 per cent remained employed after a stroke, with half of these having had a change of jobs.

Depending on a person's financial situation, iEnable can help him get aid for his daily basic needs and offer pre-employment assistance such as buying new work clothes and helping with transport fees, training and job interviews.

ASEAN award for contributions to regional community building

By Audrey Tan, The Straits Times, 25 Aug 2015

The ASEAN Secretariat is offering a Singapore citizen or organisation a US$10,000 (S$14,000) cash grant towards that person's or group's efforts in regional community building.



The inaugural ASEAN People's Award, announced yesterday by Minister for Foreign Affairs K. Shanmugam, aims to recognise those who are contributing in areas ranging from economic integration to volunteering.

"Our efforts to bring our peoples closer together will work out in the medium to longer term," he said in his speech at the annual ASEAN Day Reception at the Shangri-La Hotel last night. "So long as we persevere, we will get closer to our goal - a vibrant, fully integrated ASEAN Community. To this end, each ASEAN member state will be conferring an ASEAN People's Award. "

Nominations open from 8am today on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, and will close at 6pm on Sept 6.

Mr Shanmugam said "everyone has a role" in establishing a regional community. For its part, he said the Government conducts events like yesterday's ASEAN Day Reception, and promotes the region within schools.

The award could also raise ASEAN's profile in Singapore.

A new ASEAN study found that young people here are generally ambivalent about the body.

Results released yesterday showed that while more than 80 per cent of the 4,600 undergraduates polled across the region had a strong ASEAN identity, Singaporean respondents exhibited an "ASEAN- ambivalence".

Mr Shanmugam said: "Building a national identity is still a work in progress, let alone... a supra-national identity but still we have to try. Because as one community, we can achieve so much more."