Redefining "Basic Needs" in Social Policies Given Need to Foster Sense of Belonging, Income Inequality Gap and Other Challenges

19 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether the Government is considering a redefinition of what constitutes basic needs given its evolving understanding which extends beyond traditional necessities like housing and food; (b) if so, will this redefinition take into consideration the need to foster a sense of belonging and living dignity in Singapore; and (c) whether the Government will look into addressing the income inequality gap and relative deprivation, recognising that raising the wage floor may be inadequate to foster this sense of belonging.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social and Family Development (Mr Eric Chua) (for the Minister for Social and Family Development): Basic needs comprise not just biological and physical necessities like food, shelter and transport, but also socio-psychological needs such as social connections and emotional support. The Government works with the community to provide multiple lines of support to families who have difficulty meeting these needs on their own.

ComCare helps lower-income families to meet their basic living expenses. The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) reviews the scheme regularly to ensure that it remains relevant and adequate. During these reviews, MSF considers the items that should be covered under ComCare, taking into account what other Government schemes or Government-funded programmes would cover, as well as help available through community organisations. As an example of how the ComCare scheme has evolved over time, mobile data plans are now covered under ComCare assistance as we recognise that digital connectivity, which in turn enables human connection, is a basic need in modern society today.

Beyond ComCare, other Government schemes and Government-funded programmes enable lower-income individuals to meet other needs. Examples include schemes such as MediFund, the Ministry of Education (MOE)'s Financial Assistance Scheme and the Infocomm Media Development Agency (IMDA)'s DigitalAccess@Home scheme, which address lower-income families' needs relating to healthcare, education and digital access respectively.

Community stakeholders also play an important role. For example, social service agencies provide befriending services that support seniors' social and psychological well-being and in-kind contributions to assist low-income families with one-off needs such as furniture and electrical items like refrigerators and washing machines. Grassroots organisations organise community activities, including affordable local outings and trips to nearby countries, to promote social and family bonding. For lower-income families, grassroots organisations also render support through programmes and initiatives such as free tuition and local bursary awards for students and monthly free haircuts for seniors. Donors, including corporate donors, have also helped by sponsoring lower-income families for outings to local attractions such as Universal Studios.

Ultimately, addressing income inequality is not just about shoring up basic needs, but about providing opportunity and seeking to level the playing field for those who face disadvantages. This is why we have introduced initiatives such as Community Link (ComLink) for lower-income families with children living in public rental housing, to proactively identify their needs, journey with them on customised action plans to secure a better future for them. A key feature of ComLink is that Government agencies, social service agencies, corporates and individual volunteers all work together to befriend, encourage and help ComLink families address their needs and challenges. This collective effort is key to strengthening Singapore's social compact and building a more caring and inclusive society. And as is commonly found by many who volunteer their time and resources to help others, it is not just the recipients of care, concern and resources that gain an increased sense of hope and belonging, those who step forward to give often find that they too have received.

Mr Speaker: Mr Yip Hon Weng.

Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang): I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for his reply. I am glad to hear that the Ministry is undertaking this review regularly. I wish to ask how often will the review take place. Also, can the Ministry share some details on how the review will be undertaken and will this involve interviewing more residents on the ground? Specifically, will respondents be surveyed on their personal willingness to pay higher taxes? And what each respondent will be willing to contribute monthly to support the basic needs of others?

Mr Eric Chua: Sir, I thank the Member for his additional supplementary question. I think the question is not one about whether how regular such reviews are but rather whether these support that we have put in place are really adequate and relevant for the families in need.

The last review that we have done was in August 2022 and the Member will agree that with the recent pressures on cost of living, we need to be adept and prompt in addressing the needs of these families because oftentimes, those that are in these families are hardest hit by cost of living pressures.

In terms of how we review what is to be included and at what level do we provide support for these families, we do look at a basket of needs that get reviewed from time to time, periodically – as I have mentioned in my main reply. We also do include items that perhaps over time, should be included in what these families will probably need as a basic need. I raised the example of mobile data plans as one of the instances that we have included necessities into this basket.

So, I hope the Member and other Members of this House are adequately assured that we do review the basket of ComCare support as a basic set of necessities for these families regularly and that the support for these families are adequate and relevant.

Mr Speaker: Because we are rather slow in our Parliamentary Questions, I am going to move it along. Ms He Ting Ru, next question.