PEOPLE AFFECTED BY ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES (Assistance)

Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Acting Minister for Community Development and Sports what actions are being taken by his Ministry to help people severely affected by this period of economic difficulties from turning to petty crimes or suicide as a last resort.

The Acting Minister for Community Development and Sports (Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government and the community have put in place a wide range of services and programmes to help people affected by the economic situation. The services range from short-term financial assistance to counselling to help Singaporeans deal with the difficulties. The Community Development Councils' (CDCs) social assistance schemes are able to relieve families in financial distress. In the last financial year, the CDCs assisted almost 15,000 households. Many families had short-term financial grants to tide over a crisis, such as retrenchment or unemployment. Others received grants to help pay rent and utilities charges or subsidies for child care centres or student care centres. Local CDC schemes supplement these schemes with such help as NTUC vouchers for basic provisions and bus stamps or Transitlink cards.

Apart from financial help, the CDCs also provide job search and job placement services. The CDCs, together with the Ministry of Manpower, organise job fairs. Through the job fairs, job seekers can be better informed of various job opportunities and find out more about the nature of work and skill sets required.

Those in financial difficulties may need counselling to get back on their feet. The CDCs will refer families who find difficulties coping with their current situation to the FSCs for counselling and support. The FSCs, which are neighbourhood-based facilities, are manned by social workers who are best placed to help individuals and families with relationship or emotional difficulties. The FSCs also provide a range of family support programmes. Those in genuine need should not hesitate to come forward to either the CDCs or the FSCs for help.

Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong: Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to know whether there is a 1800 hotline number that members of the public who are at a loss can turn to and call for help, if required, and if there is, whether the number is well publicised.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, I know that some of the FSCs have such hotlines. The CDCs also have such hotline numbers. Even Town Councils have such a service. These are made available in a variety of places, such as community clubs and Residents Committee Centres. I am not sure whether they are on the websites, but if the Member is interested I could provide the information.

Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong: Mr Speaker, Sir, I am referring to one national number that most people can recognise and remember. For example, if we need to call the police, it is 999; if it is the fire brigade, it is 995. Is there a national number like these that we can actually identify and call in case we need help?

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: There is no one national number that one can use in case one needs financial help, but there are numbers which are available for them with respect to the FSCs and the CDCs. We have found that such a scheme is adequate.