HELP FOR NEEDY DEPENDS ON WHICH TOWN COUNCILS THEY ARE IN?

Dear Editors

I refer to the article “2,500 needy households to get 300,000 free eggs over next 12 months” (Today, May 7). It states that “Working with the local Social Services Office would ensure that there was no excessive help given to some particular needy persons on the one hand, and no neglect of families on the other hand, ensuring a spread of support to all households that need support, Mr Lee, who is also a Member of Parliament for Jurong GRC, added.”

I am somewhat confused. Can anyone help to explain what does “would ensure that there was no excessive help given to some particular needy persons on the one hand, and no neglect of families on the other hand, ensuring a spread of support to all households that need support” mean? According to the ComCare annual report for FY2015 – there were 39,548 unique households (86,759 unique beneficiaries) that received financial assistance.

So, how do we decide which of the 39,548 households to give the eggs for only 2,500 needy households to? Is it not indicative, arguably, of how inadequate our assistance programmes under ComCare are? With each Community Development Council (CDC) or town council having their own piecemeal assistance programmes – we may have a situation whereby getting milk powder or eggs, etc, may depend on where you live.

Is this ideal from the perspective of the needy, in a national welfare system? Also, the MPs who are asking for funds from corporations, may be competing with the Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) and charities for limited charity dollars.

Leong Sze Hian