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[h=2]Proportion of elderly working in Singapore doubles[/h]
August 25th, 2014 |
Author: Editorial
An elderly Singaporean
Figures from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) show that more elderly Singapore
residents need to work now.
In 2003, only about 12% of those aged 65 and above worked. Last year, that
proportion doubled to 24%.
The number of older workers taking home less than $1,000 a month has also
doubled from 16,500 to 34,900 over the past decade. This number has outpaced the
natural ageing of the population, which had slightly more than 400,000 residents
aged 65 and above in 2013, up 60% from around 250,000 in 2003.
Assistant Professor Ng Kok Hoe of the LKY School of Public Policy told the
media that more elderly people in Singapore are working because there are fewer
children providing support, or the children themselves may be struggling.
“Studies have shown that fewer parents are living with children and fewer are
receiving cash transfers from them,” Prof Ng said.
Prof Ng is of the view that poorer Singaporeans may not be able to depend on
their children as the primary source of retirement income for much longer.
“So some older folk may have no choice but to turn to work to make ends
meet,” he added.
Mdm Lee Soon Chiew, 67, who works as a cleaner told the media that she
doesn’t want to burden her children. “They all have their families and don’t
earn much. I have no choice but to work,” she said.
To protect the elderly, the PAP government has enacted laws, the Maintenance
of Parents Act [Link],
to ensure that children pay to maintain their parents. The government did not
wish to see the state becoming responsible for maintaining the elderly in
Singapore.
The Maintenance of Parents Act states that any Singapore resident, 60 years
old and above, who is unable to maintain himself adequately, is entitled to
claim maintenance from their children, either in a lump-sum payment, or in the
form of monthly allowances. Relatives or caregivers may even apply for court
action on a parent’s behalf, with the parent’s consent.
The Act also establishes the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents to
decide on applications made under the Act. The Tribunal will comprise a minimum
of three members, including a president with the qualifications of a district
judge and is empowered to make and review maintenance orders. The amount of
maintenance to be paid is decided by the Tribunal based on a set of criteria
including: financial needs, earning capacity, expenses incurred as well as
physical health of the parent and children.
Other provisions of the Act include:
Criticism
In 2011, the former head of ageing issues at the World Health Organisation
(WHO), Dr Alexandre Kalache, pointed out that while Singapore had done
exceedingly well in increasing life expectancy, it had miles to go in helping
its elderly age with dignity.
Men and women in their 70s being forced to clean tables at hawker centres,
scrub apartment blocks or slog in the hot sun as security guards were not signs
of “active ageing”, said Dr Kalache, who had spent some 15 years crafting ageing
policies at the WHO.
He pointed out that much of the developed world already had “non-contributory
pensions” – or handouts – for low-income older folk, saving them the indignity
of hard labour at a time in life when many may want to retire and rest.
In Hong Kong and South Korea, for example, the elderly poor are offered a
subsistence allowance so that they do not need to work until they die – unless
they want to.
“I am all for active ageing, but… to make you work till you practically drop
dead is not human,” he said.
Ultimately, he added, guaranteed handouts for the elderly poor were something
for Singaporeans themselves to discuss.
Facing public pressure, PM Lee at the recent National Day Rally finally
announced a “token” handout – the Silver Support scheme which will provide a
payout in the form of an annual bonus to low-income Singaporeans aged 65 and
above. Details will be announced in next year’s Budget.
It is impossible to know exactly how many elderly Singaporeans are not
getting the long-term help they need, because Singapore does not track the
number of non-working poor. In fact, Singapore does not even have a clear cut
definition of “poor”.
Last year, Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing told the
media that setting a poverty line may not be helpful for Singapore [Link].
“If we use a single poverty line to assess the family, we also risk a ‘cliff
effect’, where those below the poverty line receive all forms of assistance,
while other genuinely needy citizens outside the poverty line are excluded,”
Minister Chan reasoned.
As for cleaner Mdm Lee Soon Chiew, she could have sued her children under the
Maintenance of Parents Act set up by the PAP government, so as to get
maintenance from them.
But like all parents, she just does not have the heart to do so, knowing that
everyone is struggling with their lives in Singapore.
Which explains why she said, “They all have their families and don’t earn
much. I have no choice but to work.”
An elderly Singaporean
Figures from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) show that more elderly Singapore
residents need to work now.
In 2003, only about 12% of those aged 65 and above worked. Last year, that
proportion doubled to 24%.
The number of older workers taking home less than $1,000 a month has also
doubled from 16,500 to 34,900 over the past decade. This number has outpaced the
natural ageing of the population, which had slightly more than 400,000 residents
aged 65 and above in 2013, up 60% from around 250,000 in 2003.
Assistant Professor Ng Kok Hoe of the LKY School of Public Policy told the
media that more elderly people in Singapore are working because there are fewer
children providing support, or the children themselves may be struggling.
“Studies have shown that fewer parents are living with children and fewer are
receiving cash transfers from them,” Prof Ng said.
Prof Ng is of the view that poorer Singaporeans may not be able to depend on
their children as the primary source of retirement income for much longer.
“So some older folk may have no choice but to turn to work to make ends
meet,” he added.
Mdm Lee Soon Chiew, 67, who works as a cleaner told the media that she
doesn’t want to burden her children. “They all have their families and don’t
earn much. I have no choice but to work,” she said.
To protect the elderly, the PAP government has enacted laws, the Maintenance
of Parents Act [Link],
to ensure that children pay to maintain their parents. The government did not
wish to see the state becoming responsible for maintaining the elderly in
Singapore.
The Maintenance of Parents Act states that any Singapore resident, 60 years
old and above, who is unable to maintain himself adequately, is entitled to
claim maintenance from their children, either in a lump-sum payment, or in the
form of monthly allowances. Relatives or caregivers may even apply for court
action on a parent’s behalf, with the parent’s consent.
The Act also establishes the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents to
decide on applications made under the Act. The Tribunal will comprise a minimum
of three members, including a president with the qualifications of a district
judge and is empowered to make and review maintenance orders. The amount of
maintenance to be paid is decided by the Tribunal based on a set of criteria
including: financial needs, earning capacity, expenses incurred as well as
physical health of the parent and children.
Other provisions of the Act include:
- The child being sued has the right to make his siblings joint respondents
even if they were not named in the parent’s original claim. - Any person who is found to be in contempt of the Tribunal will be liable on
conviction to a fine not more than $5000 or an imprisonment for a term not
exceeding six months. - Maintenance orders issued under the Act are to be enforced in the same
manner that maintenance orders for wives and children are enforced under the
Women’s Charter.
Criticism
In 2011, the former head of ageing issues at the World Health Organisation
(WHO), Dr Alexandre Kalache, pointed out that while Singapore had done
exceedingly well in increasing life expectancy, it had miles to go in helping
its elderly age with dignity.
Men and women in their 70s being forced to clean tables at hawker centres,
scrub apartment blocks or slog in the hot sun as security guards were not signs
of “active ageing”, said Dr Kalache, who had spent some 15 years crafting ageing
policies at the WHO.
He pointed out that much of the developed world already had “non-contributory
pensions” – or handouts – for low-income older folk, saving them the indignity
of hard labour at a time in life when many may want to retire and rest.
In Hong Kong and South Korea, for example, the elderly poor are offered a
subsistence allowance so that they do not need to work until they die – unless
they want to.
“I am all for active ageing, but… to make you work till you practically drop
dead is not human,” he said.
Ultimately, he added, guaranteed handouts for the elderly poor were something
for Singaporeans themselves to discuss.
Facing public pressure, PM Lee at the recent National Day Rally finally
announced a “token” handout – the Silver Support scheme which will provide a
payout in the form of an annual bonus to low-income Singaporeans aged 65 and
above. Details will be announced in next year’s Budget.
It is impossible to know exactly how many elderly Singaporeans are not
getting the long-term help they need, because Singapore does not track the
number of non-working poor. In fact, Singapore does not even have a clear cut
definition of “poor”.
Last year, Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing told the
media that setting a poverty line may not be helpful for Singapore [Link].
“If we use a single poverty line to assess the family, we also risk a ‘cliff
effect’, where those below the poverty line receive all forms of assistance,
while other genuinely needy citizens outside the poverty line are excluded,”
Minister Chan reasoned.
As for cleaner Mdm Lee Soon Chiew, she could have sued her children under the
Maintenance of Parents Act set up by the PAP government, so as to get
maintenance from them.
But like all parents, she just does not have the heart to do so, knowing that
everyone is struggling with their lives in Singapore.
Which explains why she said, “They all have their families and don’t earn
much. I have no choice but to work.”
