THE Government has brought forward the start date for the new parenthood perks, in response to parents-to-be who appealed for the change.

Instead of Jan 1 next year, the benefits will be given from Aug 17, the day Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the changes at his National Day Rally.

Over 10,000 benefit Women expecting babies between now and the end of the year will enjoy an extra month of maternity leave, a bigger Baby Bonus and fatter tax benefits. Government co-funding of fertility treatments will take effect from Aug 17 instead of next month. ... more

The change comes a day after the Jan 1 date was announced.

The speedy reversal allows possibly 10,000 more women whose babies will be born between now and Dec 31 to enjoy an extra month of maternity leave, a bigger Baby Bonus and fatter tax benefits, among other goodies in the enhanced Marriage and Parenthood package.

Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng, in announcing the revised date, said the move was in response to appeals by expectant mothers and fathers whose babies are due before Jan 1.

Mr Wong, who chairs the National Population Committee, said in a statement:

'While the expectant parents understand that the relevant Government agencies need time to put in place the necessary legislative and administrative changes to implement the new measures and policies, they have requested that the Government make special provisions for them so that they can also benefit from the enhanced M&P Package.'

Earlier, some mothers-to-be had penned a petition and addressed it to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and DPM Wong, asking them to start the perks sooner.

The letter from the Singapore Motherhood Forum, an online chat forum, said: 'Based on the 37,000 babies born last year, it is likely that over 10,000 babies will be born from now till Dec 08.

'None of their mothers will enjoy the 16-week maternity leave and increased Baby Bonus. And for no apparent reason.'

They pointed out that in 2004, when parenthood incentives were announced at Mr Lee's inaugural Rally, 'the effective date was backdated to 1 Aug, 2004'.

Mr Inderjit Singh, an Ang Mo Kio GRC MP, said he had met a group of pregnant women and their husbands. He was assisting at PM Lee's meet-the-people session in Teck Ghee ward on Wednesday night, hours after the package details were made public.

The group was 'enthusiastic but not angry' and handed in a petition with 125 signatures.

Mr Singh told the group he 'agreed' with them.

So at around 7am the next day, he sent an e-mail to PM Lee. 'He responded immediately and said, 'I will look into it',' he told The Straits Times.

On the Government's change of heart, he said: 'It's the right thing to do. The financial impact is minimal and, at the same time, there's goodwill.'

The Government's statement also said that its co-funding of fertility treatments will be moved from next month to Aug17.

Payment of the enhanced Baby Bonus and subsidies will be made only 'after the necessary legislative and administrative changes are completed'.

It urged employers to let staff claim the extra maternity, infant-care and childcare leave, and to give enhanced protection to pregnant employers from Aug 17. 'If they do so, the Government will pay for its share of the additional leave to be taken,' the statement said.

These take effect only when the laws are amended. The target date for this is October, said DPM Wong.

The Parenthood Tax Rebate will still apply to babies born from Jan 1 this year. The enhanced tax reliefs can be claimed for income earned in 2008.

The Parenthood Tax Rebate for working parents is $5,000 for the first child, $10,000 for the second and $20,000 for all subsequent children.

Mr Wong restated the Government's commitment to support Singaporean couples who wish to marry and have children in Singapore.

'While it wishes to be as inclusive as possible, there is a need to start the new measures at a specific date,' he said.

Bank officer Michelle Teo, 30, whose first baby is due in October, was delighted by the news: 'We really appreciate it that the Government heeded our voices. It's a relief.'

siewhua@sph.com.sg

More reports: Singapore