Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said in Parliament that the hike in sales tax was not expected to have a 'continuing effect' on consumer prices in Singapore. -- ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN

These keywords will continue to guide the Government's approach to helping Singaporeans grappling with the rising cost of living, said Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Monday.

This means that it will continue to offer a buffet of help schemes, that cover every aspect of a Singaporean's life.

For instance, low-income Singaporeans who keep at their jobs will get additional cash and CPF contributions through the Workfare scheme.

Those with school-going children can tap into school financial assistance schemes. Criteria for these were widened last year to take in more families.

The elderly, jobless and poor can also turn to the ComCare fund - set up to ensure no one is left behind as Singapore restructures its economy. Medifund, the national healthcare safety net, will step in to help the needy with their hospital bills.

Mr Tharman made these points when responding to Labour MP Halimah Yacob's (Jurong GRC) questions on whether the Government would do something extra for the poor, as the inflation rate threatens to push past the 5 per cent mark.

It hit 4.2 per cent in November, the fastest increase in 25 years.

Mr Tharman said that if finances permitted, there would be 'something more' in this year's Budget for the old and needy.

As for high inflation, it was mainly due to the global rise in oil and food prices, he said.

He acknowleged that last July's Goods and Services Tax hike from five to seven per cent had also played a part.

But this was a 'one-off' increase, not a continuing one. And specific help had been given to families to cope with this rise.

A typical three-room household received about $1,050 in the GST offset package in all which included cash and utility rebates, he said.

'So it goes well beyond compensating for the GST increase,' he said.