He also highlighted that there are other help mechanisms, such as the ComCare fund, for these PA recipients to tap on for further assistance.

It is hard to comprehend that Dr Balakrishnan would want to make a needy resident go to multiple sources for assistance when the PA and ComCare schemes are both funded by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS).

Why make a needy resident repeat his or her sad story over and over again to administrators of different help schemes funded by a common ministry just to get enough money for basic living expenses?

Wouldn't raising the PA sum to a decent subsistence level be more productive and effective in helping needy residents than to come up with a slew of other help schemes to supplement the shortfall?

Currently, there are many schemes under MCYS to help needy residents. These schemes should be combined whenever possible to simplify the bureaucratic application process.

If a PA recipient has school-going children, ComCare Grow (Centre-based Financial Assistance Scheme for Childcare, Kindergarten Financial Assistance Scheme, Student Care Fee Assistance Scheme) should be packaged in as well.

Reviewing the PA sum is not exactly 'rocket science'. With rising inflation, MCYS should complete this exercise as soon as possible because it is not good to let PA recipients go to sleep hungry every night while waiting for an obvious outcome to a long-awaited and meaningful review of the PA scheme.

Png Eng Huat

STREAMLINE PROCESS

Why make a needy resident repeat his or her sad story over and over again to administrators of different help schemes funded by the same ministry?