Forum: Top up ActiveSG credits to $100 every year

The one-off $100 SG60 ActiveSG credit top-up was a welcome move, but the Government should go further: Ensure that every eligible Singaporean starts each calendar year with $100 in ActiveSG credits.

To keep the scheme simple, unused credits for each calendar year will roll over to the next.

At the start of each year, the Government tops up each account up to $100. Those who spent $90 the year before receive $90; those who spent nothing receive nothing, since their balance is already $100. No account holds more than $100.

This makes the scheme small and sustainable. Every dollar spent goes directly to people who are active, and the cost rises only if the scheme succeeds in getting more people to exercise.

There are good reasons to do this. Regular credits would nudge more Singaporeans to build exercise into their routine at a younger age, eventually turning it into a habit. 

The recurring transboundary haze, with no lasting solution in sight despite decades of hand-wringing, makes outdoor exercise unpleasant and at times unhealthy for close to three months every year. So indoor facilities such as ActiveSG gyms and sports halls become a safe option.

People who are fitter also mean lower healthcare costs in the long run, which becomes important as the population ages.

Sport Singapore has done well to keep its facilities affordable.

A yearly top-up to $100 would turn a one-time celebration into a lasting, low-cost commitment to a healthier nation.

Sim Eng Cheong