New website shows hawkers, merchants that accept CDC vouchers

Residents can now check online for nearby hawkers and heartland merchants that accept Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers with the launch of a new website.

It comes as figures on Thursday showed that about two-thirds of Singaporean households - more than 830,000 - have claimed their vouchers since the $130 million scheme was launched on Dec 13.

More than $7 million worth of vouchers have been spent at participating hawkers and heartland merchants over the past 10 days, said South West District Mayor and Mayors' Committee chair Low Yen Ling.

There are now more than 11,000 businesses in the scheme, with over 82 per cent of these having received at least one CDC voucher transaction, said Ms Low, who is the Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, and Trade and Industry.

All Singaporean households can claim $100 worth of vouchers, which can be used until Dec 31 next year.

On the new website CDC Vouchers Merchants Go Where (www. gowhere.gov.sg/cdcvouchersmer chants), residents can key in their postal code or street name to find participating businesses nearest to them.

The website complements the decals and banners displayed where clusters of participating businesses are located and on social media.

Said Ms Low: "We hope this will make it even more convenient for Singaporeans to use the vouchers and further spur spending in the heartland in the upcoming festive season."

Hawkers and heartland merchants who wish to sign up for the scheme can register their interest at www.cdc.gov.sg/cdcvouchers /merchants and a CDC ambassador will contact them in the next two weeks.

To claim the vouchers, one Singaporean member of the household can visit an online link - go.gov.sg/cdcv - that requires the use of Singpass. He will then receive a link on his registered mobile number. This link can be shared via messaging apps with household members, who can use the vouchers, which come in denominations of $2, $5 and $10.

Those who are unable to claim or use the vouchers digitally, if they do not have a smartphone for instance, can approach community clubs or centres for assistance, such as to print hard-copy vouchers.

To spend the vouchers digitally, the resident has to click on the CDC vouchers link, select the amount to be used, and show the QR code to a participating merchant, who will then scan it using the RedeemSG Merchant app.

Those using hard-copy vouchers have to show the merchant the QR code on the voucher, which the merchant will then scan.

Mr Muhammad Tamam Shafiq Razman, 28, a second-generation owner of Mankelo Fishery, said the CDC voucher scheme is a good opportunity to boost business.

"Going cashless has helped me reach out to a bigger group of customers, and at the same time, cut the hassle of receiving and counting cash," he added.