New Packages to Better Support ComLink+ Families That Do Their Part to Progress in Life

Strong families are the foundation of a strong society. The Forward Singapore report had indicated a commitment to strengthen support for lower-income families in their journey towards stability, self-reliance and social mobility. The Government will do this through ComLink+, by providing ComLink+ families with:

1. Dedicated Family Coaches who will work with each family to co-develop customised action plans that are tailored to each family’s needs, coach and motivate them towards achieving their goals, and act as a single point of contact to help them better navigate social support services. 
   
2. Additional support tied to action plans that each family co-develops with their Family Coach. Details of the additional support are provided below.

Progress Packages for ComLink+ Families

1. MSF will introduce progress packages to recognise and supplement families’ efforts. ComLink+ families that take active steps to improve their circumstances will receive financial top-ups through the progress packages. 
   
2. For a start, we will introduce four packages that focus on ComLink+ families’ key needs and aspirations. These will be rolled out progressively from the second half of 2024 and trialled for three years to assess their effectiveness before potential scale-up. 
   
   • Preschool education. The early years are crucial for children’s learning and development. Local research shows that children who attended preschool from age 3 were less likely to require additional learning support in primary school. However, preschool enrolment and attendance rates of lower-income children are lower than their peers, especially at ages 3 to 4. We will introduce a package funded by a donor, to provide a one-off Child Development Account (CDA) top-up of $500 to ComLink+ families for each child who is enrolled in preschool in the year that they turn 3. Families will also receive CDA top-ups of $200 for every quarter that the child attends preschool regularly. This package will encourage families to prioritise their children’s preschool education, to help improve their school readiness and future educational outcomes. 
     
   • Stable employment. Some ComLink+ families have adults who can work but are unemployed, in lower wage roles, or working in jobs with fluctuating incomes. Some may rely on a single breadwinner to make ends meet. To build financial stability and resilience, it is important for ComLink+ families to have a stable income and to increase their income as a household. This package will encourage more adults in ComLink+ families to enter and stay in CPF-paying jobs paying at least $1,400/month. Should they fulfil this requirement, each adult will receive financial top-ups of between $450 to $550 in a combination of cash and CPF payouts for every quarter of sustained employment (up to a limit of $30,000 in total payouts across both the employment and savings packages). Higher top-ups will be given when two adults in the household work. A maximum of two working adults per family can benefit from this package. This package will help families to build up their finances for their long-term goals such as buying a flat or saving up for retirement, and to better withstand unexpected setbacks in life (e.g., retrenchment, health issues). 
     
   • Improving financial stability through debt clearance. With less disposable income and savings, lower-income families are more susceptible to falling into debt or arrears, especially if they encounter unexpected setbacks or have inherited debt. Even a relatively small debt can severely impact lower-income families financially, psychologically and emotionally, affecting their ability to resolve their debts and work towards long-term goals. To help ComLink+ families with verifiable debt[1] overcome such obstacles as they take steps to repay their debt, we will introduce a package that is fully funded by donors to match families’ repayments to their creditors on a one-to-one basis, for repayment of debts of up to $5,000 (i.e., donor-matched repayments of up to $2,500). To be eligible, families must also not be receiving ComCare assistance, as this would usually indicate that the family has not attained financial stability in meeting their basic needs. This support will help to free up some of the families’ mental bandwidth, enabling them to focus on long-term goals, and build financial resilience. Families can benefit only once from this package. 
     
   • Saving for home ownership. Many ComLink+ families aspire to purchase their own flat as part of their social mobility journey. To provide families with a leg-up as they build up their savings for flat purchase, we will introduce a package jointly funded by a donor and the Government. This package will supplement every dollar of families’ voluntary contributions to their CPF with a $2 top-up to their CPF Ordinary Account (up to a limit of $30,000 in total payouts across the employment and savings packages). This will help families to save up more quickly for their flat purchase and give them a better chance of fulfilling this aspiration. 
     

1. Families must fulfil the required action and meet the eligibility conditions for each package in order to receive the corresponding financial top-up (see Annex A for details on the conditions and top-ups for each package). The financial top-ups will be provided for as long as the family remains eligible for and fulfil the requirements of the packages, or until the family reaches the payout limit specified for each package, whichever is earlier. 
   
2. Collectively, the support from Family Coaches and progress packages aim to help ComLink+ families to build and strengthen their foundation to achieve stability, self-reliance, and ultimately social mobility. It will also build on various efforts by community organisations to support families in areas such as children’s education, debt clearance, and building up of savings. ComLink+ as a Whole-of-Society Effort
   
3. ComLink+ is a whole-of-society effort, led by the Government but implemented in partnership with the community. Many have stepped forward to volunteer their time, contribute financially, or offer other forms of support to ComLink+ families. Currently, approximately 170 organisations and individuals are partnering SSOs to support ComLink+ families (see Annex B). In particular, DBS is coming in as an anchor partner to help uplift the lives and livelihoods of ComLink+ families. Beyond funding the progress packages on preschool education and savings, the bank will also be stepping up its volunteer participation to bolster support for these families. Another partner, Singapore Pools, will be helping to fund part of the progress package on debt clearance. We invite more corporates and foundations to step forward to contribute to ComLink+, and ask individuals to consider volunteering as befrienders to journey with ComLink+ families. Together, we can uplift ComLink+ families and ensure that no one is left behind.

[1] Refers to debt owed to licensed companies and organisations that can be verified and for which repayments can be tracked. Informal debts, such as those owed to family and friends, as well as debts owed to unlicensed moneylenders, are not covered.

Source: MSF

In a bizarre and disturbing incident on November 19, a 52-year-old man was apprehended after a car, owned by a 60-year-old hawker named Wang, was found smeared with faeces at Blk 49 Sims Place in Aljunied, according to Shin Min Daily News.

This peculiar case also involved the placement of “prayer offerings” on the car, accompanied by a note in Mandarin.

The Incident Details

The unsettling event unfolded with the discovery of prayer offerings on the car’s bonnet, featuring a huat kueh and an orange adorned with ribbons and incense sticks.

The Mandarin note left on the windshield, translating to “if you don’t want people to know what you did, then don’t do it at all” added an enigmatic layer to the incident.

Shin Min reporters, upon reaching the scene, were confronted with a nauseating scene – faecal stains adorned the front and rear windshields, windows, and door handles of the car. The noxious stench emanating from the stains heightened the disturbing nature of the incident, leaving the community perplexed and concerned.

The gravity of the situation prompted the presence of two police cars at the scene, with officers actively documenting and investigating the peculiar occurrence. The ongoing investigation seeks to unravel the motive behind the act and bring the perpetrator to justice.

Car Owner’s Reaction

The car, it was revealed, belonged to Wang, a chicken stall owner at the nearby market. Wang, shocked and angered, learned about the incident from a neighboring stall’s staff. Despite the disturbing nature of the act, she promptly called the police, emphasizing the need for swift intervention. Wang’s decision to resume her business and clean the car after market hours reflects her resilience and dedication to an honest living.

Beyond the faecal vandalism, the perpetrator is believed to have left abusive notes on nearby pillars, sparking speculation within the hawker community. Some suggest that the act might have been misdirected, with the suspect possibly targeting the wrong individual. This speculation raises questions about vendettas within the community and the potential consequences of such misunderstandings.

Further investigation revealed another car in the same car park, sharing similarities in model, color, and even a similar license plate number to Wang’s vehicle. The possibility of the perpetrator confusing the two cars adds a layer of complexity to the case, emphasizing the importance of precision in such acts.

Arrest and Police Statement

In response to the incident, the police arrested a 52-year-old individual on charges of public nuisance. The ongoing investigation aims to shed light on the motives and circumstances surrounding the act.

A recent incident involving four teenagers, aged between 14 and 15, at the Civil Service Club (CSC) chalet along Leuchars Road, gained widespread attention after a video of their altercation went viral over the weekend.

A group of about 4 girls had ganged up on another girl and mercilessly beat her up as a huge crowd of guys surrounded them and filmed the whole thing, even conducting “post fight” interviews with the attackers.

According to TODAY, the Singapore Police Force said that they were alerted to the incident on 17 November at about 10.15pm, at the Civil Service Club (CSC) @ Changi 2 chalets.

They said that a 15-year-old female teenager suffered minor injuries in the attack but had otherwise refused to be sent to the hospital.

The police confirmed that they are currently investigating.

The Viral Video

At the onset of the video, the victim, identifiable by her black shoulder-strap top, was desperately attempting to escape her assailants, accompanied by another girl holding onto her hand. Despite their efforts to flee, the assailants, fueled by aggression, pursued the victim. A group of onlookers, predominantly males with mobile phones in hand, followed, documenting the unfolding chaos.

In the subsequent frames, the victim found herself surrounded by her attackers and a sizable crowd of onlookers. A feeling of helplessness permeated the scene as a heated exchange unfolded, with the crowd seemingly goading the assailants on. The situation escalated rapidly as four other girls relentlessly attacked the victim, delivering forceful blows to her head and viciously pulling her hair, ultimately dragging her to the ground.

A Helpless Rescuer and Vicious Assault

Amidst the chaos, a rescuer, presumably the girl seen initially holding onto the victim’s hand, could only watch helplessly as the assailants overwhelmed the victim. The intensity of the assault, compounded by the cheers from the crowd, painted a grim picture of the victim’s ordeal. Squatting on the ground, clutching her head in evident pain, the victim became the focal point of the recording crowd, perpetuating the distressing incident.

Different POV: Unraveling the Initial Attack

The video transitions to a different point of view, offering insight into the moments leading up to the assault. One of the assailants, dressed in white, screamed vulgarities at the victim while a male voice off-camera encouraged the attack. The assailant, wearing white, joined in, displaying a disturbingly gleeful demeanor. The victim, visibly distraught, sought support from onlookers as she cried, only to have her hair seized by the assailants, pulling her to the ground and subjecting her to a barrage of forceful blows.

Escalation Beside a Fence: Confrontation Continues

The aggression reached a new level as the confrontation shifted to another location beside a fence. The crowd gathered, capturing the escalating violence on their mobile phones. Some even climbed on the fence for a better view. The assailants cornered the victim, back against the wall, facing four aggressors and a group of onlookers documenting the assault.

This time, a different assailant in a white top with a light-brown ponytail threw a right hook at close range, striking the victim squarely in the face. The onslaught continued with a series of repeated punches before transitioning to slaps, leaving the victim defenseless with futile attempts to shield herself.

Full Recap

In the quiet hours of the night on November 20, the tranquil Tanah Merah Coast Road became a stage for a high-stakes operation as two Indonesian men attempted to enter Singapore unlawfully by sea, according to a report by The Straits Times.

The Coast Guard’s surveillance system, a silent sentinel in the dark, detected a fast-moving craft heading towards the shoreline at 11.58 pm.

Detection of the Fast-Moving Craft

The sudden blip on the surveillance radar triggered a swift response from law enforcement. The craft, skillfully avoiding floating sea barriers at the entrance of Tanah Merah Canal, landed on the coast nearby.

What ensued was a meticulously coordinated operation involving the Police Coast Guard (PCG), Bedok Police Division, the Gurkha Contingent, and the Special Operations Command.

The collaboration among these units underscored the gravity of the situation. Within seven hours of detection, the 33 and 36-year-old suspects were apprehended.

Shockingly, they were found without any valid travel documents. The vessel, a modest 5m fibreglass sampan equipped with an onboard motor, was confiscated.

Consequences

As the sun began to rise on November 21, the duo faced charges for their unlawful entry into Singapore. The potential consequences loomed large—a jail term of up to six months and at least three strokes of the cane.

The sampan, a seemingly inconspicuous vessel, raises questions about the audacity of those attempting such ventures. The onboard motor adds a layer of sophistication to what might be perceived as a rudimentary attempt at illegal entry.