SINGAPORE: Caregivers of the elderly and persons with disabilities in Marine Parade Cluster can stand to receive up to S$1,600 (US$1,190) in cash assistance, Grab vouchers and reimbursement for respite care as part of a newly launched Caregiver Support Fund.
Another initiative that will connect youths aged 16 to 25 with internship opportunities was also unveiled at an SG60 festival for Marine Parade Cluster on Sunday (Apr 6) at Kampong Ubi CC.
Marine Parade Cluster is made up of the following divisions: Marine Parade, Kembangan Chai-Chee, Braddell Heights, Joo Chiat, Geylang Serai, MacPherson and Mountbatten.
The two new initiatives were announced by Marine Parade MPs, Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong.
Also in attendance were MPs for Marine Parade GRC, Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng and MPs from neighbouring wards Ms Tin Pei Ling (MacPherson SMC) and Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten SMC).
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong was also at the event, where he spoke of his close ties to Marine Parade, having grown up there.
“If you were to ask my late grandfather and my late father, I think they would never in their wildest dreams have expected to see Marine Parade or East Coast or Joo Chiat or Singapore today, compared to when they started out, because 60 years of transformation is literally unthinkable,” said Mr Wong.
He added that he was glad to see government schemes being complemented by local initiatives, such as those launched on Sunday.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong taking a selfie with the public at the launch of the Caregiver Support Fund and the Industry Immersive Programme on Apr 6, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
Under the Caregiver Support Fund, eligible families can receive up to S$700 in cash relief, a maximum of S$600 in reimbursement for respite care and up to S$300 in Grab vouchers to defray transportation costs incurred for medical visits or commuting.
Up to 2,800 families are expected to benefit from his programme, and the amount disbursed to recipients will depend on household composition, income level and required needs.
For example, a blue CHAS card holder — those with a household monthly income per person of S$1,500 and below – will qualify for the maximum amount of cash relief, transport assistance and respite care assistance, totalling S$1,600.
An orange CHAS card holder, or those with a household monthly income per person greater than S$1,500 but under $2,300, will qualify to receive up to S$500 in cash relief, S$200 in Grab vouchers and up to S$400 in reimbursement for respite care assistance.
The care recipient must be a Singapore citizen residing in Marine Parade Cluster, who requires assistance due to a physical or mental disability, a chronic illness, special needs or a mental illness. The caregiver must also be an immediate family member of the care recipient.
Since April 2023, Mr Winson Low, a 50-year-old delivery driver and Braddell Heights resident, has been the main caregiver to his 76-year old father, who has had part of his feet amputated due to diabetes.
He has previously applied for a local caregiver grant, which provided a one-time payment of S$500 that helped with medical bills.
As he is a blue CHAS card holder, he stands to qualify for up to S$1,600 under the new caregiver support scheme and said it will help with fluctuating medical bills.
Speaking to the media at a briefing on the two initiatives on Thursday, Ms Tin said that the amount of the caregiver support was benchmarked against the typical cost for daycare services and an estimated five wheelchair user-friendly rides using GrabAssist Plus services.
“Obviously it won’t be able to fully mitigate all of the stresses, whether financially or emotionally, but we hope that through this, we do our part to show them we care,” said Ms Tin.
The initiative was timed to SG60 and meant to ensure Marine Parade Cluster residents have interim assistance before the Home Caregiving Grant enhancement announced at this year’s Budget takes effect from April 2026, said Dr Tan.
He added that the new fund will expand the We Care Caregiver Support Network that started in Marine Parade to support caregivers across the cluster.
Applications for the Caregiver Support Fund are currently open until the end of the year, and the grants will be disbursed until Jan 31, 2026.
The Caregiver Support Fund aims to provide assistance to caregivers who support vulnerable family members. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
As for the Industry Immersive Programme to support youths in their career, the programme will facilitate work placements of durations ranging from two weeks to three months.
There are currently 25 companies on board to be corporate partners for this programme, from various industries including banking and finance, the social service sector, technology and consulting.
Some of the companies include Huawei, Deloitte Singapore and MindChamps.
Mr Tong said on Thursday that the programme hopes to “level up” the opportunities made available to Marine Parade Cluster youths, as not everyone has the opportunities or family contacts to score an internship or job.
One of them is Ms Xiang Yan Ting, 19, who lives in Braddell Heights and is currently awaiting enrolment into a polytechnic in April this year.
She studied chemical process technology at the Institute of Technical Education College East and has heard of peers who struggled to find internships because of their lack of connections.
She is keen to explore new industries after an internship experience at a medical research organisation, which gave her confidence and a better understanding of working life.
The Marine Parade team also announced two new gathering spaces for the ward, including an aquatic-themed play space located near Marine Terrace MRT Exit 1 and Block 57. There will also be a new fitness and event space at Block 54 Marine Terrace.
Dr Tan also provided an update on the free shuttle bus services for Marine Parade Cluster, which has been in operation since Jul 8, 2024.
He said that the one-year pilot has seen regular takeup from residents in their commute to polyclinics and wet markets, and there are plans to continue the programme.
“We will obviously see how we can tweak the routes to make sure that more people can benefit. And as we speak on a weekly basis, we monitor the attendance of the residents taking the shuttle. So I think when the one year is up, we should be able to give you an update,” said Dr Tan.
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng speaking to the media alongside Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, MP Mohd Fahmi Aliman, MP Tin Pei Ling, MP Lim Biow Chuan and PAP's Gho Sze Kee, Diana Pang and Choo Pei Ling on Apr 6, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
Mr Tong, who has been spotted on walkabouts with the East Coast GRC team, said he was attending the event as part of his work with the Marine Parade Cluster and added that the two initiatives will still apply to Joo Chiat residents, notwithstanding the timing of the general elections and the redrawn electoral boundaries.
Under the redrawn electoral boundaries, Mr Tong’s ward of Joo Chiat and part of the Kembangan-Chai Chee ward were moved from Marine Parade GRC to East Coast GRC.
Marine Parade GRC, which has been renamed Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, will absorb MacPherson SMC as well as polling districts from Potong Pasir SMC and Mountbatten SMC.
Spotted in the crowd at Sunday’s launch of the two initiatives were Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, who is MP for Nee Soon GRC.
Also present was new face Dr Choo Pei Ling, who is an assistant professor of Singapore Institute of Technology’s Health and Social Sciences Cluster.
Both were on the panel at a media briefing on the two initiatives on Thursday, alongside Dr Tan, Mr Tong and Ms Tin.
(From left) Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, MP Tin Pei Ling, and PAP's Choo Pei Ling and at briefing on the Caregiver Support Fund and the Industry Immersive Programme on Apr 3, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Nikki Yeo)
When asked about his presence on Thursday’s panel, Dr Faishal cited his “meaningful one-term” in Marine Parade from 2006 to 2011.
“Even though I’ve left to Nee Soon, I continue to be connected with the people here. In essence, I know many of the residents here, and they sometimes raise issues with me,” said Dr Faishal.
Also spotted at Sunday’s event were Ms Gho Sze Kee, a lawyer who spoke at the 2021 PAP party convention as branch secretary of PAP’s Bukit Timah division and Ms Diana Pang, a long-time volunteer in East Coast GRC who has been seen alongside the Marine Parade team.
PAP's Gho Sze Kee and Diana Pang with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the launch of the Caregiver Support Fund and the Industry Immersive Programme on Apr 6, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
Ms Diana Pang chairs the Fengshan Women’s Executive Committee and the People’s Association Women’s Integration Network Council.
When speaking to the media at the sidelines of the launch on Sunday, Dr Tan did not respond to a question on whether those present would form the new line-up of potential candidates for Marine Parade at the elections.
In response to CNA’s question on whether the initiatives were timed to align with the upcoming general election, Dr Tan said that the plans were an enhancement of ongoing programmes and ended up “serendipitously coming up at this particular time”.
“If you look at the amount of effort, the funding support, the rallying of the people that went behind the two very big, very engaging initiatives, those could not have been planned last minute,” said Dr Tan.
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Another initiative that will connect youths aged 16 to 25 with internship opportunities was also unveiled at an SG60 festival for Marine Parade Cluster on Sunday (Apr 6) at Kampong Ubi CC.
Marine Parade Cluster is made up of the following divisions: Marine Parade, Kembangan Chai-Chee, Braddell Heights, Joo Chiat, Geylang Serai, MacPherson and Mountbatten.
The two new initiatives were announced by Marine Parade MPs, Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong.
Also in attendance were MPs for Marine Parade GRC, Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng and MPs from neighbouring wards Ms Tin Pei Ling (MacPherson SMC) and Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten SMC).
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong was also at the event, where he spoke of his close ties to Marine Parade, having grown up there.
“If you were to ask my late grandfather and my late father, I think they would never in their wildest dreams have expected to see Marine Parade or East Coast or Joo Chiat or Singapore today, compared to when they started out, because 60 years of transformation is literally unthinkable,” said Mr Wong.
He added that he was glad to see government schemes being complemented by local initiatives, such as those launched on Sunday.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong taking a selfie with the public at the launch of the Caregiver Support Fund and the Industry Immersive Programme on Apr 6, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
SUPPORTING AN AGEING POPULATION
Under the Caregiver Support Fund, eligible families can receive up to S$700 in cash relief, a maximum of S$600 in reimbursement for respite care and up to S$300 in Grab vouchers to defray transportation costs incurred for medical visits or commuting.
Up to 2,800 families are expected to benefit from his programme, and the amount disbursed to recipients will depend on household composition, income level and required needs.
For example, a blue CHAS card holder — those with a household monthly income per person of S$1,500 and below – will qualify for the maximum amount of cash relief, transport assistance and respite care assistance, totalling S$1,600.
An orange CHAS card holder, or those with a household monthly income per person greater than S$1,500 but under $2,300, will qualify to receive up to S$500 in cash relief, S$200 in Grab vouchers and up to S$400 in reimbursement for respite care assistance.
The care recipient must be a Singapore citizen residing in Marine Parade Cluster, who requires assistance due to a physical or mental disability, a chronic illness, special needs or a mental illness. The caregiver must also be an immediate family member of the care recipient.
Since April 2023, Mr Winson Low, a 50-year-old delivery driver and Braddell Heights resident, has been the main caregiver to his 76-year old father, who has had part of his feet amputated due to diabetes.
He has previously applied for a local caregiver grant, which provided a one-time payment of S$500 that helped with medical bills.
As he is a blue CHAS card holder, he stands to qualify for up to S$1,600 under the new caregiver support scheme and said it will help with fluctuating medical bills.
Speaking to the media at a briefing on the two initiatives on Thursday, Ms Tin said that the amount of the caregiver support was benchmarked against the typical cost for daycare services and an estimated five wheelchair user-friendly rides using GrabAssist Plus services.
“Obviously it won’t be able to fully mitigate all of the stresses, whether financially or emotionally, but we hope that through this, we do our part to show them we care,” said Ms Tin.
The initiative was timed to SG60 and meant to ensure Marine Parade Cluster residents have interim assistance before the Home Caregiving Grant enhancement announced at this year’s Budget takes effect from April 2026, said Dr Tan.
He added that the new fund will expand the We Care Caregiver Support Network that started in Marine Parade to support caregivers across the cluster.
Applications for the Caregiver Support Fund are currently open until the end of the year, and the grants will be disbursed until Jan 31, 2026.
The Caregiver Support Fund aims to provide assistance to caregivers who support vulnerable family members. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
HELPING THE YOUNG
As for the Industry Immersive Programme to support youths in their career, the programme will facilitate work placements of durations ranging from two weeks to three months.
There are currently 25 companies on board to be corporate partners for this programme, from various industries including banking and finance, the social service sector, technology and consulting.
Some of the companies include Huawei, Deloitte Singapore and MindChamps.
Mr Tong said on Thursday that the programme hopes to “level up” the opportunities made available to Marine Parade Cluster youths, as not everyone has the opportunities or family contacts to score an internship or job.
One of them is Ms Xiang Yan Ting, 19, who lives in Braddell Heights and is currently awaiting enrolment into a polytechnic in April this year.
She studied chemical process technology at the Institute of Technical Education College East and has heard of peers who struggled to find internships because of their lack of connections.
She is keen to explore new industries after an internship experience at a medical research organisation, which gave her confidence and a better understanding of working life.
The Marine Parade team also announced two new gathering spaces for the ward, including an aquatic-themed play space located near Marine Terrace MRT Exit 1 and Block 57. There will also be a new fitness and event space at Block 54 Marine Terrace.
Dr Tan also provided an update on the free shuttle bus services for Marine Parade Cluster, which has been in operation since Jul 8, 2024.
He said that the one-year pilot has seen regular takeup from residents in their commute to polyclinics and wet markets, and there are plans to continue the programme.
“We will obviously see how we can tweak the routes to make sure that more people can benefit. And as we speak on a weekly basis, we monitor the attendance of the residents taking the shuttle. So I think when the one year is up, we should be able to give you an update,” said Dr Tan.
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng speaking to the media alongside Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, MP Mohd Fahmi Aliman, MP Tin Pei Ling, MP Lim Biow Chuan and PAP's Gho Sze Kee, Diana Pang and Choo Pei Ling on Apr 6, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
A NEW MARINE PARADE LINE UP?
Mr Tong, who has been spotted on walkabouts with the East Coast GRC team, said he was attending the event as part of his work with the Marine Parade Cluster and added that the two initiatives will still apply to Joo Chiat residents, notwithstanding the timing of the general elections and the redrawn electoral boundaries.
Under the redrawn electoral boundaries, Mr Tong’s ward of Joo Chiat and part of the Kembangan-Chai Chee ward were moved from Marine Parade GRC to East Coast GRC.
Marine Parade GRC, which has been renamed Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, will absorb MacPherson SMC as well as polling districts from Potong Pasir SMC and Mountbatten SMC.
Spotted in the crowd at Sunday’s launch of the two initiatives were Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, who is MP for Nee Soon GRC.
Also present was new face Dr Choo Pei Ling, who is an assistant professor of Singapore Institute of Technology’s Health and Social Sciences Cluster.
Both were on the panel at a media briefing on the two initiatives on Thursday, alongside Dr Tan, Mr Tong and Ms Tin.
(From left) Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, MP Tin Pei Ling, and PAP's Choo Pei Ling and at briefing on the Caregiver Support Fund and the Industry Immersive Programme on Apr 3, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Nikki Yeo)
When asked about his presence on Thursday’s panel, Dr Faishal cited his “meaningful one-term” in Marine Parade from 2006 to 2011.
“Even though I’ve left to Nee Soon, I continue to be connected with the people here. In essence, I know many of the residents here, and they sometimes raise issues with me,” said Dr Faishal.
Also spotted at Sunday’s event were Ms Gho Sze Kee, a lawyer who spoke at the 2021 PAP party convention as branch secretary of PAP’s Bukit Timah division and Ms Diana Pang, a long-time volunteer in East Coast GRC who has been seen alongside the Marine Parade team.
PAP's Gho Sze Kee and Diana Pang with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the launch of the Caregiver Support Fund and the Industry Immersive Programme on Apr 6, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
Ms Diana Pang chairs the Fengshan Women’s Executive Committee and the People’s Association Women’s Integration Network Council.
When speaking to the media at the sidelines of the launch on Sunday, Dr Tan did not respond to a question on whether those present would form the new line-up of potential candidates for Marine Parade at the elections.
In response to CNA’s question on whether the initiatives were timed to align with the upcoming general election, Dr Tan said that the plans were an enhancement of ongoing programmes and ended up “serendipitously coming up at this particular time”.
“If you look at the amount of effort, the funding support, the rallying of the people that went behind the two very big, very engaging initiatives, those could not have been planned last minute,” said Dr Tan.
Continue reading...