SINGAPORE: There has been a spike in the number of elderly
citizens filing applications at the Tribunal for Maintenance of
Parents over the last 12 months.
From August 2008 to July this year, 172 people filed applications,
much higher than the average of 100 in previous years.
Singapore is one of the fastest ageing societies in the world,
making the issue of adult children who cannot or will not support
ageing parents much sharper.
The elderly are left stranded to their own devices or forced to
seek help from charities or the state.
Responding to what he called an escalating situation, the Minister
for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan
told Parliament on Wednesday that his ministry will tighten the
system in three key areas.
Firstly, the ministry will look at tightening workflow and referral
processes.
For example, it says one third of the elderly who approach the
Community Development Councils (CDCs) for help do not even have the
contact details of their children.
Secondly, the ministry will strengthen the office of the
Commissioner for the Maintenance of Parents so that he can play a
more active role in mediation.
Currently, mediation is used before resorting to legal means.
At the end of a mediation session where the children and parents
are brought before a three-member tribunal, a Maintenance Order is
issued.
Even after that, a number do not pay up. Last year, 67 Enforcement
Orders were issued by the Family Court to compel them to do
so.
Hence, a third area the ministry will look at is giving elderly
parents timely and comprehensive information on their options,
including legal recourse, even if they choose not to take it
up.
Going forward, Minister Balakrishnan said he is also studying if
the Maintenance of Parents Act itself needs to be amended so that
it remains an active deterrent to irresponsible children. He is
inviting public feedback on this.
But he added that legislation should be a last resort. "We cannot
legislate love nor can you use legislation in this House to
guarantee emotional support," he said.
Going forward, Dr Balakrishnan added that Singapore has to arrive
at a situation where every generation earns and saves enough for
its own life cycle so that the question of inter-generation
dependence is reduced.
- CNA/ir