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Letter from TR SITRA DEVI
It will ease Govt’s problem of looking out for elderly.
MAY I suggest that the Government legislate that all working persons must contribute 10 per cent or a minimum of $200 of their salary to their parents? Just like CPF deductions or deductions for self-help groups, this percentage of a working person’s salary should be deducted every month and transferred into their parents’ account.
A governing body could be set up to manage and handle queries pertaining to these deductions, which should be tax deductible. Yes, it might not sound right to force people to pay their parents, but they should have been giving some money to their parents anyway. If they had, we would not see so many old people struggling to make a living. After retirement, a couple with two children will receive at least $400 from them, and added to their CPF, this should be enough for their basic needs.
This new ruling will not upset those already contributing to their parents. There should be no excuse that one’s income is not sufficient for him/herself, as 10 per cent is not too much to give to your own parents, who have given you so much more than that. One reason why Singaporeans don’t have many children is because they don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.
But with this new ruling, the more children the merrier. One need not worry about old age. In the old days, this was why couples had more children. But then, children supported their parents without being told — nowadays, children have become self-centred and selfish. Overall, there is nothing to lose, as it will ease the Government’s problem of looking out for the elderly. And with fewer old people in the workforce, young people will have more job vacancies.