Latest news with #ComLink+
New Paper
23-05-2025
- Health
- New Paper
Girls' Brigade Singapore to grant 5,000 residents' wishes, from home appliances to school supplies
Madam Noorashikin Ahamed, 34, can now prepare healthier meals for her husband, who has asthma that has affected his brain function, using an air fryer she received on May 22. "My husband is on a strict diet. (With this air fryer), I can now cook air-fried chicken meat or fish. No need to add pan-fried oil, so his meals are healthier," said the homemaker, whose wish was granted by the Girls' Brigade Singapore (GBS). Other wishes fulfilled as part of a project to support vulnerable Singaporeans included a speed agility training set for 12-year-old Haiyul Qhayyum Abdullah from Cantonment Primary School. "I have wanted a speed agility ladder training set for a very long time," said the Primary 6 pupil. "I will try to lend this stuff to my friend to train in football together." Haiyul and Madam Noorashikin are among 5,000 residents whose wishes are being fulfilled between May 22 and July 31 as part of the fifth and largest edition of GBS' annual Girls' Brigade Friend in Deed project. Under the project, which started in 2021, beneficiaries can ask for any item within a $60 budget. Wishes granted in the past included bedsheets and home appliances such as electric kettles; health and wellness items like mobility aids and blood pressure monitors; and school supplies and toys for children. This is the first year the project is partnering with the Ministry of Social and Family Development's social service offices, which helped to identify more beneficiaries. GBS president Sharon Liat said: "This project is close to our hearts because it gives us a chance to know Singaporeans from all walks of life. We love listening to their stories and giving them a chance to wish for something that they would really want or need." At the launch of the 2025 edition of the project on May 22, 40 households in the Jalan Kukoh neighbourhood were the first to receive their wishes, distributed by 43 Girls' Brigade members and Mr Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development, and Culture, Community and Youth. Girls' Brigade Singapore president Sharon Liat and Mr Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development, flag off deliveries to beneficiaries on May 22. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI "As the social issues we face grow increasingly complex, community partners such as Girls' Brigade play a key role in leveraging networks to galvanise resources to uplift families and individuals who need an additional helping hand," said Mr Chua. "This includes ComLink+ families, who face additional challenges and often have to stretch limited resources to meet various needs," he said, noting that nearly 2,700 beneficiaries under the Girls' Brigade Friend in Deed project are in ComLink+, up from 400 in 2024. Under the ComLink+ scheme, low-income households get financial incentives and other support if they take steps to improve their lives, such as holding stable jobs with CPF contributions. "I hope that more community and corporate organisations will be part of efforts such as this so that together we can ensure that no one is left behind as Singapore progresses," said Mr Chua, who will be sworn in as Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Law on May 23. He will retain his social and family development portfolio but will relinquish his role in community, culture and youth. Corporal Pan Ying En (left), and Corporal Chloe Wang at The Girls' Brigade launch of the GB Friend in Deed Project 2025 at Jalan Kukoh on May 22. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Secondary 3 students Pan Ying En and Chloe Wang, both 15, from Raffles Girls' School (Secondary), said they felt heartened by the warm reception from beneficiaries. "When we went to deliver the gifts, I saw how they smiled a lot. They were really welcoming and tried to ask us to go in (to their homes) and talk to them," said Ying En. GBS has fulfilled the wishes of more than 12,500 beneficiaries to date. Members of the public who wish to adopt or deliver wishes to beneficiaries may do so till July 31. For more information, visit
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
GE2025: ‘Our commitment continues,' says Desmond Lee on PAP's plans for West Coast-Jurong West GRC
Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE – Initiatives to help residents cope with various concerns, including jobs and the cost of living, have been rolled out by the PAP team in West Coast-Jurong West GRC over the last five years, and the team intends to continue with this work if elected, said National Development Minister Desmond Lee on May 1. On the last day of hustings, Mr Lee, who leads the PAP team contesting the group representation constituency, pledged his team's commitment to continue serving residents in the area. In a two-minute video posted on his social media platforms, Mr Lee said: 'Over the past five years, we've walked the ground. We've heard your concerns. We've taken action, and we have concrete plans for the future.' 'Our campaign, our work over the past five years, and our plans for the future have always been about you, your voice, your aspirations, and the Singapore you deserve,' he added. 'The campaign may be ending, but our commitment continues.' Singapore goes to the polls on May 3. May 2 is Cooling-off Day, when campaigning is not allowed. Noting that the cost of living is an issue that weighs heavily on residents' minds, Mr Lee said the PAP has rolled out initiatives to help with groceries and daily essentials, supported seniors and low-income households, and expanded programmes such as ComLink+, a government scheme that provides financial assistance. These initiatives were made possible by the PAP team, who drew on a network of community partners, said Mr Lee, who is also the Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration. To tackle residents' concerns about job uncertainty, job fairs were brought to the heartland through the Jobs @ West Coast programme, Mr Lee said. Upskilling and career support programmes were also rolled out to help those who are unemployed find jobs. On the housing front, Mr Lee said the Government is committed to keeping housing affordable and accessible for Singaporeans. The Housing Board has ramped up the supply of new flats and will launch more than 130,000 units from 2021 to 2027. The Prime, Plus and Standard flat classification, which took effect in October 2024, keeps flats in choice locations within reach of more Singaporeans, he said. 'We're exploring more public housing options for singles and higher-income couples,' said Mr Lee. 'We will plan for the rejuvenation of HDB towns, including through Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme – or Vers – and other schemes.' Details of Vers, which was first mooted by then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the 2018 National Day Rally, have not yet been announced. Mr Desmond Lee said: 'The work does not stop here. And we are ready to do more.' His remarks wrap up the PAP's campaign in West Coast-Jurong West GRC, where candidates had, over the past nine days, highlighted their plans for the area. During the nine-day campaign, the PAP laid out plans for the GRC, which include refreshing ageing infrastructure, bridging generational gaps and helping families cope with the rising cost of living. Besides Mr Lee, the PAP slate includes Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Education Shawn Huang, three-term MP Ang Wei Neng, orthopaedic surgeon Hamid Razak and lawyer Cassandra Lee. They will be facing off against a PSP team that includes the party's top three leaders – chairman Tan Cheng Bock, secretary-general Leong Mun Wai and first vice-chairperson Hazel Poa. The other two candidates are Mr Sumarleki Amjah, head of packaged food and business development at a food and beverage firm, and in-house legal counsel Sani Ismail. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
GE2025: ‘Our commitment continues,' says Desmond Lee on PAP's plans for West Coast-Jurong West GRC
National Development Minister Desmond Lee taking a selfie with supporters after the party's rally at Jurong West Stadium on April 27. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE – Initiatives to help residents cope with various concerns, including jobs and the cost of living, have been rolled out by the PAP team in West Coast-Jurong West GRC over the last five years, and the team intends to continue with this work if elected, said National Development Minister Desmond Lee on May 1. On the last day of hustings, Mr Lee, who leads the PAP team contesting the group representative constituency, pledged his team's commitment to continue serving residents in the area. In a two-minute video posted on his social media platforms, Mr Lee said: 'Over the past five years, we've walked the ground. We've heard your concerns. We've taken action, and we have concrete plans for the future.' 'Our campaign, our work over the past five years, and our plans for the future have always been about you, your voice, your aspirations, and the Singapore you deserve,' he added. 'The campaign may be ending, but our commitment continues.' Singapore goes to the polls on May 3. May 2 is Cooling Off Day, when campaigning is not allowed. Noting that the cost of living is an issue that weighs heavily on residents' minds, Mr Lee said the PAP has rolled out initiatives to help with groceries and daily essentials, supported seniors and low-income households and expanded programmes such as ComLink+, a government scheme that provides financial assistance. These initiatives were made possible by the PAP team, who drew on a network of community partners, said Mr Lee, who is also the Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration. To tackle residents' concerns about job uncertainty, job fairs were brought to the heartland through the Jobs @ West Coast programme, Mr Lee said. Upskilling and career support programmes were also rolled out to help those who are unemployed find jobs. On the housing front, he said the Government is committed to keeping housing affordable and accessible for Singaporeans. The Housing Board has ramped up the supply of new flats and will launch more than 130,000 units from 2021 to 2027. The Prime, Plus and Standard flat classification, which kicked into effect in October 2024, keeps flats in choice locations within reach of more Singaporeans, he said. 'We're exploring more public housing options for singles and higher-income couples,' said Mr Lee. 'We will plan for the rejuvenation of HDB towns, including through Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme – or Vers – and other schemes.' Details of Vers, which was first mooted by then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the 2018 National Day Rally, have not yet been announced. Mr Desmond Lee said: 'The work does not stop here. And we are ready to do more.' His remarks wrap up the PAP's campaign in West Coast-Jurong West GRC, where candidates had, over the past nine days, highlighted their plans for the area. During the nine-day campaign, the PAP laid out plans for the GRC, which include refreshing ageing infrastructure, bridging generational gaps and helping families cope with the rising cost of living. Besides Mr Lee, the PAP slate includes Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Education Shawn Huang, three-term MP Ang Wei Neng, orthopaedic surgeon Hamid Razak and lawyer Cassandra Lee. They will be facing off against a PSP team that includes the party's top three leaders – chairman Tan Cheng Bock, secretary-general Leong Mun Wai and first vice-chairperson Hazel Poa. The other two candidates are Mr Sumarleki Amjah, head of packaged food and business development at a food and beverage (F&B) firm, and in-house legal counsel Sani Ismail. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
23-04-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
GE2025: PAP West Coast-Jurong West team plans easier social service access, cost-of-living help
The PAP team contesting West Coast-Jurong West GRC elaborated on plans to refresh ageing infrastructure and help families cope with the rising cost of living. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE – The PAP team contesting the new West Coast-Jurong West GRC wants to make it easier for residents in rental flats in Taman Jurong, Boon Lay and Nanyang to access social services, said Mr Desmond Lee, the area's incumbent PAP MP, on April 23. Now that the three estates are in the same constituency, it may be easier for the MPs to advocate for these residents and link them up with national schemes that provide financial assistance, such as ComLink+. The Taman Jurong ward had previously been part of Jurong GRC. Speaking at a press conference announcing the party's p lans for the GRC, held hours after it was confirmed that the PAP would face the PSP at the upcoming polls, Mr Lee said the PAP hopes to do more to ensure national schemes benefit residents in the area. 'For example, ageing is an issue that runs through the whole nation, but in certain parts of our estate, we have seniors, including low-income seniors, and we feel the need to bring Age Well SG from a national level hike onto the ground in a very integrated way,' said Mr Lee, who is Minister for National Development. Age Well SG is a national programme led by MOH, MND and MOT to support seniors to age well in their homes and their communities. The PAP team contesting West Coast-Jurong West GRC also elaborated on plans to refresh ageing infrastructure, bridge generational gaps and help families cope with the rising cost of living. Mr Lee, who is also the Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration, also cited work that has been done in the past five years, such as the Gift-A-Family initiative which pairs individuals with vulnerable families in Boon Lay. The existing scheme aims to provide families with opportunities and resources necessary to overcome their challenges and meet their aspirations, by working with social workers to, for example, identify courses and programmes they can attend. Programmes that may be sponsored include those for upskilling, enrichment and tuition. The sponsorship requests will then be matched with donors and sponsors. 'So it's not (just) to donate, contribute, or (having) a big company giving resources and volunteers, but to be able to journey with individual families,' he said. If elected, Mr Lee said he plans to expand the initiative to other areas within the constituency, such as Taman Jurong and Nanyang. The scheme also has the potential to be expanded nationally, he said. During the press conference, Mr Lee did not respond to questions on the PSP's challenge for the PAP team to engage them in a policy debate. He said instead that the PAP will focus on unveiling their plans for the area, which outline the party's track record for the past five years, and what the party is committed to doing to improve residents' well-being and their livelihoods. He added that residents should also ask contesting parties about their plans for the constituency. 'I can't say for a fact, but I imagine that every incumbent, whether the ruling party or the opposition, would roll out some initiatives,' he said, adding that some programmes would be government-funded, while others would not. 'So I think you can ask the opposition whether they have such programmes too. Can't imagine they don't,' he said. Singapore goes to the polls on May 3. Candidates will start campaigning in earnest from April 23 for nine days before Cooling-off Day on May 2. Besides Mr Lee, the PAP slate includes Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Education Shawn Huang, three-term MP Ang Wei Neng, orthopaedic surgeon Hamid Razak and lawyer Cassandra Lee. All were present at the press conference. They will be facing off against the opposition PSP's A-team, which includes its top three leaders – former PAP stalwart Tan Cheng Bock, party chief Leong Mun Wai and vice-chair Hazel Poa. The other two candidates are head of packaged food and business development Sumarleki Amjah and in-house legal counsel Sani Ismail. During the press conference, Mr Lee introduced nine key areas which his team will focus on for the next five years if elected. This includes helping households cope with the cost of living by supplementing national programmes with local support schemes, ensuring good jobs for job seekers by organising more career and skills fairs in the community and championing families through family-centric events. On the infrastructure front, neighbourhoods will undergo revitalisation and new sports and fitness facilities will be built. These include a new Clementi Stadium set to be completed by 2030, along with the former West Coast Recreation Centre, which will feature softball and baseball fields. Mr Lee said the refreshed plan announced at the press conference builds on the previous plan launched in 2020, while taking into account the new electoral boundaries changes that have brought together most of Jurong West town within the West Coast-Jurong West GRC. Said Mr Lee: 'You'll see that these nine pillars are centred around our residents and communities and the needs that different groups of residents face.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
