Yesterday, The New Paper published an extensive feature about a middle-income family of five hoping that this year’s new national budget will finally help ease their financial suffering.
At first, it does sound like a sob story. Here’s a mother of three working part-time to support her three children — one in primary school, one in secondary school, one in a polytechnic — who now requires a daily dosage of expensive immunosuppressants after a recent heart transplant. On top of that, they’ve employed a domestic helper, another dependent that the family will have to care for. OK, maybe that last item’s a bit suspect.
“It is those of middle income like me who are suffering,” laments the mother, who hopes that Budget 2018 would help “ease the stress.” What she wants is an additional Edusave allowance for her children, extra subsidies for larger families like hers, and a higher income cap for financial assistance — because her family’s monthly income exceeds the maximum range to qualify for financial assistance schemes.
What a pitiful situation to be in! Until you realize that her husband brings home a five-figure monthly salary.
*record scratch*
Er, of course her family doesn’t qualify for financial assistance — the monthly income brought home by her husband alone is at least S$10,000 (about US$7,560). With thousands of other families out there who make 10 times less than that each month, this lady’s hoping to get a handout.
Then you start reading more about her “struggles.” Her daughter is enrolled in sailing as a co-curricular activity (CCA) in secondary school, which costs up to S$400 a year. Then there’s private tuition for her youngest daughter, who’s still in primary school. Surely both of those costs are expendable units — just get one daughter to join an inexpensive CCA and look for a cheaper option to help the other daughter in her education. Plus, having a live-in helper is considered a luxury by most of the developed world.
“There are many middle-income families like us who are suffering despite seeming to make enough,” the mother actually said.
No mercy
Predictably, what followed was a hurricane of angry comments from netizens who can’t figure out why a family with a monthly five-figure income isn’t able to make ends meet. We’ll just let you peruse the drama.
