Babies Credit Scheme

The Jobs Credit scheme thought up by the Ministry of Finance to help save jobs has been debated in Parliament for the past 2 days. It appears this scheme is quite a good one because I read in the newspapers that most MPs are in favor of it and the Labour chief Lim Swee Say dares to put his full weight behind it so must be good lah.

How I wish the brilliant team that came up with this scheme were given the task of coming up with ideas for increasing the birth rate. The fellows who came up with the Baby Bonus scheme are not as clever and are very stingy. The scheme targets mainly would-be parents rather than those who already have children. I have three children but only got the baby bonus for the youngest one as the older two were born before the implementation of the scheme. They say that the scheme is meant to encourage couples to have babies, not to reward parents for having children so you don't get the bonus for children you already chose to have before the scheme started. Aiyah, why do they have to be so careful about giving out money? They should learn from the very generous MOF.

I think Lim Swee Say should be the Minister of Community Development. If he were calling the shots, he would extend the Baby Bonus scheme to cover all children, even those born before implementation of the scheme, and he would not limit it to the first 4 children born to a couple. Look at how all-encompassing the Jobs Credit scheme is. It is given to ALL companies, whether they have any intention of retrenching or not, whether profitable or not, whether local or multinational.

See what he says about the Jobs Credit scheme:

"Are we better off seeing more profitable companies turn unprofitable? If we want to truly succeed in saving jobs, we need the support and participation of all companies..."

"Companies that are profitable decided to make use of Jobs Credit to strengthen their bottom line. Some will expand to create more jobs."

Like that, then how about extending the Baby Bonus scheme to all children, even those born earlier and to all married couples regardless of whether they eventually have more children or not. Then I can strengthen my "bottom line" and maybe I will consider having more children. "Consider" only hor, no guarantee that I will have more children. After all, the companies are getting these credits even if they choose to go ahead to retrench staff; they are not held accountable. Similarly I should get the Baby Bonus even if I choose not to have any more children and I should be free to do as I please. Maybe instead of having more children, I could use the money to increase my children's allowances or send them for even more tuition classes or take the whole family on holiday.

There should also be no questions asked about how effective such a Baby Bonus scheme is. No need to monitor if the birth rate improves. MOF's Mr Poon Hong Yuen said, "If just because of this they rethink (retrenchments), then I think it’s already quite an achievement.” Let me apply this thinking to the proposed improved Baby Bonus scheme - if just because of this couples think of having more children, then I think it's already quite an achievement.

Lim Swee Say was happy to hear from NMP Cham Hui Fong that some companies, presumably the profitable ones who have no need and no intention of retrenching workers, are even planning to use the job credits to give their staff a wage increase. You see, good or not? Not only will some people not lose their jobs, they even get pay raise ah! So the scheme actually over-delivers even!

So I don't know why WP MP Low Thia Khiang, NMP Siew Kum Hong and even retired MOF Perm Sec Ngiam Tong Dow are calling the scheme flawed. Now I hope the MCYS will take a leaf from MOF and make the Baby Bonus scheme an all-encompassing one. At most just get couples to sign an undertaking that they will spend the money in Singapore rather than stimulate the French economy by taking cooking classes at Le Cordon Bleu.

What say you, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan?