Question
Mr Murali Pillai
MP for Bukit Batok
To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development whether he can provide an update on his Ministry's study of the suggestion made in the House on 8 March 2017 that the President of Singapore issue congratulatory notes to Singaporean centenarians on the occasion of their birthdays.
Answer
1. We thank Mr Pillai for his suggestion, and agree that the birthday of a centenarian is a significant occasion. It would be most meaningful to celebrate such an occasion via grassroots-led ground up efforts, where we celebrate not just the birthdays of centenarians, but the kinship and community bonds forged with family, neighbours, and the broader community. Grassroots and community leaders would be well-placed to organise such celebrations in an organic manner. MSF and other agencies such as the Silver Generation Office would be happy to support these efforts, for example, through sharing of information on centenarians whom the agencies come into contact with and who would like be involved in these celebrations.