Singapore — At community events all around Singapore on Sunday, June 2, 83,000 members of the Merdeka Generation received their welcome folders, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
PM Lee wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday morning, “Joined my fellow Merdeka Generation members to pick up my Merdeka Generation Package card and folder at the Merdeka Generation Appreciation Ceremony and Inaugural Roadshow at ITE College Central this morning!”
Joined my fellow Merdeka Generation members to pick up my Merdeka Generation Package card and folder at the Merdeka…
Posted by Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday, 2 June 2019
The Prime Minister, born in February 1952, received his welcome folder at an appreciation ceremony at Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College Central along with around 300 other members of the Merdeka Generation, the term for Singaporeans born between 1950 and 1959.
PM Lee himself distributed 50 Merdeka Generation Package welcome folders at the event at ITE College Central.
At the appreciation ceremony, PM Lee said that the Merdeka Generation helped in writing a big part of Singapore’s story since they had actually built the country up when it first attained independence.
The Prime Minister said, “We grew up in the early years of independence.
We travelled with Singapore from third world to first. We helped build this nation and make Singapore a successful little red dot.”
He acknowledged, however, that the Merdeka Generation faced its share of difficulty and hardship.
“We weathered several economic crises, and workers experienced dislocation and uncertainty as we transformed the economy and upgraded the workforce.”
The Prime Minister also said he hoped that the package would allow the Merdeka Generation to have more peace of mind so that they could enjoy their retirement years.
Merdeka Generation members received numerous benefits that include, top-ups of S$200 to their Medisave accounts (for members who are eligible) by July, and outpatient subsidies at Community Health Assist Scheme (Chas) clinics.
In July members of the Merdeka Generation can also start claiming their S$100 Passion Silver card top-up, eligible for usage at community clubs for the course and facility fees.
Around half a million senior citizens in all are eligible to receive these benefits.
The event at ITE College Central was just the first of 23 Merdeka Generation Roadshows also held on Sunday, June 2. This is an initiative from the Ministry of Communications and Information for the purpose of reaching out to around 100,000 people, which include members of the Merdeka Generation and their families.
At these roadshows, members of the Merdeka Generation can avail of one-on-one consultations from Silver Generation Ambassadors, to further clarify the benefits of the package and additional care schemes.
There will be live performances, games and other activities, where the seniors can win prizes for their participation.
Booths showcasing the aging programmes of People’s Association and the Health Promotion Board will also be featured at the roadshows, in order to encourage seniors to stay active and involved in various activities, as well as learn new skills or hobbies. Members of the Merdeka Generation will also be offered access to the activities and facilities at special rates for Sport Singapore’s ActiveSG.
Also present at these roadshows will be the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) as well as the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) for providing tips on digital literacy and guidance for digital government services.
The next roadshow will be held in a few weeks at Our Tampines Hub on June 22. Other road shows are planned for locations including Bukit Gombak, Sengkang, Jurong West, Bukit Panjang, and Marine Parade so that members of the Merdeka Generation can claim their welcome folders personally at these community events. Others will receive their welcome folders via mail in the coming weeks until the end of next month.
Here are the main criteria for eligibility for claiming the Merdeka Generation Package: the package will be made available to Singaporeans whose birth dates fall between January 1, 1950, through December 31, 1959, as well as those who became citizens of the Republic by December 31, 1996.
Additionally, the Merdeka Generation Package is also available to citizens whose birthdate is before December 31, 1959, and those who became citizens by December 31, 1996, and have not been able to receive the Pioneer Generation Package./ TISG