Budget 2020 booklets useful in more ways than one

I read Mr Thomas Chan Hean Boon’s letter, “Why send households Budget 2020 booklets in this day and age?” (June 4), with interest as my work involves understanding the needs of digitally isolated communities in Singapore.

I followed the Budget updates regularly and there has been extensive information online. 

But I realised that low-income families pay S$3 a month for full-day childcare only when I read the booklet. I was heartened to learn of the support, even though it does not benefit me.

The booklet, in four languages, is handy for Singaporeans to understand. Our society can progress together and we can support one another only when all communities and segments of our population are considered.

Now, I can share the booklet's information with my contacts if they are not aware of the measures and help available to them. I also used the terms in the booklet to explain information to non-English-speaking contacts.

Digitally isolated communities do not include only elderly people; some seniors I know are technologically savvy and in tune with the latest trends. 

There are also Singaporeans who cannot afford to keep up with the Budget updates, as they are working hard to ensure their livelihoods. They do not have time to rest, let alone watch the news or read online updates. 

During such challenging times, my view is that it is important to over-communicate to as many Singaporeans as possible, rather than to assume that everyone is aware of the Budget measures. 

It is evident that despite the Government's efforts to drive digitalisation, the uptake has been slow before the Covid-19 pandemic. Do we leave people behind because they need more time to adapt and be digitally savvy?

Interestingly, many working professionals in Singapore are digitally savvy, but some fall victim to fake news online. If they are unsure of the veracity of the information, they can refer to the printed booklet, since it is authentic. 

I am not sure how this booklet is, as Mr Chan put it, “environmentally damaging and potentially a threat to public health”, but we can agree to disagree in the grand scheme of things.

Assistance programmes are useless if the intended audiences are not even aware of them. 

The more information touchpoints we have, the more we can benefit from the Government's support. 

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