Should the Parents Maintanence Act be abolished?

Parent Maintenance Act definition:

The Act provides for Singapore residents aged 60 years old and above, who are unable to subsist on their own, to claim maintenance from their children who are capable of supporting him but are not doing so. Parents can sue their children for maintenance, in the form of monthly allowances or a lump-sum payment. The Act also establishes the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents to decide on applications made under the Act.

Should not be abolished because...

I agree with the bill because I feel that while the number of abandoned parents was small, it is a social safeguard against rise in the aging population and against a possible trend of young Singaporeans with the mindset that individuals should be allowed to do as they pleased.

Should be abolished because...

I disagree with the Bill because it would substitute moral obligation with legal duty of a child, and this might lead to widened relationship gaps between the children and parents. Filial Piety cannot be imposed upon children by law, and some parents refuse to use this bill as they do not want to bring their children to court. I also felt that in Asian values, children are committed to taking care of their parents and there was no necessity for legislation.

From the perspective of the child, home prices are rising, and medical costs as well as the general cost of living going up all the time, and many are already struggling to cope with this. Home price index are expected to increase by 8% for 2011 alone, and Singapore's cost of living is already the 11th highest in Asia. The burden of these cost already fall on the children, and this bill should be abolished as it is the government who should be supporting the needy elderly.

Furthermore, the elderly have worked hard towards building the Singapore we have today. Instead of shirking its responsibility towards the elderly and resorting to the law to get their children to toe the line, the Government should share a large part of the burden for elderly care. This is because the elderly have paid taxes all their lives and they have done their part in raising the next generation. Moreover, Singapore is one of the richest countries in the world. According to CIA World Factbook measured by GDP per capita, Singapore ranks 6th in the world, with a GDP of $48,900. The government has the resources to take care of the elderly, and it is only right that our Government help take care of them in old age through well-thought out subsidies and welfare programmes as the elderly did contribute to Singapore's welfare.

In my opinion, instead of trying to find ways to tackle the root of the poor treatment of the elderly, the Government chooses to further add to the strain of the problem for the child, therefore I feel that the government should abolish this act, as the children should not be the one supporting their parents.

Conclusion

I would not say that I take a very strong stand on this matter, but I would like to say they are tend to side the abolishment of the act. In my opinion, the parents maintenance act is unnesscerily due to the many cons and loopholes to this policy. Therefore, if I were asked to say my opinion, I would say take it away.