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SINGAPORE : The government plans to introduce more measures to strengthen the enforcement of maintenance orders.
Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told Parliament on Wednesday that these would ensure that ex-spouses make their maintenance payments.
The measures would also make the enforcement process less onerous.
The family - the basic building block of society - is coming under increased strain.
Members of Parliament voiced concerns on what this would mean for Singapore.
Seah Kian Peng, GPC Chair for Community Development, Youth and Sports, and MP for Marine Parade GRC, said: "We have always strived to build stronger, more resilient families. This is probably the best and most important form of investment from both an individual and country perspective.
"Weak, broken families will eventually lead to more resources and support required from community, state and VWOs (voluntary welfare organisations)."
Dr Balakrishnan noted that a worrying trend is the increasing divorce rate and the consequences on those who are left in the lurch.
There is a need to strengthen enforcement actions to get divorcees to fulfil their obligations to their children and ex-spouses.
Last year, the Subordinate Courts received more than 3,500 applications for the enforcement of maintenance orders - an increase of 10 per cent from 2008.
Most of them were women and children who were not receiving the maintenance ordered by the court.
Dr Balakrishnan said: "Divorced families are able to tap on existing help schemes in the areas of financial assistance, employment and childcare. There are also voluntary organisations that provide support to divorced families and help members accept the divorce and adjust to the new family unit."
The government is amending the Women's Charter to give the courts the power to impose more sanctions and penalties.
It will also ease the burden on dependants, such as Ms Goh, who is a divorcee with three children.
She said: "I am still trying to get the maintenance order in place. The delay is mainly because of the procedures and process. I have to take leave to go down to family court, first to apply and then to mediation and then the court hearing.
"I have three kids, and for me taking leave is a problem as I want to reserve the leave for my children. Taking three days of leave to apply for maintenance and what if it fails, I have to do it again and the process is emotionally draining and time consuming, and I do not want it to affect my job. I am the main breadwinner."
When the law gets more bite, defaulters will have to post bank guarantees to set aside funds against future defaults, face community-based sentences or can be ordered by the court to go for financial counselling.
Those who want to re-marry will have to declare how much they owe in maintenance payment.
Several Members of Parliament also spoke about another worrying trend - the rising trend of elderly parents coming forward to seek legal help about maintenance of parents issues.
One of them was Mr Seah, who was asked to consider tabling a private member's bill to amend the Act.
Dr Balakrishnan said: "Put your suggestions, translate them into legislative amendments and put it to this House. The government will lift the Whip on this, and we can have a full and thorough debate both inside the House and outside this House, and we would let MPs vote according to their conscience."
Last year, nearly 200 applications were filed at the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents. - CNA/ms
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