The maintenance of parents bill : are children legally responsible for the financial maintenance of their parents?

Abstract

Why should we take care of our elderly parents? The law of Nature does not seem to instill in us a sense of such responsibility. Filial piety should be taught and inculcated within the family. Social nonns created by the various religions and philosophies also play an important role. This paper begins with a brief discussion of the world ageing problem before narrowing its perspective to the Singaporean context. This problem is not new in Singapore. Various committees had been set up in the past to look into possible solutions. The most recent development is the introduction of the Maintenance of Parents Bill by Associate Professor Walter Woon. A detailed explanation of the Bill is given before we present the various controversies surrounding it. We also attempt to question some of the legal uncertainties of the Bill. For a more extensive study, the group looks at other countries that have similar legislative provisions. With reference to the research and analysis conducted, the group feels that the Bill should be passed. However, further refinement is required in order to make the proposed system a comprehensive legal recourse for the needy parents. In an attempt to offer a wholesome approach to the problem of the aged, the group presents a few key recommendations on related issues. We hope that after going through the whole report, the reader will have a better insight into the problem of the helpless aged in Singapore.