Tax-rebate recipients received their dues

I refer to Mr Ong Wai's letter, 'Tax rebate benefits unequal' (ST, Jan 28), asking why Special Tax Rebates (STR) balances expiring in Year of Assessment (YA) 2005 can be transferred to the new Parenthood Tax Rebate (PTR) scheme which does not have an expiry date but STR balances which expired in YA2004 cannot.

The PTR replaces the STR from YA2005. As part of the transition, parents who still have valid STR balances in YA2005 are transferred to the PTR scheme, so there is no reason for them to feel discriminated against.

For those whose STR balances expired in YA2004, this question of converting STR to PTR in YA2005 does not arise because there are no STR balances to be transferred. They will not be receiving anything less in STR than promised under the scheme.

HAN KOK JUAN
DIRECTOR (SOCIAL & SECURITY PROGRAMMES)
MINISTRY OF FINANCE