money

The Assurance Package is Singapore’s bundle of cash payments, rebates, top-ups and CDC vouchers to help lower- and middle-income Singaporeans and households with living expenses.

PDPC is Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Commission, the authority that administers and enforces the Personal Data Protection Act, or PDPA.

The gov.sg SMS Sender ID is the shared sender label for Singapore government text messages, grouping messages from different agencies into one conversation.

IMDA is Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority, which regulates and develops the telecommunications and media sectors rather than selling you a mobile or broadband plan.

MPA is Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority, which regulates and plans maritime and port activities, manages vessel traffic and works with partners on safety and environmental protection.

ComCare is Singapore’s social-assistance umbrella, providing financial help and social support to eligible individuals and families struggling with daily living expenses.

EMA is Singapore’s Energy Market Authority, which regulates electricity and gas and operates the power system; it is distinct from companies selling electricity plans.

A Special Pass is a Singapore document that makes a foreigner’s stay lawful for a specific purpose; it does not by itself give permission to work.

The Transboundary Haze Pollution Act is Singapore’s law addressing conduct that causes or contributes to haze here, including conduct outside Singapore.

BCRS is Singapore’s recycling scheme that adds a refundable deposit to eligible drink containers, returned when the empty containers go to designated return points.

CASE is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that champions consumer interests in Singapore through education, fair-trading advocacy and help with consumer disputes.

CaseTrust is CASE’s business accreditation scheme, assessing consumer-facing businesses against standards for clear policies, fair practices and handling disputes.

CHAS helps Singapore citizens pay for covered healthcare at participating GP clinics, with dental subsidies available to specified cardholder groups.

CPF is Singapore’s Central Provident Fund, a social security savings system supporting retirement, housing and healthcare for citizens and permanent residents.

GIRO is a Singapore bank-payment arrangement commonly used to debit recurring bills automatically from a customer’s account after authorisation.

A GRC is a Singapore electoral constituency represented in Parliament by a team of MPs elected together, with a requirement for minority-community representation.

GST is Singapore’s tax on many goods and services consumed locally, collected by GST-registered businesses on the government’s behalf.

IRAS is Singapore’s main tax administrator, responsible for assessing, collecting and enforcing taxes such as income tax, property tax and GST.

MAS is Singapore’s central bank and financial regulator, overseeing financial institutions, monetary policy and payment systems.

A Meet-the-People Session is a constituency session where residents seek help from their MP and team with personal difficulties or appeals.

A money mule helps move money from criminal activity, for example by receiving and transferring scam proceeds or letting criminals use their bank account.

MUIS is Singapore’s statutory Islamic religious council, supporting the Muslim community through mosque administration, Islamic education, halal certification and other religious functions.

NEA is Singapore’s National Environment Agency, responsible for environmental protection, public cleanliness and hygiene, waste management, weather services and hawker-centre development.

NRIC commonly means Singapore’s National Registration Identity Card and number, used to identify citizens and permanent residents in official contexts.

PayNow lets users send Singapore-dollar funds instantly between participating bank or e-wallet accounts using an identifier or supported QR code.

Prepayment protection safeguards covered money paid before receiving goods or services, so consumers can claim the unused portion if the business closes.

SCDF is Singapore’s civil defence organisation, responsible for firefighting, rescue, emergency medical services and responding to hazardous-material incidents.

Singpass is Singapore’s national digital identity service for securely accessing and authorising transactions with government and participating private services.

A reverse vending machine takes empty containers; Singapore’s Return Right machines accept eligible drink containers and let users recover their deposits digitally.

CDC vouchers are government-funded household vouchers for spending at participating Singapore hawkers, heartland merchants and supermarkets during a specified validity period.

A practical orientation to the local identity, payments, transport, neighbourhood and food terms that commonly appear during a first week in Singapore.