Medical Help needed for 3M

The perspective of a Singaporean on national issues after consumption of Jack Daniels and Heineken. 

A view derived from a confluence of sources and social activities such as gossip and credible news reports.  Topics are social political by nature with a tinged of deadpan humour.  E&OE.

Singaporeans are a lucky lot so claim many foreign talents and Malaysian workers. Charmed by Singapore Government foreign talent offensive, many billionaires choose to call Singapore home and for the few, assume Singapore citizenship.  The irony of course is that while foreign nationals seem to be happy with the quality of life and government policies here, the electorate has a different view, they are often irate and would not hesitate to lash out at anything, any failure or incident or problem and correlate it to the Government as the underlying cause.

This correlation may not be unreasonable since Government policies and attitudes moulds government departmental attitudes which eventuate to national culture and norms.  When government is arrogant and cold hearted it will manifest itself on the people who in turn will turn hostile towards all things government.  If government furthers itself from the” ground level raw feelings” such that they become emotionally detached, the resultant will be that the general masses will unconsciously find weak areas within the social sphere to release frustration.  It is analogous to air or liquid being kept under increasing pressure and where the exerting force is some distance away.   Therefore, government expectation for anyone to be magnanimous, kind and gentle under this circumstance is in itself an anomaly and leads to abnormal behaviour.    Those who prophesies these attributes are, I believe the well-heeled who do not take public transport and not affected by prices of roti, kopi and kaya issues and where a $50 increase in pay is not impactful.

The government extolls the economic policies are sound and that it will benefit the nation overall.  In circumspect, the area where improvement is needed is the depth of content and frequency of communication.  The electorate would then understand the difficulties involved with decision making. Further, it would also placate any preconceived ills that government does not take sentiments from the ground seriously when formulating economic policies. 

On the other hand in making more content available to the masses, it does itself a dis-favour as it will invite debate which the government today is ill-prepared for. However there are swathes of the electorate that empathizes with government that is it not a revenue driven cold –hearted beast.  Government video clips showing improvements to old folks welfare softens  government hard image or  neuter some hard core critics.  

Recent comments by Prof Lim Chong Yah and Tommy Koh along with the report by ST Journalist Robin Chan raised many good points about economic growth and a new social compact.  Their point highlights to government that economic growth while is important should not be such that social well-being is severely compromised (My interpretation is that we have lost our soul in pursue of $$).  Growth, they claim is possible even when spending is increased.  It highlights the irony that Singapore economic growth is on the back of low operating cost and low wages and not really on productivity.  Real life paradox already exists in the form of fully automatic train fares costing more to operate than one that requires a driver.  How can productivity increase if projects are awarded based on cheapest price and where profits come from operating cost?  These companies will take all kinds of measures to maintain high profitability relying on tried and tested methods when creativity and free spirit incur general largesse wastage and chaos.  Still I feel moderation is better than either extreme.

In Singapore, as elsewhere, long-term care for the aged is funded through a combination of personal savings, family support, community help and state fundings for the most vulnerable groups.  Insurance to pool risks is an integral part, but not the whole, of the equation. – Dir of Corp Comms, MoH.

 So far all their idea and policies seem to bring more and more hardship to the people. The people are convinced that high inflation and lack of affordable housing along with stagnating salaries signals certain hardship. Take the case of X where he has two degrees who started working in 1989, who does not gamble, does not  smoke and yet find it hard to support his old age and aged parents.  The government wants us to stretch our meagre resources over several generation (i.e. the one generation before me and the one after me) while they side step /deflect these cost burden issues by threatening the general populace with  higher taxes.   Today many of the generation are facing debt pass from generation to the next. Each generation cannot stand on their own relying on the economic fruits of past present and future generation. Government states that medical treatment would remain affordable ring hollow when we are fully aware that one medical episode would deplete all of one savings and not even qualify for Medifund from thereon. 

The arguments on the national reserves are that it is meant for a rainy day; for the betterment of future generation, the irony is that the so-called “future generation” are facing higher cost of living and struggle from effects of heavier debt, stagnating salary, higher inflation. How is it congruent with the vision of a better future? In time to come more Singaporeans will fall into the poverty with increasing inflation and stagnating salaries from higher cost of living and medical cost thus here would not never be enough to age gracefully.

It would be naïve of them to think that Pareto Analysis actually meant planning for 80 percent and is so doing the 20 percent will be taken care of.

Inflationary pressure will see to it that medical cost will go up making less items being affordable a problem in the later years.  Notwithstanding a single medical episode potentially wipe out all of one’s life savings and leaving the patient despondent.  The social economic framework where  lifestyle in old-age and medical cost can coexists without compromise is such a ridiculous proposition to think that  geriatric care can be funded from the designs of the 3M framework.  Inadequacies will mean cannibalising future potential and hoarding complex takes root putting even more stress on workforce.   

Government attitude of persevering wealth through increasing revenue and reducing cost puts social programmes as low priorities for these are deemed to consume resource rather than generate economic returns.  It is as though social issues are there only as an afterthought.  But to neglecting these issues would mean denying that these social issues do not affect the total well -being of a person which in-turn affects the national birth rate and eventually the national economy.  Where concrete and steel has prematurely failed what more of human beings are more frail by comparison.  

As far as earning revenue and cutting cost expenditure for any infrastructure is on profit recovery basis. Government interest so far has been to increase revenue and cost cut.

Singaporeans are not asking to be average, just asking that the government to have their priorities right;  to address the missing ingredients, address social, medical, people issues at the same level as economic issues and not address it as an afterthought.  Deal with the problem like world class leaders after all they are paid world class salaries to handle such matters.  People attitude to government has changed due to the government attitude towards the common people (heartlanders) in the manifestation of allowing more privileges to the well-heeled but holding back rights of the common folk especially to those in opposition held wards.  

And we’ve always got to maintain the balance between economic and non-economic objectives and ensure that the fruits of growth – enough of it – are invested for social purposes which benefit our society and the wider population.” –PM Singapore June 2012,  LHL

Referemces

Chia, Ashley, Today, 11July 2012, pg 24,”S’peoreans not saving ‘nearly’ enough for old age:Report.

Teo, XuanWei, Today, 9 June 2012, pg1, “If we are content to be average, we will fail”

Chan, Robin, The Straits Times, June 16, 2012, Insight, pg D2 - D3,” Growth Potion No.4”.

Koh, Tommy, The Straits Times, May 19, 2012, page D8, “Don’t Write off Europe”.

Poh, Priscilla, The Straits Times, May 19, 2012, Forum, Page A47, “Doors shut for older Singaporeans”.

Koh, Tommy, The Straits Times, May 19, 2012, page D8, “What Singapore can learn From Europe”.

Ong Qiyan, Today, Letter to Voices, April 30, 2012, “The chicken and egg problem of wage and productivity”

Khalik, Salma, The Straits Times, May 11 2012, page C4, “S’pore average lifespan longer by more than year.”

Khalik, Salma, The Straits Times, May 11 2012, page C4, “Lower medical co-payment could mean higher taxes.”

Tan, Weizhen, Today, April 30, 2012, page 1, ”ElderShield scheme review will not be rushed”.

Tan, Weizhen, Today, April 26, 2012, page 1,”ElderShield scheme under fire”.

Kinsley Michael, Today March 26, 2012, page 13, “Too old to get hired, too young to retire”.

Chang, Rachel and Ong Cheryl, The Straits Times, June 2, 2012, Page A6,”Most welcome foreigners but want slowdown”.

Teo, Xuanwei, Today, May 31, 2012, page 4, “Higher inflation delays CPF targets”.

Bey, Mui Leng: Director, Corporate Comms, Ministry of Health, Today, May 4, 2012, page 20, “ Eldershield integral but not the whole of long-term care funding”.

Lim, Jessica and Ong Cheryl, The Straits Times, February 24, 2012, page 1, “Low-income gamblers are a worry”.