Unity or elitism: which way forward?
Minister salary: elitism.
Welfare: "many helping hands approach".
Which approach is better?

Time will tell...

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Helping hands approach: http://app.mcys.gov.sg/web/corp_mission.asp
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http://www.littlespeck.com/content/politics/CTrendsPolitics-070504.htm
PAP- Is it the start of a decline?
Unless ruling party changes the way it governs it could lose power over time, and that would be a shame, says retired news editor. By Yeo Toon Joo. Comments below.
May 4, 2007

Article and open letter to our government by an ex-journalist
Yeo Toon Joo, Peter, 61
Ex-news editor Straits Times
Ex-assistant editor New Nation
Ex-secretary general Singapore National Union of Journalists
Ex-owner of a public relations company and broadcast PR firm
Hon. Fellow, Institute of Public Relations of Singapore

If the People’s Action Party were to call a general election now, chances are it would lose a good number of seats to the opposition, that is, if you could find able candidates to join the opposition.
If certain changes do not take place in the ruling party’s style of government, in time to come the PAP could lose power. That would be a shame, a tragedy for Singapore.
But so strong has been the political backlash, and so great the people’s outrage, over the government’s widely unpopular decision and persistence to reward its cabinet ministers such handsome pay increases.
Dissenting and disapproving views over the latest round of ministerial pay hike have been eloquently articulated, often sneeringly so, but confined mainly to mass emailing and internet postings.
The latest salary revision will by next year nearly double each minister’s current remuneration, and bring it on average to nearly three times that of US President George Bush’s, five times in the case of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s.
Minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew had introduced in 1994 his formula of pegging ministerial salaries to 80 per cent of that of the top earners in six professions and businesses in Singapore.
It gives Singapore the unique status of having the world’s highest paid political leaders. Their individual salaries surpass by far those of leaders of the world’s largest and most successful economies.
MM Lee’s reasons were that unless he paid top dollar for the best brains he would not be able to attract good and talented people to serve as leaders of the country, retain their services, or keep them above corruption.
Problem is: he had been, for a long time now, looking for leaders in the wrong places, and following a policy that discourages emergence of potential ones.
Some who entered the political fray had come a cropper. Not a few have served long terms of incarceration for their political beliefs or activities, others have had to flee the country to live (or die) in exile abroad.
Someone had not so many years back said that the best way to corrupt a person is to feed him so well you enslave him (did MM Lee say that?).
Ironically then, in his effort to ensure that his leaders remain above corruption, he might have bought their souls.
From the relatively brief and muted parliament debate over this burning issue, there seems to be some cracks within the ruling party’s own ranks.
However mildly aired, there is, for sure, disquiet and differences of opinion among some PAP members of parliament.
Still, what man of sound mind in Singapore would argue against being given a personal pay rise that first jacks up his annual salary to around $1 million and soon to nearly $2 million?
Feed them so well, they will never rebel.
I love my Singapore, and am thankful for the remarkable progress and prosperity it has achieved through the efforts of a stable and good government.
I am immensely grateful, too, to the group of people who gave their all for the country in the pre-independence 1950s and our early days of nationhood.
I remain a loyal Singaporean who once had aspirations to serve our country, and did it initially (1960s and early 1970s) as a newspaper journalist, and through the Singapore National Union of Journalists and the National Trades Union Congress, of which SNUJ was affiliate.
I will carry to my grave, with great personal satisfaction, the memory of having been part of the team that pulled off the first successful workers’ strike against a penny-pinching, ill-managed, callous Straits Times Group of Newspapers.
That industrial action, over the Christmas period of 1971, resulted in a fairer deal for several thousands of its employees in Malaysia and Singapore. It was a time of baptism under fire for my SNUJ colleagues and me. Some of us could have lost our jobs with no prospect of working for another English language newspaper in Singapore as there was none other.
The late Mr C V Devan Nair, leader of the National Trades Union Congress and later President of Singapore, was one of my role models and idols then. He had encouraged me as a union leader by helping to open up and broaden my mind.
In one of our several intimate conversations he challenged me to join the PAP.
Later, someone suggested I joined an opposition party. But partisan politics was not my cup of tea, more so as I was mindful of the dangerous waters I would be plunging into. I also had little desire for such public prominence.
Also, and alas, any zeal for committing further to community or national leadership was quickly doused by a series of factors: one was my loss of faith in the Straits Times Group as an honest news organization.
Mr Lee Kuan Yew helped put paid to it by his public parading and glorification of people who were steeped in scholarship, and humiliation of those who were not.
MM Lee, in searching for a second and then third generation of leaders, started looking for them first in academia (we know how it failed) and then to those who were government scholars.
At the same time we saw the hasty and, perhaps, premature retirement of our earlier PAP political leaders who had fire in their bellies but no multiple mortar boards on their head.
The harsh treatment of those with dissenting views, and slapping down of those brazen enough to join battle with the PAP and MM Lee at the hustings, quickly scared off those who thought they had something to offer to the country, but not necessarily as part of the PAP political apparatus.
Those with divergent, though not necessarily subversive, views were unmercifully smacked down.
Others, seduced by the comforts and affluence their talents and training earned them in a prospering society (feed them so well they will never rebel), soon lost their idealism and passion for political sacrifice.
It made political engagement not only a perilous pursuit but a wanton risk of losing all they had amassed materially, plus their personal freedom.
A PAP apologist recently condemned me for criticizing the incredible pay hikes for our cabinet leaders that has no precedent or matching model anywhere in the world.
“You can only criticise, but what’s your solution?”
I believe I have something by way of solution, or at least an alternative view to what Mr Lee Kuan Yew insists is the only way to attract and nurture the right political leaders:
Look for our future leaders not just among our scholastically successful Singaporeans; academic excellence does not equate with effective leadership. This quality might even disqualify a person from leadership.
Look for people with a good and stout heart, undying love for Singapore and his/her fellowmen, and a burning desire to serve even at huge personal sacrifice – people with compassion, fire in their belly, grit in their gut, and steel in their back.
Look for those who possess and exhibit the many other qualities of leadership.
A yen for scholarship (at government’s expense) alone is a poor prerequisite of leadership.
Encouraging scholarship of our bright students through the lure of career and financial success could produce either more scholarship bond breakers or those who will work only for lucre (for those are the values you promote).
If you encourage our government scholars to cherish high income, in a society exhorted to worship financial success, you will have to pay big bucks to get them to join your PAP ministerial ranks – definitely not the people you need or want to lead our country and inspire our countrymen.
Rethink government policy, enunciated by MM Lee Kuan Yew, of encouraging potential leaders to chart their paths through the Armed Forces (with an SAF scholarship), then a stint in the civil service, a short spell in the private sector, and then to the PAP cabinet.
You produce less open minded people who might possess a one-dimensional perspective of the world, a common mind set.
Such a policy deprives you the services and creativity swimming so abundantly in the vast reservoir of talents out there in the real world. The military promotes obedience, viz. “Charge of the Light Brigade”.
You could end up with people paid well enough and sufficiently smart either to not charge with you – or charge blindly even when good sense tells them they should not.
By all means encourage elitism but do not ridicule those who have interests and talents that are not skewed towards pursuit of a PhD.
I cite one example of how MM Lee a few elections ago disparagingly compared the not as impressive academic achievements of our loyal opposition member, Mr Chiam See Tong, to those of his bright young submissive scholars.
Do not intimidate or beat down all dissenters or those with alternative views, but judge them on their integrity, and do not swamp and swallow up those with potential for leadership into the PAP and high ministerial salaries.
You end up with many ‘yes’ men.

Open up the minds of Singaporeans by not controlling so rigidly the flow of information about their own country, whatever its flaws and foibles.
Put in place committed, honest, mature and trained journalists over your mass media organisations, people with a feel for the ground and popular feeling, people trained in journalism (not just in academia) and bold enough to launch investigative journalistic enquiry that aid thinking and intelligent decision making by Singapore’s people.
If you find them do not stifle them.
NOTE: such control of the press deprives you of an essential source of accurate feedback, and surrounds you with sycophantic counsel akin to that of the king with no clothes.
The current mass media situation has encouraged a flourishing of emailing and postings on cyber space; they contain useful information as well as misinformation and disinformation, including ranting by irresponsible people.
Let MM Lee’s quest for self-renewal verily proceed. He should let the people he personally chose or vetted, take over fully.
Let them err, let them rule (when is the appropriate time for this to happen?).
MM Lee did not have a mentor to minister to him and his colleagues in the tumultuous days of pre- and early post-independence – and did not flounder.
I am no political scientist, nor your scholastic type. But I have not been disabled from seeing another view to tackling our problem: there is no lack of leaders, only a lack of desire. Perhaps, there is a hesitation prompted by what is called fear.
We, in our immensely successful Singapore, owe much to MM Lee and his colleagues. There are many Singaporeans who want to cherish his legacy.
If the current controversy fuels more of the dangerous and divergent views and anti-government sentiments (even hatred) that have surfaced among our Singapore population, our remarkable success as a country could prove ephemeral.
Singapore, especially with the Government’s now liberal approach to matters of morality, could be another sad story of the decline and fall of a fledgling civilization.
If that happens, we would, as the late Mr G G Thompson, director of the Singapore Political Study Centre once said, cause merely a small yawn in the world. We need not let that happen.
Yeo Toon Joo

Tiger Airways- how now?

Sep 13, 2006
Tiger Airways tells passengers: 'Keep clear of the aisle, we are coming to sell food and drinks'
I returned to Singapore from Hanoi on Tiger Airways. It was the first time that I travelled on Tiger Airways and it gave me a different perspective of what budget airlines mean. I expect no service but not arrogance.
The following is what I heard and observed during the flight:
"You cannot eat outside food on board." This was what the flight attendant told a non-English speaking passenger. The poor passenger was embarrassed and had to put away her pastry.
I have not been told nor have I read of this prohibition from the time I booked the ticket till I checked in. If there is such a rule, it should be stated clearly on the ticket or boarding pass.
"Keep clear of the aisle, we are coming to sell food and drinks", said the voice over the PA system.
In all my years of travelling, no airline has ever made such a demand on its passengers. Flight attendants are expected to make way for passengers and not the other way around.
"Switch off your hand phones, otherwise we will issue a warning letter or confiscate the phone."
While this warning was given after the third reminder that hand phones should not be used on board, is it necessary to announce the threat over the PA system?
With this experience, I'd rather pay a few dollars more to travel on the full service airlines to enjoy full service and be greeted with friendly smiles and attitudes. All this adds up to make a trip more pleasant.
William Teo Jui Wah
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Home > ST Forum > Story
July 26, 2007
Woe after woe for Tiger Airways passengers
I WAS on board Tiger Airways Flight TR 152 from Singapore to Phuket last Thursday. At about 7.10am the plane made its way to the runway and proceeded to take off. After travelling some distance, it started to slow down and eventually came to a stop. The pilot announced that there was a 'configuration problem' and that it would be investigated. He then taxied the plane to the side.
After some time, he announced that he could not find anything wrong and would attempt another take-off. He then taxied the plane to the runway for take-off. Again, the plane travelled a short distance before coming to a halt. The pilot announced that he would have engineers investigate the problem and the plane was subsequently taxied to the terminal gate.
More time elapsed and eventually the pilot announced that the 'problem was more involved' than he initially thought. We were transferred to another plane.
En route to the runway, the second plane stopped for a considerable length of time. The pilot eventually announced that the weather-detection radar was faulty and he would have to get it replaced. We made another trip to the terminal gate and the plane finally took off after the faulty radar was replaced.
Approaching Phuket airport, the landing was aborted, with the pilot saying that visibility was poor and he would have to make another approach. We circled Phuket; the second attempt was also aborted as visibility had not improved. Prior to the third landing attempt, the pilot remarked that 'it was just not his day'. This statement further undermined the confidence of passengers. We finally touched down at about 11.35am, Phuket time.
Several serious issues arise from this incident. Firstly, why did the pilot attempt a second take-off when there was a configuration problem?
Another issue is the question of maintenance. The reserve plane also had faulty equipment. How does Tiger Airways ensure that its planes are airworthy?
There has been a spate of incidents involving budget airlines of neighbouring countries.
This incident involving Tiger Airways raises concerns as to whether safety standards are being compromised.

Passengers need strong reassurance from the airline that such incidents will not recur.

Johnny Ong Hock Lam
Latest comments @ http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_142618.html

Nothing may be free, but not at slighest excuse to charge!; please cut waste, only do eligibility check on 'successful appln' to cut costs.

$10 admin fee covers cost of processing, says HDB
Letter from Tay Koon Quie, Deputy Director (Sales) for Director (Estate Administration & Property) Housing & Development Board
Voices // Tuesday, July 10, 2007

I REFER to the letter from Mr Ong Wee Ann, "Scrap the flat fee of $10" (June 2.
The Housing and Development Board (HDB) collects an administrative fee of $10 from those applying to purchase a flat from us. The fee is collected to help cover the costs of processing the flat application, which includes eligibility checks on the applicants, the balloting process and notifying applicants of the results, and so on.
HDB is unable to waive the fee for unsuccessful flat applicants as it would have incurred similar costs in processing the application regardless of the outcome.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/199123.asp

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"only one in 10 of non-SCDF ambulances has life-saving AEDs on board".

2 reports to show how unregulated pte ambulances are... PAP dun care about our welfare? Any standards to benchmark against?

Home > ST Forum > Story June 28, 2007
SPORTS AND SUDDEN DEATH- Triathlete should have been given CPR
THE death of a healthy, young aspiring triathlete recently is truly sad. Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death among athletes worldwide. It is a well-documented phenomenon, not a medical mystery.
Sudden cardiac arrest risks are unfortunately extremely difficult to screen for, even with ECGs and chest X-rays. Thus medical examination of young, fit athletes is unlikely to identify individuals at risk.

In responding to the sudden collapse of the triathlete, several issues arose:

The first responders at the scene described him as having a weak pulse and therefore they did not begin car-diopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). On arrival at hospital, medical professionals described him as having no pulse.
A pulse check is known to be a very inaccurate way of ascertaining circulation. CPR training teaches individuals to look for 'signs of life' and this involves checking for breathing and movement. Lack of breathing is indication enough to start CPR. In a state of anxiety and panic, non-medical first responders often feel the bounding pulse in their own fingers and attribute it to the victim.

In the event of sudden collapse and an absence of medical personnel, the initial response should not have been to bundle the victim into a van and drive to hospital. A call to 995 should have been made immediately. An emergency ambulance staffed by trained paramedics and with a defibrillator would have been dispatched.
First responders should have initiated CPR on-site while waiting for the ambulance. When the paramedics arrive, they will deliver life-saving shocks at the scene, if indicated.

Despite several officials on-site being trained in CPR, errors occurred. The issue here thus becomes that of the competency of these individuals to render medical first response.

The lack of an on-site automated defibrillator (AED) and trained personnel to use it was an ill-fated oversight. To cite budgetary concerns as a reason is truly regrettable.
Just having an ambulance at sports events may not be the solution in itself. There are no regulations in Singapore governing the equipping of private/standby ambulances. Sadly, [u]only one in 10 of non-SCDF ambulances has life-saving AEDs on board[/u].

In summary, sports governing bodies must re-examine guidelines on the provision of event medical coverage. Personnel equipped, trained and competent in emergency medical first response must be present.

Only then can we say this life lost was not in vain.

Dr Charles Johnson
Emergency Physician

http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_133568.html
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Home > ST Forum > Online Story
June 30, 2007
Reckless behaviour by a non-emergency ambulance driver
I WAS driving along Yishun Ave 2 towards Yishun from Sembawang before the junction of Yishun Ave 7 at 4.50pm on June 28 when a non-emergency ambulance from Civic, with number plate SGC4580S, drove recklessly behind me.
The ambulance was switching between lanes in a two-carriage lane behind me. I did not switch lanes as I was not sure what the driver's intentions were as his moves were too dangerous.

The ambulance then tailgated me for a while before switching lanes. He then cut into my lane without signalling, leaving me with no ample time to react.

The ambulance was so near me I had to brake very hard to prevent a collision. The car behind me, too, braked very hard and almost hit my rear.

The ambulance then proceeded to beat a red traffic light.

It was a miracle that no accidents happened due to this senseless driving by an inconsiderate driver who had no regard and respect for both the law and other motorists.

I then called the Civic helpline and a woman replied that as ambulance drivers attend to emergency calls, they have a right to speed.

Firstly, Civic is a non-emergency ambulance, emergency cases are attended to by SCDF ambulance, the only non-emergency ambulance capable of handling an emergency is Hope Ambulance as its personnel are AED- and ACLS-trained.

Secondly, even if it is an emergency, it does not warrant the driver to drive at 140kmh. How do I know the speed? I chased the driver to demand an explanation and apology for his reckless ways and, to my shock, I was driving at 100kmh and the ambulance was gaining speed all the way.

How can someone put the lives of a patient and his relatives at risk by driving at such a speed on a road with a speed limit of 60kmh. And the audacity to switch lanes with no regard to the safety of other motorists.

I have seen other non-emergency ambulances on the roads before and the drivers do not behave in this manner.

A prompt reply was received from Civic's supervisor, a Mr Francis. He apologised for the driver's reckless behaviour and promised that he will look into the matter.

Even though I do not condone this type of road behaviour, I must commend the prompt reply and understanding from Mr Francis.

Derrick Chew Kiang Ngee

http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Online%2BStory/STIStory_134201.html

HDB: Collecting $$ for nothing...

Scrap the flat fee of $10

Thursday • June 28, 2007

Letter from Ong Wee Ann

I recently got married and my wife and I have been looking to buy a flat near our parents' homes. We have yet to be selected by the Housing and Development Board's (HDB) computer system to purchase a flat, even after faithfully participating in new-flat launches.

During a walk-in-selection exercise this year, we queued early only to find that the number given to us was much higher than the number of available flats.

We have paid the $10 application fee three times but have yet to have the opportunity to even choose a flat. The rules state that any interested applicant has to pay a $10 fee regardless of whether there are enough flats to meet the demand for a particular exercise.

In a recent balloting exercise, 3,955 people submitted their applications but only 922 flats were available for selection. This means that it is possible that more than 3,000 applicants could have paid the $10 fee without having the chance to select a flat.

I recommend that the HDB revise its policy of collecting the $10 application fee from every applicant. This fee should only apply to successful flat applicants.

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/196989.asp

Enblock: 80% agreement by cohesion rather then by coercion

If the law states that those who have signed CSA can back out before 80% is reached... then there will be less bullying (hostility) by preying pro-enblockers trying to en-trap undecided residents into signing- so as to swiftly achieve 80% 'agreement' - (by less then honorable means).

The right to retract agreement will give balance to both pro and anti-enblock residents thus allowing for a more considered decision- especially since lots of $ is involved, reserve prices/ exchange deals etc change with market demand...

Disallowing entrapment will thus force sales committees to achieve 80% agreement by cohesion rather then by coercion.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

ST: En bloc blues: June 16, 2007

Overshadowing all this is his unhappiness about the way in which his parents were badgered into signing up for the collective sale: 'Both my parents are hawkers and don't have much education. The sales committee came down to talk to them when they were working at the busiest time and chased them to sign,' he said. - 'We were not even given the full details until after we signed.'
...

On the ground, the rush to go en bloc has led to more aggression in bringing about a sale, said Mr Phang, 'In
some cases, it has got to the point of harassment,' he said.
...

More than 100 people responded to a public consultation on changes to en bloc legislation held by the
Ministry of Law in April and last month.

A ministry spokesman said: 'The vast majority of the suggestions concerned matters on making the process more
fair and transparent.'

The proposed changes include the addition of a second requirement for getting majority consent.

This means that approval has to come from owners controlling at least 80 per cent of the share values as well
as the number of units in their estates.

Another change requires the collective sale committee to be formed only at an extraordinary general meeting
arranged by the estate's management corporation.

Now, such a committee can be formed ad hoc...

http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_129832.html

Originally posted by rane:

Mr Lee shared how he and his wife were touched by the thoughtfulness of a satay man in Malacca.

They had ordered 40 sticks of satay but the experienced hawker only served them 25 sticks, as he knew that would be enough.

Over 400 kindness-related activities and programmes will be held across the island throughout the week to encourage people to make kindness a habit and put a smile on someone's face. - CNA/ch

Pls be kind to Lee when he is greedy- by criticising him... he'll appreciate it. ... hopefully

(early criticism better then late.)

Originally posted by walesa:

...that thug ...

Don't be so angry leh... anger compromises creativity...

Anyhow...
Sharing from my collection... (Hope they don't confiscate it!)

“we cried... my father lying there foaming and having seizures, with no one to attend to him, has been haunting me since... ”

18.8.2005- ST Forum: FULL HOUSE AT HOSPITALS
Worst stroke possible but dad made to wait 6 hours
I CAN empathise fully with (Ms Rodziah Shaari ("Seven hour wait at SGH for bed for sick dad"; ST, Aug 13).
I had similar encounters in Singapore General Hospital (SGH). My dad was sent to the A&E department three times in two months because of stroke and, each time, my family had to wait at least six hours before he was pushed to a ward.
I can understand that the hospital is short of staff and we have to wait for every thing. But to make a patient wait hours for a bed is unforgiveable, especially when the patient is in critical condition.
The third time my dad was taken to SGH was also his last. When I drove him to SGH, he was already paralysed and could not speak. The A&E doctors were quick to attend to him because of the urgency of his condition.
They ordered an immediate scan to see how badly his brain had been affected by the stroke, after which he was left unattended in a corner to await the results.
I could see that my dad was getting weaker as time went by. About two to three hours later, when the results came out, the doctors confirmed that he had suffered a stroke I again and had to be admitted.
It took another hour or two for the admission staff to tell us that my dad had to wait as no bed was available in the neurology ward.
When we checked on him in the observation area, he was in a serious state. He was having fits and barely conscious, and his mouth was; foaming. No one attended to him.
It was only when we cried that a patient service officer quickly picked up my dad's file and called for someone to push him away. . When my dad finally got to the ward, it was past 2am. And we had arrived at the A&E department about 7pm; it took more than six hours before my dad was seen by a neurologist.
If my dad had been taken to the ward earlier and been treated by a neurologist, his chances of living might be higher.
The neurologist told us that my dad had the worst kind of stroke anyone could get. He also told my family to quickly consider having a special injection administered as his condition was deteriorating by the minute since the onset of stroke at 5.45pm at home.
We took no more than 10 minutes to reach a decision. And to think that six hours were wasted in the A&E department.
The image of my father lying there foaming and having seizures, with no one to attend to him, has been haunting me since. Sadly, he was pronounced brain dead the next day.

I appreciate the doctors in the A&E department for their sense of urgency, and the doctors in the neurology ward who tried their best to save my father.
But I did not detect the, same sense of urgency in hospital staff who were at the front line, doing admission administration and ferrying of patients. I saw faces filled with weariness and reluctance rather than urgency and compassion.
I agree with Ms Rodziah that it seemed acceptable to the hospital for patients to wait hours for a bed - and specialised treatment and care. If Singapore wants to be a top-notch medical hub, how can we condone this kind of work attitude, and hours of waiting in the emergency department?

Tan Tze Yee (Ms)
Copyright @ 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Why remove hospital subsidy from middle class when rich don't pay tax?

Facts:
Inordinate Estate tax exemption: "Property owners have additional $9M tax exemption":
http://www.iras.gov.sg/ESVPortal/others/estate/estate+duty-estate+duty+exemption.asp ; So given that the upper limit of estate duty is 10% (http://www.iras.gov.sg/ESVPortal/others/estate/eatate+duty-tax+rates+and+interest+on+estate+duty.asp), a well to-do family would have 'evaded' $900K in taxes. They could also further benefit from the fact that "CPF balances, regardless of the amount, are exempted from estate duty" (http://www.iras.gov.sg/ESVPortal/others/estate/estate+duty-faq_cpf.asp#Estate%20duty-FAQ_CPF_Q1). I may not be an expert on estate duty but sth tells me that the tax exemption could easily be >$1M/ incident leading to much govt tax losses. [Inordinate exemptions also increase property prices btw].

Multiple problems are foreseeable with means testing.
1) What are the income benchmarks to work by? For instance: the $500 'per capita family income' (PCFI) is too low, not when medical bills in SG can be astronomical in 'unforeseen circumstances' . . . (PCFI<$500 to downgrade: http://www.todayonline.com/articles/182916.asp ). Will the criteria be transparent or shrouded in secrecy- like I find the new NKF guidelines: e.g. "Patients who show their motivation, desire to improve their circumstances will be further assisted, . . . we also review . . . the children's academic progress. . . patients under extenuating circumstances can be considered on a case-by-case basis"; (http://www.nkfs.org/subsidies.php - any how thats a different story). Helping everyone, especially those whose PCFI falls below the 50% in society: (PCFI 2005 was approx $1035- $1459 if ave is used) should be the priority of a progressive society, can the gov publish it's bench marks before implementation?
2) How would 'assets' be considered:
i . What is the median PCFA (assets) and how is this derived.
ii . Does staying in pte property automatically fail one in the means test? Who values the property? (Some patients may reside in cheap pte properties/ with distant family, themselves unable to afford even HDB).
iii . What about a property owner pending bankruptcy proceedings. (similar= high income earner in the same predicament)
iv . What would happen if family members are too busy working/ refuse to meet the means test staff?
v . Who administers the means testing: trained accounts or 'information counter' clerks, would they all be as confused as the possible guidelines are?
3) Currently those seeking 'downgrading' consult the medical social worker (MSW) for an assessment (http://www.todayonline.com/articles/182916.asp ) would MSWs get overworked with administration as they currently also have the following duties:
i . Counseling the newly diagnosed cancer patient who is suicidal?
ii . Advising aged patient's overwhelmed relatives about nearby aged homes?
iii . Finding out more about the social background of: a child who has been admitted with suspicious bruises/ pregnant teen?
iv . Will more be counselors be hired to provide counseling svcs/ to advise.
Finally, I feel that SG gov [as a defender of unity and a moderator of progress (PAP manifesto: see below)] should make the welfare to SGporeans (and not the bottom-line) its priority.

Finally, finally, if all else fails, then maybe the 66.6% of voters in the 2006 SG elections will realise the need to have balanced debate viz more 'opposition' members in parliament viz a correction of the unfair GRC system of elections: 75.2% of SG people are Chinese (2006): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Singapore - so to ensure 25% minority rep in Parliament (at least 20 out of 81 elected MPs must be non-Chinese): then have 20 GRCs of 3 candidates each (one must be non Chinese) and 21 Single seat constituencies (any race qualifies): NO MORE to this nonsense, illogical, and dishonest 6 person GRCs that allow PAP favoritism and monopoly power. -> More single seats (= keener competition) to elect first class candidates. ( ref: http://www.singaporeangle.com/2006/06/why-make-grcs-easy-route-to-parliament.html )

The PAP election 2006 manifesto: http://www.pap.org.sg/uploads/ap/587/documents/papmanifesto06_english.pdf , "do more for lower income SGporeans", "helps its weaker members to succeed . . . keep SG a safe, stable and harmonious society". . .
Actually: the Only Way Fwd in Gov is thus to Benchmark Welfare to the Median.

Calling down the 16-year-old blogger to the police station was uncalled for, an abuse of police privilege

SG police curtailing civil liberties, over stepping responsibility?

Civil liberties: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_liberties

"the person identified ... is not an SMRT (employee), nor from the other agencies (Land Transport Authority and the police) that have access to the footage,"... "no charges will be pressed"
I think tt the police have gone overboard in this as it seems an internal issue... IMHO: it isn't a criminal offense to post such footage... as such the police investigation should only be within its own staff that none leaked the video. LTA and SMRT should conduct their own investigations amongst its staff members. As such, even calling down the 16-year-old blogger to the police station would be uncalled for, an abuse of police privilege.
The possible pressing of charges is prejudicial to justice and simply unthinkable in this case too... (?? Stealing intellectual rights to copyright??? Huh??- then sue for copyright lor...)
In this case, the police should at most ask the blogger for help, explaining that its an internal investigation if police themselves leaked the footage...., hoping that he can assist. They must explicitly advise him that he has the choice and has no obligation to cooperate.

This is what I think; correct me if I'm mistaken. SGpore gov shouldn't take on totalitarian attitudes in governance (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totalitarianism )... its just not good for the nation's progress.

=======================================

Source of MRT suicide clip footage a mystery
TODAYonline .Wednesday • April 25, 2007- Derrick A Paulo (derrick@mediacorp.com.sg )

More than two months after clips of two suicides on MRT tracks were posted on the Internet, setting Netizens abuzz, the case of the unauthorised SMRT recording has ended without any conclusive source of the leak.
The police had conducted a probe and submitted their findings to SMRT, but "the person identified ... is not an SMRT (employee), nor from the other agencies (Land Transport Authority and the police) that have access to the footage," said an SMRT spokesperson.
However, Today understands the person used to have a working link with SMRT.

Still, "no criminal offence has been disclosed" based on police investigations, a police spokesperson told Today.
The police, who interviewed the 16-year-old blogger who had put the clips on his website, have also told him that no charges will be pressed.
"They only asked me down (to the police station) because they were curious how I got the videos," wrote the teen in his blog.
The incidents occurred at Yishun and Admiralty stations.
SMRT has been looking into the police findings since the start of March, but now its investigations into the circulation of the closed-circuit television footage (CCTV) are over.
"We have reviewed our processes to control access to such material. This has already been completed and implemented," said the SMRT spokesperson. Now, "access to CCTV footage is only upon authorisation by one designated senior member of the company".
Meanwhile, there will be changes to make areas around MRT and LRT stations barrier-free over the next five years.
The LTA is installing road facilities for the less mobile within a 400-metre radius of all stations, following a successful trial at Simei MRT station late last year.
The entire project will cost $60 million and will be implemented first in mature estates such as Redhill and Commonwealth.
Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/185048print.asp

A piercing, fearful scream.

I think tt we should contact reporter Melissa Sim to enquire how we can help the victim (s), financially or otherwise . . . The first came to SG to work but will soon leave very, very traumatised. . .

http://www.straitstimes.com/portal/site/STI/menuitem.c2aef3d65baca16abb31f610a06310a0/?vgnextoid=6fadbe120b93a010VgnVCM1000000a35010aRCRD&vgnextfmt=vgnartid:90f11fbb1e832110VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD:vgnpdate:1177883940000
In case: http://sg-bloggerbee.blogspot.com/2007/05/rapists-case_01.html

ST 28.4.07: Victims still haunted by attack
IT'S no wonder one victim of the Balestier rapist suffers nightmares - she still sleeps in the bedroom where the brutal attack occurred last November.
The 18-year-oldfrom China has remained at the ground-floor flat but is still clearly traumatised by her ordeal at the hands of Ser Eng Siong.
She has difficulty sleeping, has nightmares and has become withdrawn and fearful of men, according to a report by consultant psychiatrist Bernadine Woo.
The woman's distress was evident when the The Sunday Times visited her last week after she had just return from work.
Dressed in a red T-shirt and shorts, she said in Mandarin that she would be going home in a week.
Why didn't she do that after the incident? "Things are complicated," she said with her head buried in her pillow on the bottom bunk of a rickety metal bunk bed.
When Ser went to the toilet to wash his hands after raping her, she did not flee but instead hid her valuables for fear they might be stolen.

It suggests finances may have played a part in delaying her departure for China.
When asked what she thought of Ser's sentence - 28 years behind bars and 24 strokes of the cane - she said: "I don't know. I don't want to know."
The woman, who lived with her mum before corning here, did not say if she had told her divorced parents of the rape.
Ser's two other victims have left the flat where they were attacked but the incident still haunts them.
A report by consultant psychiatrist Joshua Kua found that the 20-year-old woman, a virgin at the time, avoids using the toilet alone and is startled if someone suddenly opens the door.
The third victim, a 22-year-old student, frequently locks her room for fear of intruders: and is afraid to take the lift alone.
She once saw a man with tinted hair in a crowd and fled, fearing it was Ser.
And while the 18-year-old was non-committal in her answers, once left alone, she expressed her anguish in another way - a piercing, fearful scream.
Melissa Sim.

Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement & Condition of Access

SG police over steping responsibility?

Were they investigating a crime of 'leaking state secrets'?

'unauthorised SMRT recording' should be the problem of SMRT and its share holders (civil suit against whosoever disobeys company policy), police only have to declare tt it's investigators didn't leak the info, so police should have no reason to question the blogger.

Wonder if tax payers money has been wasted as police overstepped their responsibilities...

Just wondering...

Source of MRT suicide clip footage a mystery

TODAYonline .Wednesday • April 25, 2007

Derrick A Paulo
derrick@mediacorp.com.sg

More than two months after clips of two suicides on MRT tracks were posted on the Internet, setting Netizens abuzz, the case of the unauthorised SMRT recording has ended without any conclusive source of the leak.

The police had conducted a probe and submitted their findings to SMRT, but "the person identified ... is not an SMRT (employee), nor from the other agencies (Land Transport Authority and the police) that have access to the footage," said an SMRT spokesperson.

However, Today understands the person used to have a working link with SMRT.

Still, "no criminal offence has been disclosed" based on police investigations, a police spokesperson told Today.

The police, who interviewed the 16-year-old blogger who had put the clips on his website, have also told him that no charges will be pressed.

"They only asked me down (to the police station) because they were curious how I got the videos," wrote the teen in his blog.

The incidents occurred at Yishun and Admiralty stations.

SMRT has been looking into the police findings since the start of March, but now its investigations into the circulation of the closed-circuit television footage (CCTV) are over.

"We have reviewed our processes to control access to such material. This has already been completed and implemented," said the SMRT spokesperson. Now, "access to CCTV footage is only upon authorisation by one designated senior member of the company".

Meanwhile, there will be changes to make areas around MRT and LRT stations barrier-free over the next five years.

The LTA is installing road facilities for the less mobile within a 400-metre radius of all stations, following a successful trial at Simei MRT station late last year.

The entire project will cost $60 million and will be implemented first in mature estates such as Redhill and Commonwealth.

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/185048print.asp

LHL should give his salary incr to Papa...

Better LKY step down bef he falls ill/ dies in office... otherwise, economy will crash as investors opionate tt ministers cannot manage w-out a unique mentor for Ministers...

Ordinary logic applies to extraordinary countries too... LKY should earn his >$3M giving talks (like Clinton... after retiring for Head of Country posts) ; still serve as MP/ volunteer as member on various Special Ministerial comittees etc. (Or spend his time in other enriching activities.)

Being founding member of PAP, LKY can surely exert his moral influence w/o the imposing 'MM' title... SG should be projected as an egalitarian, happy and progressive country, Not "Singapore Inc: the Lee family business".

Maybe LHL should give his salary incr to Papa, I won't mind the turn around...

(food for thought...)

TODAYonline- http://www.todayonline.com/articles/184814.asp

Two good leaders who missed being great

'A great leader is one who plans his exit when he or she enters the job.' – Anonymous

Tuesday • April 24, 2007

P N Balji: Editorial Director, balji@mediacorp.com.sg

IN A country which has made succession an obsession, two top achievers, both with a banyan-tree approach to management, have left their high-profile jobs and must be asking themselves: What went wrong?

The story of Mr Philip Yeo and Mr Tan Kin Lian is a sad one indeed.

Instead of being remembered for his achievements in making Singapore a safe bet for investors or in creating Jurong Island out of practically nothing and turning it into a hive of activity for the chemicals industry, or for having the daring to plunge into research and development (R&D) when there were many naysayers, the Philip Yeo story is having an unpalatable footnote.

He has left the driver's seat at A*Star for a non-executive job as chairman of Spring Singapore without fulfilling his R&D dream and without identifying and mentoring a successor. Even worse was getting into another round of verbal sparring with a young bond-breaker whom he had already dealt with two years ago.

In the case of Mr Tan, taking NTUC Income from an asset base of $28 million 30 years ago — when this young man with a hard-luck story joined the organisation as general manager — to $17 billion when he left as CEO is no mean feat.

When Today was launched in November 2000, Mr Tan was one of the very few corporate chieftains who saw the need for competition and supported the product with advertising dollars and by endorsing it personally on TV.

He was a breath of fresh air in a corporate world known for having "no comment". He angered his rivals when he spoke his mind about the ills of the insurance industry, stumped motor workshops when he went on a one-man crusade against inflated accident claims and raised eyebrows when he wrote about social issues, definitely not in a politically-correct way.

Anecdotes and statistics tell only half the story. The other half is about a man who had a tight control on nearly everything that happened in the insurance cooperative. Every press release, even an innocuous one-line statement, had to be approved by him. Every advertisement had to be vetted by him. It was central control all the way.

And when it came to succession, there was really nobody in sight.

With a new chairman on board, attempts were made to bring in a couple of scholars and heavyweights, the most striking of them being insurance industry heavyweight Stanley Jeremiah. But Mr Jeremiah left in a huff last year, thus precipitating Mr Tan's departure.

What went wrong in a story that should have ended as sweetly as it started for both luminaries?

They didn't know when to step down, or at least step aside. And they had not identified and nurtured a successor.

When a leader has a successor at the ready, the thought of leaving the scene is always at the back of his or her mind.

Of course, when to step down is not a science. There is never a right time, never a perfect occasion. There is always the next target to chase, the next battle to fight.

World champion boxer Muhammad Ali never knew when to stop. He came rumbling back after winning the world crown thrice. The result: Humiliating defeat after defeat.

So, all you leaders out there: Take a leaf from former South African President Nelson Mandela's book. Jailed for 27 years, he went on to become President, identified a successor, handed over power after just one term in office and rode into the sunset a contented and happy man.

In those five years in power, he set the tone for his country and the world by pardoning all the brutal wrongdoings of whites during the repressive apartheid years.

That, in my book, is a great leader.

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

Means testing a minefield
ST: April 19, 2007 Thu

MEANS testing to allocate subsidy for using the public hospital system appears imminent. Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan has gone so far as to suggest that, for a start, a limited form of sorting to steer more aid towards low-income patients could be the five-day threshold. Patients who have stayed longer than five days in B and C class wards will have their finances checked to determine how much or how little support they should receive, based on their means. It is important that the basis of evaluation is understood. There is no quarrel with the thinking that rationing of state-funded health-care resources is necessary since these are limited by the Government's fiscal priorities. An unequal shareout among patients can be defended if done with fairness. It is unlike subsidised education, which is not means-tested as it is an inalienable right of citizens. There is a political dimension to the issue as well, in that the Government has to demonstrate its seriousness in minimising the bad effects of the wealth gap.
Implementation is the tricky part. Devising the yardsticks to make the means test least objectionable is going to challenge the most imaginative of ministry bureaucrats. Should it be the income or assets test or something else? On income, the ministry can expect to run into a thicket of exceptions and objections. Patients of the middle-income bracket and upwards will reasonably expect undiscounted subsidised care, if they choose to, as they pay tax. Two-thirds of the workforce do not pay tax but receive the most state benefits. The middle-income group will not begrudge non-taxpayers receiving the full subsidy, but will resent the means test as discriminatory of them. There are other inherent weaknesses. People of 'means' could be supporting aged or ailing parents. Assets test then? Assets can be hidden in trusts or are simply undeclared. Statutory declarations are intrusive, which will invite more resentment. Retirees living in private housing but on limited savings would be most fearful of the cost of falling ill. They are a large group of health-care consumers. The assets test will probably penalise them.

In the end, the Government will come under pressure to increase its Budget allocation for health. Careful thought must go into the means exercise so that the system does not end up alienating one segment of the citizenry while helping another. The best neutral advice: Those who can afford it should consider taking out private medical insurance. It is the soundest bet against an inexorable trend of ever costlier treatment and husbanded resources.

http://www.straitstimes.com/portal/site/STI/menuitem.c2aef3d65baca16abb31f610a06310a0/?vgnextoid=6fadbe120b93a010VgnVCM1000000a35010aRCRD&vgnextfmt=vgnartid:a617862cf1502110VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD:vgnpdate:1177019940000

PAP gov held hostage by religious leader?

I think that SG gov has explain/ correct my suspicions:
1) MCYS: Was this dept informed? Why was this man allowed to continue such illicit activities? Is having 10 unregistered wives legal in SG/ by Muslim law? (Assuming half his pr sch kids are http://www.todayonline.com/articles/182979.asp ) Why were both the Ministry's message about family planning and institutional penalties unheeded? http://sg-bloggerbee.blogspot.com/2007/04/penalty-for-having-more-children.html . Was the problem too big to handle, was the peaceful family considered a minor problem? How were social workers involved?

2) Medifund: Did the family (whose expenses exceed their income by about $1,000/ mth despite subsidies) get further child delivery subsidies and at what rate (@ $1,057.80/ delivery?). http://www.todayonline.com/articles/181132.asp

3) HDB: Upon what criteria could the family obtain 3 'jumbo' flats 10yr ago? Was MCYS informed?

4) MOE: How are the children doing in school, How did the Dec 2003- June 2005 rapes get detected so late/ were the 2 abortions reported? Besides pocket money, free textbooks and school fees, was there a need to highlight

5) ENV: Did your officers inspect Marsiling flats for mosquitoes in the last 10 years? If so, did they find the family's living conditions healthy?

6) MP for Marsiling: When U made your 10yrs of walk abouts, did you notice the din? What did you think of the many children's shoes at the door way.

http://askhdb.hdb.gov.sg/ : "You must form a proper family nucleus under one of the following schemes"
http://www.gov.sg/ SG gov: “Integrity, Service, Excellence”

PAP claims to be governing this country well, however, there seems a need for further improvement in the social & moral situation of Singaporeans.

ST- 08Apr07: How 10 wives, 64 kids live together:
From using a minivan for transport to buying rice by the gunny sack, the family members of the man who was jailed for raping six of his daughters live in an unusual but well organised life in two jumbo HDB flats.
Nur Diana Suhaimi and Vincent Leow report.

"When we cook, it's like cooking for a wedding. Our pots are at least twice the size of normal pots." - One of the wives, on the scale of some of the household chores

At least two wives will take the minivan to do grocery shopping on weekends. When they reach home, the children will troop downstairs to help carry the items home. A neighbour, said: 'They buy rice by the gunny sack and about four sacks each time.'

They have a system for everything, which once included taking turns spend the night with their husband. Before he was jailed, one wife was told to prepare a 'sleeping roster' to ensure there was no favoritism.

'When the boys play soccer on weekends, among themselves, they can easily form two complete teams.' -A neighbour on the seventh floor

WHEN they first moved in 10 years ago, they were the talk of the neighbourhood - a family so large they occupied b three "jumbo" seven-room HDB flats.
Whenever the head of this huge household wanted to address his 10 wives and 64 children, he stood on a platform and used a microphone.
Then last year, the family became the talk of the entire country for different reasons, when the 46-year-old patriarch was sentenced to 32 years in jail and 24 strokes of the cane for raping six of his teenage daughters.
Now three of his wives also face jail time for abetting him in the rape. They will be sentenced in 10 days' time. Two of them face a possible jail term of up to five years, while the third could be put away for up to 24 years.
Neither they nor the father can be I named, to protect the identities of the children.
Although the head of the family is now in jail, life still has to go on for the 74 family members.
But how does a family of this size function? Through court papers and interviews with neighbours and shop- keepers, The Sunday Times pieced together a portrait of their life. '
Of the 64 children - 33 boys and 31 girls - 21 are in secondary school, 28 in primary school and 12 in preschool. The other three children are under three years old.
Following the father's conviction, the family's transport business, which once boasted a fleet of 11 minibuses and vans, collapsed. There is now one bus left.
The wives were saddled with a $200,000 debt. Three of them, who acted as guarantors for the vehicle loans, have been made bankrupt.

Most of the wives are in their late 30s, the oldest being 42. They were all between 17 and 20 years old when they got married. All 10 marriages, which were registered in Thailand, took place within a two-year period between 1988 and 1989. They are not recognized under Singapore law.
Five wives work to support the family, pulling in a combined income of $6,700. Still, court papers said the family's expenses exceed their income by about $1,000.
To supplement their income, the family has rented out one of their jumbo flats and receives financial assistance from the Ministry of Education, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore and voluntary welfare group Care Corner, in the form of food vouchers, pocket money, free textbooks and school fees.
Despite the financial difficulties, neighbours said the family runs like a well-oiled machine.
Mr Richard Tan, a businessman, (who lives in the same Marsiling block as the family, said: "There may be so many people in the family but they are very systematic and well organised. The wives share the workload and the children are always kept occupied." The five non-working wives split the household chores.
They have a system' for everything, which once included taking turns to spend the night with their husband.
Before he was jailed, one wife was told to prepare a "sleeping roster" to ensure that there was no favoritism.
In fact, neighbours said they were struck by the fact that the 10 women were able to co-exist so peacefully. They said they have never heard them quarrelling.

Full story pls see: http://groups.google.com.sg/group/soc.culture.singapore/msg/2ade7c1a29846dea?hl=en&