3/27/2008

Paranoid or Mean

We are a rich nation, call ourselves first world, pride ourselves for being compassionate, sophisticated and blah blah blah. But we are very disturbed by the fact that some richer people would not want to pay higher hospital bills and do not mind opting for lower class wards with lower quality services. And we feel aggrieved on the ground that these people are sponging on the system or depriving the not so rich from govt subsidies. So, the solution is to set up a system of machinery and people to mean test these people. Wonder whether the objective justifies the cost and trouble to implement it. And with the rising cost of living, NTUC is thinking of setting up a low cost store to sell food and essential items to the people worst hit by this change. And I think the same fear or paranoia will be creeping into the decision makers' mind. What to do if the richer people also come and buy from such a store? Can't let them take advantage of this too. Perhaps mean testing again. I would propose a simpler and cheaper idea. Just use the power of the word. In hospitals, called the C Wards, Cheapskate Wards. That would be a deterrent to shame the cheapskates. And as for the low price store, called it Low Class Store or Hard Time Store. Some mean sounding names to keep the free loaders away. Just by renaming, I think it will keep a lot of them away from taking advantage of the systems to help the poor buggers. No need to sweat the big stuff and the small stuff. No need to waste so much energy and resources too.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

ya like, one dollar store or thrift store

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

if the name change is to replace the act of mean testing, then the new names must be a bit mean sounding. one dollar store or thrift store sound too friendly. : )

need to make those spongers feel shameful and lose face for it to work.

Anonymous said...

Got like that one meh, can sell dont want to sell, want to purposely set up separate stores for low income people. Then got problem - how to know customer is high income or low income.

If mean testing like hospital, then the queue will be long long like buy 4D one like that.

If mean testing one time and give privilege card, also got lube hole - rich daughter can ask poor mother/father to go and buy what.

Our people are not that bourgeois, even if a store is call beggar store, people drive mercedy or bwm also will go and buy. Only those who think they are rich will not.

Dont know what kind of talent come out this type of confusiong idea.

If NUTC really want to help they can just increase the rebate to the low income and unemployed lor. See, no need to waste so much money talk about build all the new stores.

Anonymous said...

ya, scums store sounds ok

Anonymous said...

Supertalent with high pay must be seen doing something for the poorer folks. This label "first world" is only for the rich, connected & powerful SIN. The rest are "dont open that can" WORMS problem - best not to stir the hornet nest and we together keep information away from them; leave them alone to drink kopi and in time they will cave.

Supertalent and the rich and connected can continue their parties as long as the poor doesnt know about the rich first world life.

You see- What you dont know cannot possibly hurt you.

To the Super -rich - Hairy says consume your wealth quietly and do not flout it. As long as the poorer folks doesnt know, we together can continue our first world parties behind closed doors funded.

Hairy says "dont open that can of worms" or you set off the flood-gates.

We can fly to NY, London or anywhere at a drop of fancy.

Who care about what you call the store or the bed. I am the "Get out of my elist face" boy, sometimes shake hand with Ah Peh man.

$600 million just lost to ML since DEC 07... more to come. State can fund all Ah Peh a round trip around the globe without having to spend $600 millions.

Hairy just said "can that worms"

Anonymous said...

Do check up the prices of Ensure Brand of food supplements with other retailers.

If anyone says NTUC is doing 'good deeds' to the people. The higher price differences of Ensure(food supplements) Product in NTUC will prove otherwise.

Price of large tin Ensure retails at $30.15cts in NTUC Outlets, elsewhere it costs between $27 to $29. This food supplement is a popular milk formula use by patients with problems of consuming solid foods.

patriot.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

i bought a pack of biscuits from 711 and another pack of the same brand from fairprice a couple of weeks later. 711 a little more expensive but fresh and crispy. the other, soft and lost all its crispiness. maybe it is just that pack.

Anonymous said...

I think NTUC has totally lost their objectives of beginning here in the first place.

Back in the 70s, there was a petrol crisis and price of food stuff went up, to stabilize price and make food stuff affortable NTUC opened its first super market in Toa Payoh.

Thoughout the years they open more and more super market, taxi service, insurrance service and many more you can think - The objective; stabilize price and keep it affortable, but look at it now they more like a money marking co-op.

You likely can get better and cheaper stuff in some other shops or super markets.

They've totally lost their objective, that why they need another store for the poor.

Maybe in another 10years time we maybe have Liberty(for the rich) Fairprice(for the ave), Thrift (for poor) Beg(for those who can't afford).

Anonymous said...

Redbean;
for the first time, I have to disagree with this blog of yours'.

If I am rich, can I be frugal, can I choose to buy cheaper goods and services? In what way am I wrong to have my choices of lesser quality. Do You mean I do not have the Rights of choice? When did I lose that freedom?

Should I belong to the high income group, am I not tax at higher rate? Am I not contributing to the nation building?

Discrimination of the poor by having seperate stores, goods and services for them, is helping the poor?

Have You heard of Elite Schools, Posh Residential Districts, Six Star Hotels and Elite Class Rulers? They have the Rights and exclusivities?

What is wrong with us Singaporeans? Sick in the mind or unbalanced?

patriot.