Promises PAP should not keep

The PAP boasts about its record of keeping to its promises. What ever they say or toss out to sound the public, it will become a reality. Good or bad, popular or unpopular, righ or wrong, it has been decided and they will go ahead with it. Transport fare increases, school fees, medical fees etc these are as sure as the sun will rise. Now there are two things which they are saying and I wish that they don't keep to their promises. The first is means testing for hospitalisation. This is an outrageous intrusion into people's private life, their finances and difficulties, all to be exposed to some strangers in the name of means testing. Means testing is simply MEAN. Means testing, with an objective to make sure that people cannot stay in C wards if they have some money, is in conflict with the principles of prudence and thrift. People must not be forced by means testing to spend more than they want. And not to forget the fact that the govt is not going to reduce medical fees but to restructure in the payment only, either from insurance or medisave in the cpf, or by instalments. So no one will know when his savings will be depleted either by one or two or triple hospitalisations. How could forcing people to spend more be in line with Boon Wan's call for the people to be prudent in their spending, in protecting their CPF to last their life time? The next promise that came over the air last night is the intent to merge Hougang to Aljunied GRC. And maybe all single wards that were won by the PAP will also go that way. This will ultimately destroy all single wards and turn the whole islands into big GRCs. This is no good as it deprives independent candidates or small political parties to stand. What ever the propositions or promises, what is lacking is choice, freedom of choice. Once decided, all must follow, and only one choice. And do policy makers really believe that a one rule or one option can fit all, meet the needs of a diverse population? Singaporeans need more choices, more freedom of choice. Private hospital can offer the world best medical care by the world best professionals and charge a couple of million bucks to the willing customer. Let market forces determine how willing the customer is prepared to pay. There is no issue about that. If someone like Wee Cho Yaw wants to pay half a million for an appendicitis ops, if he is happy and the private hospital happy, let it be. But govt hospitals cannot operate on market principles. Exceptions may be allowed say for the A wards to compete aggressively and charge exhorbitantly. That is also fine. But the people must have a choice for managed medical fee based on reasonable cost of medicine, equipment and a salary that is not running away with the market. Produce all the doctors that the market needs and let them go to private practice and make their millions. But their earlier years, maybe 5 to 10 years be in public service and be paid a reasonable and not out of this world salary. Many people's lives depend on them, and many people cannot afford crazy medical fees. The govt must not allow govt hospitals to operate freely like commercial hospitals and allow them to hold at ransom the lives of ordinary people. This is irresponsible. Please don't keep to your promises on these.