2/12/2009
What is wrong with Boon Wan's nursing home?
Absolutely nothing wrong. It makes perfect cents. Oops I mean sense. From the practical and pragmatic point of view, from the dollar and sense point of view, it is the ideal solution to land scarce and high cost Singapore. You get value for money in JB, and not too far away from home. For those who want to compute on the additional benefits, they can think of the cheaper shopping and makan and also the petrol to go with. They could save more when all these are added.
Why are people so angry with Boon Wan? I can only sense one reason. These people are using their hearts and not their heads. They cannot think logically devoid of emotions and sentiments. They will only come to terms with Boon Wan's good suggestion if they can think like him, think of money and how much can be saved. Then they can be won over.
Think utilitarian!
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How about all those people who are secretly thinking of dumping their parents?
They will be cheering for the move.
Khaw is just catering to the demands of some Singaporeans. Don't take it too hard on him. People who are more heartless, want to do it and will do it.
If everyone thinks that it is evil to dump parents in JB, then there is no demand and the plan will collapse. Non-issue here.
But look at it this way, it is like a message to the people that if you are poor and old, you are not welcome here. There are other places that are better for poor and old.
If you are rich & old: stay.
If you are poor & young: stay now (cos' Singapore economy need more rats to race), then go when you gets old.
If you are poor & old, go.
two points, one concerning looking after parents as a duty of children. some find the idea of sending parents away not pleasant.
the other is actually about packaging. if it is marketed as upmarket resort style living, quite different. also, it should be a private sector initiative. leave it to the biz people. talking about it as a govt is like promoting it. that draws the flak.
If PAP Govt wants to embrace the utilitarian approach, then they should abolish compulsory National Service. Why should we sacrifice 2 years of our lives when we can be making a career out there like those foreigners.
Packaging retirement homes as upmarket resort style living may only appeal to the more financially well-off sector of the older population, not the mass market. How many will be able to afford that kind of money to stay in a resort style retirement home?
And if private sector initiative is involved, we know very well that the bottom line is the most important consideration and a stay in such a place will be anything but affordable, however cheap the land and labour may be in Bintan or JB.
Lost Citizen
hi singaporenewsalternative, welcome to the blog. you are absolutely right. there are some pillars that hold us together as a country. if we start to move the pillars around, we are going to get a yo yo country that cannot withstand a storm.
lost, you are right on that. if they are going to dump parents in places that are of a lower standard here, it is going to be a bad thing. an upmarket thing still can look attractive and justifiable. anything less will receive brickbats, yes dumping them there.
unfortunately, for some who really cannot afford the cost here will be forced into such options. if we cannot take care of our olds, what are we, animals?
1)Not taking care of parent equals unfilial and offenders to go the 18th Level of Hell.
2)Dumping unwanted aged citizens and maybe the physically handicapped later, which level of Hell should the offenders be sent??
Or,
is the first sinful and the second sinless??
What the hell is the Pious Man talking?
He brings shames to the Buddhist People.
patriot
Hi redbean,
I agree that it should be a private sector thing.
Coming out of the Minister of Health's mouth don't sound right
this is over meddling with the people's lives. nannying.
or maybe they have a big business plans for this. another profitable venture to make money from singaporeans.
I think those 70 and over should be handed over to the SAF to be used as live targets at the rifle range.
An alternative use for these previously thought to be useless old fogies: as live human guinea pigs for experiments in the govt's promising bio-tech sector.
Let's put these farting retirees to some use, and save on land use and other scarce resources. If not, they'll continue to burden society. Let's face it, even their own families don't want them!
May be KBW's friend will be giving him a cut from his profits of 200 bed hostel, or may be he also has a share in that project and future projects. We never know. Malaysians or ex-Malaysians are famous for their 10% under table commission.
Suspicious Young One.
hi suspicious young one, welcome to the blog.
i think and believe we don't operate the 10% system. we do things all above board.
anyway, boon wan is a good man. he is in the wrong profession.
Hello Redbean
Me and You have been quoted in the Straits Times Blogosphere section.
Quote: (Page 28 of Sunday Times 15 Feb issue)
" Should Singaporeans consider living in nursing homes in Johor Baru?
From the practical point of view, from the dollars and sense point of view, it is the ideal solution to land-scarce and high-cost Singapore.
You get value for money in JB, and (it's) not too far away from home. For those who want to compute the additional benefits... think of the cheaper shopping and makan and also the petrol...
http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/2009/02/what-is-wrong-with-boon-wans-nursing.html
The only reason nursing homes in JB are considered over Singaporean ones is due to the low cost. In short, the problem is due to money. And money problems can be solved by money.
The best solution I can think of is for the Government to provide cheaper HDB flats. That way, the healthy old who are able to go without the medical facilities of a nursing home can live with their families, or by themselves, without the indignity of being in a home or in Malaysia.
http://secretpoliticalblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/malaysia-is-extremely-near-to-singapore.html"
I think that your blog post had been seriously warped in the ST quotation.
It makes you seem as though you are actually supporting Khaw =/
thanks chee for the reminder. i missed it totally. and welcome to the blog.
this is selective quoting. if only people read my whole post they will know that i said a lot more. i think we share the same idea. we could afford to look after the oldies here if we want to.
the added danger of jb is that once more of our oldies are there, they could become targets of extortion and robbery. and when singaporeans queue up for the weekend visits, the robbers may be there waiting for them.
there are many other considerations. and we have not heard from mahathir yet. he could drum up anti singaporean sentiments on this and umno will go to down to chase us out.
Redbean, I was just thinking this morning about what the reaction would be from Dr. Mahathir about building nursing homes in Malaysia. So far he has kept his distance, but trust him to do a Pearl Harbour when things get serious. Never write him off.
Lost Citizen
hi lost, he will. he will never miss such a great opportunity to shoot from his hips. i can hear him screaming, how can they dump their expired items on our land?
and chee, i must also say that the ST did not misquote me. i think they did very well here, including my 'dollar and sense' phrase.
seriously, singaporeans should be more human and less mercenary, more feelings and less utilitarian when dealing with their parents and life. i dunno if this get through in my post.
Hello redbean again! Now I am feeling confused.
They did misquote/misrepresent your views didn't they?
The ST made you appear to be a practical person who supports Mr Khaw wholly based on monetary reasons.
But they omitted your satirization of the issue, of the minister who thinks wholly with his head, without emotions.
hi chee,
there are many righteous journalists out there who often take a swipe at the etablishment in the most innocent way by telling the simple truth. you need to read carefully, between the lines, maybe use a microscope, to get to the truth of things.
remember, my quotes was linked to my blog and viewers can read the whole post plus the comments here.
have faith that the world is not inhabited by inanimate beings alone. there are still human beans alive, and kicking.
Hmm okay Redbean.
Looks like I ought to refrain from bashing ST all the time and be grateful that they linked to us =)
hi chee,
did you notice the difference between 'dollar and cent' and 'dollar and sense'?
just money alone or money and sensibilities.
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