a compassionate society

ELECTRIC NEWS Woes of family of four Pack of instant noodles lasted them a day Dad is 68, disabled after a stroke & is now jobless Mum is 33, a cleaner earning $400 a month. They have 2 kids age 2 & 7 By Genevieve Jiang August 06, 2006 THEY are 35 years between this married couple. Retired bus driver Low Joo Siang, 68, is disabled and has little savings. Yet, his 33-year-old Filipino wife, Madam Gina Dulay, has stood by, cared for and supported him since he suffered a stroke six years ago. Her responsibilities are heavy. She is the family's sole breadwinner. She is also the sole caregiver to her husband and their two children, aged 7 and 2. Madam Dulay currently takes home about $400 a month as a part-time cleaner at Alexandra Hospital (AH). 'Mr Low suffered a stroke in Manila but came back for treatment so that he could use his medisave.' my summary to shorten the story. His $10,000 bill was paid through Medisave. Mr Low's savings were running dry. They survived on his monthly CPF payout of about $290 a month. Dayan, a Primary 1 student at Gan Eng Seng Primary has to pay a subsidised fee of $50 for a schoolcare programme. Childcare for Diana also costs a subsidised rate of $50 a month. The family's budget is tight, but volunteers from the Lions Befrienders visit the family every week to lend an ear and provide monthly food rations worth $75. Mr Low is among the 1,800 needy seniors served by the Befrienders islandwide. However, Mr Low doesn't qualify for financial help. A spokesman from the Central Community Development Council says it's because Mr Low's monthly CPF payout disqualifies him from any public assistance (PA). He gets $290 a month from the CPF. Also his wife is working and getting about $400 pm. The above is posted at YPAP by leoman, and I have shortened it and only provided the gist of the story. I believe the family needs serious help. But some may disagree. Some may say that it is not the govt's responsibility to help the people. Everyone must help themselves. I can empathise with them. God bless.

smart city needs smart cars

Singaporeans need to drive a specially designed smart car to get around. The car should ideally be fitted with a computer to tell the active time of ERPs, their locations and the fees charged. Driving around Singapore is getting more and more complicated with the introduction of so many ERPs and fuzzy logic that will activated the ERPs when there is congestion and charge variable fees depending on the seriousness and usage of the road. Smart city needs smart cars. And the computer must also have satellite technology and positioning system, with maps to show alternative roads to take to avoid jams and costly ERP fees. Navigating through Singapore road system is never the same again. Is it stressful trying to remember where are all the ERP gantries and how to avoid them?

we will have our warren buffetts. just wait.

The Today paper has an article talking about the lack of Warren Buffett charitable spirit in Singapore. It was reported that many still have not made enough and so are still busy making more monies. And when they are ready, they will become our own Warren Buffetts. We have to be realistic and compassionate when we compare these 'poor' people to Warren Buffett. That guy got something like a hundred billion US$ and adding on to it daily. It is unfair to expect our nouve riche to part with their hard earned money. It is so difficult to make them and it is only right that they hold on to them or for their families. But I am very sure they too will part with their billions, like Warren Buffett, when they found their hundred billions. Singaporeans are generally very generous. Look at the amount of people donating to NKF and other charitable organisations. Many heartlanders have very big hearts. And they will empty their pockets when they find people in need. But for Warren Buffetts, we will still have to wait. Maybe if they have accumulated about 10 ten million bucks bungalows and a couple of billions in their bank accounts, then they might start thinking about it. Just wait patiently. Singaporeans will give when they have. The more they have, the more they give. Or is it the other way?

cyberspace hitman

I read a posting in the YPAP forum that there are forumers and bloggers out there whose main interest in posting is character assasination. Many bloggers and forumers have fallen victims to such vile characters. I too have one who even impersonate me, using my nick to post in my blog. Fortunately he was discovered immediately and exposed. What is more disgusting is that these people could be on a payroll. They are the latest hitmen in cyberspace. They go around harassing, provoking and tearing other bloggers and forumers to pieces when they could. Or maybe it is just my imagination that organisations would actually pay such hitmen to disrupt a blog or forum. In the days of poverty striken China, banditry, pickpockets, cheats, swindlers, joining triads were good enough professions as they feed the hungry stomachs at home. Today, with affluence, when there are hardly any hungry stomach to feed, would people stoop to such unethical professions to make a living? You be the judge.

a sunday observation at a foodcourt

A Sunday observation at a foodcourt. Mr Rich was sitting alone in a table filled with food and food and food. And he was stuffing everything into his mouth in double quick time, oblivious to the fact that everyone was watching at his greed. His face was bulging with all the food, some dripping from the corners of his mouth. And his stomach was a swell 60 inch. Probably he weighed as least 150 kg. Around the table there were many hungry faces staring at the way he stretched out his two strong arms to grab at anything in sight. The lean and hungry faces were quite a pathetic sight. Wanted to ask for a little helping but afraid to do so. And they would not dare to just walk over and help themselves. Probably Mr Rich would be telling himself that these people deserved not to have the food on their tables as they were either lazy or not very smart. They should be like him, just grab at anything that he could reach without shame. And probably he would tell these useless people to tighten their belt and drink lesser water if they could not afford it. The foodcourt was doing great business and many people appear to be eating and oblivious to what was around them. Superficially everyone was having his fill, except that some have more of the share than others.