A story Of love and poverty

An aged husband pushing his wheel-chaired wife 3km to meet an MP. By aidil. Aug 25, 2007 A Meet-the-people's session (MPS) on Aug 1 was perhaps the saddest one I have attended thus far. Sure, I have come across people who are stateless and seeking citizenship, HIV-positive persons, persons in really bad financial state and so on, but the special case that came before me today broke my heart. This is a story of an elderly Malay couple alone in this world. My heart raced as I had to interview the elderly Malay couple who looked like beggars, scruffy and tired. The wife, 69 years old, was plump and wheelchair-bound. The husband, 75 years old, was pudgy, walked with a limp due to arthritis and wore loosely fitted shoes. They live in a fully paid 3-room flat, which they bought many years ago. They only had one child. "Had" being the operative word. She/he died 2 years ago. They live about 3km away from the MPS that I am stationed. The husband, with his bad knees, undertook, as a gesture of love, to always push his wife around in her wheelchair. They don't take public transport because they cannot afford to and even if they did, they don't know how. Not knowing the whereabouts of an MPS, they set off at 6pm today in search for the first one they could find. They walked from location to location, asking people where an MPS is located. They finally ended up at my table - 3km from their house - at 8+pm. Not having any money to take a taxi or a bus, the husband pushed the sick wife all the way with his bad knees. The husband, being ill and old, is unable to find work. The wife, makes the best of her wheelchair bound state to sell packets of tissue paper. She brings in S$10 max a day. With S$10/day, they have to pay for meals, basic necessities and electrical/water bills. But this has over time become unbearable. They needed help and thus they walked 3km to my interview table. My heart broke when they retold their story of hardship. Copied from www.littlespeck.com. I am glad that the story is told. And I am glad that those who read are responding positively and rushing to do what they can for the couple. Go to littlespeck.com for more details.

The new deja vu

We need to restructure to meet the new challenges. Companies must be lean and fit. All the oldies, above 50, must be retrenched. Retrenchment is good. And we cannot have too many self employed, especially middle men, those that called themselves agents or people who are unproductive but add to the cost of doing business. And yes, we need to harness the power of technology, especially online and internet technology. These will save many unnecessary manpower. Anything that can go online, or any business that can go online must go online. Get rid of the extra fat to pay the unproductive parasites. Organisations will be more profitable with lesser jobs and heads to pay. Fire if possible. And the savings on manpower cost can add to more profits and bigger bonuses. These were the mantras 10 years ago. What are the new mantras today? Create jobs, more jobs, any fxxking jobs will do. Just create jobs for the people. And yes, jobs for the old hags, even the 70s and 80s. And pay them well. What retrenchment? What cut cost? Who dares to breathe these obscene words? Shall we hang those CEOs who are still trying to get rid of jobs and old hags?

The rich but poor Singaporeans

What is the financial profile of an average heartlander living in a 4 or 5 rm flat? When these people reach their 60s or 70s, it is very likely that they will still have a flat that has 70 years of lease left and may worth $500k or more, and likely to be fully paid up. In addition, each may have a piece of life insurance worth $100k. And in the CPF they will have $30k worth of Medisave and $120k in their minimum sum. Maybe the present generation may not have the full amount but at least half. And if both were working, this amount is doubled. Then there could be the little savings as an extra bonus. All these without taking into considerations the new measures that are going to be implemented. What about the few good and rich children that can afford to hand them some pocket money? What is the net worth of a couple of average heartlanders then? Easily $600k or more. In anywhere, in any circumstances, these people are rich beyond anyone's imaginations. And they only have themselves to take care of. No more burden of raising the young. But not in Singapore. Here is the bad news. For in the future, with all the cost of livings going up, these people need help or they will have nothing for their old age. They will become a burden to themselves and the govt. And that is why the govt is very concerned. And that is why more of their little savings must be kept till they are well into the 80s and 90s. Should the average Singaporeans celebrate their wealth or it is only a mirage? Excluding the top 20% of the population, this group of average Singaporeans could easily form 50% of the population. Actually, really, no bluff, why should this 70% of the population be seen as potential destitute and need to live on charity? Beats me really.

When all the gantries are in place

When the highways are too costly, motorists will switch to smaller roads that may take a little longer. And when these smaller roads are also gantryrised, then they either go back to the highway to meet the toll collectors, or they just have to take public transport. Our dream of a world class Tokyo public transport system when every commuters would have to be squeezed into the train by a mob of paid pushers will soon be a reality. And when that happens, the transport companies will know just what they have to do. Someone may suggest that to cut the number of people taking public transport they will have to raise the fare. Or maybe a smarter suggestion will be to have two trains out of six to be reserved for higher fare paying passengers. Call it first class train. The fares will be double or triple. That will be a profitable business and the shareholders will be pleased.

Lim Keng Yaik has spoken

After Tan Chee khoon, Gerakan has not been as vocal as before in articulating political views, or may not be as effective as before. Lim Keng Yaik has spoken out and is well known for speaking out. And he said he would not keep quiet even after he quits politics. He is the second Minister to speak out on the deteriorating racial relations in the country. He told the guilty party that racial issues must not be used to bully the minorities. The sad thing is that this has been going on for the last 30 odd years. But it is better said later than not at all. And it is better said now then eventually having no place and no right to say them if things are allowed to go the way it is. What happens to those sellout ministers and politicians who are representing the minorities? Are they still content to keep quiet as long as their private interests are not disturbed? What are they waiting for after being slapped and slapped ands slapped for all these years and still have the face to face their people? Sometimes I wonder whether politicians are in politics to serve the people or to serve themselves.