What is the financial health of the average Singaporeans?

The 2% increase in GST is really peanuts. It is what comes after that is going to kill the average and below average Singaporeans. And if any average Singaporean is going to think that his normal expenses are going to increase by not more than 10%, he is insane. I am waiting for the academics and those statistics churning machines to put out the real picture of the real increase in cost of living to the average and below average Singaporeans. And with that, they should redefined subsistence level or poverty line in Singapore. How are the recent increases going to affect families with $2k, $3k, $4k or $5k income? Forget about those with family income of less than $2k. Their life is bleak. They shouldn't be living at all.

Need to expand role of Small Claims Tribunal

There are many people who need to seek justice for minor cases and small sum of money owed by their debtors. At the moment many of these cases were excluded from the SCT. Many of the creditors have documents to prove the debt but for all the exclusions, these cases cannot be heard by the SCT. There is a need to provide some forms of justice and redress for the small people. Not many can afford to feed the legal attorneys with year end holidays around the world or buy another bungalow. It is unfair to expect the small people to cough out tens of thousands of dollars to claim for a debt of $10k to $20k without any guarantee of getting a cent back. And the cost of making the other party pay or facing bankruptcy is so prohibitive that many of the debtors would walk away laughing. This is injustice to the party that is being wrong. Expanding the services of the SCT would also create more job opportunities for our people.

Malays not stupid: Abdullah Badawi

Abdullah has said it loud and clear and is urging the Malays to drop the crutch mentality. No one can dispute what he had said. Many Malays have done well in Malaysia and especially in Singapore. The latter without any crutch. The problems in Malaysia are the affirmative policies, designed to help and give them a head start but ended up as the most damaging tool to hold them back. There is no necessity and motivation to want to push harder. Just ask or demand and it will be given. After more than 30 years of affirmative policies and there is no progress or confidence to go it alone, something is definitely wrong. Malaysia boleh?

Stop that tour

The tour industry is eyeing the silver hair generation for more business. They are seeing this group of Singaporeans as a goldmine. But before the silver hair go and plonk their money into tour packages, they should carefully consider the little money they are left with for their old age and big hospital bills akan datang. Base on all the current computations, many of them would not have enough to live till 80, and they are going to live to 100 years. Better not squander away those precious little savings.

Medisave wiped out in 3 months

17 year old Siti Aishah suffered from ovarian cancer. It took 3 months of treatment to wipe out the $30k which her father, driver Mohammad Abdullah, took to save in 40 years. Her total hospital bill, despite govt subsidies, came to $41k in just one month. And her ordeal is just beginning. She will need medical care, medicine, treatment and hospitalisation probably for her whole life. Another half a million or more! According to KKH's chief medical social worker Sylvia Mun, only 'a 3 day ward stay for something as minor as asthma can be a financial disaster' to low income families. Middle income families are not spared either. Serious or chronic illnesses would wipe them out as well. At the rate we are going, Singaporeans will be in deep financial debt because of hospitalisation. What is a little $30k in the Medisave going to do when one is settled with hefty hospital bills? And with mean testing, only the truly down and out will qualify for govt subsidies while the so called more able, probably anyone earning $2k pm and above will have to pay a big chunk of their hospital bills. There is no escape. As long as hospital and medical cost are running away, the fate of Singaporeans are sealed. The Health Minister has been working and working hard. What is the result? What we really need is a philantrophic organisation and a few selfless people in the medical profession to start an alternative hospital to serve the people at the lowest cost possible. Something like Sheng Siong versus NTUC Fairprice. Prove to the the govt that cost can be brought down and there are people who will not be crazy about making millions and millions at the expense of the people and the sick.