What Tin Pei Ling could teach Dr Lam

(Or “PAP MP calls for welfare for poor, ill PRs: What abt locals?”) 

After the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced a general reduction of healthcare subsidies for PRs*, the chairman of the GPC for Health, Dr Lam Pin Min publicly said that some PRs may still need further help to adjust to the changes. Dr Lam hoped that the MOH can set up a special fund to help PRs who cannot afford their medical bills and have nowhere to turn to for support.

While Singapore PRs should be glad that there is at least one Singapore MP looking after their interests despite them not having the vote, Dr Lam is peeing on the wrong tree.

He shld know that in S’pore, self-help (including help from family, relations and friends) and, if that fails, aid from charities is what S’poreans in trouble are conditioned to do. The government has always said welfare should be the last resort, not the automatic default. If this is true for true blue S’poreans, why should PRs be any different? PRs tua kee, is it Dr Lam?

When one Tin Pei Ling found out that there were poor, elderly S’poreans in her ward who were having problems paying their SingHealth medical bills, did she stomp her foot, and demand that the government give more subsidies?

No. She somehow raised a $150,000 fund to help “squeezed” elderly constituents with their SingHealth medical bills.

If Dr Lam is genuinely concerned abt the plight of poor, ill PRs, he should learn from Tin. Don’t ask the for government handouts, but go raise the money for a fund that will help PRs pay their SingHealth medical bills.

BTW, I’m wondering why Sengkang West SMC doesn’t have any “squeezed” elderly constituents who need help with their SingHealth medical bills? I do know that the area’s polyclinic is chock-a-block, which shows that residents can afford to use SingHealth.

Or is it juz that he doesn’t care about the voters in his SMC? They will always a PAP MP, no matter what.

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*With the adjustment, the subsidy for PRs in most income bands will be revised to about half the corresponding subsidy that Singapore citizens receive.