TR EMERITUS

The Straits Times (print); 14 February 2014; Pg A28My 84-YEAR-OLD mother was diagnosed with cancer at Raffles Hospital on Feb 4. A biopsy showed she was suitable for treatment with afatinib, a new oral drug. Due to her age, chemotherapy and radiation were not recommended. She was referred to the National Cancer Centre for follow-up treatment, and given a prescription for the drug that was to last until her appointment on Feb 10. At that appointment, my mother was prescribed a seven-week course of the drug. However, my father and I were surprised when the pharmacy told us the drug was not available there, and that there was no supply nationwide. We called my mother's doctor at Raffles Hospital, who, out of goodwill, prescribed 10 tablets that would last until next Wednesday. Why is a crucial drug not stocked at our national cancer institute? If fresh supplies are not forthcoming, my mother's recovery will be jeopardised. I am certain she is not the only person suffering from this illness and undergoing this treatment. Also, I was informed that a month's supply of the drug will cost around $4,500, and it is not subsidised by the Government. Why is there no subsidy for such an important drug? Vernon Voon * Letter first appeared in ST Forum (14 Feb).  Read More →

Steven Kho recently wrote that he disagreed with Singaporeans’ 3 biggest complaints about CPF and felt the complaints were not justified (https://www.tremeritus.net/2014/02/13/sporeans-3-biggest-complaints-about-cpf-not-justified/). We disagree with his views and we'll explain below: For a start, CPF money does not belong to the government but to us, Singaporeans, who have worked very hard and contributed our CPF accounts. Whys is the government holding onto our money and keeps changing rules about the withdrawal of our own funds by us? Singapore must be the only country in the world that has retirement benefits which actually belongs to the own citizens and is made up of citizens' hard earned savings, but is completely controlled by the government. The withdrawal age has been like shifting from 55 years old for a full payout to whatever the government feels like without consulting with the citizens. Even Malaysia doesn't do that. CPF also pays a pathetic interest rate which never increases to meet inflation. How can the government then call it retirement savings? The government still dares to boast that we are the richest nation! Additionally, if this is a retirement account, why can PRs and New Citizens withdraw their CPF when they leave the country or surrender their citizenship? What is so special about them? Why are only Singaporeans who are bred and born here, who having gone through thick and thin with the nation, who supported the incumbents to do the best for us, who have to be subject to such a senseless policy? Besides having to serve NS, we also pay many seen and unseen taxes but end up being replaced by foreigners who take many of our jobs, space, overload our transport and hospitals and push up our housing prices. Have we Singaporeans become slaves to this government? Next, Steven Kho claims if we allow our elderly to withdraw their retirement funds, they would squander the money in Batam. What kind of stupid MYTH is this? You coined it? Do you mean your dad, your uncles, your brothers, male relatives etc do that or will do that? How can you read the minds of every 55 years old adults' minds? Steven Kho also said, "CPF is not meant to be used 100% for housing. Learn to budget and in any case, most Singaporeans have no problem paying the 20% down payment and servicing the monthly mortgage from their cash savings. CPF need not be touched". Have you been to the CPF board offices and seen the long queues of people? Do you know why are these people there? To chat with the officers and spent their late years of life in an aircon environment? Steven should give us the statistics that show that most can afford 20% down payment and that most actually don't need to touch their CPF for housing. Tell us also how to have cash savings now when we Singaporeans are paid so lowly for almost donkey years and jobs could disappear anytime. Steven has cooked up his own stories and and myths. Grow up kiddo! Do thank TRE for not been bias as you have the privilege of getting your myths published, unlike many Singaporeans who wrote to the shit times but were never given the chance of getting their concerns published. We are here not a "mob squad" but people who question dumb policies and seek the truth. The Four Horsemen  Read More →

PM Lee outlines health-care package for pioneers 450,000 will benefit? Further to my article “The alternative news in 1 day? (part 52) – Pioneer generation package?” (Feb 9) – someone made a comment asking if there is any way of checking as to how the 450,000 people that will be eligible for the pioneer generation package was derived? 404,400 residents aged 65 & over? According to the Department of Statistics (DOS) – the number of residents (Singaporeans and PRs) aged 65 and over, was 404,400 in 2013. How many Singaporeans aged 65 & over? Since the pioneer generation package is only for Singaporeans only, how many of the 404,400 are Singaporeans? About 348,593 (assuming that the ratio of PRs to the total resident population at 13.8% is the same for this group)? Since those who became citizens in 1987 and after, are not eligible for the package, there may be an even lesser number who are eligible. But, let’s just ignore this, as I have no way of estimating what this figure may be. So, how did we get 450,000? Since the latest population statistics are based on mid-year estimates, let’s say that perhaps the 450,000 is based on the latest “unpublished” statistics as of say December 2013. In this regard, as the year-on-year growth rate was 6.8% for this group – let’s assume that there was an increase of 3.4% from mid-2013 to end-2013. What we get is 418,150 residents or an estimated 360,445 Singaporeans. But this figure is still quite far from the “450,000″ figure. Even if every single resident in this group are Singaporeans and none of them became citizens after 1986, the number may still be quite far off from “450,000″? Well, your guess is as good as mine as to how this figure was derived? Leong Sze Hian Leong Sze Hian is the Past President of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, an alumnus of Harvard University, Wharton Fellow, SEACeM Fellow and an author of 4 books. He is frequently quoted in the media. He has also been invited to speak more than 100 times in 25 countries on 5 continents. He has served as Honorary Consul of Jamaica, Chairman of the Institute of Administrative Management, and founding advisor to the Financial Planning Associations of Brunei and Indonesia. He has 3 Masters, 2 Bachelors degrees and 13 professional qualifications. He blogs at www.leongszehian.com.  Read More →