Dr Balaji Sadasivan promises lower healthcare costs if PAP g
-
Dr Balaji Sadasivan promises lower healthcare costs
if PAP given strong mandate
SINGAPORE : Dr Balaji Sadasivan, who is a member of the People's Action Party (PAP) team contesting Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency, addressed concerns over healthcare costs at a PAP rally on Saturday.
He said given a strong mandate, the PAP would continue to find ways to make healthcare affordable for older Singaporeans.
Dr Balaji said, "Everyone is concerned about the cost of healthcare. When you go to neighbouring countries, in public hospitals, the care is very cheap. But whenever Singaporeans go there, the first thing they want to do is to transfer to a hospital in Singapore, cause the quality of healthcare is excellent, which is why the life expectancy of Singaporeans is so much longer than those of citizens of neighbouring countries.
"But in the next five years, if you give us a strong mandate, we will find ways to make healthcare affordable and more convenient for more Singaporeans. You have heard Minister Khaw Boon Wan on the new CPF rules that allow you to use CPF or Medisave account for outpatient care. This will help many older Singaporeans. We will also reorganise care for elderly, so that your many illnesses can be looked after by one doctor, bringing down the cost of your healthcare, but (to) do this, we need a strong mandate from you."
Meanwhile, PAP candidate for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Inderjit Singh, said there is no need for the opposition to be represented in Parliament.
He told the crowd at a PAP rally that the party is able to provide its checks and balances in governance.
"Now you must have seen in Parliament...that there are MPs from the PAP who were...willing to challenge the government to question their policies, and more importantly to provide constructive criticisms in parliament. And unfortunately, those MPs are not the opposition MPs, those are the PAP MPs, like myself.
"In fact, if you listen carefully in Parliament, sometimes the opposition MPs look like they are PAP MPs, and the PAP MPs, like the few that I mentioned, including myself, look like opposition MPs." - CNA/ms
Article: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stori...205667/1/.html -
Their track record is that things will get more expensive if the incumbent party gets the mandate every election.
The term "Pay and Pay" did not originate out of nowhere.
-
Don't promise if the ruling party doesn't have the intention to provide cheaper healthcare.
From the reliable source, I doubt they will ever want to lower the charges of healthcare here.
-
nothing is being cheap in sg
inflation.....
eat cai png best
if can eat porridge lagi best
save money
at least can have some money
for retirement
-
Originally posted by noahnoah:
nothing is being cheap in sg
inflation.....
eat cai png best
if can eat porridge lagi best
save money
at least can have some money
for retirement
even cai png also not cheap these days.
-
Then again, it sounds very dumb to the voter that the candidate will only try to lower healthcare costs IF given a strong madate.
So If they get say 55% of the votes (ie. not a strong mandate), they will not bother to help the people by lowering healthcare costs.
This is what he is telling the voters?
-
I think history has shown that the PAP is made up nothing but liars. Since when have they delivered on their pre-election promises?
-
since we cant beat them
tink no choice
join them better liao..
-
Originally posted by av98m:
I think history has shown that the PAP is made up nothing but liars. Since when have they delivered on their pre-election promises?
The only promise they fulfilled is the lift upgrading.Read that lhl said no increase in costs during 2006 election campaign but after election there were so much increases.
-
Originally posted by noahnoah:
since we cant beat them
tink no choice
join them better liao..
Beat me to death also I will not join them.I refuse to have the same feathers with them.
-
siao liao
my side also going to have lift upgrading
very noisy one
so sian....
-
Originally posted by noahnoah:
siao liao
my side also going to have lift upgrading
very noisy one
so sian....
when the time comes, you can consider go sleep at the reservoir to avoid te noise -
they can say what they want to say.
at the end of the day is there a contract that guarantees what is promised?
'lower' healthcare cost is a qualitative term.
how about quantify what is said clearly?
put it down on black and white can? pls?
-
Originally posted by likedatosocan:
they can say what they want to say.
at the end of the day is there a contract that guarantees what is promised?
'lower' healthcare cost is a qualitative term.
how about quantify what is said clearly?
put it down on black and white can? pls?
They will increase costs by 100% and then give you a 10% "subsidy" to help you.
They really do care you know.
-
5 per cent of Singapore elderly are depressed
December 8, 2009 by Our Correspondent
Filed under HeadlinesThe Health Promotion Board has launched a public campaign to increase the awareness of Singaporeans of the signs of depression in the elderly.
The exhibition – “Inside a depressed mind” is currently held at Tan Tock Seng Hospital till December 18 before it is moved to another venue.
According to figures published in the state media, one out of twenty or five per cent of Singapore elderly are depressed.
Clinical depression is usually diagnosed based on symptoms such as persistent low mood for more than two weeks, loss of appetite, insomnia, low libido and a general lack of interest in life.
Depression sometimes goes unnoticed and some elderly people suffer in silence, said Dr Daniel Kwek, the head and senior consultant at the department of psychological medicine in TTSH.
Among those who do recover, up to half will have a relapse within two years, he added.
It may be more difficult to detect depression in the elderly as they often present with vague symptoms which are perceived wrongly as a normal part of aging like fatigue, poor appetite and disturbed sleep.
Many also have concomitant medical conditions which mask or mimic the symptoms of depression.
Prolonged depression is also a key contributory cause of suicide which is increasing among the elderly population and is often exacerbated by financial concerns and a sense of loneliness.
Shin Min Daily reported a case of a 74 year old breast cancer patient who plunged to her death from a flat because of persistent worry and fear that she will become a burden to her family.
Singapore’s suicide rate is 9.15 per 100,000 residents in 2007. Among those aged 65 years and above, suicide rates increased from 69 in 2006 to 87 in 2007 (Source: Straits Times, April 2008)
With an aging population, the suicide rate among elderly looks set to increase.
Singapore has few social welfare benefits for its elderly citizens who have to depend entirely on their savings or children to spend their twilight years.
Though the government insists that public healthcare is affordable in Singapore, ordinary Singaporeans continue to be plagued by lingering concerns that they will be unable to afford to pay the hefty medical expenses should they be struck by a serious illness.
Few elderly qualify for the Public Assistance (PA) scheme offered by the Ministry of Community, Youth and Sports. One must be certified completely unfit to work by a doctor and be completely destitute without any living kin to be eligible to apply.
Even then, the monthly living allowance of $330 provided under the PA scheme is hardly sufficient to maintain a decent quality of life in high-cost Singapore.
When asked by PAP MP Dr Lily Neo a few years ago to increase the allowance which is then only $290 a month, Minister for Community, Youth and Sports Dr Vivian Balakrishnan retorted:
“How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?”
-
Well, at least PAP is working on the ground now, whereas oppositions are still sleeping.
-
So, meaning they "could" give us lower healthcare cost now but until we give them that mandate they won't give it to us ?
-
without a mandate, how can they do it, the winner of the election will be in control, by then whether the health cost goes up higher or lower, nobody is going to know, the only thing i know of is that if PAP lost, the stock market will tumble to the very bottom, and many people will scramble and leave this country, most FDI and MNC will pullout, leaving a shell of jobless, riot and uncertain future. Mostly like we will move back by 5 years or maybe even 10 years, and it will takes another 50 years for Singapore to be what it is now.
-
Originally posted by angel7030:
without a mandate, how can they do it, the winner of the election will be in control, by then whether the health cost goes up higher or lower, nobody is going to know, the only thing i know of is that if PAP lost, the stock market will tumble to the very bottom, and many people will scramble and leave this country, most FDI and MNC will pullout, leaving a shell of jobless, riot and uncertain future. Mostly like we will move back by 5 years or maybe even 10 years, and it will takes another 50 years for Singapore to be what it is now.
Then it will be just like pre independence days.
"There was a time, when people said that Singapore won't make it, but we did."
-
Carrots or rotan?
If you give me strong support, I will give you candies, else I will whack you with my rotan.
PAP should be working for the good of all Singaporeans, not making threats to promote a certain outcome.
-
Originally posted by charlize:
Then it will be just like pre independence days.
"There was a time, when people said that Singapore won't make it, but we did."
but i am not sure whether this time we can make it or not...if opposition take over, in 50 years time, when i am a grandmother in a padi field singing to my grandchildrens.."There was a time, when people said that Singapore won't make it, and truly we did not make it"
-
Originally posted by deepak.c:
Carrots or rotan?
If you give me strong support, I will give you candies, else I will whack you with my rotan.
PAP should be working for the good of all Singaporeans, not making threats to promote a certain outcome.
Threat?? what threats?? it a matter of whether u believe them or not, if not, you can alway have other option, and if you hate both PAP and Opposition, just draw a mickey face on the voting paper will do. -
Find what ways to lower healthcare costs? Increase GST? Increase ERP charges? Increase utility pricings? Thousand and one thing to increase to make healthcare affordable! I very scared.
-
Is Dr Balaji an extortionist, cruelly holding healthcare hostage.
Dr Balaji Sadasivan:"... if you give us a strong mandate, we will find ways to make healthcare affordable and more convenient for more Singaporeans... ... bringing down the cost of your healthcare, but (to) do this, we need a strong mandate from you ... ", sounds like a spineless soul to me, no mind of his own, cannot tell right from wrong. Needs mandate to do the right thing? Sounds like any other irresponsible by-stander. In context, saying of an extortionist than a true leader. Kia su, kia si, what's the use of these kind of people, useless pawns they are, out in droves to receive endorsements by members of the 'central executive committee' (PAP-CEC), a reserved seat on the PAP 'GRC omnibus', that purported passage to a life of privilege and prosperity I'm told.
Instead of demanding a strong mandate, Dr Balaji would have done much better to say, "I will always have your rights and interest at heart, being elected would give me larger a platform to extend my purpose and a good mandate would give me greater parliamentary credibility over other elected MPs. My priority for this term would be to keep healthcare accessible and affordable to all. No matter what the outcome of these elections, I'll always have the interest of Singaporeans at heart, no matter where I am or what I do, you'll not regret voting for me."
(They should really all stop fiddling w essential government services and holding us hostage.)
Instead of the true motto of Integrity Service Excellence, it seems like the govt's true motto is Integrity subservient to Expedience ( http://www.gov.sg/ )
Then again, they win by 'GRC related' walkovers, out-pricing the opposition by scheming upping the participants per GRC up to 6.
Perhaps Dr Balaji, (possibly the PAP puppet masters) needs a lesson in humility?
Ref: The PAP cadre system, http://www.singapore-window.org/80404st1.htm -
Balaji promises to keep healthcare costs low, hahahah, a great joke.
Latest!!!! --> $600 for cervical cancer jab. Wow, this is so "low"!!! hahahah