Two years a long time to wait for additional CPF housing grant

Jan 26, 2009

I REFER to the Budget news about increasing the additional Central Provident Fund (CPF) housing grant income ceiling from $4,000 to $5,000.

From what I know, one needs to have worked for two consecutive years before one qualifies for this grant as HDB considers it a form of welfare benefit. The main goal of Workfare benefits like the grant is to get unemployed people into paid work, and ensuring that lower-income people work first before they get married.

However, two years is a long time. Some of us may not be able to make it for two years, so we may have to delay our wedding until we can make the timeline.

In addition, as the grant is tiered - those in the $2,000 to $3,000 income bracket get a higher grant than those in the $3,000 to $4,000 income bracket - some applicants may cheat to get a higher grant.

Also, some may get higher bonuses than others, which may skew the results even if their basic salary is lower.

It might be better to fix the grant at a certain level, regardless of income bracket.

Leong Hsin Yih (Ms)

[Let me guess. Ms Leong and/or her husband to be, has worked less than 2 years, has a basic pay (together with her husband-to-be) of less than $3000, but got some bonuses or commission that pushes their pay to over $3000.]

Ties with virtual pets not 'normal'

Jan 25, 2009

I cringed upon reading 'New leash of life' (Jan 4).

Reading about people who indulge in virtual relationships with 'pets' - which are nothing more than computer graphics - makes me wonder if such individuals are mentally sound.

It is hard for me to imagine having any meaningful relationship with something that is not real.

What worries me is how so many 'normal' people actually think and act as if such relationships are real and normal. The reasons they give are sadly incredible.

People have become too selfish to invest love and time in building real, lasting and meaningful relationships.

Pragmatism and materialism have translated into lovelessness in a world filled with people who are ultimately seeking just one thing - love.

Also, all things born must die one day. To fear and deny the reality of death is to deny the very nature of life and humanity.


Maheswari Rani Krishna (Ms)

[I've included this letter as an example of narrow-mindedness. People like to condemn what they do not understand. If a person having a relationship with a virtual pet is not normal, what about those people who feed stray cats to the point where they spend hundreds of dollars a month. Are those people normal? If the relationship with a virtual pet is illusory, are relationship with real pets more real?

We anthropomorphise our pets, get them human names, interprete their behaviour on our terms and conclude that they love us in return. But are these not projections of our human emotions. If so, does it matter if we project them onto a flesh and blood being or onto a computer programme?

To be sure, I feel as the writer does, that virtual pets are at best a distraction and a minor indulgence. I won't have the time or inclination to forge a relationship with a virtual pet. But it doesn't mean that other people may not, and it is not for me to say that their relationship is abnormal or more abnormal than any other. If it helps them and it doesn't harm anyone else, then who am I to condemn?]

Making organ trading win-win for patient and donor

Jan 24, 2009

TO PAY for organ transplant, especially to live donors, is a sensitive topic, and there will never be an absolute solution acceptable to all.

However, a 'win-win' solution can be achieved without Man playing the role of God.

I am against organ trading per se, but if a sufferer can find a willing and matching donor for a fee, without coercion and undue influence, the transplant could result in less suffering for both parties - the sick patient regains his health, while the donor receives economic assistance.

[This is an example of simplistic thinking. Anyone can say without coercion and undue influence, but the moment payment is mention there is material influence. Therein lies the crux of organ trading: How can one remove the influence of economics from a commercial transaction?]

To those who are adamantly against 'paid' donors, please empathise with the sufferers - and the pain is endured by both the patient and his caregivers. The brutal outcome, at times, is that the caregiver dies before the patient, due to age, stress and a host of other issues.

Let us not assume that the donor is always poor. He may be altruistic, sincere and willing. The aid he receives helps to cover his medical costs for a deed well done. Why should he be made to suffer financially when he helps a fellow man?

On a similar issue, where organs are harvested from a dead individual under Human Organ Transplant Act, it is commendable if his family receives some form of financial assistance. The money can go towards his funeral expenses and help his living family members, like an insurance policy.

Payment is not compulsory, but for recipients who are willing and financially able, it will lighten the load of the dead individual's family. The money is not a reward but help to pay the costs of the living - and the living need to live.

Most important, if the donor is condemned to death, his intention to donate his kidneys (I guess they are the only salvageable organs) to save someone else is admirable.

However, to eliminate even an iota of doubt, only one of the kidneys should be donated to a named patient in lieu of some form of payment.

[How does that remove any doubt? Yes, cynical me wondered about the One-eyed Dragon's donation to a rich man. Admirable? Was he altruistic? I sincerely doubt it. Did he get a deal for his next of kin? I'm sure of it. Was he wrong to do so. I don't think so. I'm not going to judge him. That is for God to do so. Did he get anything for himself? Not directly, but certainly the idea that his donated kidneys will be reciprocated with some benefits to this next of kin would have been some comfort to him as he waited to be hanged. As for the suggestion to have one kidney assigned to someone on the waiting list, isn't this like robbing a condemned man? No the best thing to do in such a case is to be silent about it. Promoting death row donations raises too many ethical and moral issues. Are people more likely to be condemned to death to meet the shortfall in organs? If Death row donations become a significant source of organs, is this going to be another issue if and when we consider doing away with the death penalty? The moral and ethical minefield is best avoided.]

The other must go to the long waiting list of patients who enjoy an added chance of benefiting from this alternative source. I hope this will silence all those who doubt donor sincerity and suspect the donor 'auctioned' his kidneys to the two highest bidders.

[I don't suspect. I believe. It is a logical and rational thing to do. And you can hope all you want, but the silence will be a knowing silence, not a concurring one.]

I am in no position to discuss the advantages of patients who can afford to pay, but I would like to see better chances for those on the waiting list.

Philip Kwek

'It never crossed my mind Mr Tan was bragging.'

MS VERONIQUE A. DAWSON: 'I am an average Singaporean living in an HDB flat. My husband is the sole breadwinner. Travel is not a necessity for my family; it's a luxury. It never crossed my mind that Mr Tan Yong Soon was bragging about his holiday in France. Instead, I saw a man who had the courage to take extended leave from work and trust his subordinates. Also, I saw a family who were close, who did not just want a luxury holiday but to take something away from their trip. In this instance, knowledge about cooking fine cuisine. To Mr Tan, $45,000 may seem affordable. To others, it is a year's salary. Having said that, it is not uncommon to read profiles of top professionals peppered with questions such as where they live and the brand of car they drive. Do the answers to such questions constitute bragging as well? There will always be those who can afford more than others. Jealousy is not the mark of a mature society. Success is for the taking. It is up to us to work hard and achieve it.'

----------------

Has anyone thought if the article was written by a celebrity or ST reporter, would it even mentioned by a minister during Parliament session?

I've read the article (well written), it just like any travel articles that ST publishes. If I've the time and money, I would go to Paris to learn cooking too.

I'm sure ministers do go to expensive holidays or buy expensive items. Is he trying to be politically correct to "tick-off" the Permanent Secretary. This is hypocrisy.

Just because the economy is not doing well, lives still have to go on. There are always rich, poor and middle-class people in a capitalist society.
Posted by: microaaa at Thu Jan 22 14:48:46 SGT 2009

-------------------
Jan 22, 2009

Perm sec's French holiday: He should be lauded for creativity, resolve and effort

I READ with disbelief that Mr Tan Yong Soon, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, had been censured by his bosses ('Perm sec's article showed lack of sensitivity', Tuesday) for writing in The Straits Times about his cooking holiday at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris ('Cooking up the holiday spirit', Jan 3).

His 'discordance' was his alleged insensitivity to the financial hardships people are undergoing currently. But I assess the whole episode differently.

A struggling young chef attending the Cordon Bleu school on borrowed money or a scholarship would be lauded for his initiative, determination and hard work. The top civil servant was thinking out of the box and trying to broaden his life experience. The creativity, resolve and effort - qualities that deserve respect and admiration - of both individuals are the same. Why do people see red (or perhaps green) when a permanent secretary does something creative? That baffles me.

Whether times are good or bad, people need rest and recreation to remain healthy and alert. Mr Tan chose to spend his recreation time and money on a course outside his profession. It is not as if he had spent $45,000 on a luxury cruise to nowhere, or a skiing or overseas golf trip. Even if he had done that, what would be wrong? If he went on a good and invigorating holiday and came back refreshed and recharged to serve his ministry, that can only benefit the Government and the public. Better still, when he writes and publishes the story of his holiday, people like me, who cannot afford to travel, can marvel at a world outside our own.

For the course, Mr Tan got to travel to Paris, immerse himself in French culture and learn French cuisine. This must have been value for money. To me, he was prudent, thoughtful, creative and wise. I note also that he had inspired his family to join him in the course, underscoring his strong family values.

Contrary to his detractors, I think Mr Tan demonstrated by example how a sensible civil servant and his family might spend a meaningful holiday together.

Rachel Lim (Ms)

[These are the more rational (to me anyway) positions taken by forum page writers and comments. There are others which are outright "green" and "sour" in tone. ]

Terrorists are responsible for their own actions

Jan 10, 2009

I READ with interest the article, 'Terror threat: New approach needed' by Professor Rohan Gunaratna (Jan 2), and also the comments by Ms Faizah Zakaria on Tuesday ('Gaza: Why Muslims are outraged').

Recently, while waiting for the train at an MRT station, I saw a message on a video monitor that read something like: 'You are born neither an extraordinary nor a common person. You become what you make of yourself.'

Terrorists are terrorists because they choose to become so. No one made them terrorists. Yet we blame one or another religious group. Let us stop that.

Individuals who choose to adopt terrorist ways by displaying intolerance and disregard for others will face the consequences alone.

This lesson is simple, but cannot be taught merely by spreading literacy, democracy and job creation. It needs education.

Education is provided at home by parents and elders, at school by teachers and senior students, at the workplace by fellow workers and supervisors or managers, and at social gatherings by friends.

Singapore's comprehensive achievements since 1965 demonstrate this simple lesson in action.

Mohan Shandilya

[Certainly, I agree that Terrorists have to be held responsible for their actions. But to say that they choose to be terrorists is both true and false. Nobody wakes up one morning and decides, "hmmm... terrorism... that sounds like a career for me! Short hours, excitement, no need to worry about retirement. I think I'll sign up!"

Their circumstances and their environment shape and limit their options.

To say that education alone is the answer and that Singapore has the answer is simplistic, idealistic and more than a bit arrogant.]

Problem dogs: 30-year veteran shares his experience

Dec 31, 2008

I REFER to Mr Gabriel Chua's online letter on Monday ('Kampung boy bitten by unprovoked dog'), on his unfortunate experience in being bitten by a tiny dog without provocation. Mr Chua is justified in stating that Ms Jasmine Tan's theory is an excessive generalisation.

Mr Bill Koehler, chief animal trainer at Walt Disney Studios for more than 21 years, wrote in his book, The Koehler Method Of Dog Training, that there are several types of dogs that bite:

- The Protest Biter

- The Real Hood

- The Overly Possessive Dog

- The Chase-Happy Dog

- The Sneak Biter

Mr Chua's bad experience comes under The Sneak Biter. This is the type that lurks in its lair behind a bush or under a table, ready to glide out and nip a human that its imagination has changed into a tiger. A lot is due to its owner's warped sense of responsibility in allowing it to bite people, giving the excuse that it does not understand, that it is just a baby - even when it has turned into a full-grown monster.

Let me share my 30 years of professional experience in rehabilitating some of these problem dogs.

I was helping a friend move some furniture when I noticed a neighbour had an unusually large dog. I was curious and asked her what breed it was. Throughout our conversation, the dog was jumping up and down, trying to clear the gate and bite me. The neighbour said the dog had completed its training in Germany and could sit down, come forward and stay when commanded. I told her the dog had been taught exercises and not 'obedience'.

She later admitted the dog was out of control when she and her husband took it for walks. It would attack any human or animal on the road. They had to wrap themselves round something strong like a lamp post to prevent the dog from biting an innocent passer-by.

The owner engaged my services, and after five days of intensive training on a neutral ground, I gave her a demonstration by placing the dog on a down-stay stance in a busy pavement in Holland Village. The owner and her maid observed it from a nearby fast-food restaurant. People of all shapes and sizes walked past the dog, which remained relaxed in the same position. The owner was very pleased with the result. Later at her house, I showed her how to correct the dog should it misbehave, before handing it back.

The moment the dog entered the gate, it became aggressive and wanted to bite me. I told the owner to use the 'throw chain' and tag the dog's behind. Instead of tagging it, she quietly dropped the throw chain to the ground and said: 'He's my baby and I don't want to hurt him.' The throw chain is an effective piece of equipment I had used to teach her dog to behave.

For the record, I asked Mr Koehler whether he has ever been sued over the 140,000 dogs he supervised in training. He assured me: 'No.'

You can't teach old dogs new tricks

Mr Boey was a retired agriculturist who suffered from high blood pressure. His daughter went on overseas studies and left her six-year-old German shepherd behind. Mr Boey called me after his dog tried to attack another in a park. His dog had a history of terrorising other dogs in the neighbourhood. So fierce was its reputation that neighbours' dogs would retreat into their homes when Mr Boey's dog was taken out to exercise.

When Mr Boey and his dog joined me for a lesson, the first thing it did when it approached the training ground was to charge at the nearest dog. It was chaotic trying to get the class started. So explaining to the class what needed to be done, I told Mr Boey to put his dog on the choke chain correctly, hook onto the longe-line and head forward to the dog 10m in front of him. I specifically reminded Mr Boey he was to continue moving forward and not look back. When I tapped him on the shoulder, he would hand me the loop of the longe-line and keep walking forward.

Mr Boey's German shepherd saw what it thought was an easy target. With the dog lunging forward, and Mr Boey struggling and trying to hold it, I moved towards him and took over the longe-line. With the momentary slackness of the 8m longe-line, I opened and closed my palm, and with a quick about-turn, I headed in the opposite direction. Before the dog could recover from the impact of opposite momentum, I again took him towards the same target. The moment the longe-line tightened as the dog charged, I again dropped the longe-line and headed in the opposite direction. The dog then realised that, the greater the temptation, the more it needed to keep its eyes on me, the handler. We continued the class without trouble and the German shepherd graduated from the novice class in the 10th week off-leash.

Leashing a dog in public just minimises its chance of misbehaviour. It does not address the issue of behaving responsibly and being under control at all times and in all conditions. It is impractical to leash a dog 24 hours a day. It must be made to understand that it must not leave the home unless told to.

Harry Quek

[Every now and again, someone with true expertise writes into the forum page and justifies the existence of the section.]

Offshore nuclear plant for S'pore?

[Not an outright dumb letter, but not well thought through.]

Dec 29, 2008
Offshore nuclear plant for S'pore?

I REFER to last Monday's article, 'Asia weighs nuclear power option', and last Wednesday's articles on nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

I suggest that an offshore nuclear power station would benefit Singapore. Singapore is too small to house a nuclear power station. But, like the Marina Bay floating stadium, we must innovate to make up for what we lack.

An offshore station in the open sea can have many advantages. It can be moved to avoid threatening weather when needed. The open sea can enhance and ensure a high level of security; a much larger area can be cordoned off to give security forces more time and flexibility to react to any threats.

[As the pirates of Somalia and Aden has shown. The open sea is not safer. An aircraft carrier travels in a fleet or battle group and those support ships are to provide protection for the aircraft carrier which would be a prime military target. An offshore nuclear power plant would have the same bullseye painted on it. And the seas around Singapore are too congested to have a large enough security area. And how do you fence off the sea? As for comparing a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with an offshore power plant, the difference is the carrier is producing power for itself. The offshore power plant is producing power for use offsite. That means power transmission lines need to connect the plant to the mainland. That means limited or even no movement once fixed.]

The sea will also ensure a higher level of safety as there is an almost unlimited amount of water available. Most importantly, nuclear power emits minimal greenhouse gases and has proven to be extremely safe when managed properly.

Singapore has one of the best offshore rig-building and ship-repair companies in the world. Ocean-going nuclear power marine vessels, both naval and merchant, have been built and are running across the world for more than 50 years (since 1955).

It is not cheap to use nuclear energy to power a vessel, but using an offshore platform or vessel to house one or many micro nuclear power generators should be more economically and socially viable than building a station on land.

Syu Ying Kwok

[We may need nuclear power one day, but the problems are not quite ready to be solved. If a stop-gap measure is required today, then yes, buy a few nuclear-powered ships, dock them and run the power lines out to the grid. The issues of security we leave to the experts to propose.]