Just received the letter requesting me to go for a medical check-up for my immigration application. The letter was dated 2 weeks after my IELTS results were out. I am impressed by the quick processing.
At our last gathering, 2 of my nursing kakis who are born-and-bred locals, expressed their view that Singapore does take care of its poor. They cited cases of destitute in-patients in public hospitals who are allowed to stay as in-patients until the hospital's medical social workers (MSW) successfully assigned them to a community home. In their opinion, that shows that the government is taking care of its people.
Perhaps I am expecting too much of the world's highest paid ministers by far. I find it unacceptable that the government resources come into play only when one is hospitalized and homeless. In addition, community homes are not exactly environments where in-patients can enter or leave at will. Thus, the destitute person is practically imprisoned in such homes. Based on my observations, there are homeless or poor elderly who are not sick enough to be hospitalized, struggling to survive by collecting scraps. I do not find it acceptable that a rich "first world" nation does not have open and integrated social support policies.
This is yet another example of how I feel that I share less and less in common with the typical locals. Even the PRs at my workplace praise the Singapore government for its efficiency, non-corruption (after all their multi-million pay is openly announced at parliament), and cleanliness.
5 years ago
Someone with the moniker "medical check up Singapore" left the following comment on this blog entry on 10-Apr-2013:
ReplyDelete"You are very nice gay. Yes, i agreed with you. It is necessary to take care of its people including the poor elderly. No matter the people is Migration medical check up Singapore. The government should be workable to provide the best clinics in Singapore."
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Dear "medical check up Singapore",
I am not publishing your original comment because you linked your moniker to a certain well-known private health screening facility in Singapore. In fact, once upon a time, many years ago, I was amongst your "Executive Health Screening" (EHS) clients thanks to "corporate executive" benefits.
If you're leaving the above comment in your official capacity as a staff of the EHS facility, then I would expect a better standard of professional English from you. After all, the EHS service does not come cheap at your facility.
Suffice to say, I suspect that your comment is a cheap attempt at using my blog to advertise your company's service for free. Is it really necessary to be so cheap? If you aren't aware, your company was/is well-known for its health screening services in Singapore. Is business dropping or what?
If you're making the above comment as a private individual, then please be considerate. Do not link my blog to your employer/company -- I do not endorse any product/service unless you pay me to (and I will publicly declare that it is paid-advertisement). Please speak for yourself as an individual instead of hiding behind your company's website url.
Cheers, WD.