I refer to TRS article “Compare these 2 actual medical bills in SG & AU”. link
The writer highlighted an annoying practice of the PAP ie. perpetually reminding citizens that we are taken care of with subsidies/discounted prices.
Be it for the purchase of medication as highlighted by the writer, hospital bills, school fees, HDB flats, etc. the PAP government insists on putting a dollar value to every single cent coming from its coffers. As if the money does not belong to the people. It seems Singaporeans are an ungrateful lot with unending complaints. Even after the PAP government has taken such good care of us from cradle (baby bonus, childcare) to almost grave (maybe coffin subsidy by NTUC Casket soon).
And yes, I too have been constantly reminded every half yearly that the government has been giving me a subsidy of $7675 for my son’s Polytechnic education. Adding all the subsidies for education since Primary One, I am now indebted to the government a five-figure amount.
Polytechnic subsidy per semester:
The practice of displaying subsidies has been ongoing for decades and civil servants would rather continue to follow blindly, wasting precious time and resources. Why does the PAP government need to constantly remind itself that it has taken care of citizens by providing subsidies, unlike all other countries?
Perhaps after 5 years of discounts and reminders, one is supposed to remember its ‘kind’ deeds at the polls?
Phillip Ang
TRS Contributor