Wednesday, August 17, 2011
National Service
Mr. Tan
Are you proposing that girls and non-citizens should do national service?
REPLY
My preference is for our male citizens to be given a higher allowance for their full time National Service, similar to the salary that is paid to a full time soldier. Part of this increase in allowance can be contributed to their CPF account.
Another alternative is to give a higher housing grant to a person who has completed full time National Service. This can be an amount that compensates them adequately for the two years of time that is spent in National Service, and also for the disadvantage in starting work later. An amount of $30,000 may be suitable.
There is already an existing scheme where the Governments provide a housing grant for first time applicants to buy a flat. This housing grant should be given differentiated between those who have or have not served National Service.
We can also give girls and permanent residents a similar opportunity to serve full time National Service in non-combat jobs, e.g. nursing, administrative work and community service. They can also enjoy the same privilege as given to male citizens. We should turn National Service from being a burden to a privilege.
This is just my idea. If there is a President Personal Council, the people can submit their other views to be evaluated. A panel of impartial people can vote on the various suggestions and choose those that have the widest support.
Tan Kin Lian
Are you proposing that girls and non-citizens should do national service?
REPLY
My preference is for our male citizens to be given a higher allowance for their full time National Service, similar to the salary that is paid to a full time soldier. Part of this increase in allowance can be contributed to their CPF account.
Another alternative is to give a higher housing grant to a person who has completed full time National Service. This can be an amount that compensates them adequately for the two years of time that is spent in National Service, and also for the disadvantage in starting work later. An amount of $30,000 may be suitable.
There is already an existing scheme where the Governments provide a housing grant for first time applicants to buy a flat. This housing grant should be given differentiated between those who have or have not served National Service.
We can also give girls and permanent residents a similar opportunity to serve full time National Service in non-combat jobs, e.g. nursing, administrative work and community service. They can also enjoy the same privilege as given to male citizens. We should turn National Service from being a burden to a privilege.
This is just my idea. If there is a President Personal Council, the people can submit their other views to be evaluated. A panel of impartial people can vote on the various suggestions and choose those that have the widest support.
Tan Kin Lian
Donating half of the salary
Dear Mr. Tan,
Good to highlight in your campaign that contributing part of the President's salary is a way to acknowledge (1) the overly high salary for President and not vote buying, (2) as a form of public service where there is no need for such high salary, (3) to help those needy who are left behind by the economic development and growth chasing approach in Spore.
Perhaps, you may be able to propose plans/ programmes on how to help those who are falling behind the economic race (or the less privilege).
Wet market and MRT stations, Bus interchange and Shopping complexes, are some good points of contact for campaigning.
Foreigners who are taking up citizenship should be required to serve National Service, both men and women. Men serve in the Armed Forces on the normal duration as Sporeans while women serve as nurses for a shorter period. That would take care of our shortage of nurses in Structured Hospitals, hence, there is no need to hire so many foreigners as nurses. That applies to foreigners and if proved to be successful, then you could extend to local Singaporeans (women) to serve NS as nurses and that will close the gap of women climbing faster at work (at least 2 to 2.5 yrs advantage) and ahead of men with mandatory NS.
Serving as NS nurses for foreigners is an excellent approach to address the current hot topic in Singapore. I am sure many Singaporeans will agree with you on that. But, may not be wise to include the local Singaporean women at this juncture as you may lose votes instead. So just focus your policy on the foreigners who want to take up citizenship.
Keep in touch, cheers.
Good to highlight in your campaign that contributing part of the President's salary is a way to acknowledge (1) the overly high salary for President and not vote buying, (2) as a form of public service where there is no need for such high salary, (3) to help those needy who are left behind by the economic development and growth chasing approach in Spore.
Perhaps, you may be able to propose plans/ programmes on how to help those who are falling behind the economic race (or the less privilege).
Wet market and MRT stations, Bus interchange and Shopping complexes, are some good points of contact for campaigning.
Foreigners who are taking up citizenship should be required to serve National Service, both men and women. Men serve in the Armed Forces on the normal duration as Sporeans while women serve as nurses for a shorter period. That would take care of our shortage of nurses in Structured Hospitals, hence, there is no need to hire so many foreigners as nurses. That applies to foreigners and if proved to be successful, then you could extend to local Singaporeans (women) to serve NS as nurses and that will close the gap of women climbing faster at work (at least 2 to 2.5 yrs advantage) and ahead of men with mandatory NS.
Serving as NS nurses for foreigners is an excellent approach to address the current hot topic in Singapore. I am sure many Singaporeans will agree with you on that. But, may not be wise to include the local Singaporean women at this juncture as you may lose votes instead. So just focus your policy on the foreigners who want to take up citizenship.
Keep in touch, cheers.
Voice of the People - adequate pension
Dear Mr. Tan
You said you will be the voice of the people. Can you be the voice of the old Singapore Harbour board/PSA PENSIONERS? Port Pensioners with low pension who retired many, many years and who had been receiving the "SINGAPORE ALLOWANCE" are now not receiving the yearly top up of $20/- for the last 5-6 years.
Government Pensioners who are receiving the "SINGAPORE ALLOWANCE" on the other hand have their pension topped up by $20/- yearly without fail. Payment of this allowance is one Government policy that should be the same and equal and fair to both the SHB/PSA Pensioners and the Government Pensioners.
All of us living in Singapore have the same cost of living, paying the same taxes, GST, transport cost, etc. Govenment Pensioners are also enjoying Medical Benefits but not the SHB/PSA Pensioners. Why one policy with two different rules?
Why this unfairness? Why this discrimination? Could you obtain this top- up of $20/- for the Port Pensioners? Can you voice out this to the Government and fight for the SHB/PSA Pensioners?
I am sure they and their families will support you in your coming President Election. GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS YOU.
REPLY
I will use the same approach shown in this reply:
http://tankinlian.blogspot.com/2011/08/president-personal-council-mental.html
You said you will be the voice of the people. Can you be the voice of the old Singapore Harbour board/PSA PENSIONERS? Port Pensioners with low pension who retired many, many years and who had been receiving the "SINGAPORE ALLOWANCE" are now not receiving the yearly top up of $20/- for the last 5-6 years.
Government Pensioners who are receiving the "SINGAPORE ALLOWANCE" on the other hand have their pension topped up by $20/- yearly without fail. Payment of this allowance is one Government policy that should be the same and equal and fair to both the SHB/PSA Pensioners and the Government Pensioners.
All of us living in Singapore have the same cost of living, paying the same taxes, GST, transport cost, etc. Govenment Pensioners are also enjoying Medical Benefits but not the SHB/PSA Pensioners. Why one policy with two different rules?
Why this unfairness? Why this discrimination? Could you obtain this top- up of $20/- for the Port Pensioners? Can you voice out this to the Government and fight for the SHB/PSA Pensioners?
I am sure they and their families will support you in your coming President Election. GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS YOU.
REPLY
I will use the same approach shown in this reply:
http://tankinlian.blogspot.com/2011/08/president-personal-council-mental.html
President Personal Council - Voice of the People
Dearest Mr Tan K.L.,
I hereby would like to hear from your views on singaporean citizens with mental disabilities e.g. agoraphobia.
How will you voice out in the parliament for this batch of citizens? Will there be assurance of subsidies on medication / additional welfare?
Or assistance provided to help those who can eventually contribute to the society in simple jobs assignments & meantime earn a small amount of salary for survival?
Or charity organised for this particular batch of mental disabilities? etc.
REPLY
I will be the voice of the people and raise issues that are of concern to large numbers of people.
For issues of this type, there are special interest group comprising of people who are directly affected and who knows about the issues and the types of assistance that should be provided. These groups can present their views to the President Personal Council.
The Council will study and evaluate the proposal and seek clarification, if necessary, from the advocates. It will put the proposals to be voted vote among a panel of impartial people.
Among all the issues that are considered by the Council, the top one or two issues that has the highest score will receive the attention of the President. The President will study the recommendation of the Council and select the issues to be raised with the relevant minister.
Tan Kin Lian
I hereby would like to hear from your views on singaporean citizens with mental disabilities e.g. agoraphobia.
How will you voice out in the parliament for this batch of citizens? Will there be assurance of subsidies on medication / additional welfare?
Or assistance provided to help those who can eventually contribute to the society in simple jobs assignments & meantime earn a small amount of salary for survival?
Or charity organised for this particular batch of mental disabilities? etc.
REPLY
I will be the voice of the people and raise issues that are of concern to large numbers of people.
For issues of this type, there are special interest group comprising of people who are directly affected and who knows about the issues and the types of assistance that should be provided. These groups can present their views to the President Personal Council.
The Council will study and evaluate the proposal and seek clarification, if necessary, from the advocates. It will put the proposals to be voted vote among a panel of impartial people.
Among all the issues that are considered by the Council, the top one or two issues that has the highest score will receive the attention of the President. The President will study the recommendation of the Council and select the issues to be raised with the relevant minister.
Tan Kin Lian
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Response to PM Lee's views on the Presidential election
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for his insightful statement that the Government will work with whoever's elected. I am also encouraged by his remarks that the new head of state will be above politics and enjoy the respect of citizens.
I will bring my personal values of honesty, fairness, courage, positive thinking and public service to the office of the President. I have always been on record that I am neither pro-PAP nor pro-Opposition. I am pro-People of Singapore.
I will be the Voice of the People but I am non-partisan and I am above politics. Unlike the other candidates, I have never participated in a general election under a banner of a political party!
Tan Kin Lian
I will bring my personal values of honesty, fairness, courage, positive thinking and public service to the office of the President. I have always been on record that I am neither pro-PAP nor pro-Opposition. I am pro-People of Singapore.
I will be the Voice of the People but I am non-partisan and I am above politics. Unlike the other candidates, I have never participated in a general election under a banner of a political party!
Tan Kin Lian
Straits Times Roundtable - Burden of National Service
At the Straits Times Roundtable held on 16 August, I posed this question, "Dr. Tony Tan, we all know that national defence is important for our country. But, when you were Minister for Defence, were you aware about the national service placed an unfair burden on our male citizens. They have to serve national service and faced difficulty in competing with foreigners and girls for jobs as they start two years later. They also have to be disrupted regularly for reservist duty. What could you have done before or what would you do today, to reduce this burden?".
Dr. Tony Tan replied at length about the importance of national service to our country but did not address the question about the unfair burden being shouldered only by the male citizens. I wanted to follow up on this matter, but the moderator replied that time has run out and he closed the discussion.
There are many measures that can be taken, if the Government recognizes the unfair burden. They could pay the NS men an adequate salary, rather than a small allowance, or can contribute towards their CPF savings for the full time national service. They could give a bigger housing grant to NS men for the purchase of HDB flat (rather than offer the grant to eligible people, regardless of whether they had served national service).
I written on this matter for the past 25 years. I will continue to bring up this issue, until the unfairness of this system is addressed and the burden is more fairly spread among the males, females, citizens and non-citizens.
Tan Kin Lian
Dr. Tony Tan replied at length about the importance of national service to our country but did not address the question about the unfair burden being shouldered only by the male citizens. I wanted to follow up on this matter, but the moderator replied that time has run out and he closed the discussion.
There are many measures that can be taken, if the Government recognizes the unfair burden. They could pay the NS men an adequate salary, rather than a small allowance, or can contribute towards their CPF savings for the full time national service. They could give a bigger housing grant to NS men for the purchase of HDB flat (rather than offer the grant to eligible people, regardless of whether they had served national service).
I written on this matter for the past 25 years. I will continue to bring up this issue, until the unfairness of this system is addressed and the burden is more fairly spread among the males, females, citizens and non-citizens.
Tan Kin Lian
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