What to Celebrate About?

Is there a need to spend money and resources for the nationwide bicentennial celebration to mark the arrival of the British in Singapore with Sir Stamford Raffles’ landing on our island? 

The SBO (Singapore Bicentennial Office) said its aim was to tickle Singaporeans to think and reflect deeply on our history. But how many residents actually do this and visit our museums to reflect on our history? I observed very few do it these days despite giving free entry passes to all Singaporeans. 

From my memory, Sir Stamford Raffles did not do much for this island except to bring in trade and law and allowed many British to settle here. This attracted lots of immigrants to this part of S.E.A. seeking jobs and fortunes.  

When Second World War came to Malaya and Singapore, the British were the first to leave. This island was poorly defended as Lieutenant-General (LG) Arthur Percival assumed the Japanese would attack from the east and not from the north or west due to the thick jungles in northern Malaya. He miscalculated from wrong intelligence. That’s how Singapore fell into the Japanese just after one week of war (8-15 Feb, 1942). During the Japanese occupation of 3 years and 8 months, more than 50,000 people were killed or executed here. 

To know more about our history, visit “Reflections at Bukit Chandu” located at 31-K, Pepys Road. I believe many residents are not even aware of this heritage site. Sigh!

Healthcare: To Pay or Not to Pay?

Most people won’t understand our complex healthcare system until they received their hefty medical bills. Many wouldn’t bother to read the details or understand the system since their medical bills are paid by their insurers. There is little or none out-of-pocket payment by cash. Why bother?  

You see, this is exactly the biggest problem. Most people don’t realize there are 2 “blood suckers” in our healthcare system. One sucker is the escalating medical costs charged by medical providers. They argue that today’s medical advancement and newer treatment technology equate to higher fees. Sigh! 

The other suckers are those health insurers who sold you their “As-Charged” Integrated Plans (IP) to cover your medical bills no matter how much medical providers charge you. You just continue to pay the A-Plan or GOLD-Plan premiums. If you are worry about out-of-pocket expenses, no worry, you can buy insurance “Riders” linked to you’re A or GOLD-IP. You just need to pay more.   

Insurers' motto to those insured: You want to have maximum coverage and full protection? No problem, you just need to pay and pay and pay more! 

When our ‘Big Brother’ changed the healthcare system in 2015 from MediShield to MediShield Life, my premium went up a lot because ‘Big Brother’ said: Better Protection. For All. For Life! 

In reality, our ‘Big Brother’ wanted to cover those already with health issues who were previously rejected by the insurers. Now, the healthy people are paying more to cover/subsidise those who need long term medical care. This year is the last year ‘Big Brother’ is giving little help to subsidise the premium increase. From next year onwards, I’m going to pay & pay the full increased premium year after year till I call it a day.  

To add salt to the wound, every time I reach a new age group, my premium would increase again. There is no such thing as no-claim discount, unlike motor insurance. 

So now you know, the 2 suckers are always in a win-win over those insured who keep losing more and more. Who is smarter? 

To play or not to play?

Ambition is a motivation tool towards something better. Yet some ambitious people just want to ‘play’ games to achieve their motives and hidden agenda for power, fame or to make more money. Some just wants to cause disruptions without any personal gains except for mischief. 

‘Games’ are played in almost every organization and workplace. You just need to observe closely in your surroundings. Playing ‘games’ often takes up lots of unproductive time and resources yet achieve nothing for the organization except for personal gains. Some people have no choice but to continue playing these ‘games’ with multiple players as their livelihoods depend on their jobs. Others just quit when they find it too stressful to continue playing other people’s games.  

Playing ‘games’ is a way to survive in today’s cut-throat environment.  

Tougher Times Ahead in 2019

Billings are mostly automated while income is not! 

Looking ahead in 2019, cost of living is set to rise again while salary stays stagnant or becomes worse. Bus and train fares have already gone up from 29 December and everything is set to getting more expensive. People living here are facing tougher time ahead.

This explains why everyday, thousands of people head north for cheaper food and consumer goods despite the long journey, the heat, sweat and enduring smelly armpits in crowded buses stuck in massive traffic jams and long waiting hours at customs and bus bays. Like them, sometimes I have to also brace this long journey and spend many unproductive hours just to get across the border for cheaper ‘makan’ and basic necessities. 

Some really smart people had already bought properties in Johor or Iskandar and retired or planned to retire there comfortably. I want to think like them but first, I’ve to find my PIGs (Passive Income GeneratorS) in order to make this dream a reality.  

Meantime, I have to stop dreaming and keep working to make money.