Pioneers' Health Care 'Covered For The Rest Of Their Lives'
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Pioneers' health care 'covered for the rest of their lives'
Commitment will lift burden of care from younger generation too: Chan
Mr Chan Chun Sing greeting residents at the annual Chinese New Year dinner for his Tanjong Pagar GRC and the single-seat constituency of Radin Mas yesterday. The event was attended by about 600 guests. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
By CHARISSA YONG
and THAM YUEN-CTHE upcoming pioneer generation package will help those who contributed to Singapore's early development cope with health-care costs for the rest of their lives, Minister for Social And Family Development Chan Chun Sing said yesterday.
Emphasising that it would not be a handout that would be given just for one year, he added: "It will have to last five, 10, 20 years, even more, so long as they're with us." This long-term and significant commitment on the part of the Government will help lift the burden of taking care of the pioneer generation from younger Singaporeans as well, the Tanjong Pagar GRC MP said.
He was addressing about 600 guests at the annual Chinese New Year dinner for his constituency and the single seat of Radin Mas.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will unveil details of the package on Sunday, and Mr Chan said yesterday that help with health-care costs will be the primary focus. This will give the pioneer generation and their families a "sense of assurance that their health care will be taken care of by society as a whole", he added.
The minister also touched on the importance of the community in helping the elderly to age gracefully with dignity.
The community can support the elderly's socio-emotional well-being to complement the tangible benefits the Government will be providing, he said.
Referring to the year Singapore gained independence, he also urged the young to learn from the 1965 generation's "fighting spirit" to make the country better.
"Many of them had much less than us today in terms of an educated workforce, resources and other material things," said Mr Chan."But despite the odds... they had the gumption to make this country work and to make it our home."
He also pledged that the Government would continue to act on its promise to do its best for Singapore and the people. "We want to deliver a better quality of life not only for this generation, but also to leave behind a better Singapore for future generations."
Mr Ng Roy Choong, 73, said the pioneer generation package would be very helpful for the elderly, as many among them had stopped working for years. The former taxi driver and Tanjong Pagar GRC resident, who retired a decade ago, said: "Any extra financial help will definitely come in handy for medical bills and such."
Yesterday's event at Buona Vista Community Centre was also attended by Tanjong Pagar GRC MPs Indranee Rajah, Lily Neo and Chia Shi-Lu, as well as Mr Sam Tan, the MP for Radin Mas.
But former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew skipped it for the second consecutive year as he was in hospital.
Top of the news, The Straits Times, Wednesday, February 5, 2014, Pg A3
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Election coming.
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The pension scheme was already in place like many many many years ago... why suddenly talk abt it now?
Or are they talking abt a new scheme that benefit all elderly?
Commitment will lift burden of care from younger generation too: Chan
and yes, where does gov gets their money from...??? -___-
wasn't the CPF money made to take care of this?
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CPF is to fund your hdb flat.
Then when you are hungry, you can nibble off the wall like the gingerbread house in hansel and gretel story.
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Originally posted by charlize:
CPF is to fund your hdb flat.
Then when you are hungry, you can nibble off the wall like the gingerbread house in hansel and gretel story.
hdb walls can eat?
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
hdb walls can eat?
Not in Singapore...
But maybe in Cardboard land...
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
hdb walls can eat?
You just need to add some jelly beans and chocolate and you have delicious walls to bite off.
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charlize and the chocolate factory :lol: you know willy wonka? :lol:
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they don't have those ready to eat walls?
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No, I don't know what are Oompa Loompas.
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:lol: the everlasting bubble gum eaten by veronica :lol:
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
they don't have those ready to eat walls?
Think China have...
they have cardboard pau and they have cardboard walls
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Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:
Think China have...
they have cardboard pau and they have cardboard walls
did HDB buy "Made in China" walls?
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But I digress.
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Originally posted by charlize:
But I digress.
digress...?
no, u digest
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Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:
digress...?
no, u digest
tough to stomach?
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
tough to stomach?
Well, what doesnt kills u, makes u stronger~
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Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:
Well, what doesnt kills u, makes u stronger~
not necessarily, sometimes it will wear you down.
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Just release the whole amount of my hard earned CPF money and I'll be happy. I do not need the Singapore government healthcare support. And when I work in Singapore...I don't need CPF also....I just want my monthly hard earn money in full like those FTs and bring home more money rather than having my money tied up in the CPF.
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hanor hanor
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can see but cannot use.
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pioneer is who ah?
my mum counted? -
pioneer dunno.
pion kah I know.