UNFAIR TO ONLY SLAM THE GOVT, WHERE IS THE PRAISE WHEN CREDIT IS DUE?

<Facebook post by Alex Loh>

After reading so much about CPF monies not being used to save lives when there is true need, especially in healthcare, I really wonder if it is because these people do not trust the govt, their MP or the system in the first place to ask for the needed help and assume that there is none.

I experience first hand on how much higher the healthcare cost is in the United States. Our hospital bill for a 5 days stay with Angiogram and Surgery for my 3 year old daughter (back in 2011) cost us $167k. The same procedures in Singapore with 3 weeks of stay at NUH came up to be about $23k (without subsidies). When we were there in the States, they told us based on the images we gave them, they could tell the MRI machine were the same. They heard of NUH and was told that Singapore has one of the best healthcare in our region. The only reason we had to go to the States to seek help was because my daughter's condition (spinal cord AVF/AVM at age 2 and a half) was extremely rare.

We sought help from authorities to free up our CPF medisave as we needed to fund the expense overseas. It was not our choice that Singapore doctors could do nothing more to cure my daughter. I emailed MOH. A phone call came very soon after to ask us about the situation as they saw in my email appeal that it was very urgent (my daughter bled in the spine twice in 1 year. We would not know when the next bleed would be and how fatal it would be). MOH followed up with the case in the background. The next email I got back from MOH was to request for my bank account and that they were to transfer directly into that bank account 80% of the combined medisave amounts of my wife and I had.

I did not want to share my story, but I don't see it fair to only hear bad stories about people who say they don't get help from the govt, while I stay quiet about the help I got. Probably there are more who like me got help. Probably many of them do not use social media.

I do not deny that the govt has their shortcomings but getting a fat paycheck doesn't mean they must be flawless. I do not agree with certain directions the govt is going but I contribute ideas, not simply oppose or be judge.

Whoever makes up the govt, the attitudes of the people has to change. The worse situation we can get is to have the country of complainers led by a group of louder complainers.

I urge opposition parties to step up their game to show us they are more than just there to represent our voice but to really represent Singapore as a whole. E.g. when the people say solve transport issue, then as they should drill down and tell me the details on how nationalising transport is going to help and what future will be if it is nationalised, etc.

At the same time, I urge the incumbent party to not be disconnected with the people. The biggest problem is many of your parties MP are unable to convince people the policies are good for them. Communication is key.

To the voters, please remember that we are Singaporeans despite our political differences. Everyone votes based on what they feel they want Singapore to be. We started the year with unity. After the elections, whatever the results may be, I hope we can continue to stay united.