#letteroftheweek — Public Fediverse posts

#LetterOfTheWeek
#STForum: What is a 120-year #life for?
"what we believe a human person is worth when he can no longer contribute economically. Taro Aso’s infamous “hurry up and die”🤨 comment is not an outlier.. #Singapore has among the most sophisticated #ageing infrastructures in the region. What we have not yet built is a compelling account of what a #longlife is for – one that holds firm even when the person in question is no longer #useful by conventional measures"🤔
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-what-is-a-120-year-life-for

#LetterOfTheWeek
#STForum: What is a 120-year #life for?
"what we believe a human person is worth when he can no longer contribute economically. Taro Aso’s infamous “hurry up and die”🤨 comment is not an outlier.. #Singapore has among the most sophisticated #ageing infrastructures in the region. What we have not yet built is a compelling account of what a #longlife is for – one that holds firm even when the person in question is no longer #useful by conventional measures"🤔
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-what-is-a-120-year-life-for

#LetterOfTheWeek
Should leisure travel be allowed for those appealing against conviction?
🧐"Why shld te doctor be allowed to travel for leisure.? Te #patient’s family & friends may still be #grieving over the #loss of their loved one, & must be pained to learn tt the #convicted #doctor is allowed to go overseas for a 14-day #holiday as if all were normal.
Any person charged & on bail, or after conviction & sentencing . shld not be allowed to travel #overseas for leisure"⚖️
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-should-leisure-travel-be-allowed-for-those-appealing-against-conviction

#LetterOfTheWeek
Provide more guidance for #seniors to age safely at home
🇸🇬"Beyond awareness, more #hands-on #support wld help.. agencies cld organise #roadshows to demo practical home modifications & provide access to pre-qualified contractors, along w clear & transparent sample quotations. Safe #ageing at home shldn't depend on renovation know-how. W clearer guidance & trusted support, >seniors can take practical steps to live safely & independently in their own homes"👍
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum-provide-more-guidance-for-seniors-to-age-safely-at-home

#LetterOfTheWeek
Provide more guidance for #seniors to age safely at home
🇸🇬"Beyond awareness, more #hands-on #support wld help.. agencies cld organise #roadshows to demo practical home modifications & provide access to pre-qualified contractors, along w clear & transparent sample quotations. Safe #ageing at home shldn't depend on renovation know-how. W clearer guidance & trusted support, >seniors can take practical steps to live safely & independently in their own homes"👍
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum-provide-more-guidance-for-seniors-to-age-safely-at-home

#LetterOfTheWeek
Yes, we🇸🇬 need campaigns to remind us how to behave
"Campaigns . aren't abt stating te obvious, but abt reinforcing social norms. A simple, repeated message can act as a gentle nudge.. True graciousness must be supported by #social #culture. When commuters model considerate behaviour, it encourages others.. shapes a self-sustaining #norm where #courtesy becomes natural iso instructed. In tis sense, campaigns remind the mind, while culture shapes the heart"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-yes-we-do-need-campaigns-to-remind-us-how-to-behave

#LetterOfTheWeek
Yes, we🇸🇬 need campaigns to remind us how to behave
"Campaigns . aren't abt stating te obvious, but abt reinforcing social norms. A simple, repeated message can act as a gentle nudge.. True graciousness must be supported by #social #culture. When commuters model considerate behaviour, it encourages others.. shapes a self-sustaining #norm where #courtesy becomes natural iso instructed. In tis sense, campaigns remind the mind, while culture shapes the heart"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-yes-we-do-need-campaigns-to-remind-us-how-to-behave

#LetterOfTheWeek
Forum: Introducing #AI at Primary 4 carries a real developmental #risk #StraitsTimes
"When #socialmedia spread rapidly through our #children’s lives, the #guardrails came years too late.🤦‍♂️ We're still living with those ripples on #youth #mentalhealth, sleep, attention & #family life.. In 2023, #UNESCO called for #regulation of #generativeAI in #schools, #data #protection & #privacy standards, teacher training, & an age limit of 13 for classroom AI tools"👈🧐
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-introducing-ai-at-primary-4-carries-a-real-developmental-risk

#LetterOfTheWeek
Forum: Introducing #AI at Primary 4 carries a real developmental #risk #StraitsTimes
"When #socialmedia spread rapidly through our #children’s lives, the #guardrails came years too late.🤦‍♂️ We're still living with those ripples on #youth #mentalhealth, sleep, attention & #family life.. In 2023, #UNESCO called for #regulation of #generativeAI in #schools, #data #protection & #privacy standards, teacher training, & an age limit of 13 for classroom AI tools"👈🧐
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-introducing-ai-at-primary-4-carries-a-real-developmental-risk

#LetterOfTheWeek
#STForum: #Jailterm necessary as #deterrence matters in #careless #driving cases @straits_times
🧐"The consequences of an honest mistake can range fr financial loss to lives being upended.. When #death occurs, we need to just think of those left behind: someone losing a son, a father, a sibling, a close friend or a #breadwinner.. People r often guided by te severity of consequences attached to their actions. A #jail term can serve as a powerful #deterrent"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-jail-term-as-deterrence-matters-in-careless-driving-cases

#LetterOfTheWeek
#STForum: #Jailterm necessary as #deterrence matters in #careless #driving cases @straits_times
🧐"The consequences of an honest mistake can range fr financial loss to lives being upended.. When #death occurs, we need to just think of those left behind: someone losing a son, a father, a sibling, a close friend or a #breadwinner.. People r often guided by te severity of consequences attached to their actions. A #jail term can serve as a powerful #deterrent"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-jail-term-as-deterrence-matters-in-careless-driving-cases

#LetterOfTheWeek
#STForum: Sort out issues before imposing new #taxi cancellation #policies
"used to book a taxi via the #CDGZig #app quite often, but hv been avoiding it lately for several reasons.. Often, I get a notification tt te taxi has arrived when it hasn't, & tis makes me worry.. There hv also been instances where te taxi went to te wrong place & concluded tt I didn't turn up. He wld leave aft indicating a “no show”.. hope #ComfortDelGro will sort out te issues"🤔
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-sort-out-issues-before-imposing-new-taxi-cancellation-policies

#LetterOfTheWeek
Don’t let smaller clinics get priced out
"unsettling reality: #Healthcare #access in #Singapore is being shaped by #propertymarket forces.. As a #publichealth MD, I worry a silent shift is underway. #Neighbourhood #clinics tt serve #vulnerable populations cld become incr'ly priced out of high-traffic areas.. small, independent practice tt's served its #community for decades maybe more valuable in #public health terms than a high-t/o, #profitfocused chain"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-dont-let-smaller-clinics-get-priced-out-of-high-traffic-areas

#LetterOfTheWeek
#Drinkdriving penalties shld be drastically raised🇸🇬
"The severe traumatic brain injury Mr Ng suffered left him permanently incapacitated & he won't be able to work again. Someone will also hv to care for him for e rest of his life. Te penalty for #dangerousdriving causing grievous hurt for 1st-time offenders is up to 5yrs’ jail. It's high time tt e penalties for drink #driving be drastically raised, esp'ly when it results in permanent disability or death"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-drink-driving-penalties-should-be-drastically-raised

#LetterOfTheWeek
🇸🇬Forum: #InternationalBaccalaureate #exam different for each student
"designed as #holistic framework w #student oppor choose what he's interested in study'g at standard/higher levels. IB exam is diff for each indiv based on #subject #combination, thus making tot scores out of 45 a poor point of reference.. It's not wrong to report facts, but present'g #statistics w/o proper context can be #misleading. Let’s not make #education abt numbers but abt people"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-ib-exam-different-for-each-student-so-scores-a-poor-indicator-of-performance

#LetterOfTheWeek
🇸🇬Forum: Biggest challenge #hawkers face is #economics, not #consumer #culture
"Coffee shops changing hands for #millions of dollars shows tt many #investors see #coffeeshops as #speculative #assets to be flipped, rather than #businesses to be operated. Stall operators have suffered fr large #arbitrary #rent increases in such #kopi tiams.. #hawkercentres “play a role in moderating increases in #food #prices, thereby performing an important #socialservice”"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-biggest-challenge-hawkers-face-is-economics-not-consumer-culture

#LetterOfTheWeek
#STForum: Be more grateful to our grandparents
"though I live near my #grandmother & see her as often as 2-5X/week, I still don't think I'm spending #qualitytime w her.. The more I focus on my own #life, the further I feel fr her. My #family has dinner together on most Sundays. Even then, it’s my grandmother who cooks for us & takes care of us even in her #oldage. As a #society, we shld be more grateful & respectful towards our #grandparents" #agedsociety
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-be-more-grateful-to-our-grandparents

#LetterOfTheWeek
#Deterrent signal needed to ensure trust in #healthcare
" #doctors possess significantly more #medical knowledge than their #patients. This #imbalance creates opportunities for potential #dishonesty.. Revoking a doctor’s ability to make #insurance & #MediSave claims for six months may be insufficient to deter such #offences.. In contrast, #fraudulent claims made against SkillsFuture were met with more severe consequences" #Singapore #governance #ethics
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/letter-of-the-week-deterrent-signal-needed-to-ensure-trust-in-healthcare

#LetterOfTheWeek
Forum: Uncooperative HDB flat owners
"HDB seems to be accommodating an uncooperative owner, indirectly penalising a cooperative owner who's been working patiently w #HDB to resolve e issue.. #Recalcitrant flat #owners seem to be treated leniently, as reported in e media, over issues like #noisenuisance & excessive cluttering, sometimes for years. This soft #attitude reinforces the idea tt it pays to be wayward, & culprits can act with little repercussion"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-don-t-let-uncooperative-hdb-flat-owners-inconvenience-neighbours

#LetterOfTheWeek
Forum: Uncooperative HDB flat owners
"HDB seems to be accommodating an uncooperative owner, indirectly penalising a cooperative owner who's been working patiently w #HDB to resolve e issue.. #Recalcitrant flat #owners seem to be treated leniently, as reported in e media, over issues like #noisenuisance & excessive cluttering, sometimes for years. This soft #attitude reinforces the idea tt it pays to be wayward, & culprits can act with little repercussion"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-don-t-let-uncooperative-hdb-flat-owners-inconvenience-neighbours

#LetterOfTheWeek
Forum: Uncooperative HDB flat owners
"HDB seems to be accommodating an uncooperative owner, indirectly penalising a cooperative owner who's been working patiently w #HDB to resolve e issue.. #Recalcitrant flat #owners seem to be treated leniently, as reported in e media, over issues like #noisenuisance & excessive cluttering, sometimes for years. This soft #attitude reinforces the idea tt it pays to be wayward, & culprits can act with little repercussion"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-don-t-let-uncooperative-hdb-flat-owners-inconvenience-neighbours

#LetterOfTheWeek
🇸🇬Forum: Re-examine #nationalpolicies to broaden definitions of #success
"students sitting national #exams at Pri, Sec, & JC levels, r graded on a #zerosum #bellcurve sys.. Even #carownership involves competition thru #COE #bidding.. These policies foster an #individualistic #culture where people r reluctant to help one another.. For decades, #materialism has been ingrained in #Singaporeans.. We need to re-examine our policies to enable tis #paradigmshift"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-re-examine-national-policies-to-broaden-definitions-of-success

#LetterOfTheWeek
Forum: Drs must ensure no mistakes happen bec of indifference & lack of diligence
"not acceptable when #doctors make mistakes bec of #indifference when examining patients or lack of #diligence in keep'g abreast of #medical knowledge or not knowing abt e medical histories of particular #patients tt may be critical in preventing harm to these patients.. e practice of #medicine carries a heavy #responsibility.. Drs owe it to their patients to be responsible"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-doctors-must-ensure-no-mistakes-happen-because-of-indifference-and-lack-of-diligence

#Administrative #LetterOfTheWeek
Forum: Help maintain F&B #standards by patronising #eateries w good #hygiene practices
"SFA will also be introducing a new #FoodSafety & Security Bill to strengthen #SFA’s #legislative powers to better protect #consumers & ensure a supply of safe #food for #Singapore."

But please shed light on how SFA achieves results from this? >> "SFA leverages #dataanalysis to identify premises of higher #regulatory concern"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-help-maintain-fb-standards-by-patronising-eateries-with-good-hygiene-practices

#LetterOfTheWeek
#STForum: #AI chatbots shouldn’t be allowed to spread #untruths
"Surely #laws need to be strengthened to protect individuals and institutions against defamatory content and untruths churned out by #generativeAI.. the reality is that people may be unaware tt disparaging #information about them is lurking out there. The onus shouldn’t be on people to have to google their name to ensure the tech bots haven’t maligned them"
#RegulateAI #SustainableDevelopment
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-ai-chatbots-shouldn-t-be-allowed-to-spread-untruths

#LetterOfTheWeek
#STForum: Think wider on #portability of #healthinsurance so more people can benefit
"MOH is studying portable private #insurance.. As past president of #Singapore Medical Assoc & a GP for ~40 years, I hope people will understand better why portability is essential as we grow older.. I urge #MOH to look beyond portability .. to include forced changes when changing employers, & most importantly loss of insurance #coverage upon loss of job or #retirement"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-think-wider-on-portability-of-health-insurance-so-more-people-can-benefit

#LetterOfTheWeek
#STForum: Unfair to charge retroactive payments for #patients who transfer to higher class wards
"Retro-charging places an unnecessary financial burden on families already grappling w the emotional & physical challenges of caring for their loved ones. I hope tt #SGH or #Singapore #Ministry of #Health will review its #policy regarding #retroactive payment for ward transfers & consider removing this #anomaly. That wld alleviate #financialstrain on families"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-unfair-to-charge-retroactive-payments-for-patients-who-transfer-to-higher-class-wards

#LetterOfTheWeek
>Challenge is also to level the playing field for our youths. #inequality makes
#meritocracy hubris..
"Singapore is a #competitive #society. Suppose every #Singaporean is in a race .. If we translate the race as one based on income .. For the person who ends up at e bottom, it may not be due to a lack of trying.This is where the #Singapore #Government comes in to help tis person to live a dignified, decent life. This is what an #inclusivesociety is about"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-those-at-bottom-need-help-to-lead-decent-lives

#LetterOfTheWeek #STForum
#Singapore " #driving #discipline on our #roads had worsened. Every day, I see significantly more cases of #poordriving by bus drivers, truck drivers & passenger #cars than a decade ago .. suggestions for the #authorities to consider .. Introduce graduated #speed limits on roads where #schools are located, & have road bumps .. Have more #cameras on #highways .. hurt some of the rich & rash drivers who probably don’t care about the current fines"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-follow-finland-s-example-and-fine-speedsters-based-on-their-income

#LetterOfTheWeek #STForum
#Singapore " #driving #discipline on our #roads had worsened. Every day, I see significantly more cases of #poordriving by bus drivers, truck drivers & passenger #cars than a decade ago .. suggestions for the #authorities to consider .. Introduce graduated #speed limits on roads where #schools are located, & have road bumps .. Have more #cameras on #highways .. hurt some of the rich & rash drivers who probably don’t care about the current fines"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-follow-finland-s-example-and-fine-speedsters-based-on-their-income

#LetterOfTheWeek #Singapore
#STForum: Urgent need to bring back physical token for #banktransactions
"A #physicaltoken provides true two-factor #authentication (2FA) as a separate device from the phone and a high level of old-fashioned protection we can all understand. #Technology is constantly evolving and the best software security today will be defeated by tomorrow’s hack. Proponents of #SmartNation initiatives need to recognise the #limits of #digitalisation" #truth
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-urgent-need-to-bring-back-physical-token-for-bank-transactions

#Singapore #Administrative #LetterOfTheWeek
#STForum: Committed to doing better to respond to public feedback
"The Municipal Services Office & our partner agencies are committed to doing better in terms of strengthening inter-agency coordination to address #publicfeedback in a #timely & #thorough manner. We #apologise for the #administrativelapse that led to a delay in the removal."
#Exemplary conduct of a #responsible #publicofficer devoid of spin or rhetoric. #respect
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-committed-to-doing-better-to-respond-to-public-feedback

#LetterOfTheWeek #STForum: Time for #men to get off the couch & start doing #housework
"Yet, it seems that till today, many men still feel that housework is a woman’s work. This attitude has been handed down through many generations from father to son &, in most cases, if the mother did everything for the male child, he assumes that it is her job.. When a woman enters into a relationship with someone, she cannot be expected to do everything, while he sits on the couch" 🇸🇬
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/letter-of-the-week-time-for-men-to-get-off-the-couch-and-start-doing-housework

#LetterOfTheWeek
#STForum: Show details of herbs in #TCM medications
"The clinic did not give me a detailed bill to show the types and amount of the herbs used in the medicine. When I asked for a detailed breakdown of the herbal formula, I was told by the doctor that in #Singapore, TCM #clinics are not required to list herbal formulas in detail. So a bottle of liquid can be labelled “cough syrup”, without naming the herbs or the composition" #healthcare #transparency
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-show-details-of-herbs-in-tcm-medications

#LetterOfTheWeek #STForum
"I called up #Singapore National Eye Centre to make appointments for my elderly parents .. My mum has #cataracts & suffers from blurred vision, & my dad’s lower eyelid has been swollen for years. They were examined by a doctor at a polyclinic & were referred to the #SNEC .. I was #shocked when I was informed by SNEC that the next available #appointment date as a subsidised patient is in Sept 2024, which is more than a year away" #healthcare ⚕️🇸🇬🧐
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-too-long-a-wait-for-snec-appointment-for-subsidised-patients

#LetterOfTheWeek #Singapore
#STForum: Parents prefer not to burden children financially
#HDB "Lease Buyback Scheme has been enhanced to allow households flexibility to choose the length of #lease to be retained .. i.e., retained lease to last the youngest owner till at least 95 yrs old .. Parents wld prefer to be #financiallyindependent than rely on their children for monthly maintenance as they do not wish to burden them since they have a family of their own to support"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-parents-prefer-not-to-burden-children-financially

#LetterOfTheWeek
#STForum: Will more personalised #healthcare plans #cost patients more?
"Making use of one’s genomic data to prevent diseases or improve #health sounds scientific .. But will this subsequently lead individuals to become targets of marketers who by way of #AI #technology know who to market certain treatments, nutrition or health-related products to? .. The increasing use of technology in healthcare comes at a cost. Who bears this cost?" #Singapore #privacy
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-will-more-personalised-healthcare-plans-cost-patients-more

#LetterOfTheWeek
#STForum: More Adrian Tans needed in the workplace and social circles
"He cared deeply for social issues. Now that is a fine example of a person we hope to have more of in present-day, pragmatic #Singapore. What moved me most was that he was described as someone who was tirelessly committed to promoting #justice & #fairness for all .. we need to encourage more among us to imbibe his indomitable spirit. May he be at #peace & may the likes of him live on"🕊
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-more-adrian-tans-needed-in-the-workplace-and-social-circles

#LetterOfTheWeek #Singapore #StraitsTimes
#STForum: Are #seniors at risk of losing independence amid #digitalisation push?
"if more activities moved to the digital platform, would this lead in the future to seniors being misdiagnosed as having early onset #dementia when it could be that they are just not digitally competent? .. How can #policymakers make things simple for seniors instead of adding more layers to hinder them from being #independent?" #technology #society
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-are-seniors-at-risk-of-losing-independence-amid-digitalisation-push

#LetterOfTheWeek
#STForum: Digitalisation push causing #seniors to be left out of CC events🇸🇬
"QR code registration is a complicated process for many – they may not know how to scan QR code, login using their #Singpass & input credit card details .. My mother said tt due to compulsory digital registration many of her elderly friends exclude themselves fr CC activities .. The push for #digitalisation .. should not come at a cost to #seniorcitizens’ independence & #dignity"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-digitalisation-push-causing-seniors-to-be-left-out-of-cc-events

#LetterOfTheWeek #Singapore #StraitsTimes
#STForum: Try thanking the sweeper in the park
"When I say “good morning” or “thank you” to them, they sometimes look puzzled as they do not know I am addressing them. But after eye contact is made and they realise I am talking to them, they give me a radiant #smile. And that makes me really #happy." 😊
#WakeUpCall #Singaporeans #ChuaMuiHoong #HonestLiving #TruthVsSpin #equality #empathy
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/letter-of-the-week-try-thanking-the-sweeper-in-the-park

#LetterOfTheWeek #StraitsTimes #Singapore
#STForum: Harm from alcohol consumption outweighs any health benefit
"To the long list of the known deleterious effects of #alcohol, add lung #cancer, fractures, bowel/rectal cancers and #cataracts. The latest #WHO advisory is that the antioxidants polyphenols and resveratrols in red wine notwithstanding, there is no safe amount of alcohol imbibing that does not affect health. Earlier risks of alcohol are well documented"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-harm-from-alcohol-consumption-outweighs-any-health-benefit

#LetterOfTheWeek #StraitsTimes
#STForum: Squid Game-inspired event underscores inequality in society
"Migrant workers earn much less than most people in #Singapore. This event’s references to #SquidGame inadvertently underscored the #inequality in our own society. Perhaps instead of designing a Squid Game-style event, Pollisum could have distributed that $100,000 sum more equally among its workers." #empathy #hubrisOfMeritocracy
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-squid-game-inspired-event-underscores-inequality-in-society

#LetterOfTheWeek #StraitsTimes
#STForum: Time to end ‘no free water’ policy of #restaurants
"tap water in #Singapore is perfectly drinkable. We spend billions to ensure that this is so. In Japan & England, we were served tap water without even asking .. quest to squeeze the last drop of profit fr customers .. this irresponsible, short-sighted profit-at-all-costs attitude must stop. While I wld prefer tt they do so voluntarily, regulations shld be put in place if needed"
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-time-to-end-no-free-water-policy-of-restaurants

#LetterOfTheWeek #Singapore
#STForum: Healthcare set to get better, but for whom?
"when Ms Khalik says #healthcare is set to get better, what does she mean? I think it will be better for #MOH because healthcare #costs will be controlled or at least be more controllable. The medical #insurance companies may not feel the change either way as they can simply increase their premiums .. Better is always good. But in this case, better for whom? - Gerard Chee Hsien (Dr)" #truth
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-healthcare-set-to-get-better-but-for-whom