Break the silence on inequality

28th December 202 The Cabinet of Singapore Dear PM Lee & Ministers, The Singapore Forward conversation: Break the silence on inequality Compliments of the season! In helping to build a better Singapore, I would like to present my candid views on the delicate subject of inequality here in Singapore. At the centre of challenges in life’s journey is the power of love that can unite people of all races and religions. We must therefore never be cynical about love. Despite broken dreams, empty promises, inequality, love is still a splendid virtue, so let’s embrace it and transform lives, shall we? The government needs to be open to constructive feedback and allow a free flow of ideas – without suppressing it or allowing the media to block useful suggestions. Look at today’s Forum Page in The Straits Times and you will read complaints and complaints. ST is becoming a complaints bureau. I do not take too kindly of a doctor – Dr Lim Ee Koon who suggested that abusers be castrated. His letter got published in The ST yesterday. Forum: Consider castration as an alternative to raising caning age limit | The Straits Times. As far as I am concerned, such a punishment is barbaric. Sex education, rehabilitation, and intensive counselling can help. Let’s not go back to the stone- age era. There must be equality at all levels – including gender equality. Why is it that some employers of maid have committed hideous crimes against maids and they are not caned because they are females? While it is helpful that some constituencies have rolled out programmes where needy residents are gifted with Chinese New Year cookies and ‘ang pows’, why is it that other needy folks in other constituencies do not get these. There must be better teamwork within each ministry and across the civil service where no one is left behind, in many cases through no fault of their own. One way is for the better well-off constituencies to team up with the well-off constituencies so that all estates can enjoy the fruits of labour. For example, in my SMC constituency, MP Yip can team up with the Teck Ghee constituencies for this purpose. After all, Teck Ghee is a GRC. If this can materialize, you also secure teamwork. Needy Singaporeans come from all parts of Singapore. And they include those with diabetes. Which is why I proposed to Health Minister Ong to have the meter reading devices made available at all polyclinics and private clinics at discounted prices if such equipment can be given free of charge. If we are concerned about taking control of this deadly disease. Here we have cases of inequality staring right at our faces, and it is not good in building a cohesive society where some will benefit and some will not. Let’s not deepen inequality, but take steps to narrow the social divide. Let us be gracious enough to welcome change and accept ideas, even radical ones if it can build a more cohesive society. I fondly recall former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s words of wisdom when he was asked by the media if Singapore will ever be a gracious society. Lee’s simple reply hit the nail on the head: “Not in my time”, unquote. Think about it. I appreciate a reply to my proposal, and if it takes time to respond, an interim reply will be gracious. Thank you. Sincerely, Raymond Anthony Fernando LIVE LIKE A LEGEND

Strength in unity: In celebration of Singapore’s 57th birthday

Strength in unity: In celebration of Singapore’s 57th birthday It’s time to jump for joy and bring good cheer For Singapore turns 57 this delightful year In the heartlands and many other places The Singapore flag unfurls – majestically You’re on track so, welcome to our beautiful Lion City Let’s adopt the motto of the 3 musketeers By being, “All for one, and one for all” From strength to strength, there is unity To parents, we embrace filial piety Lending a helping hand to the needy in the community The parade will be awesome, the fireworks mesmerizing With the colours in the sky absolutely dazzling The camaraderie cements us as one people, one nation As the government with all cities build healthy relations National service has transformed boys to men And collectively, they make a united stand To defend Singapore to the very end For with patriotism in all its glory, we stand to gain My late wife and I appreciate the colours of white and red We are fortunate, in this nation, to be born and bred There will be challenges now and, in the years, ahead Together, we can overcome adversities and concerns But this positive and uplifting message – I want to spread Stay healthy – in body and mind– as one resilient Singapore As we open the skies and welcome tourists to our shores “Many happy returns of the day, Singapore” Yeah! You are loved – now and forever more Sincerely, Raymond Anthony Fernando © copyrightraymondfernando 20 July2022

Learn and Earn By: Raymond Anthony Fernando

Many of us would have heard of the adage, “An idle mind is a devil’s workshop.” From what I read from it, I believe that when we have nothing to do, we are likely to make unwise decisions and get into hot soup. The good news is that now people are living longer. The bad news is that with biological ageing, older people will experience a range of chronic conditions that includes depression and dementia. When this scenario develops, it will badly affect the quality of life, where people either end up in nursing homes or losing the will to live when depression rears its ugly face. Those are the realties! In addition, those who neglect the power of education could end up losing their jobs, and face financial hardships. This is more so in a highly competitive world where only the best will survive. We must not place a timeline on learning. I enjoy expressing myself through writing so that my mind is kept busy most of the time. Indeed, an active mind is a healthy mind. Additionally, reading – be it on the internet or in print literature. is also important to keep us updated with what is going on in the world. But we must be able to distinguish between “fake news” and "authentic news" or we will be trapped by making wrong choices. I have always subscribed to sharing my experiences and ideas, because I fervently believe that if one has skills, share it. I have attended courses at the Lifelong Institute, one of which was on making improvements at the workplace. I was able to put across how ideas and suggestions had made improvements in the media company where I worked for 3 decades which participants could apply in their own lives. This is the reason why I embrace lifelong learning. There are two reasons why I fully support this useful programme. Firstly workers, including those who have retired can learn new skills and contribute to the economy by having better chances of job retention and providing sustainable income to support themselves and their families. Secondly, acquiring knowledge makes them feel valued and appreciated. Thus, lifelong learning will make us productive and give us a positive outlook in life where there is satisfaction and motivation both at the workplace, in the community and even in our homes. With scammers worldwide wanting to make easy money in a digital world, we all need to learn the latest in technology, lest we get conned by con men where we make wrong decisions due to lack of wisdom and clarity through one of the important organs in our body– the mind. When it comes to global competitiveness, Switzerland has the most skilled workers because from early school days, they participate in vocational training. In fact, 70 percent of secondary school students there are actively involved in this form of education. We need to emulate the attitude of the Swiss to ‘reach for the stars.’

Fast moving escalators now has reduction in speed/ Exceptional service from SMRT staff

31st March 2022 Fast moving escalators now has reduction in speed/ Exceptional service from SMRT staff This morning when I went to top up my MRT card, I was pleasantly surprised to observe that the speed of the escalators has been slowed down, making it somewhat easier for people with mobility issues to make use of the devices. The MRT staff told me that yesterday the LTA staff came down to adjust the speed of the escalators to make it more elderly friendly. I shared with the staff and his manager that I had in fact highlighted this troubling issue with the MOT Minister & the LTA management. I am deeply encouraged that the government is receptive to feedback and takes remedial steps to provide a safe environment for our seniors and those with disabilities. Another pleasant encounter today was when SM Yusof and his subordinates – ASM Zaki, ASM Diki and SASM Joftari displayed much compassion and empathy seeing me struggling to walk about. They immediately got me a wheelchair and helped move me to the bus stop some 100 metres away and waited till I got safely into the bus before heading back to the control station. SM Yusof reminded me to seek the assistance of the MRT staff every time I was at the gates of the Ang Mo Kio MRT station heading downtown. With COVID-19 making life challenging for all of us, we need to embrace ideas and suggestions that can troubleshoot any problems coming on-stream. And both the government and the local mainstream media must be receptive and open to ideas that can make life far better for all living here – citizens as well as foreigners who work here. To throw out ideas due to biases is not in keeping with a gracious and enlightened society. The recent collaborative Omega and Swatch watches at Ion Orchard and Marina Bay Sands last Saturday where crowds swelled (Omega x Swatch collection draws snaking queues at Ion Orchard, MBS, March 26) is a sad reflection of what kind of society we are seeing. Home Affairs Minister Shanmugam was deeply concerned as one person even challenged the policeman to shoot him. Even though there is for retailers/shops/restaurants to revive poor businesses, a better solution is to get potential buyers to submit their request via email or an apps and then go for a lucky draw and explain that due to limited stock and to prevent the spread of COVID, there is a dire need to undertake such promotions in a calibrated way. Once the winners are chosen, have the collection dates on a few dates to avoid bunching. The same procedure should apply to other promotions including this at McDonalds or Hello Kitty soft toys. In many of the proposals I put up at government level, even though systems are weak, I will also provide possible and pragmatic solutions. MOT Minister Iswaran: Kindly convey my deepest appreciation to the SMRT officers as they need to be valued and appreciated. Thank you. Sincerely, Raymond Anthony Fernando

Accidents waiting to happen: LTA needs to take immediate and concrete steps to prevents accidents at the escalators

28th March 2022 The Management MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY 1 Hampshire Road Singapore 219428 Accidents waiting to happen: LTA needs to take immediate and concrete steps to prevents accidents at the escalators “Lifelong learning has to be matched with Lifelong Improvements.” -Raymond Anthony Fernando- I refer to the above matter and urge all at the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to review the current system for the escalators which are moving way too fast and placing the elderly at high risks of falling down and meeting with serious accidents. I am told by the MRT staff that the management of the escalators is managed by the (LTA) and though they empathize with me and our elderly seniors who have mobility issues, this matter, I am advised, has to be raised to the governing authority. On several occasions, had it not been for the timely intervention by SMRT staff, I would have fallen and met with a serious accident. The MRT staff are well trained and act promptly to prevent seniors from meeting with serious accidents. I commend them and hope that the LTA can do likewise. While we have a pretty good transport system in place, we must take it to the next level and make it elderly friendly as well – bearing in mind that Singapore is seeing one of the fastest ageing populations in the world. The government has been doing its part to provide good measures of support for seniors and thus it is only proper for the other agencies to work closely with one another so that our seniors who helped build our nation to what it is today are well taken care of. Males contributed to NS while their spouses played a supporting role. Between myself and my 4 other brothers, we contributed more than 20 years of NS. Although there are lifts at MRT stations and bus interchanges, there are places within these places where you have no choice but to take the escalators. LTA needs to do a thorough review of the systems island-wide. We are told by Health Minister Ong Ye Kung and MOH officials to avoid visiting the A & E and hospitals unless it is urgent. To this end, the LTA has to also do its part to rally around MOH as they are facing high stress levels. While systems are in place, there is a dire need to review it periodically or when feedback is given as these speedy escalators are accidents waiting to happen. As one SMRT staff member in his 50s rightly pointed out to me, “These days everybody is in a big hurry.” Despite mobility issues, our seniors need to be appreciated and valued. And most certainly, they, like the younger generation, must have a better quality of life. They need to go out for meals, have social gatherings by meeting up with friends/relatives, attending religious events, attend to medical appointments and even travel. More so now when the MTF has come up with more opportunities for social gatherings. Even the timers at traffic crossings are not elderly friendly and the elderly have to practically rush before the green man turns to red. I would like a reply to my proposal; and if it takes a while to review/remedy the situation, an interim response will be appreciated. Thank you. Sincerely, Raymond Anthony Fernando

Reaching out to vulnerable groups with better programmes By: Raymond Anthony Fernando

From the desk of Raymond Anthony Fernando 24th January 2022 Ms SIM Ann Senior Minister of State c/o Ministry of National Development 5 Maxwell Road #22-00 Tower Block MND Complex Singapore 069110 Dear Ms Sim Ann, Reaching out to vulnerable groups with better programmes By: Raymond Anthony Fernando The death of the two 11-year-old brothers pieced at my heart, as did with many others who felt the pain of this tragedy. What more with two lives gone! Families caring for those with special needs could certainly do with more support. They must never be made to feel all alone. Mental health is a global concern, yet the level of support found in each country varies widely with cultural factors sometimes coming into play. Concerns and that much-needed support are even more vital now with the pandemic causing havoc and disrupting lives. In order to build a more inclusive and caring society here in Singapore – and elsewhere in the world in which we all look out for one another, there needs to be better support services. Given the rise in the number of people, including caregivers requiring essential services, there is a dire and urgent need to come up with a suitable programme in which citizens can seek assistance for their needs. The programme could be one in which citizens can register their names and when they need help for some services that includes caregiving. The agency appointed will then send down volunteers to assist the person who needs assistance, clock in the number of hours provided, and then later, when he/she is out of the woods, the person can provide support to another person who needs help at a later period. An exchange volunteer programme which can be termed, “Volunteer Trading Services”, and the good thing about this scheme is that there is no payment whatsoever involved. Poorer countries such as in the Philippines, India, Pakistan and Indonesia where poverty is at an all-time high, can benefit from such a scheme. Singapore can consider implementing such a scheme, perhaps on a pilot project, where caregivers for instance, can benefit from such a useful programme. Behind closed doors 80 percent of Singaporeans live in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats. Most, with the help of government subsidies, are able to buy their own homes. With more than 1 million flats spread across 23 towns and 3 estates, the Singapore brand of public housing is uniquely different. The flats are homes for over 80% of Singapore's resident population, of which about 90% own homes. Some of our needy citizens can only afford to rent a flat or in the case of foreigners who work here, rent a room from the owners who charge the tenants anything between $500 to $900 per month, depending on the size of the room and the location. Looking from outside of the HDB flats as you walk along the corridors, you will observe that everything looks the same, the doors are fire proof and of the same colour, the window panes and the gates are almost of the same design. But while on the outside of these homes, everything is the same, what is happening behind closed doors, is a completely different story. Families could be struggling with chronic illnesses, some going through depression, teenagers could be lured into taking drugs and engaging in sex, some in deep financial crisis and others without jobs and trying so hard to put food on the table. This is why it is so important to be a good neighbour where the virtues of kindness and compassion must shine so that no one will ever feel that they are all alone. A caring society is needed to care for the needy Accidents and chronic illnesses can happen when you least expect it. When this takes place, the quality of life takes a nose-dive. We need to hear the cry of help for those in pain as well as for their caregivers. As a gracious society, we must help those struggling to cope with sickness or injuries when at times it is through no fault of theirs. More so when we are all God’s children. For myself, if I am fated to take care of sick loved ones, so be it. I have carried a heavy cross taking care of my late wife, and I will once again carry another heavy cross if that is my fate. During moments of darkness, support or a kind word helps to pull up anyone who needs a helping hand. We should never adopt this attitude of, “If it’s not my business, I need not know or I need not care.” I know for a fact that God does not give suffering, but He allows suffering so that we can move closer to Him. I can lose money, I can lose friends, but I will not lose my faith in God. For on many occasions, Jesus has carried me on His shoulders when I was really down, even when I was struggling to cope with my late wife’s battle with schizophrenia. Doris may have had a disability, but all who read and know her, are well aware that my wife had – abilities. Appoint block leaders in housing estates Another effective way to combat or prevent tragedies is to appoint BLOCK LEADERS in every housing estate, including those in private estates. Those who have some experience in mental health, including healthcare workers in mental health can take on this role where they can be approached for assistance to rally around those with special needs. IMH can provide the training. These trained block leaders can also pay weekly or monthly visits to homes where support is needed. Give an allowance to the block leaders for their time and energy. Let us all manage mental illness BEFORE it manages us. In closing, Ms. Sim Ann, I invite to view the video produced creatively by the Royal Singapore Living with a schizophrenic for 40 years - YouTube I appreciate the response to my proposal. Thank you. Sincerely, Raymond Anthony Fernando