Are you ready for 7 million people on tiny Singapore?

[3Boys]

Mdm Koh:

Irrelevant,


Singapore's defence expenditure went up by more than 4% last year.

Where did the government get the money from? Since the government did not dip into reserves, another area must have suffered a substantial cut in spending.

So it's justifiable to cut spending elsewhere to increase defence spending but not vice versa?

Mdm Koh, you seem reasonably articulate, the budget is a matter of public record, why don't you go look it up, instead of forming an opinion in a vacuum? How do you know they cut spending elsewhere?

[3Boys]

WeiHan:

3Boys:

Until the abuse starts, which it invariably does.....sorry boys, disagree with you both, abuse is already rampant in our system.

Any number to support?

I didn't see our healthcare spending escalating leh? If abuse is rampant, then it should be escalating, isn't it?

You don't need high healthcare expenditure to have abuse. The costs are capped because that's all there is to spend. Nothing that I can publicly share with you.....but it happens, a lot, both from patients and doctors.

[ChiefKiasu]

Moderation action has been taken to prune this discussion of insults and personal attacks. The action may be incomplete due to the complexity of the discussion.

Members are reminded to focus on the discussion topic. We may openly disagree with points being made, but we should not insult the person/s making the points.

Thank you.

[Mdm Koh]

3Boys:

Mdm Koh:

Irrelevant,


Singapore's defence expenditure went up by more than 4% last year.

Where did the government get the money from? Since the government did not dip into reserves, another area must have suffered a substantial cut in spending.

So it's justifiable to cut spending elsewhere to increase defence spending but not vice versa?

Mdm Koh, you seem reasonably articulate, the budget is a matter of public record, why don't you go look it up, instead of forming an opinion in a vacuum? How do you know they cut spending elsewhere?

Well, I was asking Irrelevant since he made the assumption that if we increase healthcare spending, we will need to cut spending elsewhere.

But you are right - I shall read more to prep myself for further debates.

[Irrelevant]

JannettLee:

The cost is the whole year average cost per month la. You don't need to consider 3 months bonus meh! Anyway, the figure is the true figure that I got it from someone I know. I was as clueless as all of you when someone who got hit and showed me the figure.

So tell me what is the gross annual income for the couple and I can calculate the income tax based on taxable rates in 1994 and 2012, specially for you.

[octoberbaby]

debate is better using conversational rather than in writing.

[raysusan]

This \"letter\" is making the rounds in some forum, purportedly written by a grassroots leader.


http://therealsingapore.com/content/letter-grassroots-leader-pm

very interesting letter
[We are not sure of its authenticity. Read it and judge for yourself:]

[pirate]

raysusan:

This \"letter\" is making the rounds in some forum, purportedly written by a grassroots leader.


http://therealsingapore.com/content/letter-grassroots-leader-pm

very interesting letter
[We are not sure of its authenticity. Read it and judge for yourself:]

What can I say? Doesn't 'smell' right.

[Irrelevant]

Mdm Koh:

Well, I was asking Irrelevant since he made the assumption that if we increase healthcare spending, we will need to cut spending elsewhere.


But you are right - I shall read more to prep myself for further debates.

I'm glad to answer your questions. The increase in defence spending is 4% of previous year's budget (around 500 million) and not 4% (12 billion!) of GDP. WeiHan was going on and on about healthcare spending and likes to use the developed countries as a benchmark. (So I assume that WeiHan is not talking about loose change of a few hundred million :evil: ) As Singapore govt spending as % of GDP is less than half of these developed countries, we will need to ramp our our healthcare spending very significantly to match theirs.

[3Boys]

raysusan:

This \"letter\" is making the rounds in some forum, purportedly written by a grassroots leader.


http://therealsingapore.com/content/letter-grassroots-leader-pm

very interesting letter
[We are not sure of its authenticity. Read it and judge for yourself:]

Not beyond the realms of reality I suppose, and it's conceivable that there are some GRLs that feel that way. All the same, feels a little too contrived.