I refer to the recent Parliamentary proceedings on 17 February, reported in Hansard. I found some interesting replies to questions that I do not remember reading in the media.
Read Part 1 at: PARLIAMENT: INTERESTING REPLIES NOT REPORTED IN THE MEDIA? PART 1
STRENGTH OF AUXILIARY POLICE FORCES
Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the current total strength of the auxiliary police forces; and (b) what proportion of the total strength (in percentages and in absolute numbers) comprise Singapore citizens, permanent residents (PR) and non-PR Malaysians respectively.
Mr Teo Chee Hean: The current total strength of the auxiliary police forces is about 6000 officers. The majority of the officers are Singaporeans, while the others are Malaysians. The employment of Malaysians into the auxiliary police forces started in the 1970s and we have continued with this practice till today.
Vague reply?
The reply in my view is kind of vague. For example, does “the majority of the officers are Singaporeans” mean that it could be as little as 51% are Singaporeans?
As to “while the others are Malaysians” – does it mean that as many as 49% may be Malaysians? Are these Malaysians or Malaysian PRs?
How many new citizens and PRs?
In this connection, as there were an estimated 451,934 new citizens and new PRs granted from 2007 to 2013 – how many of the Singaporean auxiliary police are new citizens, and how many of the non-citizen auxiliary police are PRs?
Auxiliary police in Little India?
Whenever I go to Little India, it appears that there may be more auxiliary police than police officers in the area.
What is the proportion of auxiliary policy to regular police officers in Little India? Was this question asked in the Little India Commission of Inquiry?
PROFILE OF THOSE REGISTERED ON COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSIST SCHEME
Mrs Lina Chiam asked the Minister for Health to date, how many Singaporeans have been successfully registered for the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) out of the estimated number of potential eligible applicants and out of the total number of applicants who live in HDB rental flats respectively.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: About 520,000 Singaporeans have signed up for the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) as at 31 December 2013. Based on our records, we have successfully registered close to 20,500 households living in HDB rental flats for CHAS. This translates to about 40% of all households living in HDB rental flats. The remaining 60% who are not on CHASincludes Singaporeans on the Public Assistance (PA) scheme who enjoy free medical services at public healthcare institutions, as well as younger families who can now qualify for CHAS following the removal of the age floor on 1 January 2014.
Working closely with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), the Health Promotion Board (HPB) and grassroots organisations, MOH will continue to explore ways to target our outreach to the lower- and middle- income Singaporean households to encourage more eligible Singaporeans to sign up for the scheme. In particular, for residents of HDB rental flats, AIC has been conducting door-to-door visits together with grassroots leaders to assist them in their applications if required.
Never answer the question?
In my view, the Minister did not answer NCMP Mrs Lina Chiam’s question. 520,000 have signed up out of how many who are eligible?
I believe this number may be about a million by now.
Only 40% of HDB rental households signed up?
Since the 20,500 households in HDB rental flats is about 40% of all HDB rental households – does it mean that a whopping 30,750 or about 60% did not sign up?
Since the number on PA is only about 3,100 in 2013 – a lot of the 27,650 balance rental households who did not sign up must have Singaporeans are eligible.
Look good, but … ?
The above statistics can best be described as pathetic since the scheme was announced more than 2 years ago in August 2011.
I believe we have the income data. So, why make the scheme so difficult to apply – such that perhaps only half of those eligible todate have applied?
Leong Sze Hian
*Leong is the Past President of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, an alumnus of Harvard University, has authored 4 books, quoted over 1500 times in the media , has been host of a money radio show, a daily newspaper column, Wharton Fellow, SEACeM Fellow, columnist for Malaysiakini, executive producer of the movie Ilo Ilo (24 international awards). He has served as Honorary Consul of Jamaica and founding advisor to the Financial Planning Associations of Brunei and Indonesia. He has 3 Masters, 2 Bachelors and 13 professional qualifications.