It's time to take your medicine.. Say 'Aaah...'

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PM Lee prescribes bitter medicine - again

Saturday, 29 November 2008, 7:53 am 1,798 views

Andrew Loh / Deputy Editor

In February this year, I wrote a piece titled, Bitter medicine prescription - with a little spin thrown in. It was in response to the Parliamentary debate on the budget. Nine months later, we revisit the comments and remarks by some People’s Action Party (PAP) Members of Parliament (MP) made in February and in 2007.

In the earlier article, I asked:

With the cost of living increasing at an alarming rate and inflation breaching record levels, one wonders when Singaporeans will get to “enjoy” the fruits of this so-called “golden era”.

Well, it looks like we will have to wait a little while longer because, just today – 28 November – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that “there is still bitter medicine to be taken” (CNA), echoing what he said in 2007 with regards to the GST hike:

“Is it better to take your medicine sooner or stretch it out? Take medicine once or two times? I prefer to take my medicine early…” he said then. (CNA)

Then as now, he did not say how long more Singaporeans will have to swallow such “bitter medicine”, of course. But all projections say that the current downturn will last between two to three years. So, that gives us an idea of how much longer the “doctor” will have to prescribe his everlasting “bitter pills”.

But wait.

Were we not told of all the nice things that will happen to us if we took our “bitter medicine” in 2007? During the debate in Parliament on the Budget (and the GST hike) that year, various PAP MPs defended the Government.

MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Lee Bee Wah, was reported by the Straits Times thus:

On Ms Lim’s criticism of the timing of the GST hike, she said it was better to raise the tax now while the economy was doing well, rather then wait till things took a turn for the worse. Using a Hokkien phrase, she warned against ‘looking for a toilet only when one needs to pass motion’, a comment that evoked laughter from the House. (Link)

I think Singaporeans are the ones looking for the toilet now, with the bitter pill seemingly a laxative, rather than any actual relief.

Various PAP MPs all had very high praises for the budget then – calling it ‘comprehensive and forward-thinking’, ‘good-intentioned’, one which was ‘made in heaven’, ‘inclusive and a landmark Budget’, ‘pragmatic, innovative and exemplary’, a ‘viable alternative to welfare’, ‘generous and forward-looking’.

Dr Fatimah Lateef was ecstatic, almost in a trance, one would think, in her praise:

Let me share with her (NCMP Sylvia Lim) that nowhere else in the world can you get a Budget which includes love and compassion in abundance as this one.

Well, as they say, love and compassion won’t fill your stomachs.

And so more “bitter medicine” is needed – even after more than a year.

More “bitter medicine” and “bitter pills” for Singaporeans, of course, in case you’re still wondering. For the ministers, they have not-so-bitter medicine for themselves. In fact, just two months after that Parliamentary debate, ministers had the first of their scheduled 3-step pay hike in April 2007. The second rise came in January this year (2008).

What about Singaporeans?

Well, we saw record inflation – and a whole host of costs increases across the board; everything from rice to petrol, bus fares to milk powder. What Singaporeans experienced was a relentless rising cost of living in Singapore. Have a look at the list here but be careful, it might make you puke out the bitter medicine our white-shirted doctors are prescribing.

But lets be serious.

Dear Prime Minister, Singaporeans have taken bitter medicine for more than a year now – since you yourself prescribed it in Parliament in 2007 and you said that “once we have done it, we can move on.” (CNA)

Well, where are we moving on to now? More bitter pills?

Channel NewsAsia, on November 2008, reported you as having said:

Mr Lee said that while there is still bitter medicine to be taken, the Singapore government has put a bit more sugar coating on the pill. (CNA)

Dear Prime Minister, “sugar coating”?

You asked in 2007:

Is it better to take your medicine sooner or stretch it out? Take medicine once or two times?

Dear Prime Minister, I am beginning to feel that your medicine is not very good – or effective. They only seem to make your “patients” dependent on your prescriptions. You seem to take some morbid pleasure in using the term “bitter medicine” too. You have used it twice in two years.

Prime Minister, the very fact that you keep using the terms “bitter medicine” and “bitter pills” show me the insensitivity which you seem to display towards what Singaporeans are going through.

Perhaps you and your team should try and taste some of the bitter medicine you dish out so happily to Singaporeans.

Or perhaps Singaporeans should prescribe some bitter pills for you and your team – at the next General Elections.

Perhaps then, we can all be rid of such neverending sugar-coated bitter pills.

After all, under your leadership, all that Singaporeans seem to be doing these past years is swallowing bitter stuff – while at the same time, being told by you and your Government how exceptional a government you are and how Singapore is in a ‘golden period’.

Someone, certainly, is being fooled.

PM Lee prescribes bitter medicine - again : The Online Citizen - a community of singaporeans

Phewww...

Udah selesai semuanyaaaaa... Hehehe.. This is what my helper will say..

It has been really hectic this past couple of months. What with the moving to a new house, Hari Raya, Alsyha's 1st birthday bash, open house, housewarming, Nor's wedding and getting a helper.

All of the above went pretty well.. Alhamdulillah.. Of course there are hiccups along the way, but it was promptly dealt with..

I hope I did not offend anybody while I was out buzzing about. Honestly, I was soooooooooooooooooooo busy that there are days I just feel like hugging my baby all day instead of going to work. I needed 4-5 cups of coffee to keep me vertical all day. And once I hit the bed, nothing can wake me up.

I really miss doing nothing all day. I miss waking up at 11am. I miss going out with my family for fun. I miss watching movie uninterrupted. I miss hanging out with my friends and talk nonsense all day.

Now it's all work work work, chores, cooking, cleaning, laundry.. But sometimes, Alysha help to keep me grounded and keep me sane. She forces me to drop what I am doing and play with her. Or put her to sleep. We sang songs, read books, splash water while bathing even though I have 150 lines report to complete. In my mind, these moments are only going to be here for a while, the report can always be done later while she's asleep. So that explains the amount of coffee I drank per day.

You see, my sweet boss allow me to work from home whenever it is inconvenient to come to the office. The perks will be that I can wake up a little later, no mad peak hour rush, do my work in my pajamas, pray in the comfort of my bedroom.. But with Alysha around, she insists that I focus on her instead. So I get most of my work done while she takes her nap.

Here is the link to the pictures that Along took on Alysha's birthday party ----> http://thenurlibrary.fotopages.com/?entry=1714535&back=http://thenurlibrary.fotopages.com/?page=0

I didn't manage to snap any picture at all since I kept getting distracted throughout the event. I still can't believe that she is already ONE! It seems like only yesterday I brought her home from KKH. **sob** **sob**

The birthday girl..

Thanks for all who attended to Alysha's birthday party cum Hari Raya Open house cum Housewarming bringing cool gifts.. I hope you guys had fun on that day. But it sure can't beat Along's prezies.. She made a 2009 Calendar using Alysha's pictures from the day she was born till recently and a Winnie the Pooh bear bag. With sweet captions on those pictures. It was the sweetest and most thoughtful gift Alysha had ever received.. Thanks kak!! Gonna bring it to the office to use (and showoff) since Alysha is still too young to understand the concept of months.. Heehee..

On to Nor's wedding, it went smoothly.. Alhamdulillah.. She's still in Bali.. Honeymooning.. hehehe..Will be back this Sunday. There are some glitches on those 2 days but it was not so bad. The pictures aren't ready yet.. will share it here with you all once it is ready..

Previously whenever people asked me when I am going for number 2, I just stare at them like as if they are from another planet. Now? I'll just ask them to ask Nor when she's gonna have her numero UNO! Muahahaha.. Now it's her turn to stare at me like I am 1 crazy woman. Bleah~

Ok, I've finally gotten a domestic helper. Ya ya.. I know, I used to be against the idea of getting a maid. Especially after watching the youtube video of a maid abusing a baby. Ish.. scary lah.

But after weighing all the options, pros & cons.. I am left with no choice. It took me & Azmi such a long time, surveying for a suitable agent and maid till at last we found one. Kak Ogy has been really helpful to me. Even her payment terms are very flexible after I've confided in her about my current predicament. So off she went to Malang in East Java and got me a maid who had worked in Saudi Arabia.

So far so good.. Alhamdulillah.. She's worked with me for the past 1 week. Alysha has yet to bond with her but I can see that it's improving. Her main priority is to take care of Alysha and secondly is to do household chores. Since I am someone who is not so particular in doing chores, I tend to close one eye when it comes to how she does it. As long as it's clean, I am fine. A lot of people seems to be disagreeing with the way I am handling my helper. But come on.. Would you like to be treated that way in a foreign country? Someone mentioned that I shouldn't allow her into my bedroom, but in my house, my bedroom is connected to Alysha's room. So it doesn't make any sense for me to tell her not to come into my room. Moreover, she bathe Alysha in my bathroom, which is convenient since all of the stuffs is in there. She has enough sense in her NOT to come into my bedroom when Azmi is in there. And I do not see the logic that she would not respect me if I let her come into the masterbedroom. How is it that her respect for me will be gone once I let her step into my boudoir? What's the connection?

Sigh..  So I make sure that I treat her with as much kindness, respect and concern as I would like to be treated if I were to be in her shoes. If she betrayed my trust, there will be counseling. If that fails, then it's goodbye..

The reason she came here to work is because her dad is seriously ill. I can empathise with her situation. When she looked at Mak, she said Mak reminds her of her dad. Anyway, I am too soft-hearted to be cruel. Hehehe.. It's probably genetically coded into my DNA.

Ok lah. I don't want to jinx it all by saying too much. This has been a very long post. Hope to start updating it frequently again. Till then, au revoir~