The Straits Times
May 25, 2009 | 8:00 PM
We're too
mollycoddled
MANY Singaporeans see Government help as an entitlement, something
they would tap on as a first port of call rather than as a last
resort, said a backbencher in Parliament on Monday.
Mr Sam Tan, MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, is worried that Singaporeans
might have been so mollycoddled by the Government that they have
become 'practised at the craft of recession cushioning', and so
accustomed to the government largesse.
'Each time the economy shows signs of slowing down, we've the NTUC
and the e2i coming out to the forefront to job match, provide
training, reduce retrenchment,' he said in his speech on the
President's address.
'We've Ministry of National Development pump-priming with
infrastructure projects. We've, of course, the Ministry of
Communications, Youth and Sports and its numerous help
schemes.'
Making clear that he is 'not diminishing the efforts' of civil
servants and unionists, Mr Tan added: 'I am, however, wondering
what the true impact of all these efforts are.
'Suppose you're the father of an eight-year-old boy who wants to
learn how to cycle. Do you line the streets with cushions so that
he would not hurt himself if he loses his balance?
'Do you brace his knees, and every conceivable part of his
exposedbody with padding? You might, if you were an extremely
protective father. But a commonsensical approach would be to let
the boy have a go at it himself, and take the knocks and spills as
they come.
'A boy who's mollycoddled is a very different person from the one
who is physically tough and take the spills without fear, and
whining. The latter, I think could be the approach that we take
towards helping Singaporeans during tough times.'
Citing an example to back his point, Mr Tan said recently he has
seen many residents, especially the elderly, come and see him at
meet-the-people sessions.
'The difference is that while in the past, many of them would be
hesitant to do so, and would rely on their children first. Today,
many see the government help as an entitlement, something that they
should tap on as a first port of call, rather than a last
resort.
'I want to spare my children the burden of caring for me', they
tell me. I am frankly astonished and dismayed, for my traditional
Confucius values tell me that it is the natural obligation for
children to look after their parents, and for the parents to be
cared for by their children when they grow old.
'I would sometimes tell them 'You should let the children care for
you, not the state, not because this is a good public policy
(although it is), not because society expects it (although it
might), but because it is the right thing to do.
'It is filial piety, one of the most fundamental values of the
human race.'
*************************
Some excerpts from CNA forum:
mollycoddled indeed... Pls give us back our CPF
$
MP are there to serve its citiZens, if this is
other countries, the MP would be long gone. Only in Singapore do we
hear of MP critizing its citizen's and ball carrying the
govt.
Last time I checked, this country does not have
social security safety net?
What can we coodlemoodle on?
Just shows how disconnected the elites are,
sitting in their ivory towers. Haiz.
last time...the children no need to pay high and
expensive HDB....!
what is the MP talking abt....? this is the needs of the people
whom vote him in....or din they ???
The fundamental values of a MP is to serve the
people, and now, he complains about his job?
Last time, the gov is seen as humble servants with low pay serving
the people, but now, they see themselves as lords & kings, and
the most absurd is that being highly paid is an entitlement to
exchange for their honesty, transparency & integrity? They also
perverted certain ideals, and now complains about the people.
Haha....
Why should I choose you as a leader if all you do
is ask me to take care of myself??????????????
does it take one to know one really? does he feel
mollycoddled as a backbencher in lky's GRC really? maybe he is
actually signalling PAP to let him run in a single seat ward for
the coming elections really?
last tum they said we are lesser mortals now they
say we're molly wateva... next tum say wat leh? 
all they say is right lor official word got 2 mouths 官字两个口mah...
Yup, we are too mollycoddled when compared to
other countries like Aussie and US. They dun even need to
ask.
Haizzzz...........So insensitive......Please say
this during election.
if sporean not MOLLYCODDLED.
how do the country produced such kiasu n kisai citizens who obey
like a dog. how do garment ppl receive such world class pay cheques
when some ppl in this country are worrying for their next
meal.
yah, they have to hide in GRCs helmed by the
ministers and dare not take on a fight in single ward by
themselves. who's mollycoddled here?
an MP that has never truly got the support of its residents thru
his own merit.... i dare him to win a ward by himself before
spewing such criticisms.
A lesson for leadership:
Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you
their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have
either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not
care. Either case is a failure of leadership.
- Colin Powell
Now I know why they 'purposely' lose billions of
dollars of our reserves. If we do not have a fat reserves, then
Sporeans would not be able to tap Govt as a first port of call as
recession cushioning. They will then have to fend for
themselves.
Let us do away with CPF and Income taxes to test the strength of
our Govt and their survival skills.
