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ST poll: 80% against name change of Jurong hospital
A MAJORITY of Straits Times readers who participated in an online poll felt that Jurong General Hospital should not have been renamed Ng Teng Fong Hospital after its biggest donor.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan had announced in Parliament last Friday that Jurong General Hospital would be renamed Ng Teng Fong Hospital, after the family of the late property tycoon donated $125 million to the hospital.
Slated to open in 2014, the hospital is fully funded by the Government but private donations provide additional assistance to needy patients, among other services.
The name change prompted our reader Andy Lim to write in to The Straits Times Forum earlier this week, asking if it was appropriate to name a public hospital after its largest donor, and proposing that the hospital be renamed after the man credited with the transformation of Jurong - Dr Goh Keng Swee - instead.
Of the nearly 800 readers who responded to our online poll, 78.4 per cent agreed that Jurong General Hospital should not have been renamed after its biggest donor.
Here is a selection of the comments we received:
Non-supporters
'It would be more appropriate to have a wing/ward of the hospital named after Ng Teng Fong in recognition of his sizeable donation. The hospital itself should bear a different name - one that reflects Singapore's medical history.' - tanxyme
'We should be thankful that someone generously donated a large sum of money, but a plaque would do.' - Anonymous
'A hospital's name must instantly reflect its location. Imagine someone being taken by ambulance to Ng Teng Fong Hospital... would the family know where it is at?' - Samuel Tiew
'For public institutions, two characteristics need to be fulfilled. Besides the donation, the life and work of the individual must be consistent with the message and value of the institution. Money alone does not carry naming rights at this level. Chair of a professorship, yes. A public building, no.' - Anonymous
'Public institutions should be named after national figures and heroes, not just those with deep pockets. Dr Goh Keng Swee would be a good example of one such hero of the nation.' - Anonymous
'If one were to secure the land, build the hospital and then hand it over to the government as a donation, then it would be OK to name the hospital after the donor.' - Anonymous
'If you donate out of sincerity, you shouldn't want it to be named after you. You should let the public vote for a name.' - Chris Chan SC
' I don't find it wrong to name the hospital after him. $125m is a lot of money... Would you donate even a million just to have your name on a building?' - Olivia Sin Leow
Supporters
'I think it's fine. It's also part of Singapore history. 50 years down the road, people will remember him the way they remember Tan Kah Kee, Lim Boon Seng, etc. Better than Jurong. Zero meaning.' - Ivy Teo
'It's a way to remember the generosity of people who help in many different ways...' - Anonymous
'Mr Ng Teng Fong is the King of Orchard Road. Without his contributions, some parts of Orchard Road wouldn't be what it is today. He had the vision and foresight... and contributed much to developing Singapore's commercial, industrial and residential properties.' - Leona Wong
Others
'A name is just a name. What matters most is that it brings benefits to mankind.' - Right Eye Man
'We should make a list of the people (who made important contributions) from the birth of the nation till now, and come up with a list of criteria (for naming buildings after them).' - David N
A MAJORITY of Straits Times readers who participated in an online poll felt that Jurong General Hospital should not have been renamed Ng Teng Fong Hospital after its biggest donor.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan had announced in Parliament last Friday that Jurong General Hospital would be renamed Ng Teng Fong Hospital, after the family of the late property tycoon donated $125 million to the hospital.
Slated to open in 2014, the hospital is fully funded by the Government but private donations provide additional assistance to needy patients, among other services.
The name change prompted our reader Andy Lim to write in to The Straits Times Forum earlier this week, asking if it was appropriate to name a public hospital after its largest donor, and proposing that the hospital be renamed after the man credited with the transformation of Jurong - Dr Goh Keng Swee - instead.
Of the nearly 800 readers who responded to our online poll, 78.4 per cent agreed that Jurong General Hospital should not have been renamed after its biggest donor.
Here is a selection of the comments we received:
Non-supporters
'It would be more appropriate to have a wing/ward of the hospital named after Ng Teng Fong in recognition of his sizeable donation. The hospital itself should bear a different name - one that reflects Singapore's medical history.' - tanxyme
'We should be thankful that someone generously donated a large sum of money, but a plaque would do.' - Anonymous
'A hospital's name must instantly reflect its location. Imagine someone being taken by ambulance to Ng Teng Fong Hospital... would the family know where it is at?' - Samuel Tiew
'For public institutions, two characteristics need to be fulfilled. Besides the donation, the life and work of the individual must be consistent with the message and value of the institution. Money alone does not carry naming rights at this level. Chair of a professorship, yes. A public building, no.' - Anonymous
'Public institutions should be named after national figures and heroes, not just those with deep pockets. Dr Goh Keng Swee would be a good example of one such hero of the nation.' - Anonymous
'If one were to secure the land, build the hospital and then hand it over to the government as a donation, then it would be OK to name the hospital after the donor.' - Anonymous
'If you donate out of sincerity, you shouldn't want it to be named after you. You should let the public vote for a name.' - Chris Chan SC
' I don't find it wrong to name the hospital after him. $125m is a lot of money... Would you donate even a million just to have your name on a building?' - Olivia Sin Leow
Supporters
'I think it's fine. It's also part of Singapore history. 50 years down the road, people will remember him the way they remember Tan Kah Kee, Lim Boon Seng, etc. Better than Jurong. Zero meaning.' - Ivy Teo
'It's a way to remember the generosity of people who help in many different ways...' - Anonymous
'Mr Ng Teng Fong is the King of Orchard Road. Without his contributions, some parts of Orchard Road wouldn't be what it is today. He had the vision and foresight... and contributed much to developing Singapore's commercial, industrial and residential properties.' - Leona Wong
Others
'A name is just a name. What matters most is that it brings benefits to mankind.' - Right Eye Man
'We should make a list of the people (who made important contributions) from the birth of the nation till now, and come up with a list of criteria (for naming buildings after them).' - David N
