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[h=2]Stop PRs from gaming the system[/h]Posted by theonlinecitizen on November 25, 2011 82 Comments
18
The following is a letter from a TOC reader
by Erica Lim/
I am disappointed that one in three permanent residents liable for national service choose not to serve, by renouncing their PR status prior to serving NS (“8,800 PRs served NS in last five years”, 23 Nov 2011; The Straits Times).
My father, brother and boyfriend have all served NS, as will any male child I may have in the future. I understand the sacrifices that families and individuals have to make for the sake of their country.
PRs receive numerous taxpayer-funded benefits during their time in Singapore, including a 91 per cent subsidy in primary and secondary education and a 70 and 75 per cent subsidy for university and polytechnic education respectively (“Education subsidy for PRs”, 22 Nov 2011; The Straits Times).
In healthcare, PRs receive a 40 to 65 per cent subsidy for services in public and restructured hospitals (“Rights, Privileges & Obligations of Singapore Citizens & Permanent Residents”, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority of Singapore). PRs are also eligible to purchase public housing units on the resale market.
It is therefore disheartening to know that even after receiving so many benefits from the Singapore system, one in three PRs who should serve NS choose not to.
These are their most productive years in terms of their contributions to Singapore, both as individuals involved in the defence of the nation and also as working, tax-paying adults thereafter.
More proactive action has to be taken against such people who choose to take from the country but not give back in measure.
For one, they should be made to return the amount of money that has been subsidised from the education and healthcare services that they have received from the country.
Such measures are only fair to differentiate committed stakeholders who risk life and limb in the service of the nation, including the two-thirds of liable PRs who do serve NS, and those who simply look to game the system for their own benefit.
18
The following is a letter from a TOC reader
by Erica Lim/
I am disappointed that one in three permanent residents liable for national service choose not to serve, by renouncing their PR status prior to serving NS (“8,800 PRs served NS in last five years”, 23 Nov 2011; The Straits Times).
My father, brother and boyfriend have all served NS, as will any male child I may have in the future. I understand the sacrifices that families and individuals have to make for the sake of their country.
PRs receive numerous taxpayer-funded benefits during their time in Singapore, including a 91 per cent subsidy in primary and secondary education and a 70 and 75 per cent subsidy for university and polytechnic education respectively (“Education subsidy for PRs”, 22 Nov 2011; The Straits Times).
In healthcare, PRs receive a 40 to 65 per cent subsidy for services in public and restructured hospitals (“Rights, Privileges & Obligations of Singapore Citizens & Permanent Residents”, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority of Singapore). PRs are also eligible to purchase public housing units on the resale market.
It is therefore disheartening to know that even after receiving so many benefits from the Singapore system, one in three PRs who should serve NS choose not to.
These are their most productive years in terms of their contributions to Singapore, both as individuals involved in the defence of the nation and also as working, tax-paying adults thereafter.
More proactive action has to be taken against such people who choose to take from the country but not give back in measure.
For one, they should be made to return the amount of money that has been subsidised from the education and healthcare services that they have received from the country.
Such measures are only fair to differentiate committed stakeholders who risk life and limb in the service of the nation, including the two-thirds of liable PRs who do serve NS, and those who simply look to game the system for their own benefit.
