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- Dec 30, 2010
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Chan Chun Sing twisted the question into this form in order to knock down the idea. This is not engagement. It is contortion and misrepresentation in order to avoid engagement.
A good government will always have a multiplicity of help schemes for the poor and underprivileged. Each help scheme will have its own set of eligibility and means-testing criteria, simply because each help scheme seeks to address a specific need. But precisely because there’s a multiplicity of programmes, each with varying criteria, it becomes too complex for the public to have an easy grasp of whether we’re moving forwards or backwards.
A simple measure like a poverty line is a rough indicator but a useful one to know how we’re doing. Nobody is suggesting that it becomes the only criterion for receiving state support; nobody is arguing for a “cliff effect”.
Secondly, a poverty line helps direct resources a little better. Without it, there’s a tendency to sit back and say, we have all these schemes and it’s up to the indigent folks to approach us for help. The reality is that the indigent also tend to be cut off from information because of economic deprivation. Having an at-risk indicator like a poverty line helps social help providers to know who they should pro-actively approach with the possibility of offering help. Which doors should we knock on?
Chan’s answer reinforces a general view about this government. They really do not want to provide social assistance. At heart they really do believe in trickle-down and little else. They only get into social assistance when they can’t avoid it and a problem is staring them in the face. More effort is spent trying to excuse themselves from doing anything, rather than propel themselves to deliver assistance. Twisting Yee’s words in order to avoid accepting the value of having an official poverty line is entirely consistent with this government’s character.
- http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2013/10/27/one-quarter-of-singapore-households-below-poverty-line/
A good government will always have a multiplicity of help schemes for the poor and underprivileged. Each help scheme will have its own set of eligibility and means-testing criteria, simply because each help scheme seeks to address a specific need. But precisely because there’s a multiplicity of programmes, each with varying criteria, it becomes too complex for the public to have an easy grasp of whether we’re moving forwards or backwards.
A simple measure like a poverty line is a rough indicator but a useful one to know how we’re doing. Nobody is suggesting that it becomes the only criterion for receiving state support; nobody is arguing for a “cliff effect”.
Secondly, a poverty line helps direct resources a little better. Without it, there’s a tendency to sit back and say, we have all these schemes and it’s up to the indigent folks to approach us for help. The reality is that the indigent also tend to be cut off from information because of economic deprivation. Having an at-risk indicator like a poverty line helps social help providers to know who they should pro-actively approach with the possibility of offering help. Which doors should we knock on?
Chan’s answer reinforces a general view about this government. They really do not want to provide social assistance. At heart they really do believe in trickle-down and little else. They only get into social assistance when they can’t avoid it and a problem is staring them in the face. More effort is spent trying to excuse themselves from doing anything, rather than propel themselves to deliver assistance. Twisting Yee’s words in order to avoid accepting the value of having an official poverty line is entirely consistent with this government’s character.
- http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2013/10/27/one-quarter-of-singapore-households-below-poverty-line/
