To me the biggest failure is that too many elderly people are cleaning tables at food courts or washing public toilets instead of playing with their grandchildren at home.
In worse cases, they collect used cardboards for sale or sleep in street corners.
Retirement age is 65 and the government has said it wants to raise it to 69.
But, an extensive practice of bosses replacing workers once they reach 50 with younger, cheaper people – particularly foreigners – has made retirement age a bit redundant.
Many Singaporeans believe that the government should use the city’s huge reserves to take care of the older generation which had contributed much to build this country.
Some have appealed for a minimum wage structure, which is vehemently rejected.
“Instead of investing them in foreign ventures we use the reserves to provide S$200-S$300 (RM488-RM730) a month to every citizen once they reach retirement age,” suggested a reader.
That is unlikely to happen.
http://thestar.com.my/columnists/st...ightdownsouth/11017095&sec=Insight Down South