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The social safety net in Singapore is “totally inadequate”: SDP’s Prof Paul Tambyah

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3 years ago

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The safety net in Singapore for post-COVID care is “totally inadequate”, said infectious diseases specialist and chairman of Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Professor Paul Tambyah.

“This VIFAP is a one-off thing. After that you’re on your own,” he added.

In an hour-long Facebook Live discussion, titled “Ask Paul Anything”, on Tuesday evening (17 Aug), Prof Tambyah responded to a question on whether the maximum S$225,000 compensation under the Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme (VIFAP) for those who experience severe adverse effects from the vaccine is enough, and whether the Government would provide long-term support beyond that.

He said that after the one-time payment, people are left to navigate the “complicated healthcare system” on their own. He added that the Government’s many-hands approach effectively means that many people will fall through the cracks.

The question referred to the recent news of a 16-year-old who suffered a cardiac arrest as a result of the COVID-19 vaccine. He received the highest payout under VIFAP for the category of death or permanent disability.

Noting that the inadequate social safety net in Singapore is a huge issue, Prof Tambyah cited an analysis who found that a majority of people with disabilities in Singapore are unemployed.

“This is something that needs to be dealt with,” he stressed.

Prof Tambyah continued, “The one good thing is that all over the world that is assisted technologies and so there is a possibility of things getting better. But currently, in Singapore, it’s up to you.

“It’s not established, it’s not easy, it’s not a structural thing. And the saddest thing, it’s not viewed as a right.

“So I think this is a huge structural gap in our society and unfortunately it’s out of the scope of this vaccinate assistance scheme.”

He went on to say that it is not just possible adverse effects from the vaccine that people need assistance with, but also the long-term effects of people who have been infected by COVID-19, referring to “long COVID”.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) explained that some people who have had COVID-19 continued to experience symptoms such as fatigue and respiratory and neurological symptoms in the long term, taking weeks or months to fully recover.

Prof Tambyah emphasised that there should be a better safety net in place for any kind of condition, whether precipitated by the disease itself or as a reaction to the vaccine.

Government should differentiate between those medically unable to be vaccinated vs those who chose not to

Over the course of the discussion, Prof Tambyah also spoke on the social impact of the vaccination programme, particularly the vaccination-differentiated approach that the Government has recently adopted.

Describing it as a “sensitive subject”, he noted that some people are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons. He also said that it is important to recognise that there are many reasons why people do not opt-in for vaccination.

Prof Tambyah then suggested that the Government should put in an exemption category when it comes to rules and policies to distinguish between people who are medically unable to be vaccinated and those who choose not to.

Using the example of the measles vaccine, Prof Tambyah explained that the vaccine is mandatory for any child entering Primary 1 at national schools. However, exemptions are made for children who cannot be vaccinated due to medical reasons.

On the flip side, if parents simply do not want to vaccinate their children for non-medical reasons, the Ministry of Education (MOE) will not allow them into national schools.

They then have the option of being either home-schooled or to enroll in a private institution.

Something similar could be implemented with the COVID-19 vaccine, Prof Tambyah suggested.

“It respects people’s choice but you have to pay the price,” he asserted.

“And unfortunately, that means that the rich and can do it and the poor can’t,” said Prof Tambyah, adding that this is another huge problem in Singapore that needs to be addressed.

Vaccination for short-term pass holders

Another point Prof Tambyah talked about during the live discussion was whether the Government should extend the vaccines to short-term pass holders.

As a proponent of this, he noted that a major lesson learned from the KTV outbreaks was that those women who were in Singapore on short-term visit passes were vulnerable yet were not vaccinated.

Prof Tambyah explained that many of Singapore’s cases right now are seeded from the fisheries port and KTV clusters, adding that many of the people there may not have been eligible for the vaccines because they were not long-term pass holders, permanent residents, or citizens.

“If you think about it with the benefit of hindsight, if every KTV hostess or STVP holder or even the fishermen coming into the fishery port were vaccinated, there’s a good chance we wouldn’t have the problems that we have right now,” he elaborated.

Just a day after Prof Tambyah’s live discussion, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced that short-term pass holders who have been in the country for an extended time are now eligible for free COVID-19 vaccines under the national vaccination programme.

In his discussion, Prof Tambyah posited that if vaccination was opened up to everyone right from the start – especially the vulnerable and those at high risk of transmission – the situation in Singapore would have turned out differently.

Watch the full discussion here:

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Hotel Properties Limited suspends trading ahead of Ong Beng Seng’s court hearing

Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), co-founded by Mr Ong Beng Seng, has halted trading ahead of his court appearance today (4 October). The announcement was made by HPL’s company secretary at about 7.45am, citing a pending release of an announcement. Mr Ong faces one charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts and another charge of obstruction of justice. He is due in court at 2.30pm.

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1 hour ago

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4 October 2024

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SINGAPORE: Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), the property and hotel developer co-founded by Mr Ong Beng Seng, has requested a trading halt ahead of the Singapore tycoon’s scheduled court appearance today (4 October) afternoon.

This announcement was made by HPL’s company secretary at approximately 7.45am, stating that the halt was due to a pending release of an announcement.

Mr Ong, who serves as HPL’s managing director and controlling shareholder, faces one charge under Section 165, accused of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts, as well as one charge of obstruction of justice.

He is set to appear in court at 2.30pm on 4 October.

Ong’s charges stem from his involvement in a high-profile corruption case linked to former Singaporean transport minister S Iswaran.

The 80-year-old businessman was named in Iswaran’s initial graft charges earlier this year.

These charges alleged that Iswaran had corruptly received valuable gifts from Ong, including tickets to the 2022 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, flights, and a hotel stay in Doha.

These gifts were allegedly provided to advance Ong’s business interests, particularly in securing contracts with the Singapore Tourism Board for the Singapore GP and the ABBA Voyage virtual concert.

Although Iswaran no longer faces the original corruption charges, the prosecution amended them to lesser charges under Section 165.

Iswaran pleaded guilty on 24 September, 2024, to four counts under this section, which covered over S$400,000 worth of gifts, including flight tickets, sports event access, and luxury items like whisky and wines.

Additionally, he faced one count of obstructing justice for repaying Ong for a Doha-Singapore flight shortly before the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) became involved.

On 3 October, Iswaran was sentenced to one year in jail by presiding judge Justice Vincent Hoong.

The prosecution had sought a sentence of six to seven months for all charges, while the defence had asked for a significantly reduced sentence of no more than eight weeks.

Ong, a Malaysian national based in Singapore, was arrested by CPIB in July 2023 and released on bail shortly thereafter. Although no charges were initially filed against him, Ong’s involvement in the case intensified following Iswaran’s guilty plea.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had earlier indicated that it would soon make a decision regarding Ong’s legal standing, which has now led to the current charges.

According to the statement of facts read during Iswaran’s conviction, Ong’s case came to light as part of a broader investigation into his associates, which revealed Iswaran’s use of Ong’s private jet for a flight from Singapore to Doha in December 2022.

CPIB investigators uncovered the flight manifest and seized the document.

Upon learning that the flight records had been obtained, Ong contacted Iswaran, advising him to arrange for Singapore GP to bill him for the flight.

Iswaran subsequently paid Singapore GP S$5,700 for the Doha-Singapore business class flight in May 2023, forming the basis of his obstruction of justice charge.

Mr Ong is recognised as the figure who brought Formula One to Singapore in 2008, marking the first night race in the sport’s history.

He holds the rights to the Singapore Grand Prix. Iswaran was the chairman of the F1 steering committee and acted as the chief negotiator with Singapore GP on business matters concerning the race.

 

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Current Affairs

Chee Soon Juan questions Shanmugam’s $88 million property sale amid silence from Mainstream Media

Dr Chee Soon Juan of the SDP raised concerns about the S$88 million sale of Mr K Shanmugam’s Good Class Bungalow at Astrid Hill, questioning transparency and the lack of mainstream media coverage. He called for clarity on the buyer, valuation, and potential conflicts of interest.

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2 weeks ago

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23 September 2024

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On Sunday (22 Sep), Dr Chee Soon Juan, Secretary General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), issued a public statement on Facebook, expressing concerns regarding the sale of Minister for Home Affairs and Law, Mr K Shanmugam’s Good Class Bungalow (GCB) at Astrid Hill.

Dr Chee questioned the transparency of the S$88 million transaction and the absence of mainstream media coverage despite widespread discussion online.

According to multiple reports cited by Dr Chee, Mr Shanmugam’s property was transferred in August 2023 to UBS Trustees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, which holds the property in trust under the Jasmine Villa Settlement.

Dr Chee’s statement focused on two primary concerns: the lack of response from Mr Shanmugam regarding the transaction and the silence of major media outlets, including Singapore Press Holdings and Mediacorp.

He argued that, given the ongoing public discourse and the relevance of property prices in Singapore, the sale of a high-value asset by a public official warranted further scrutiny.

In his Facebook post, Dr Chee posed several questions directed at Mr Shanmugam and the government:

  1. Who purchased the property, and is the buyer a Singaporean citizen?
  2. Who owns Jasmine Villa Settlement?
  3. Were former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and current Prime Minister Lawrence Wong informed of the transaction, and what were their responses?
  4. How was it ensured that the funds were not linked to money laundering?
  5. How was the property’s valuation determined, and by whom?

The Astrid Hill property, originally purchased by Mr Shanmugam in 2003 for S$7.95 million, saw a significant increase in value, aligning with the high-end status of District 10, where it is located. The 3,170.7 square-meter property was sold for S$88 million in August 2023.

Dr Chee highlighted that, despite Mr Shanmugam’s detailed responses regarding the Ridout Road property, no such transparency had been offered in relation to the Astrid Hill sale.

He argued that the lack of mainstream media coverage was particularly concerning, as public interest in the sale is high. Dr Chee emphasized that property prices and housing affordability are critical issues in Singapore, and transparency from public officials is essential to maintain trust.

Dr Chee emphasized that the Ministerial Code of Conduct unambiguously states: “A Minister must scrupulously avoid any actual or apparent conflict of interest between his office and his private financial interests.”

He concluded his statement by reiterating the need for Mr Shanmugam to address the questions raised, as the matter involves not only the Minister himself but also the integrity of the government and its responsibility to the public.

The supposed sale of Mr Shamugam’s Astrid Hill property took place just a month after Mr Shanmugam spoke in Parliament over his rental of a state-owned bungalow at Ridout Road via a ministerial statement addressing potential conflicts of interest.

At that time, Mr Shanmugam explained that his decision to sell his home was due to concerns about over-investment in a single asset, noting that his financial planning prompted him to sell the property and move into rental accommodation.

The Ridout Road saga last year centred on concerns about Mr Shanmugam’s rental of a sprawling black-and-white colonial bungalow, occupying a massive plot of land, managed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), which he oversees in his capacity as Minister for Law. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, also rented a similarly expansive property nearby.

Mr Shanmugam is said to have recused himself from the decision-making process, and a subsequent investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) found no wrongdoing while Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean confirmed in Parliament that Mr Shanmugam had removed himself from any decisions involving the property.

As of now, Mr Shanmugam has not commented publicly on the sale of his Astrid Hill property.

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