L - O - V - E makes the world go round.

Since young, I have never understood politics and I still don't today. All I know about successful living has been taught by papa. The fundamental word is spelt as
L - O - V - E. Papa has taught us that if we do things motivated by love, we will be truly successful. The most successful hawker is one who loves his customers enough to give his best when cooking for them. The most successful teacher is the one who loves her charges and the most successful property agent is the one who loves his work and who is passionate and sincere about helping his clients to the best of his ability. Hence, it is logical to conclude that the most successful politican is one who truly loves the people in his nation. I guess the reason why many politicians fail because outwardly it is, "I love my country" but inwardly it is, "I love myself."

Of late there has been a lot of unhappiness and discontent over the huge increase in ministerial pay. Also there has been a lot of wariness over the government's need for foreign talent.

I guess Singaporeans would not have reacted otherwise if the government has taken more pains to reach out to the poor and needy. I am not saying that nothing has been done. However, it would appear that what has been done is quite superficial.
The progress package had not reached every segment of the population.... of course the ones missing them would be the illiterate and lonely. I would prefer to see more homes for the aged and destitute being built by the government to keep the homeless and lonely. There are still people sleeping in void decks and these people should be rounded up and put in these homes. We do not want investors to come to world class Singapore and say, "Aiyoyo! (Gosh!) What is this? Look at all the lovely world class buildings! But there are still some people sleeping on the streets!"

It is futile and ironical that more incentives are given to mothers to have three and four and five children. What is the point of increasing the population when so little protection and security is given to our sons of the earth when they go for national service? I must admit I was horrified when I read of Lawrence Leow's plight. $500/- a month compensation is given! Lawrence could have earned a few thousand dollars a month, dating a beautiful lady and enjoying the fruits of his parents' labour! But now he is perpetually wheel chair bound unless a miracle takes place. Now he can only say, "Wah leow liah! (I am finished!) Why aren't our NS boys well insured? Is it because of the risk and danger of training that few insurance companies will take up the policies? Or is it because it will cost a lot more especially for those involved in more risky activities? The least Mindef can do is to give proper compensation to ensure that those wheel chair bound like Lawrence are adequately taken care of. These are our own sons who are ready to die for the nation. What compensation is given to the parents who sons died during national service either through accidents, heat stroke, dunking, etc.? Just a grand funeral service and after that, the families are left to suffer in pain and silence.?

If not for the recent mothers' day contests, we would never have known of the mothers who sacrificed so much for the family. We heard of the mother who pawned her jewellery in order to pay for medical fees for her son who was dangerously ill. To digress a litle, incidents like these make me appreciate papa's wisdom. He fought with mom to give his three daughters the best education he could afford, for he believed that it is imperative for women to be well educated so that should they end up marrying husbands who turn out to be rotten apples, they could still end up with good careers and provide for the family.

Sometimes I wonder how the NKF saga could have taken place. It pained me that a lot of the donations came from simple folks like taxi and bus drivers who gave faithfully from the little they earned and their money had gone to first class tickets and gold taps in the toilet! Only 10 cents out of every dollar had been spent on the needy kidney patients. It takes an incident like this for the government to tighten its reins on other charities. I sometimes wonder if unfavourable things must happen first before something is being done? I had written to Stomp about the confusing traffic lights between Dhoby Ghaut MRT and Parkmall 5 months ago. Must we wait for a pedestrian to be killed before something is being done to recitify and improve the timing of the two traffic lights.?

So much emphasis is given to attract foreign talents. "Work, live and play!" After work, walk home and come down to play.... all within the same location! While we appreciate that our government is doing its level best to attract foreign talents and investors, I hope it will never lose sight of the fundamentals... ie. be a filial son to take care of the aged, destitute, sick and helpless. These are the very people who had given their life to Singapore when it was still an island kampong.

I really cannot understand why our government officers must be paid so much. How does anyone spend so many millions a year? I appreciate now why Paul had emphasised on the importance of contentment. If a person does not know how to be contented, he will only want more and more! Just consider the late Nina Wang. With all the billions she had, she could not take a cent with her.

As I have said, I do not understand politics. I only wish PAP(A) could emulate my papa's examples.... papa was a humble man who left a legacy of love behind. He had touched the lives of countless people - from the poorest of the poor to the richest of the rich and the most powerful of the powerful.

If Mahatma Gandhi were alive today, he might include in his maxim, "A great nation is measured by the way the people treat the animals, as well as how the rulers treat
the people and how people treat one another." Love begets love and it is love, that makes the world go round.

Gan Chau