Singaporeans asking for affordable healthcare, too

The recent announcement of free outpatient care for senior citizens in Malaysia has sparked calls for more affordable healthcare by Singaporean netizens.

Popular blogger Lucky Tan, who blogged on his Diary of a Singaporean Mind about the recent announcement, wrote: "Singaporeans are always leery about such schemes implemented in Malaysia. Quality of care, for example, is an issue.

"However, for the many seniors whose ailments are common like high blood pressure, gout, arthritis, the access to free medication will relieve their financial burden."

Tan also noted that the People's Action Party government in Singapore still made the sick pay taxes for goods and services.

He also claimed that the Singapore government expenditure on healthcare was the lowest among developed countries not by being cost-effective, but by passing the rising cost of medical care to the sick and their family members.

Tan's post on Wednesday quickly garnered comments from his Singaporean followers, many of which criticized the Singapore government for the rising healthcare costs in the country.

A user named Veritas criticized the Singapore government for not attempting to make healthcare affordable for Singaporeans.

"Its healthcare policies [are] skewed towards maximizing income for medical cartel," Veritas wrote.

Other anonymous users expressed anger at their ministers' hefty pay check and the government's defense expenditure.

Besides Tan's blog, Singaporeans went to other sites, including The Temasek Realm (the mirror site of Singaporean socio-political website Temasek Review), to call for cheaper healthcare. (mtq)