Please don't conflate 'Flexibility' with having to increase GST ...$$$ does not grow on trees.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inix Re thread (HWZ): Malaki Osman should reflect if Islam really wants to cause hardship to all poor by increasing GST to indirectly sponsor Muslim Haj... I don't know whats wrong with you, but the Haj is just an example that the government is using. People want to withdraw $$ from their CPF from a variety of reasons. Maybe they have a family emergency. Maybe they want a Holiday. Maybe they NEED a holiday. Maybe they need a new home. Maybe their family need money. Its a choice. The Haj, to Muslims isn't so much as a choice. They are compelled to go if they can. Its like many elderly Chinese, who feels a need to go back to their former hometown. They might be born and raised here, but some people still feels that they need to visit where their forefathers were brought up. This is normal. And if CPF, which is a mandatory retirement savings scheme can help them do that, I see this as a plus. Allowing people to withdraw their CPF does not automatically entails that GST must increase. It just means that we will have a bit more flexibility.

Even before Roy Ngerng started the whole CPF hoo ha (circa 2014), PAP had already revealed its intent to raise GST (March2012 article (#Tharman) as annexed above), what more if the minimum sum CPF rule is eroded by various excuse exceptions by differing racial groups for 'necessities' as they claim ranging from need to invest for 'higher returns' to 'higher calling' such as the Haj or even 'inner callings' like the urge to visit casino???!!!

Unless U are on the side of people who insist on s****ping NS and CPF totally (like anarchist), u should understand WHY basic rules such as CPF Minimum sum and NS exists: the former to protect national soil, the latter to protect citizens against Singapore degenerating into a bankrupt welfare state: by ensuring that every citizen has access to a MINIMUM monthly self-funded pension scheme.
As it is, I understand that S$155,000 in the retirement account will yield the member a S$1200 p.m. payout after age 65yrs for life although those with a property pledge (cannot sell the property IIRC) are entitled to reduce the minimum sum amount by half, and receive S$600 p.m. pension/ annuity payment.

Already, the majority of Singaporeans think that S$1200 is below their expectations of $2000p.m. pension which would require a minimum sum of S$250,000 to fulfill so S$155k is already the barest of minimum just like the NS period CANNOT be shorter than 2 yrs to fulfill national defence requirements.

For Muslims insistent on going for the Haj, those with a property pledge can cut down their CPF minimum sum requirement to S$75k after withdrawing the rest: and subsist upon a meagre S$600p.m. pension for the rest of their lives (inflation notwithstanding). For those without a property pledge, S$1200p.m. is the barest of minimum given to subsist in Singapore: any less will probably be a sickly choice and place them dependent on gahmen handouts and freebies given to the high cost of rentals etc in Singapore. Such freebies would MOST LIKELY have to be sought from the raising of GST which is in itself a self-fulfilling prophecy towards the neglect of the poor since the poor are the most affected by taxes in the form of inflation/GST increase.

Medical treatment in Singapore is supposed to be world class and also heavily subsidised (medifund) so I doubt any genuine emergency exists. As for the Haj, Chinese returning to ancestor villages or even a casino visit, these could have been planned for much earlier, by buying less 4D/Toto play cards, smoking less or abstaining from alcohol altogether and working harder and smarter....

It is the worst kind of people, the most dishonest are those who who veil with the excuse of 'flexibility': their actual intentions to make society foot the bill for their selfish personal extra-cirricular interest. As mentioned, even the Haj is optional in so far as it causes excess hardship: surely then, hardship imposed on the poor and needy in society CANNOT be the acceptable outcome/ choice. Or can it???!!!

It would be a travesty if stealing from the poor (viz covert increase in GST) were the path to heaven. The walkovers/ coat-tails Muslim PAP MP in question needs to urgently clarify his ill-conceived suggestion of special exceptions for Haj going Muslims from the CPF Minimum sum scheme.

And neither should a drug addict be granted any 'flexibility' to access his next 'quick fix': no if's, and's or but's allowed.

I hope U can thus understand the policy principles/intentions behind NS/ the CPF Minimum sum scheme.

(Pict sauce)

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