<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>22119.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>NS and benefits enjoyed by PRs top dialogue with PM Lee
By S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 October 2009 2346 hrs
SINGAPORE : National service for new arrivals and ideas to help integrate permanent residents and new citizens with Singaporeans were some of the issues discussed with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during his hour-long dialogue with women professionals on Thursday.
The dialogue was attended by representatives from 25 women's organisations.
Besides raising several issues, they also spoke of their experiences. These concerned Singapore's education system, national service for new citizens, and benefits enjoyed by citizens and permanent residents.
Mr Lee said: "I have to have a clear distinction between citizens, and non-citizens and between citizens who do NS and citizens who have not done NS. And that is what we have tried to do. That is why every few years we have a RECORD Committee, and we have to make a clearer distinction between the citizens and the PRs.
"When it comes to education fees, we have widened the difference between citizens and PRs and we will continue to widen (it). Similarly healthcare, in our hospitals, PRs pay significantly more than citizens in all classes of wards, and that also gradually we will widen.
"And then between the PRs and the foreigners, we have another clear differentiation in treatment. So I cannot make it completely flat because intrinsically it is not comparable.
"But I can redress some of this sense of 'not quite fair', and we can do more of these measures. But I cannot stop people bringing the people in, and unfortunately I cannot do away with NS."
Some mothers suggested that national service be broken up, instead of two years at a go.
Mr Lee responded: "It is better to have the two years as one block and compact it. From the SAF point of view, it is better because two years as one block, I am genuinely making full use of the soldier... train, go on course, become a specialist or officer, posted to a unit, train to operate a unit and become a proper operational which can actually deploy and fight and then ORD. If I do it three months here, six months there, I am just pretending to have a battalion."
Mr Lee stressed that the challenges faced by Singapore - be it the economic crisis or population shortfall - cannot be solved by the government alone. All Singaporeans must unite to tackle them together. - CNA/ms
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By S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 October 2009 2346 hrs
SINGAPORE : National service for new arrivals and ideas to help integrate permanent residents and new citizens with Singaporeans were some of the issues discussed with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during his hour-long dialogue with women professionals on Thursday.
The dialogue was attended by representatives from 25 women's organisations.
Besides raising several issues, they also spoke of their experiences. These concerned Singapore's education system, national service for new citizens, and benefits enjoyed by citizens and permanent residents.
Mr Lee said: "I have to have a clear distinction between citizens, and non-citizens and between citizens who do NS and citizens who have not done NS. And that is what we have tried to do. That is why every few years we have a RECORD Committee, and we have to make a clearer distinction between the citizens and the PRs.
"When it comes to education fees, we have widened the difference between citizens and PRs and we will continue to widen (it). Similarly healthcare, in our hospitals, PRs pay significantly more than citizens in all classes of wards, and that also gradually we will widen.
"And then between the PRs and the foreigners, we have another clear differentiation in treatment. So I cannot make it completely flat because intrinsically it is not comparable.
"But I can redress some of this sense of 'not quite fair', and we can do more of these measures. But I cannot stop people bringing the people in, and unfortunately I cannot do away with NS."
Some mothers suggested that national service be broken up, instead of two years at a go.
Mr Lee responded: "It is better to have the two years as one block and compact it. From the SAF point of view, it is better because two years as one block, I am genuinely making full use of the soldier... train, go on course, become a specialist or officer, posted to a unit, train to operate a unit and become a proper operational which can actually deploy and fight and then ORD. If I do it three months here, six months there, I am just pretending to have a battalion."
Mr Lee stressed that the challenges faced by Singapore - be it the economic crisis or population shortfall - cannot be solved by the government alone. All Singaporeans must unite to tackle them together. - CNA/ms
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