6th April 2011
OPEN LETTER TO SM GOH CHOK TONG
Dear SM Goh,
Todayonline, 5th April, 2011 reported that you ridiculed farmers
in less developed countries that they have no understanding
about quality of life. It is embarrassing that a senior statesman
like yourself has such a narrow vision of quality of life. What kind
of message do you intend to give to the younger generation? It
also insults people like us who depend on land and nature for
survival.
Your definition of quality of life seem to be amassing money to a
degree that exceeds sanity and morality. Please pause and think
that 99.9% of the population on earth does not have the privilege
like yourself to collect a salary of $3.8 million, plus your pension,
plus bonus payment, plus director’s fees, etc. Does it imply that
most of us lack any meaningful quality of life?
I live a simple and comfortable retired life with my wife for less
than S$1,200 a month* or what you made in less than an hour.
We built our own modest 1,500 sq feet house in Sechelt, Canada
for less than the price of a 4 room HDB flat. It has a view that
rivals the best in Singapore. I do fishing, crab trapping, picking
wild berries, attending to my fruit trees and some vegetables. We
do all our house chores like marketing, cooking, washing and
keeping the house clean and tidy without any maid or outside
help.
You may call it “low quality of life” but we enjoy ourselves
tremendously and found true happiness in what we do. There is
no shame in using our hands. In fact we are proud that, in our
mid sixties, we are able to live independently and survive happily
largely on nature. It may be something rich people like yourself
think otherwise.
To verify and lend creditability to my story, I challenge you to
send reporters and spend a week living in my house and write a
report of their stay. One of the reporters can be from Straits
Times and the other must be from a neutral news media.
I am willing to put S $10,000 in trust with a reputable law firm to
reimburse the two reporters for their cost of travel if they find
what I said not to be true. However, you should also put up
S$10,000 to reimburse those people you have insulted who live
on nature. I will donate this amount to a charity organization.
The S$10,000 is a huge amount for a retiree like me. On the
other hand, S$10,000 is definitely peanuts for you. You make
that in less time than going to the bathroom. Sir, please put
money where your mouth is and prove me wrong.
Looking forward to your early reply.
Yours Respectfully,
Cheong Wing Lee
Sechelt, B.C
Canada.
* Cost of living breakdown per month: Groceries $400, travel
and petrol $100, sinking fund $100, utilities (gas, electricity,
water) $40, TV cable $75, fishing and crab license $5, general
expenses $300 to 400. (No mortgage or car payments)
https://picasaweb.google.com/retiredwing/SecheltSuns
OPEN LETTER TO SM GOH CHOK TONG
Dear SM Goh,
Todayonline, 5th April, 2011 reported that you ridiculed farmers
in less developed countries that they have no understanding
about quality of life. It is embarrassing that a senior statesman
like yourself has such a narrow vision of quality of life. What kind
of message do you intend to give to the younger generation? It
also insults people like us who depend on land and nature for
survival.
Your definition of quality of life seem to be amassing money to a
degree that exceeds sanity and morality. Please pause and think
that 99.9% of the population on earth does not have the privilege
like yourself to collect a salary of $3.8 million, plus your pension,
plus bonus payment, plus director’s fees, etc. Does it imply that
most of us lack any meaningful quality of life?
I live a simple and comfortable retired life with my wife for less
than S$1,200 a month* or what you made in less than an hour.
We built our own modest 1,500 sq feet house in Sechelt, Canada
for less than the price of a 4 room HDB flat. It has a view that
rivals the best in Singapore. I do fishing, crab trapping, picking
wild berries, attending to my fruit trees and some vegetables. We
do all our house chores like marketing, cooking, washing and
keeping the house clean and tidy without any maid or outside
help.
You may call it “low quality of life” but we enjoy ourselves
tremendously and found true happiness in what we do. There is
no shame in using our hands. In fact we are proud that, in our
mid sixties, we are able to live independently and survive happily
largely on nature. It may be something rich people like yourself
think otherwise.
To verify and lend creditability to my story, I challenge you to
send reporters and spend a week living in my house and write a
report of their stay. One of the reporters can be from Straits
Times and the other must be from a neutral news media.
I am willing to put S $10,000 in trust with a reputable law firm to
reimburse the two reporters for their cost of travel if they find
what I said not to be true. However, you should also put up
S$10,000 to reimburse those people you have insulted who live
on nature. I will donate this amount to a charity organization.
The S$10,000 is a huge amount for a retiree like me. On the
other hand, S$10,000 is definitely peanuts for you. You make
that in less time than going to the bathroom. Sir, please put
money where your mouth is and prove me wrong.
Looking forward to your early reply.
Yours Respectfully,
Cheong Wing Lee
Sechelt, B.C
Canada.
* Cost of living breakdown per month: Groceries $400, travel
and petrol $100, sinking fund $100, utilities (gas, electricity,
water) $40, TV cable $75, fishing and crab license $5, general
expenses $300 to 400. (No mortgage or car payments)
https://picasaweb.google.com/retiredwing/SecheltSuns
