Honouring our pioneers

Hugues Delcourt

Country Executive Singapore & CEO Private Banking Asia & Middle East

ABN Amro Bank NV

THE government's efforts to honour and respect the country's pioneers is definitely commendable. I believe what is important is not only to look at what else the government can do, but what positive actions local and multinational companies can take to support this group of people. Corporations have a role to play in corporate citizenship. This could mean dedicating funding and resources, rallying our employees to volunteer their time and energy, and working with charitable organisations which focus on the well-being of this special generation.

At ABN Amro, we continue to engage in sustainable practices with a long-term view to making a difference in the communities we operate in, no matter how small these activities are. For us, it is a tough choice between the young and the elderly, but we hold a soft spot for the elderly and choose to focus our efforts on the less fortunate in this group who do not have the means to look after themselves. Last October, 144 of us in ABN Amro Singapore spent the day visiting and distributing hampers to elderly folks with the Home Nursing Association, and the bank and employees joined hands to raise over $30,000 for this group.

Someday we will all age. We must continue to care for and remember the contributions of not just this Pioneer Generation, but the many more generations to come.

Ronald Lee

Managing Director

PrimeStaff Management Services Pte Ltd

THE Pioneer Generation Package is a great initiative to honour Singapore's pioneers. This is especially so given our Asian culture, which strongly values virtues like filial piety. If not for these pioneers, Singapore would not be the thriving cosmopolitan city it is, nor have the global standing it bears today. We owe much to them for their contributions to nation-building and I am glad that the government has stepped forward to offer them lifetime medical benefits for a start.

While healthcare assistance is most critical for this older generation, it is also a very basic level of support. It would be wonderful if the authorities could come up with other ways to enhance the quality of life for these pioneers. Perhaps they could also look into honouring these individuals on a public platform through the grassroots organisations, and at a national level for some of the more notable pioneers.

Lim Soon Hock

Managing Director

Plan-B Icag Pte Ltd

IF the response from the representatives of the Pioneer Generation, who were at the Istana on Feb 9 to hear PM's announcement on honouring them, is anything to go by, I can safely say that it was very well received. It is also evident that it is not so much a matter of what benefits this special generation of Singaporeans will receive. Rather, what was more important was the sincere and open recognition by the government of the efforts and contributions of all of them, that touches the hearts of all.

It is good that the benefits package starts with healthcare perks, as this is what many of the pioneers will need and appreciate most. It is the first and necessary step to help our pioneers stay active in their golden years. In this regard, the government can do more by helping our pioneers stay employable, build financial security and provide homecare support. I also see this initiative by government as a gentle and subtle reminder to all that we should not forget the ''sources of our water''.

More often than not, when companies and individuals become successful, they inadvertently forget about the past. By this act of omission, instead of instilling more grace, kindness and humility in society, elitism and social immobility are promoted and entrenched, which is not good for Singapore. In this regard, the recognition of our pioneers has a larger benefit for Singapore, more than anything else which we can hope for in the package.

Zaheer K Merchant

Regional Director (Singapore & Europe)

Qi Group of Companies

IN terms of direct acknowledgement, Singapore has gone the extra mile in honouring the pioneers. The healthcare perks, top-ups and overall support are good. Segmentation may remain moot between the better off and less fortunate, but the steps taken are in the right direction. From the perspective of more comprehensive support, a broad-brush approach may not, however, be possible. Targeted analysis of those in most need of financial support is first necessary to ensure their financial security for their remaining years.

Seeing to basic housing and support for their insurance and healthcare costs, maintaining affordability and emplacing a plan or system for their needs in this connection becomes key post-creation of a sustainable income in the pioneers, are key to the welfare of the pioneers in their golden years. Finding ways to engage their skills or imparting them to the next generation, and their social integration in activities, are all rewarding elements which need not necessarily be purely financially related. These are aspects which can potentially leave a generational and long-lasting tribute to our pioneers.

Robin C Lee

Group COO

Bok Seng Group

THERE is generally a heartening feeling among both young and old with the efforts that the government is putting in to honour the country's pioneers. Any help to take care of their medical needs will be appreciated, especially in an environment where healthcare cost is escalating faster than any other goods and services. Money aside, we must also recognise that as one ages, family becomes more vital than ever. There is no amount of money or any other substitute for a family's love and care. Thus, we must persist in working hard to ensure that this society is made up of closely knit families where our seniors are well respected and taken care of.

Being a small island, there is really no reason for families to be far apart and not to care for their elders. We must continue to build and create an environment to encourage our citizens to continue to take care of their seniors. We can offer incentives for three or even more generations to stay together and care for each other. More potent incentives such as extra financial help in home care for lower-income families who take care of their aged parent and even some tax break for the affluent who have an aged parent under the same roof can be extended.

The culture of filial piety must be etched into our Singaporean society. There is no other better gift that our country's pioneers can ask for than having their loved ones loving and caring for them.

Dora Hoan

Co-Chairman / Group CEO

Best World International Ltd

WHILE there is not so much formal recognition of the pioneers, there have been various indirect attempts, such as the subtle portrayal on TV and occasional cash gifts from the government as well as support from voluntary organisations. Nevertheless, Singapore is going to go one step further.

The Pioneer Generation Package will not only honour the senior citizens who helped build the nation, but also provide practical help in subsidising their healthcare costs. Hopefully, with this, the elderly can have some spare cash and time to really enjoy themselves. After their contributions towards nation-building, they deserve to spend their remaining lives with peace of mind.

David Leong

Managing Director

PeopleWorldwide Consulting Pte Ltd

THE Pioneer Generation deserves more than accolades and fanfare. The Prime Minister's re-balancing of the government's priorities for the Pioneer Generation is a huge social commitment and a good step forward.

The life-cycle needs evolve and for those 65 and older, the main concerns are affordable healthcare, affordable housing and whether they can continue to work to sustain themselves. In today's high-cost and fast-paced Singapore, the pressure of supporting ageing parents is very high. Many families in the lower socio-economic group either struggle or give up supporting their parents. When that happens, the burden of support shifts to the government. Increasingly, this trend is becoming pronounced and more social spending will have to be enacted to ensure that the abandoned elderly will get access to help one way or another.

As our society is fast-ageing, it is imperative for the government to set up a framework of support. Healthcare 3'M's should be augmented and be made sustainable. Secondly, the government must let the Pioneer Generation be able to capitalise on their enhanced housing assets and to monetise the assets by allowing them to shift to affordable short-term 30-year lease at controlled range-bound pricing. An enhanced HDB asset is no asset to the elderly if they cannot use the differential to live a better life.

There are three key elements to look at: step-down housing, further subsidised healthcare and more job opportunities. The government can encourage hiring of senior workers by providing incentives for companies to hire through a mix of tax reliefs and foreign workers' quota booster. At the same time, more focused grants can be given to companies to reconfigure their workplace to be senior worker-friendly. When the senior workers can be helped this way, the burden of support for a fast-ageing society can be alleviated.

Joshua Soh

Managing Director for Singapore and Brunei

Cisco

SINGAPORE's success is built upon the foundations laid by our Pioneer Generation. Now that their hard work has come into fruition, I believe it is time for them to enjoy their sunset years in peace and comfort. Healthcare remains a very real issue for this generation. While medical subsidies are an important element, the holistic long-term solution is a connected health ecosystem that links critical information, people, and geriatric expertise.

Today, patients with a heart condition may be prescribed medication, scheduled for regular check-ups and advised to lead a more active lifestyle. In a not-too-distant future, connected devices and wearable technologies can ensure that patients' vital data is monitored and the information collected is analysed in context, allowing healthcare professionals with the right information set to assess their conditions and extend the appropriate level of support. We are excited to see the foundation of this connected healthcare ecosystem being pioneered in the region, in Singapore.

Connected healthcare isn't in a galaxy far, far away. Tomorrow starts here.

Sam Yap

Group Executive Chairman and Co-Founder

Htwo Investment Holdings Pte Ltd

THE government's initiative to honour our pioneer generation through the granting of the Pioneer Generation Package is indeed a commendable effort. This is well received by all in society and a good example for all our young to emulate.

In my view, this is a very thoughtful and meaningful gift to all our pioneers who have contributed in their own ways in our nation-building. The Package which will focus on additional subsidies for healthcare and outpatient treatment services is so apt and befitting to our pioneers who at this old age can use such assistance to maintain their health and support a healthy lifestyle. I applaud the government in granting such a scheme for our first-generation nation-builders. What about some additional concession for public transport and access to sporting or recreational amenities?

Eric Hoh

Vice-President

Symantec, Asia South

THE selfless contributions of the Pioneer Generation have paved the way for Singapore's rapid transformation from a Third World to a First World nation. It is because of their efforts that we are now able to celebrate with glory and pride our 50th milestone next year. I applaud the steps taken by the government to recognise and support the pioneers.

We also recommend furthering the digital agenda simply because we live in a connected world today. This is further propelled by the information explosion driven by a growing appetite of consumerisation of IT and the fast-paced adoption of mobile gadgets in our daily lives. There is an increasing need to be wary of cyber-criminals who target the more vulnerable members of our society, scamming our elderly of their hard-earned savings in phishing attacks.

Common examples include informing unwitting pioneers that they have won the lottery and promising them large sums of money if they wire cash into a third-party bank account or tricking them to provide their banking details using a phishing website. Creating a safe Internet environment calls for a combination of education, best practices and habits such as changing passwords regularly and using personal security software on their mobile devices. Together, we can play our part in ensuring the safety of our pioneers, both online and offline.

Joshua Yim

CEO

Achieve Group

WE are certainly heading in the right direction with the initial measures announced in the Pioneer Generation Package. Besides the increased assistance for healthcare, there are three other areas that ought to be looked into. The first is housing - whether the low-income group among these pioneers have a decent place to stay and can, as there are some who may be facing a lot of financial difficulty and are unable to afford a proper home. The second area is social - there are many cases of older folk who are lonely as their children are not around or they may be staying alone. What kind of social support is given to this group? Perhaps there should be more budget allocated to non-governmental organisations to incentivise them to reach out to this group of people and help them have a wholesome retirement by keeping them active in their golden years.

Finally, more assistance could be given to help the silver generation be more employable and secure gainful employment to keep them engaged. Once a person crosses 65 years of age, there are very few employment opportunities out there, as many companies generally find that these older folks are not receptive to new ways of doing things including learning to use new technology, for instance. Yet, these older workers may still have the capacity to contribute. So I hope that certain policies can be tweaked and more schemes can be created to incentivise companies to hire these older workers. In doing so, it would also help ease the acute labour crunch that Singapore has been facing.

Dhirendra Shantilal

Board Director & Head, Asia Pacific

Fircroft

GIVEN the immense sacrifices that our pioneers have made in the early years of our nation-building, no amount of thanks and acknowledgement would suffice. But to a large extent, the Pioneer Generation Package recognises and honours our pioneers' contributions by taking care of their practical healthcare needs. The more affordable premiums for MediShield Life and extra subsidies for outpatient bills proposed under the Package, will help our pioneers defray their medical expenses. More importantly, we have to ensure that no one from this generation falls through the cracks - especially for those who are living alone.

Efforts should be made to seek out the older Singaporeans who do not meet the criteria for the package, and find other ways of taking care of them. In addition, we should consider their other practical needs, such as housing and food, especially for the lower-income group. Perhaps similar subsidy programmes for these areas can also be developed for this generation. As for their emotional needs, we should provide more community initiatives that will help them live productive, meaningful lives in their golden years.

Chris Comer

CEO and Property Developer

Castlewood Group

THE Pioneer Generation Package goes some way by means of healthcare benefits to show appreciation of those born before 1950. For those to whom it would be a major benefit would be the ones who would need more assistance. So how much more can one do and where does one stop? It depends upon whether one is thinking with the head or heart. One could argue that whatever we do would never be deemed enough to demonstrate our appreciation.

If this government move can spur Singaporean business owners to independently and voluntarily offer further help and assistance to this group of people, then that could certainly make a difference. All participating businesses could promote a logo for the ''Pioneers'' and offer discounts. We at Castlewood Group would happily join in such an initiative, especially as we will celebrate Singapore's 50th anniversary next year.

Toby Koh

Group Managing Director

Ademco Security Group

KUDOS to the government for the special efforts to reward the Pioneer Generation. Healthcare is rightly the focus for the older Singaporeans. Pioneers in the lower income bracket should be considered for higher allocations. What would be a practical and nice gesture would be priority queues for the Pioneer Generation in hospitals, polyclinics and other government facilities.

On top of the financial perks in the package, it would be very meaningful if we capture a short video or oral recording from this generation onto a website for posterity. Not only will future generations be able to listen, reflect and learn from the pioneers, this would be every Singaporean's gift to the nation.

NOTE: The views from CEOs were sourced before Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam's Budget speech on Friday.