Daily Lessons from Life 03 February 2012 - Being poor is better if you are in Singapore?

The PM supposedly made a comment that: "Being Poor in Singapore is better than being poor else where!" and a netizen expressed disbelief at hearing this.

Assuming this is true. Maybe there are good explanation on why the PM believes that this so. Of course, this is also assuming despite the best and honest efforts by the elected government of Singapore, the certain Singaporeans are still poor.

Poor to the extent that the government has to fully cover for his or her or their living, health care, and retirement costs.

I guessd the dismayed netizen wanted a Singapore with NO poor people at all given that the government is the best paid in the world. Yes?

This may not be realistic as the best government in the world, whether being paid above poverty level or not, CANNOT honest guaranteed anyone that the nation it governed will NOT have any poor people. However, if there were poor people, the government will take care of them FULLY as long as these people are NOT unable or unwilling to make a living by themselves. Rather, they CANNOT or DO NOT have the capability to make a living.

This is great as long as the government DOES NOT insist that that person's immediate family members MUST take care of his or her given that the immediate family members may have their own immediate families.

While it may be true that it is BETTER to be poor in Singapore, it is NOBODY's wish to be poor anywhere in the world!