masterwordsmith-unplugged

In the past, Malaysia had a health care system that we were proud of but today, it is altogether a different story because our health care system has transformed into a buoyant dual-tiered parallel system, with a sizable and thriving private sector. To date, there is no system whereby every citizen has universal access to a unified system of health care. Ideally, the public sector caters to the bulk of the population (about 65%), but the sad truth is that only 45% of all registered doctors, and 25-30% of specialists serve in the public sector.



From the economic viewpoint, health care is a merit good that an individual or society should have on the basis of some concept of need, rather than ability and willingness to pay. However, current trends show that one day, there could be an eventual corporatization of the public sector facilities and services should be allowed to unfold, there could come a time when market forces dictate the price, extent and quality of the services offered.

According to THIS LINK:

A UNDP Human Development Report (2006) paper determined that in 2005, the
Malaysian government spent just 2.2% of its gross domestic product as its contribution to the public sector health care funding, while some 1.6% of our health care expenditure came from the private sector. The World Health Report 2006 stated that the Malaysian government spends some 6.9% of its total expenditure, on health care. Yet despite such a low level of national investment on health care (just 3.8% of GDP), we have achieved quite laudable health outcomes results. Our life expectancy at birth has risen from 55.8 years and 58.2 years for men and women, respectively in 1957, to 71.8 and 76.3 years, respectively for 2006.

The tax-funded public health care sector caters for the bulk of the population (~65%), but is served by just about 45% of all registered doctors, and even fewer specialists ((25-30%).7 The cost of these services is almost entirely borne by budget allocations from the central treasury, with patients paying paltry nominal sums for access both to outpatient clinics or admissions to hospitals. These are offered at unrealistically cheap but clearly cost-effective if heavily subsidised rates. However, this is questionably sustainable in the longer term, if we allow market forces to prevail.

Currently, budget allocations subsidize the public sector so patients paying only nominal fees for outpatient treatment and hospitalisation. The private sector on the other hand, has grown tremendously over the past 25 years. However, this two-tiered system with quite different goals may be unsustainable in the longer term. It is unlikely that there can be full integration of private-public health care sectors. We can hope for better partnership and collaboration of services to harness the best of each system for the health care betterment of our citizens. We should aim for a more cost-effective system. A single or easily portable system of reimbursement should also be considered. No matter what, our government must take care of the welfare of its citizens.

In reality, there are many health-care issues in our country including:

• Long waiting list at public hospitals
• Lack of control of charges in private hospitals
• Lack of control of high tech medical equipment.
• Lack of action on preventive health care
• Level of competence of the doctors, nurses and paramedicals

If you want to know more about health care issues, fret not. Sembang-sembang Forum is organizing a talk called "No Money To Pay The Doctor"--- What's Wrong with Our Health Care?" on March 20th Saturday, 2.30p.m. at Kompleks Penyayang, Penang.

The speakers are Dr. Jeyakumar (MP Sg. Siput, PSM) and Dr. Jayabalan (Occupational Health Specialist).

Please come for the talk. You can be assured that it will be an enriching time for you.

Recommended for further reading:

Dr. Jeyakumar's Budget Speech

The Malaysian Health Care System - A Review by Dr. David K.L. Quek

Health Care - The Rights for All

Malaysian Health Care System

Financing Primary Health Care

Please leave a comment if you wish to share your views or concerns about this topic. Thanks. Have a lovely evening!

After a few serious posts, I reckon it's time for laughs so here's a list on froggy jokes which I hope will bring many smiles to your faces. Take care and have a wonderful day! Ribbit ribbit!

TOP TEN REASONS WHY IT'S GREAT TO BE A FROG

10. Babes are always kissing you because they think you'll turn into a prince.
9. Flies in your soup are a bonus.
8. You're above toads on the food chain.
7. Green goes with absolutely everything!
6. Pond Scum is a term of endearment.
5. Most restaurants have a "no croaking" section.
4. Amphibians are at a minimum risk of appearing on Geraldo.
3. You can scratch hard to reach places with your tongue.
2. You can donate your body to science for big bucks!
1. It sure beats being a newt.

# You get mad when you don't find a fly in your soup
# You buy out the supply of wart removal cream in your drugstore constantly
# French chefs are eyeing your legs and appear to be following you
# Bug lamps appear to you as a curse
# On applications, you list 'Pond' as your home address
# Kermit is your idol
# You get mad whenever Miss Piggy makes a pass at Kermit
# Have seen the movie 'The Fly' at least ten times
# You live in fear that someday you will wind up in a child's aquarium
# France is the evil empire to you


Why are frogs so happy?
They eat watever bugs them!

What does a frog wear on St. Patrick's day?
Nothing!

What did the frog dress up for on Halloween?
A prince.

How many frogs does it take to screw in a light bulb?
One frog and 37 light bulbs, slippery hands, ya know.

Whats the preferred car of frogs?
The Beetle.

What's green and jumps?
A frog!! (groan!)

What's green and red?
A very mad frog.

What's white on the outside, and green on the inside?
A frog sandwich!

What happens when two frogs collide?
They get tongue tied!

What do frogs do with paper?
Rip-it!
What is the first book a tadpole reads?
Metamorphosis by Kafka.

How does a frog feel when he has a broken leg?
Unhoppy.

What happens when you mix a frog with a bathtub scrubby-mit?
A rubbit!

Why did the frog read Sherlock Holmes?
He liked a good croak and dagger.

What happened to the frog's car when his parking meter expired?
It got toad!!

What do you call a frog that crosses the road, jumps in a puddle, and crosses the road again?
A dirty double-crosser!

What's green green green green green?
a frog rolling down a hill

What is a frogs favorite time?
Leap Year!

Why did the frog walk across the road?
He didn't... he jumped.
Why did the frog cross the street?
because the chicken crossed the road.
Why did the frog cross the road?
to see what the chicken was doing.
Why did the frog cross the road?
Some mean little kid super-glued it to the chicken.
Why did the frog stop in the middle of the road?
To get hit by a steamroller
Why did the frog stay in the middle of the road?
He ran after a fly and was hit by a car.
Why did the frog cross the road?
If a chicken can do it so could he!

How can you tell if a frog doesn't have ears?
You yell "Free Flies" and he doesn't come.


How do you confuse a frog?
Put it in a round bowl and tell it to take a nap in the corner.

How does a frog confuse you?
When he comes out and says he needed that nap and feels much better.

How do you apologize to a witch?
Ribbit!

What did the frog say to the fly?
You are really starting to bug me!

What does a frog say when it sees somethin' great?
Toadly awesome!

What do you call a frog with no legs?
It doesn't matter- he won't come anyway.

What do you call a frog with legs?
Dinner.

What did one frog say to another?
You're such a WART!

Why did the frog croak?
Because he ate a poisonous fly!

What is a frog's favorite game?
Croaket

What did the frog order at McDonald's?
French flies and a diet Croak

What happened to the cat and frog when they got run over?
The cat had nine lives, the frog just croaked.

Why did the frog go to the hospital?
He needed a "hopperation" !

What's red and green and goes 175 miles an hour?
A frog in a blender.

What do you get if you add milk?
Frog nog!

What happens if you drink frog nog?
You Croak!

What do ya call a frog's favorite soda?
Croaka-Cola!

Why did the motorcycle rider buy a pet frog?
To pick the flies out from between his teeth!

"Waiter... Waiter... Do you have frog legs?"
-"No!... I always walk this way!"

"Waiter... Waiter... Do you have frog legs?"
-"Yes Sir!"
"Then hop on over to the kitchen and get me a peanutbutter and jelly sandwich!"

How deep can a frog go?
Knee-deep Knee-deep!

What do stylish frogs wear?
Jumpsuits!

What does a bankrupt frog say?
"Baroke, baroke, baroke."

What has more lives than a cat?
A frog that goes croak every night.

Why did the frog go to the bank with a gun?
He wanted to robbit.

Why are frogs such liars?
Because they are amFIBians.

How can you tell a frog doesn't have ears?
They don't move when a car is coming toward them.

What did the frog do after it heard a funny joke?
It started to croak up!

Why did the gag-writer turn green?
Cause the gag-writer was sick of writing frog jokes!

:-) Have a great day!!! Do leave a comment if you wish to share your views or add to the list :-). I know there are many creative readers out there. Thanks! Enjoy today!

Of late, there are myths or fallacies about the GST disseminated via the MSM and of late at THIS LINK and OVER HERE. During such times, we all need to put on our thinking caps to see beyond the smokescreens, myths and fairy tales about the GST that have been mushrooming in various places.



At THIS LINK, the following claims were made:

1. Corporate and income tax will be gradually reduced, once the proposed goods and services tax (GST) is in place by mid-2011, said Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung. “This is long term objective of the government. Once the GST come into play, it will be a broad-based tax.

There is no evidence to prove that a reduction of corporate tax can attract investors. At the height of Penang's development in the 1970's and 1980s, corporate tax was at 40% and investors and FDI were still pouring into the state then. In 1988 it was 40% and now it is at 26% but there has been no increase in the country's FDI and the reverse exists! Vietnam currently has a corporate tax of 40% and has a huge inflow of FDI. The question we should ask ourselves is why investors are NOT coming to our country! The government should address that problem instead of implementing GST.

Organizations such as FMM have been the strongest objectors to the GST and why?

Firstly, it creates a gigantic bureaucracy in the government if they impose the GST because they would have to deal with claims from manufacturers and we all know how difficult it is to get refunds from our government.

Secondly, at the moment 20 000 companies pay the Sales and Service Tax but with the implementation of GST, more than 200 000 companies will have to pay GST. The government department concerned will have to deal with refunds at every stage of production. Can they cope with that bearing in mind the efficiency of the civil service?

Thirdly, how sure can they be that all claims are legitimate? Accounting fraud has always been a problem so one could make a claim, take the money and abscond. If there is no proper checking system, how can we be assured of competency in services? If there are losses, the companies concerned will have to bear the brunt of such incidents and the cost will be passed on to consumers in terms of higher prices!

Fourthly, exporters and businessmen would rather continue paying the current 10% sales and service tax than to worry about cash flow problems when they cannot get refunds under the proposed GST system which theoretically benefits them!

Fifthly, only about 15% of the population pay income tax but with the GST, even the remaining 85% (who previously never paid any taxes at all) will have to pay GST!

2. Chor also disclosed that businesses related to government services such as food and transport, are exempted from the GST.

Apparently, 40 basic goods are going to be exempted from GST. This is a fallacy.

WHY?

Assuming that rice is exempted from GST, the government did not tell us that all the production inputs for the production of rice such as fertilizers, seeds etc are not exempted from GST which means that factor costs will go up which also means that the price of rice will increase.

So what is the big deal then if it is exempted from GST?

The hard truth is that at the end of the day, the rakyat will still suffer from higher prices!!!

3. The deputy minister also gave an assurance that the cost of living and lifestyle of the people would not increase or be affected despite the GST implementation.

My former economics students would be able to regurgitate the definition of inflation which is a sustained increase in the general level of prices of goods and services over a period of time. There are basically two main types of inflation - demand pull and cost-push inflation.

With the implementation of GST, we will see the cost of products increasing and the cost of running business increasing as well. Such increases in factor costs not matched by an increase in output will surely lead to cost-push inflation!

The government has not told us how much it will cost to implement the GST system for them and for individual businesses. We have to change the software, computing systems, etc all of which will increase costs and cause inconvenience.

Most definitely, the cost of living and lifestyle of the people will increase and will be affected by the GST implementation.

4. “The GST at four per cent is considered very low,” he explained.

The government has not disclosed how they arrived at the 4% figure. Records of other countries have shown that once GST is implemented, it will be the same for the first one or two years after which the rate will increase. How sure are we that our government will keep this 4% at a fixed rate with no changes?

It is clear that the implementation of the GST nicknamed Gasak Sampai Teruk (according to Dr. Dzulkifly) is mathematically and morally wrong because of so many reasons!

5. Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry’s Tax Review Panel Chairman, Datuk Kamariah Hussain said there would be revenue gains of about RM1.0 billion, with the GST implementation.

So far, they have not told us how much it will cost to implement the GST. According to En. Mohd. Rafizi Ramli (CEO of Selangor Economic Advisory Office), implementation can cost up to RM5billion.

Now does it make sense to you that the government spends RM5billion to collect RM 1.0 billion???

Why are they so intent, so desperate to push this through? Think.

7. “With the GST, the government would have a better mix of revenue, and not be too dependent on income tax and petroleum income,” she added.

Let's face it. Oil revenue and its profits did not reach the rakyat. The RM270 million(should read BILLION as rightly pointed out by Semuanya Ok kot) profit of Petronas over the last five years did not increase the productivity of the rakyat and our economy has been in deficit for the last 12 years since 1998! If the government had been prudent, those profits would have elevated the standard of living in this country and made us more knowledge-based and more competitive to attract more FDI but the reverse has happened. Why? And now, they want to rectify if by imposing the GST on us. The audacity of it all!!!

So how was the money spent?

...on submarines that cannot dive
...on naval ships that cannot sail
...on jets that cannot fly because their engines are missing
..on losses from leakages of RM28billion leakages in government spending according to the recent Auditor-General's report
..and the madness goes on and on...

8. Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah has indicated that while the GST would replace the existing sales and services taxes, it would not put pressure on prices and to ease the burden of consumers, staple foods such as rice, sugar, cooking oil and flour would be exempted from it.

I have already debunked this myth as in point no 2 and 3.

The hard truth is that the implementation of GST will not make our lives better. That is a myth and a fairy tale that will NOT end happily ever after.

In another post, I will be explaining what the government could actually do instead of GST. In the mean time, each and every one of us MUST raise our objections to the GST which is a regressive tax that will severely impact those in the lower income group negatively.

Do leave a comment if you wish to air your views. Thanks! Have a great day!