Of course the banks don't lend you money just like that!

Firstly,

I had written this statement in my last post : "If you need to borrow money, go to the bank. If you need financial help, go to the grassroots leaders for help."

Well if you actually believe that will work, then you really haven't woken up to the real world. Maybe you're still a little kid or teenager. If you're an adult well either you are damn rich and never ever worry about money. But most Singaporeans would know that that statement was absolute bollocks!

I made that statement because that's probably what our govt will tell you to do. And it's politically correct. What else should I say then? If you need money go rob someone? C'mon give me a break. Solutions to solve financial problems for needy people would take up an entire election campaign not to mention a small paragraph in a blog entry.

When I read the article in the front page of the Straits Times yesterday about how the nurse lost her baby, I read that that family had told their grassroots leaders about their problem during a walkabout, and they were told by the grassroots people that they would look into it but nothing was done in the end.

That made me angry. If you are in Singapore, bought a flat from someone who owed loan sharks money and then the loan sharks come after you instead, subsequently pushed your pregnant wife down the stairs and she lost the baby, wouldn't you want the death penalty for loan sharks? Wouldn't you be angry that the police in this great city that has the death penalty and prides itself in keeping crime out can do nothing about loan sharks?

It's murder to me. Manslaughter at the very least.

And the couple had asked the grassroots leaders for help. What else can they do?

Why do people borrow from loan sharks? Obviously because banks don't want to loan them the money. And of course going to your grassroots leader does nothing.

I can understand why people would get angry with me making those statements. But if anyone knows me, they'd know it was utterly sarcastic remarks from me.

But the gist of the blog entry was whether

1) we should really ban loan sharks and go down real hard on loan sharks. (I think we should)
2) Whether there was any good in having loan sharks at all (I think they serve no good purpose)
3) Why shouldn't we have the death penalty for loan sharks (Angry doc brought up a great point)

Unfortunately some people choose to focus on the statements I made about asking people to ridiculously ask banks to loan them money when they are needy and ask grassroots leaders about helping them. And then subsequently make statements to the effect that I was born yesterday, highly idealistic, in need of life advice etc.

I wonder why is that? Maybe it's because I am a doctor and some people just hate doctors so much they cannot resist attacking them when the opportunity arises.