Architect - of CPF With-holding Scheme - dies before 85
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Channelnews Asia reported him as ''A Man ahead of his time'' - a slogan created by the MIW in their continued push to hold back more from the CPF accounts of all Singaporeans.
Former Cabinet Minister Howe Yoon Chong dies at age 84
Posted: 21 August 2007 1836 hrs
SINGAPORE: Former Cabinet Minister Howe Yoon Chong has died. He was 84.
The former top civil servant and politician is best remembered for the 1984 Report of the Committee for the Aged - which came up with several policy recommendations on preparing for an ageing population.
A contemporary of Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew at Raffles College, Mr Howe was asked by Mr Lee in 1953 to go into politics.
But Mr Howe said 'no'. His reason - a group was needed to look after the Administrative Service after the British had left.
And the economics graduate from the University Malaya was to go on to spend almost 30 years in the civil service, most of them, in key positions.
In 1960, Mr Howe was appointed the first chief executive officer of the Housing and Development Board (HDB).
He was later appointed the chairman of the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS) and the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA).
Other key appointments included Head of the Civil Service as well as Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, Finance and National Development Ministries.
When he was 55 years old, Mr Howe was finally persuaded to stand in the 1979 by-election on a People's Action Party ticket.
He won the Potong Pasir seat with almost 67 percent of the votes against then Independent candidate, Chiam See Tong.
In the 1980 General Election, Mr Howe again defeated Mr Chiam in a straight fight for Potong Pasir.
Mr Howe was first appointed Defence Minister and later, Health Minister.
It was as Health Minister that he chaired the committee which came out with the landmark 'Report on the Problems of the Aged'.
Among several long-term strategies proposed was the controversial suggestion to raise the CPF withdrawal age from 55 to 60 years, as Singaporeans cannot depend only on their children in their old age.
"Our families, far from strengthening, are subject to buffeting of new ideas, (and) are in fact splitting," Mr Howe had said.
Mr Howe made this point at a news conference on March 26, 1984, on the 'Report of the Committee on the Problems of the Aged'.
He explained: "The hopeful sign is that irrespective of whatever extraneous influences we have been getting, the eastern values have been passed from an earlier generation to the present generation and hopefully from this generation to the next generation and thereafter.
"But we may be wrong. And that may or may not come with greater affluence. So on one hand, you've got economic success that brings about higher standards of living, longer life expectancy.
"On the other hand, you've got higher standards of living, causing people to be more looking to themselves, solving their own problems, ignoring the requirements of the elders, taking on more and more western ideas of individual freedom and no responsibility for anybody other than themselves and their children.
"These are things that will militate against the welfare of the elderly. We are not very sure we've got clear-cut answers to these problems... So our thinking is, people should not be encouraged to retire at 55. It's not good to say at 55, (they) can withdraw CPF."
Taking up the suggestions in the Report, the government later introduced the Minimum Sum scheme.
This allows workers to withdraw some of their CPF funds at age 55, setting aside a certain minimum sum which can only be withdrawn at retirement age, which presently stands at 62 years.
Mr Howe, who had said he would not want to stay in politics for more than five years, did not contest the 1984 General Election.
In his appreciation letter to Mr Howe on his retirement, the then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew said he was indebted to Mr Howe for the devoted work he had put in for the people.
And Mr Lee predicted that when those in their 20s and 30s reached their 60s, they would see how difficult it was for children to stretch their salaries to cover the support of aged parents.
They would then be grateful to Mr Howe for the controversy he had stirred by the 'Report on the Problems of the Aged'.
After stepping down from public office, Mr Howe served as chairman and chief executive of DBS from 1985 to 1990, and later as president and chief executive officer of The Straits Trading Company.
Mr Howe was married and had three children. - CNA/ir
Looking back at the CPF saga, should we be surprised that MM LKY had praised Howe Yoon Chong and predicted that ''.. when those in their 20s and 30s [during 1984] reached 60s, they would see how difficult it was for children to stretch their salaries to cover the support of aged parents.'' ?
Does MM have to wait until 2014 to see how difficult it is for children to stretch their salaries to cover the support of aged parents ?
What happened to his claim of Singapore having arrived into a First World Status - where Life is similar to SM GCT's Swiss Standard of Living ?
Knowing that the aged is having problems living past 85 years, and with the median age of death for Singaporean males as 79.13 years and females at 84.49 years - why will this Government insist on holding back the monies to allow the aged to enjoy their hard earned monies ?
Knowing that the aged has limited resources, and the children finding difficulties to stretch their salaries to support the Aged Parents, why will the Government persist in the spiral upwards of all essential services in utilities, transport, education, health and medical ?
This is only 2007, and Singaporeans are already finding difficulties to stretch our salaries to support our aged parents - what will it be like by 2014 ? -
The old bastard is getting senile and more paranoid as the years go by.
The old generation of ministers had brains and dedication and fighting spirit behind them. The old man is now either trying to undo all that they did, or is now pursuing his agenda with a frightful determination to create a Singapore of his own design regardless of the costs.
Some of the older ministers were visionaries of their own right. The same cannot be said of the present. Sadly, all of them are passing away. Perhaps however, this man set a precedent, which the PAP followed on without considering the social costs. -
Its not them.Originally posted by Fingolfin_Noldor:The old bastard is getting senile and more paranoid as the years go by.
The old generation of ministers had brains and dedication and fighting spirit behind them. The old man is now either trying to undo all that they did, or is now pursuing his agenda with a frightful determination to create a Singapore of his own design regardless of the costs.
Some of the older ministers were visionaries of their own right. The same cannot be said of the present. Sadly, all of them are passing away. Perhaps however, this man set a precedent, which the PAP followed on without considering the social costs.
Its the collective Decision of our smart and highly educated, proud and confident singaporeans. They are the ones who enabled everything.
They cooperate and support regardless. That is the reason of everything. -
Originally posted by Atobe:
Wow, another old man died before 85.
Channelnews Asia reported him as ''A Man ahead of his time'' - a slogan created by the MIW in their continued push to hold back more from the CPF accounts of all Singaporeans.
Looking back at the CPF saga, should we be surprised that MM LKY had praised Howe Yoon Chong and predicted that [b]''.. when those in their 20s and 30s [during 1984] reached 60s, they would see how difficult it was for children to stretch their salaries to cover the support of aged parents.'' ?
Does MM have to wait until 2014 to see how difficult it is for children to stretch their salaries to cover the support of aged parents ?
What happened to his claim of Singapore having arrived into a First World Status - where Life is similar to SM GCT's Swiss Standard of Living ?
Knowing that the aged is having problems living past 85 years, and with the median age of death for Singaporean males as 79.13 years and females at 84.49 years - why will this Government insist on holding back the monies to allow the aged to enjoy their hard earned monies ?
Knowing that the aged has limited resources, and the children finding difficulties to stretch their salaries to support the Aged Parents, why will the Government persist in the spiral upwards of all essential services in utilities, transport, education, health and medical ?
This is only 2007, and Singaporeans are already finding difficulties to stretch our salaries to support our aged parents - what will it be like by 2014 ?
[/b]
I so scared wont be able to enjoy withdrawing all my money before all goes to sh.it. -
Eh? When it comes to Govt Decision making, the population doesn't figure in any of their decision metrics.Originally posted by reddressman:Its not them.
Its the collective Decision of our smart and highly educated, proud and confident singaporeans. They are the ones who enabled everything.
They cooperate and support regardless. That is the reason of everything. -
Ha! The irony of it!
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you can't blame a dead man, can you?
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LKY how old exactly ah?
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lau lee will be 84 years old on 16 Sept
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haha i was jus abt to say thisOriginally posted by :Ha! The irony of it! -
I think all Singaporeans should give him a clock on his birthday.Originally posted by the Bear:lau lee will be 84 years old on 16 Sept -
I am sure majority in singapore will pay their respects for the great old man of 84.
he will always be remembered for blessing us with the wonder of cpf .
Can public attend his funeral?
must be living in large bungalow right?
which estate? I got time may try to pass by see see look look.
jbbsp. -
I think he suffered heart attack instantly after hearing LHL proposal for CPF. His original intention of CPF has been exploited by the prince, turn it into a low cost fund for government to use.
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imagine... a huge lot of people going to pay respects.. but the ground sentiments are very negative.. there is nervousness...
huge crowd approaches his estate where his carcas... uhh.. body lies... they move in quietly and respectfully..
however, it is seen as menacingly and ominously by the security... and the security wade into the mourners... with truncheons and...Originally posted by LimSianTong:I am sure majority in singapore will pay their respects for the great old man of 84.
he will always be remembered for blessing us with the wonder of cpf .
Can public attend his funeral?
must be living in large bungalow right?
which estate? I got time may try to pass by see see look look.
jbbsp. -
Originally posted by the Bear:imagine... a huge lot of people going to pay respects.. but the ground sentiments are very negative.. there is nervousness...
huge crowd approaches his estate where his carcas... uhh.. body lies... they move in quietly and respectfully..
however, it is seen as menacingly and ominously by the security... and the security wade into the mourners... with truncheons and...
you can write a suspense story liao -
A Clock?Originally posted by maurizio13:I think all Singaporeans should give him a clock on his birthday. 
Give an hour glass lah. Make it a year glass if possible. -
If not enough people turn up, they will probably send NSF to do the job.Originally posted by the Bear:imagine... a huge lot of people going to pay respects.. but the ground sentiments are very negative.. there is nervousness...
huge crowd approaches his estate where his carcas... uhh.. body lies... they move in quietly and respectfully..
however, it is seen as menacingly and ominously by the security... and the security wade into the mourners... with truncheons and... -
The reasons given to hold back Singaporeans CPF till 85 is CRAP, BULLSHIT, LOUSY.
Life is unpredictable, and those are the citizen's hard earn money. It is not right to hold citizen's money like that. 85? might as well say 90 better...truth our life might be longer than compared to our parents, nowadays life are more unpredictable with all the threats/ SARS..and so on...so how can US or our children live till 85 lets say.
CRAP. I think we should go online petition and make it clear to the gov. We are not a Communist state where by the "leader" have to teach us how we should live our lives....and how we should save our money. Go to the press guys. -
Among several long-term strategies proposed was the controversial suggestion to raise the CPF withdrawal age from 55 to 60 years, as Singaporeans cannot depend only on their children in their old age.
"Our families, far from strengthening, are subject to buffeting of new ideas, (and) are in fact splitting," Mr Howe had said.
Please, nowadays if you were to ask your parents....maybe 30% of your parents have enough money for themselves without us supporting them. As the nation improves when we become parents I believe till then it will be at least 40% - 50% of us have enough money for ourselves. Depending on children when you are old is an old fashion thinking already. Now it is year 2007 not 1960s. Your time has passed Mr Howe! -
You think?Originally posted by maurizio13:I think he suffered heart attack instantly after hearing LHL proposal for CPF. His original intention of CPF has been exploited by the prince, turn it into a low cost fund for government to use.
I thought maybe the old man proposed it himself and told his son to tell everyone the bad news. -
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