It is not uncommon for Singaporeans to see old people pushing cardboard trolleys early in the morning. The pieces of cardboard that we leave at the void deck disappear in the blink of an eye. Our older generation have worked hard all their lives but have to resort to collecting cardboards to make a living. Just what is wrong with our society today? Is the government helping them enough? Or are they self-sufficient and simply exercising, like some would say?
Facebook posts of old people doing their "morning exercises" are becoming common. Last month, someone posted about an old woman who hopped from hawker to hawker until late at night. A few days ago, another old woman was spotted at Jurong despite having weak legs. She just wanted to earn enough to buy food for herself.
It is amazing how the government claims that they are helping our older generation and introducing all kinds of packages to benefit them. If they are really doing a good job, why do we still see so many of them plying the streets in the hot sun, in the wee hours, so that they have enough to eat? Surely something must be wrong.
To drive in the point further, the authorities do not seem to care much about consulting old hawkers about how to run an enterprise properly. Despite their grievances, the so-called social enterprise is of course still in the works. Lately, NTUC has announced that it will stop giving older people discounts next year.
They call this helping?
To those who are high up in their air-conditioned ivory offices, helping the older generation is not just about identifying a group of people and giving them some money. It is about walking the ground more often, going to different places outside your "ground", talking to people, listening to them and spending meaningful time with Singaporeans. Not those who want to see you, but those who are in the shadows that they usually fail to see.
Our politicians today lack heart. They may claim to have good intentions but man, it's hard to feel it. Good luck to us all in the years ahead. We may find ourselves living in a bleak cardboard town rather than the vibrant hub we strive to be.
