This was Goh Chok Tong’s (GCT) response to Mr Fong Hoe Fang, the founder of Ethos Books. Fong was commenting on the lack of wheelchair-friendly facilities in the MRT system.
These were GCT’s words –
“We can’t spend huge sums on a minority of about 1,000, maybe 2,000 people.”
Goh Chok Tong, 10 June 1984
Why did GCT meet Fong Hoe Fang?
The two met in June 1984, after Fong wrote an article criticizing Medisave. The PAP decided to invite this “angry young man” to talk to him.
According to GCT, they discussed a number of topics. However, the whole time, he thought that Fong was being idealistic.
Does the PAP still think this way?
Fast forward to today, the MRT is now wheelchair friendly. Yet it doesn’t discount the fact that the PAP thinks like this.
Do they only want to cater to the majority because the majority can give them more votes? Are they treating the minorities as out of sight and out of mind? This is why people are speaking up for the minority, because otherwise the government would ignore them!
What are some minority groups the government chooses not to take care of till today?
