‘After the Vote‘ is a RICE Media series where Singaporeans from all walks of life share their hopes for Singapore—the changes they envision, the values they want to uphold, and the future they want to help shape.
As GE2025 approaches, we take a step back from the antics and theatrics to explore the bigger picture: What kind of Singapore are we building beyond this election? Through these conversations, we uncover the aspirations and concerns shaping the nation in the next five years and beyond.
The views in ‘After the Vote’ are those of the interviewees and based on their experiences; they do not reflect the publication’s stance.
Top image courtesy of Suresh Vanaz.
Suresh Vanaz is no stranger to making headlines. The 46-year-old became an unwilling internet sensation last December when a heated dispute at VivoCity saw him losing his temper with another person—right in front of his wheelchair-bound brother.
The public backlash was swift and merciless—until Suresh set the record straight. He had accidentally bumped into the man while trying to wheel his brother out of the lift in an already crowded mall. What happened next, he claims, was hearing the man taunting him and muttering “Bloody Indians.” Suresh lost it.
But this wasn’t just about getting their way blocked. It wasn’t just about racism. It was about the daily indignities his 41-year-old brother, Seelan, who has cerebral palsy, faces. It was about two decades of being his sole caregiver after their mother passed. It was about the exhaustion, the silent struggles, and the sheer frustration of trying to stay afloat in Singapore.
With the 2025 General Election around the corner, RICE is taking a longer-term view towards the Singapore we are collectively building. And Suresh has plenty to say about what urgently needs to change for full-time caregivers like him who feel like they’re barely holding it together.
What is one change you hope to see in Singapore by 2030 that would make life meaningfully better for people like you?
We still have about five years to go, but for caregivers like me and people with physical disabilities like my brother in Singapore, the government needs to dig deeper into their struggles. They’ve tackled the medical aspect, but there are still two key issues that need attention.
First, the government encourages parents to have more children by offering help, but what about middle-aged single caregivers like me? I’m not married because living costs are too high. For caregivers of people with disabilities, these costs are doubled—diapers, daily activities, and transportation add up quickly.
The government should implement schemes to support single caregivers. For example, there’s a need for more accessible housing options like HDB schemes. Many of us struggle just to buy or retain our homes. If there are schemes that could cover part of the cost, say, half the value of a home, it would make a huge difference. We didn’t choose this life—we’re caring for someone else, and it shouldn’t mean we’re forced into financial hardship.
For people with disabilities such as my brother, who has cerebral palsy and can’t do anything for himself, the cost of daily care is immense. The government should look at reducing utility bills, especially for caregivers. My brother uses an electric hospital bed, and we need to shower him multiple times a day. These basic needs are expensive yet often overlooked.
Current support, like vouchers, feels inadequate and doesn’t address the reality we face. It’s not enough to say they’re helping when it’s clear that more needs to be done.
What’s a specific challenge you’ve been facing personally?
As a single caregiver, I’m juggling multiple jobs just to survive. When I approach the MP, SSO, or MSF for help, the first thing they suggest is to downgrade my home.
I don’t understand why this is the solution. Downgrading won’t make my problems disappear. My brother’s condition is lifelong, and the challenges I face as his caregiver won’t go away with a smaller home.
If I downgrade from a four-room to a three-room flat, what’s the scheme that supports me? I’ll lose money, potentially go bankrupt, and still be stuck with the same issues. This isn’t just about me—it’s the reality for many caregivers I’ve spoken to.
I bought this house with my partner, but after my partner ran away, I had to reloan my house. Now, HDB is asking for an overwhelming amount of paperwork. If I work, I have a problem. If I don’t work, I have a problem.
In your opinion, what’s a challenge Singapore must overcome in the next few years to remain a place where people want to live and thrive?
The cost of living in Singapore is rising. Where is this coming from?
The government seems to think Singaporeans are managing, but we’re not. Do we have a place to go for help? Honestly, I doubt it. Sure, we have MP offices to visit, but after waiting for hours, we only get a minute with the MP. We’re facing issues that last all year—how can we possibly address them in such a short time?
The reality for many of us in the middle ground, struggling to get by, is that we’re not being heard. The government needs to step in. HDB prices need to come down. Transportation costs for caregivers and people with disabilities should be reduced. Food and other essentials need to become more affordable. If you keep raising GST, then what’s the point here?
The government needs to truly understand the issues faced by middle and lower-income Singaporeans. It’s time for change.
What’s an overlooked issue within your community that deserves more attention?
When the government says, “You can reach out to us, talk to us,” it can feel demoralising for caregivers.
Why? Let me give you an example. I’m working three jobs, just trying to survive. I’ve got bills to pay, and my brother needs daily care—he deserves to live a normal life like anyone else. He should be able to go out and see the world, not be confined to the house. I’m working hard to make that happen, but at one point, I realised my brother needed more help, so I went to seek assistance from social services.
And do you know what they said? First, they asked, “Why don’t you downgrade?” They kept asking the same question. Then they asked, “Why are you eating good food?” And the third question: “Why can’t you send your brother to a home and get a proper job?”
These are the questions that caregivers shouldn’t have to face. These are the kinds of questions that hurt. They have no idea what we go through—the emotional, mental, and physical stress. They think sitting in an office and asking these questions is okay. But that’s just unfair to caregivers and single parents who are desperately trying to get help.
Singapore can talk all it wants, but these are the things that need to change now, not in 2030. I’m not joking when I say that if things keep going like this, I’ll be dead before I see any real change. The mental stress is getting to me, and I know I’m not alone. Every caregiver is going through it.
I’m juggling fitness, driving, and entertainment work—basically doing whatever I can to pay the bills. For five years, I didn’t have a steady job. My brother was seriously ill, and I couldn’t work. It ended up being seven years in total, including the Covid period, and during that time, I lost everything—my job, my savings. Bills kept piling up, and I had to take out loans just to keep things going.
This is what people fail to understand: caregivers can’t do full-time jobs. It’s simply not possible. What I’m hoping for is a policy where caregivers can work from home for a few hours a day, or maybe even something like helping out with local town council work for a few hours. That would make a real difference.
What small shift—policy or mindset—could make a big difference in the daily lives of your community?
Singaporeans need to change the way they view caregivers and physically challenged people. There have been times when I’ve been so frustrated that I wanted to retaliate.
People can be so dismissive or even cruel. Some look down on physically challenged people, and some assume that we don’t understand Chinese or Malay.
I’ll never forget one time when a family of four came into the lift with my brother and I. The young child was mocking my brother, and the parents just laughed along. I was so close to losing it, to the point of wanting to punch them.
This kind of behaviour needs to change. Parents should be teaching their children to be mindful of what they say and how they treat others.
It’s not just the kids—some elderly people might say or do insensitive things. Maybe they fell too many times, or they knocked their head on some wall or something. The wire went missing or something like that.
I’ve learned Chinese, and my brother understands both Chinese and Malay. We’re Singaporeans, and we understand our country’s languages. It’s hurtful when they think we don’t understand what they’re saying about us in front of us. People need to be more mindful—not just parents teaching their kids but society as a whole.
Respect for caregivers and those with physical challenges is crucial. Sometimes, these situations really take an emotional toll on us. I think the VivoCity incident triggered something in me. I’d been holding in so much for so long, and that moment, though difficult, became a turning point for me.
Singapore moves fast. What’s one thing we need to slow down for?
The financial situation is moving too fast. Bills are piling up, and if you miss a payment, you’re immediately faced with a late letter or even worse. It’s stressful for caregivers, especially those who can’t work. The pace is overwhelming. And the cost of living is getting too high.
To be honest, I’ve been eating Maggi Mee for months, just so my brother can have some luxury food or taste something nice. I don’t know how much longer he’ll be with us, so I want him to enjoy life as much as possible.
On the medical side, things aren’t any better. When you need to admit someone to the hospital, the first thing they ask is, “Which class do you want?” If you say you don’t have money, they push you to the C class. Why is there such a clear divide based on income? If you have money, you can get better care, but if you don’t, you get stuck in C class.
I’ve drained my Medisave on my brother’s expenses—there’s nothing left. If I fall sick now, I don’t even want to go to the hospital because I can’t afford the treatment. I don’t have insurance, and I can’t pay in cash.
But that’s not even the worst part. The bigger issue is that if I get sick, I don’t know who’s going to take care of my brother. I can’t rely on my domestic helper because what if she leaves? There’s no backup.
Here’s where I think the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) needs to step up. Why can’t MOM absorb the cost of caregiving for people like me?
I’ll give you an example. I once applied to hire a domestic helper to help care for my brother, but MOM rejected my application because I didn’t have a proper job. How are caregivers supposed to manage when the system doesn’t support us? We’re human too, and we need help. What if my brother needs two caregivers?
In 2030, what kind of Singapore would you be proud to call home?
Right now, we’ve lost the sense of community—we forget to greet one another, and it’s becoming harder to find space to breathe. Buildings are popping up one after another, and all we see are blocks. We need more greenery, more open spaces, and a chance to reconnect as Singaporeans.
I want to see a happier, more relaxed Singapore. These days, everyone is rushing for money, and people have forgotten how to smile or care for their family members. It’s sad to see so many children putting their parents in homes or neglecting their responsibilities to siblings. We’re losing what makes us human. We’ve become so focused on work that we’ve forgotten the importance of family and meaningful connections.
I’ve personally been struggling for years. My parents are no longer around, and I’ve been dealing with everything on my own. Even when I thought about getting married, the cost of living is so high that it felt impossible.
Many young people are working towards goals, but by the time they reach them, they’ve missed the most important parts of life. We need to slow down.
In the next five years, Singapore needs to return to the simpler days of the ‘70s and ‘80s. We need to reconnect with the people around us, enjoy the little things, and take a step back from this high-speed race. I miss the days when we would go out for Chinese New Year and hear the lion dances or share meals with our neighbours. Now, people are struggling to afford food, and even festive gatherings have become smaller and more distant.
The future of Singapore needs to be about quality of life, not just work. I believe we’re at a point where we need to prioritise humanity over the workaholic culture. People aren’t living—they’re just existing. Look around. Elderly aunties are still working at coffee shops when they should be enjoying their retirement.
Again, we need to slow down. We need to go back to being human, not robots. We should be able to enjoy life without the constant pressure of bills and deadlines. It’s time to refocus on what’s best for us, for our health, and for our happiness.
We’ve lost sight of the things that really matter. It’s time to get back to a Singapore that values people.
