It is in the interest of society at large that as many people as possible have a Lasting Power of Attorney in place (Simplify LPA application process, by Mr Hoe Lye Soon, Oct 16).

This will also help avoid or reduce time-consuming legal procedures which family members will need to cope with in order to assist a loved one.

It is heartening that the fees for LPA Form 1 applications will be waived till end-March next year. However, this applies only to citizens; permanent residents and other foreigners need to pay the full fee.

The applicant does not derive any material benefit from a Lasting Power of Attorney, it is in the interest of the next-of-kin and also lessens the workload of the authorities as lengthy court applications to appoint a deputy become redundant.

Many PRs have a citizen spouse or children. They are here for the long run and should be treated in the same manner as citizens when it comes to LPA fees, especially since the administrative process is identical.

If any fee waivers or fee reductions are to be offered, these should target specific groups, for example, the elderly or the economically needy, but not be based solely on the residential status of the applicant.

Gil Simon Schneider (Dr)