It will be a sad day for Singapore when citizens must be rewarded to do the right thing (Reward good behaviour in Covid-19 fight to keep morale high, June 7).

Start down this slippery slope, allow the practice to become entrenched, and watch our disciplined society degenerate into one which is socio-pathologically materialistic, and inert till moved to act by an incentive.

For the well-adjusted among us, the reward in doing the correct thing for the nation is implied in our birthright, as much as it is our badge of citizenship.

If we are proud of ourselves and Singapore, and see our country as a place for ourselves now and for future generations to come, we are simply helping ourselves by doing the right thing.

That is ample reward in itself.

If we need incentives to keep ourselves from disease and harm, then we might as well be remunerated to go for our vaccinations, to quit smoking, to exercise, to keep healthy and to love our children.

Carried to the extreme, we can demand to be paid for not cheating in examinations, not committing adultery, not coveting that which is not ours... The list goes on.

We keep national morale high in this exhausting fight against a tireless enemy by going into battle united as a whole, government and citizenry, by respecting the science, abiding by good practices, instituting and cooperating with policies, and mutually supporting one another.

At the very least, we should not maliciously spread disinformation, sow seeds of discord or complicate the polarising present state of

affairs by being racist or xenophobic.

Yik Keng Yeong (Dr)