Although his three grown-up children are all supportive of the AMD, none of them has signed it yet.

'So inertia to act is a real thing. Not unlike organ pledging. Most support it but few would take the trouble to come forward,' he said.

So he wants to make it easier for people, for example, by removing the need for a doctor to witness the signing, which is the current requirement.

Explanations in the two-page AMD form may also be made plainer and clearer, and in different languages.

But before any amendment to the law is made, public consultations will be held, by the end of the year, on what people want from, and in, an AMD.

What is an AMD?

It is a legal document that you sign in advance to inform the doctor treating you (in the event you become terminally ill and unconscious) that you do not want any extraordinary life-sustaining treatment to be used to prolong your life.

Making an AMD is a voluntary decision. No one can force you to make one against your will.

What is meant by 'terminal illness'?

It is an incurable condition caused by injury or disease from which there is no reasonable prospect of a temporary or permanent recovery.

For such a condition, death is imminent even if extraordinary life-sustaining measures were used. These measures would only serve to postpone the moment of death for the patient.

Who can make an AMD?

Anyone who is 21 years old and above, and of sound mind, can make an AMD. All you need to do is to complete a form, sign it in the presence of two witnesses, and return it to the Registrar of AMDs.

Where can I get a form?

From clinics, polyclinics and hospitals. It can also be downloaded from the Ministry of Health website.

For more information, go to http://www.moh.gov.sg/mohcorp/default.aspx

This story was first published in The New Paper on Oct 25, 2008.