As I have commented before… how can we have a ‘public’ transportation system when it is owned and run by ‘private’ companies? Even cooperatives run with the intent of profits and large bonuses for their managers!
Their objectives are purely for the sake of the shareholders vs what we want to see – a transportation system that ‘SERVES’ the people. I don’t think we expect them to make losses but I believe a Cost + model (+ for capital reinvestment and improvements) should be looked at.

if the emphasis was to provide quality public service above all else, monopolistic essential service providers including singpost and these transport companies shud not be privatised in the first place. becos honchos in the market place are graded and rewarded by the sole focus on delivering profits and more profits. as such prices can only be going in one direction for the longer term. at least that’s how i thought the market should work and what the shareholders should expect. until these providers are delisted, i dont see how prices could stablise or remain standstill for long.

Profits is the sole aim of a privatised company since their sole purpose in existence is to maximise returns to shareholders.

A monopoly or cartel finds it a lot easier to increase prices.

In some countries, there have been significant pressures to re-nationalise utilities and public goods providers to remove that profits focus. In other countries, competition is imposed to tackle prices in cases of monopolies or cartels.

I tell you….at the back of our ministers’ minds,they know what they are doing, and what they are not doing.
Some may feel justified,some not so….some may feel sorry,yet continue as they try to find certain things they can do for the public,in order to feel better inside.

Some may even feel quietly guilty, for having being a part of this system where the very ppl they serve, they suck dry.

Kevin

The “beginning of the end” was really when our gahmen decided to privatise public transport for reasons of “efficiency”. This was done during the height of privatisating public services in several other countries, such as the UK. Other than public transport, other public services such as electricity was also privatised (there was a vague attempt to “privatise” healthcare but I believe the gahmen realised it couldn’t go too far with this; nonetheless, there was still the fracas with SingHealth and NHG clusters).

The wave of privatisation has more or less turned the other way when the promised efficiency was not being realised. Contrary to theory, privatisation resulted in duplication of central services (instead of one central control, several companies need several control centres; plus the regulatory costs etc). Also, when these public service providers are listed, their priority is now to serve the shareholders, not the public. Even though they’re supposed to be providing a public service.

This is not rocket science. When SMRT and SBS got listed back in the 1990s I already realised public transport would go to the dumps. My only mistake was not buying shares in SMRT and SBS then.

How come our million-dollar ministers could not see this coming?

Our dear gahmen COPIED the UK privatisation example expecting that they could be absolved of the responsibility of providing public service. They clung onto the theoretical benefits that privatisation was supposed to bring – competition ->efficiency -> lower prices. Well, the call for renationalisation of formerly public services are getting stronger in the UK. What is our gahmen’s response?

Let’s see if our gahmen is willing to admit to its lack of foresight and take drastic steps to deal with this fracas it created for Singaporeans today.

- ‘wolf in sheep skin type’ of public transportation.
- blood sucking leaders of singapore
- garmen propanganda MSM
- lan lan citizen

Ingredients of fark-type society.

Yesterday I was at Paya Lebar (PL) station at about 6.30pm. I was on my way to Ang Mo Kio, so I had to transit at City Hall.

At Paya Lebar, the station was really full with people. I rarely take trains from this station, so I was quite surprised that even in PL, it was so jam-packed. I managed to get on the train – going shoulder to shoulder with my fellow passengers.

When we got to City Hall, as usual, the station was also jam-packed with people. When the train came, everyone had to squeezed in to the carriages. I experience this almost everyday but yesterday was different. I have never had to squeeze so tightly before. It was quite an atrocious experience – especially for the women who I noticed were not very happy.

And in the middle of all of this was this Chinese woman with a baby in a pram. She had a real hard time trying to negotiate the pram with her kid in it.

The situation was like this all the way to Ang Mo Kio – packed like sardines with no room to move at all. Passengers getting off at their stations had to push and shove their way out.

I think the PTC needs to wake up. And the bus companies should be publicly chastised for not doing anything to improve the situation.

But the person who should be held accountable is the Minister for Transport, Raymond Lim. This situation has been going on since last year, for goodness’ sake!!

What the hell is the minister doing?

I would be aghast if the PTC allows the transport companies to raise fares this August!!

I suspect, part of the reason why frequency of trains suffered recently was an attempt by SMRT to save cost. Then they turned it into a PR attempt when they increased frequencies during lunch times when they belated realised how crowded it really was…… Just my observations…

I think we are very well aware of how the SMRT management views these concerns of overcrowding.

In an earlier occasion, the boss even came out to say that he tot SMRT trains still had more capacity and that commuters weren’t maximising space. I had the impression then of the Indian style trains where people could actually sit on top of trains….

To Mr Loh, it has been that way for quite some time already and has gotten worse when the frequencies were extended.

Sorry, I should have said, blamed it on the commuters for not maximising space.

Sorry, I should have also said, when the frequencies were QUIETLY extended.

Reason is very simple.

Note that SMRT has a performance matrix called “average operating car occupancy” (http://www.smrt.com.sg/investors/documents/key_operating_data_mrt/trains_FY2004_Fy2008.pdf).

So the more people you can squeeze into the car, the better this number looks.

Now, LTA says must increase frequency during peak hours. But SMRT cannot let the occupancy indicator slack. So what to do? Reduce frequency during off-peak lor!

Here’s another joke. Notice how LAX LTA’s targets are here?

http://www.smrt.com.sg/investors/documents/key_operating_data_mrt/mrt_service_performance_2008.pdf

Train arrivals/departures – it’s WITHIN 2 MINTUES OF SCHEDULE mind you. It’s not frequency. So SMRT can set frequency of 15 minutes and then depart within 17 minutes and still meet LTA’s performance requirement.

PTC or no PTC, respite or brief pauses aside,

as long as essential service providers remain listed,

prices can only be going in one direction over the LONGER PERIOD.

…this can’t be helped…blah blah

# Jin Says:
July 2nd, 2008 at 8:30 pm

Well, I have to ask Pin Min about this for confirmation so that I am not saying the wrong thing. Did Dr Ng really promise that he can lower the price of oil?

If yes, then I think it is an utterly ridiculous, nonsensical comment made by someone who is supposedly to be equipped with “vast capability and knowledge” according to his education level and his “justified” pay. It is a global issue and not even the Federal Reserve can say that they are able to control oil price (they can though but that’s not the point). I will not blame him if he were to say that they can’t control the inflation problems we are facing because it is a global problem. But don’t make empty promises like that. Please don’t tell me that he has a masters in economics or something.

If no, then I take back my words and hopefully people are more tactful with their words in the future to avoid misunderstanding.

Pin Min’s Reply:

Sorry, Jin. I am unable to verify if that statement was made.

Above was another post taken from the same thread in the P65 forum.

Can someone help Dr Lam to verify that statement Jin was asking about Dr Ng Eng Hen remark on the “control oil price”?

If Dr Lam can’t get a verification from his own party comrade Dr Ng, how could we ordinary citizens can get a verification from the man himself then?

Btw, since now Dr Ng is the Minister for Education, I have a question for him, please define the meaning of the word “subsidy” for this ignorant uneducated me!

fuel price up ? ERP up? using public transport ! public transport fee up = more bicycle tracks lah . don’t know how to cycle? too bad, wlk lah! lol

[...] ERPains, Trains and Automobiles – TOC: How ‘public’ is S’pore’s public transportation system? [...]

3) lim on July 3rd, 2008 10.01 am

“Profits is the sole aim of a privatised company since their sole purpose in existence is to maximise returns to shareholders

A monopoly or cartel finds it a lot easier to increase prices.”

You are right man. PUBLIC transport and PRIVATISED company – what a combination especially when real competition is lacking. You tell me, what sort of competition in the so called private environment we are talking about. Full of vacuum without substance I would say.

Profit element (believed to be quite an amount for noise to be made) for public service ? After spending so much on our education and stressing how first classy we are, they still treat us like morons.

Full quote is purported this:

“This is a Wayang Party, WP, not Workers’ Party…Do they have solutions? Can they bring the price of oil down? Can they stop factories from pulling out of Singapore and find you jobs? Can they bring down the price of rice, a loaf of bread, a cup of coffee?“- Manpower Minister Ng Eng Hen during GE2006 period, 3rd May 2006, CNA

http://blog.s0ulless.sg/?p=364

I have not heard the quote myself and I can’t find anything on CNA (maybe deleted liao). However, I do remember Sylvia Lim’s reply. She said this during a WP rally:

“Can PAP bring down the price of oil?”

See YouTube video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNX1oipgeK4, at 6:24

From the horse’s mouth:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qdzozjXoiQ

1:05 onwards

People who make decisions abt public transport did not use them, people who use public transport cannot do anything abt problems. Feedback gets thrown out, problems ignored, screwups go unreported. Commuters gets pissed off, service staff gets scolded, littering gets worse. These are just reflections of our 1st world transport services, can you blame people for wanting to own cars n using them. If basic alternatives cannot be improved, then we are in a no win situation, guess who’s the winner?

Ask this Dr Ng better to go back to the clinic. He is not a politician. He can talk kok only. Anything opposition brings out he said it is a political ploy. If opposition suggests something he will say not workable. So what he wants us to do ? Under pap rule, not only oil price cant reduce, but it shot up tremendously, rice increase in price, transport increase, ERP increase, ministerial salary increase, medical cost increase, Uni tuition fee increase, salary of workers either stagnant or decrease, what else decrease, NIA MAH, I vote you Raymond Lim and Dr NG, what I get, can you decrease the price of oil, if can not, then Low Thia Kiang also can not reduce the price of oil. So I better vote Sylvia Lim and Low Thia Kiang into parliament because these two Pap fools can not reduce the price of oil.

RH: A very comprehensive essay on Public Transport is at :
http://i-came-i-saw-i-solved-it.blogspot.com/search/label/Public%20transport%20another%20SCAM%20by%20LIE%20KY

It amazes me to see the change in policies suddenly.

The thing is that the Govt just never like to admit any mistake they ever made! They just attempt another PR event in light of it to cover things up.

yet another good example will be to return the “residue’ amount in CASH to car owners who sold their cars instead of transferring the residue amount only when they purchase a new car. It will then at least let one to seriously consider to switch from private to public transport.

This was brought up again & agin but always shot down. After so bloody long a period then they finally realised that they should do it!

I strongly believe we can get better quality decision makers with the amount Singapore is paying for top brass.

Anyone dispute on tis?

Cheers to you John, I agree with you. Though there might be some good ones around inside the govt now.

But at least get someone who DOES take buses and trains to make decisions on transport then ministers that only get driven around or drive themselves…

Some of the earlier comments were commenting on the issue over privatisation.

imho, there are pros and cons of privatising public transport – its not all negative.

HOWEVER, you must accompany privatisation with other checks and balances.

(i) give competition. open up the bus services sector.
(ii) Any price increment must get govt approval and be debated by all parties.
(iii) challenge any major price hikes as to whether this will affect the consumers – the main objective of a public transport system. (not profits to shareholders).
(iv) challenge them to whether they’ve looked at increasing other revenue potential (i.e. advertising, retail spaces at busstops etc etc), or attempted to reduce operating costs?
(v) if all else fails, could the govt offer a tax break or subsidies directly to the bus companies if there are no other way to reduce fares?

i.e. with privatisatin, the govt’s role should be more as a monitoring agent, providing guidelines to make sure that public transport are looking out for consumers’ interests too, and not just shareholders.

Is the govt doing enough of this, or efficiently, or with the public interest in mind? Is CASE doing its real job? should we have more NGOs who can challenge this? Should the press be allowed to debate and challenge the ideas brought up by LTA? Should Temasek or any other govt investment body completely rid themselves of all transport companies’ shares to remove any question of conflict of interest?

The gahmen still dare to say inflation will go down at 2nd half of the year. I think these bunch of high paid monkeys really have no foresight. Now they still want to increase electricity tariffs, public transport fares, rising cost of food and more. How to see inflation dropping off. Fat Hope. The gahmen better dont invest more of our hard earned money in banks while poor sinkies have to pay market price for product and services. Talk about more GOOD YEARS and GOLDEN YEARS. I think our SENIORS are SUFFERING, OUR POOR are FORGOTTEN by the “LET’s MOVE ON” style of gahmen. SICK MAN!

FG

Despite the obvious groundswell of opinion against the government in recent times, with many people starting to shed their cloak of fear they had cover themselves in for so long, what is apparent to the public is that the PAP could not care less. After all, they have the country’s security apparatus to ensure their survival.
Just look at Burma.
I had a nightmare last night whereby I was surprised to see that the cabinet had uploaded a video on youtube. What greeted me when I launched it was the sight of them giving the viewer the middle finger and in chorus shouting, “So what the f*** are you going to do about it.”
I have to say this, what lies ahead, the route we choose to force changes, will be a rocky one indeed. I use the word force because I’m not so naive as to think all those people laughing all the way to the bank every month will ever willingly give up what they are having.

A few nights ago, I took a MRT train at 10 p.m. It was certainly off-peak hours. I waited a long time for the train (perhaps close to 10 minutes). The train was packed all the way from City Hall station to Yio Chu Kang station.

I hope that MRT will be more considerate to the commuters, by running more trains during the off-peak hours, so that the waiting time is shorter and that more commuters can have the chance of a set during the off-peak hours.

They should not be pursuing the “cut cost” and “make more profit” to the extent of disregard for the comfort of the commuters.

I hope that the Land Trasnport Authority and the Public Transport Council will make the public transport operators more considerate towards commuters.

It perturbs me that the “public” transport industry is privatised in Singapore. Public transport involves a huge fixed cost (digging tunnels, buying trains and buses etc) and thus it makes more sense for them to be owned by the government so that they can charge a price such that 1) They can earn normal profits + some amt for investment and 2) it is affordable for all Singaporeans. The public transport can be efficient if the company culture is one that encourages innovation and rewards the employees such that they are motivated.

Gosh, there are so many more reasons as to why the government should un-privatise this industry. Afterall, isnt public transport suppose to be for the public?

Transport companies need to be profitable so that they can continue to pay the high salaries of their management. And their management are usually “retired” senior civil servants and army officers. These management positions are meant to provide these people a very comfortable retirement.

So, fat hope to those who want transport companies not to make excessive profits.

“Any price increment must get government approval and be debated by all party’, unquote(aygee July 3rd 2008, 7.25pm.

Aygee, I believe that LTA, PTC, CASE(Consumer Association) etc are all government owned privatised entities headed by PAP Parliamentarians. And these institutions are been created to buffer any accusation against the Government. It is a way to deflect any complaints against our government and leaders.

Maybe, I am wrong, therefore I stand to be corrected.

patriot.

The writer mention a salary of $1000 take home pay and in the current inflation climate, I can understand why he is struggling to get by. To speak about retirement plans for people at this income level is a mockery.

We come to this public transportation issue every time but never once is the public successful in overruling any price hikes.

Just buy into their shares as a hedge lah.
http://jeflin.net/2008/06/29/high-oil-prices-forcing-vehicles-off-the-roads/

Do the relevant authorities take our feedback seriously for the benefit of the working class? Or they simply allows us to vent our frustrations here and knowing that eventually Singaporeans will adjust and live with it. Know this, private companies operate to make profits (or maximize profits). They have to because that’s where they get their salaries, increments and big bonuses. There decisions are profit driven first and then deal with the complaints later. The little people like us will suffer simply because all expense increases will pass down to us. The authorities here do not believe in SUBSIDY. Then how do we deal with these increases???

The most effective way to deal with these insensitiveness is to hurt their pockets. As monopolist of public service, they are bound to make profit but we can limit it. Therefore, I simply cut down on my discretionary spendinds like:

Do not take taxis
If I can walk instead of buses (esp feeder services)
Avoid the big shopping areas like Orchard, Marina,
Avoid using the car if possible
Buy less
Eat out less
ETC….

If enough people do this, the impact will be felt. Lower demand will reduce prices. In so doing, we are also becoming environmentally friendly and help to heal our planet – less wastage, less CO2.

There are many ways to do it. Be proactive, creative, choose wisely and help to bring down costs for everyone. Only then will THEY listen and take our feedback seriously!

BE WISE.

I have been reading TOC for quite a while. Seriously, think about this: We arrived at our present sad state of affairs because 55% of this country allow it. The process for a change is really quite simple: get it right the next time it comes to cast that simple vote. Its really no point really making all the noise now that most people have given them that ‘mandate’ to absolutely screw us up.

Does anyone of us here seriously think that increasing the decibel of this chatter here or anywhere else will mean much to the people in charge?

Anyway, I am looking hard now for a 2nd job just to finance whatever increase that is to come. Isn’t that just life for some of us……?

So lets make it count the next time round.

Cheers.

Do your grocery shopping near your vicinity. Cancel your credit cards with all the banks! Don’t get enticed to borrow from legal lenders. Don’t gamble your hard-earned money away. Because this is the subtle way to get back the handouts the Government so helped us. SPEND WHAT YOU NEED AND NOT WHAT YOU WANT. Eat at home and build good relations with your loved ones. Cut down unnecessary luxurious lifestyle like going to spa, expensive restaurants, cinemas, and travels. Thanks , xtrakm for starting the ball rolling!!!

Don’t talk about CASE, it is a disgrace body. It can’t help the consumer. It should protest about the price hike, but instead it protested about selling junk food to the children. What kind of body is this. Please boycott CASE.

To Milkfish,
not only you have to search for 2nd job, I am sure many of us can’t cope with the rising cost. For poor people, govt give rebate and handout, but for people between poor and middle income, who is going to help us ? pap govt ? no way. They can take ur money, but you can’t get anything from them. Don’t talk about GST rebate, that is a ploy. They give you $100, they expect to take back $500, that is pap. that is Ng eng hen. Prices of food, transport, petrol, medical, electricity, rent, housing, all go up. You name it you have it. Govt can’t control, then who can control. pap will say it is world phenomenion, supply & demand. Then I say your govt is lousy. You are not talented, but you collect private CEO salary.

I was waiting for a bus 197 last evening and waited for a cool 40 minutes before a single-deck crammed with people appeared. While waiting, I noted at least 5 quite empty and new 198 have whisked past. Since they are from the same bus terminal, why can’t the terminal people in charge do better planning. It was peak hour and many people have to cram onto the old and single deck 197. Worse still, since I could not get on the bus, I waited another 20 minutes before the next one appeared. I stood on the bus for a full 45 minutes,smelling the sweats etc of my fellow passenger throughout the journey, a very uncomfortable experience. So reaching the bus stop at about 6 p.m., I did not reach home until 8 p.m.

That’s a world class public transportation system for you.

I think all of us should realize that Singapore as a country is privatized. It is one BIG corporation where PROFIT is the only consideration. So transportation is only a reflection of the bigger picture.

Yes, what can we do about it? BIG ZIP. As the ministar incharge of introducing the New Water said – Singaporean will adjust to new levels of discomfort in time. (or something to that effect!) So, if the PAP (or the Board of Directors of Singapore Inc) wanted to implement something, it will get done irrespective.

Some said that PAP will be punished in the next GE. Do you really think that PAP will allow that to happen. There are really imaginative and lawful ways to adjust things before the next GE. It is not true that 66.6% voted for PAP. 66.6% who got to vote voted for PAP. I cannot imagine how many of us never got the chance to even vote. If you transpose that percentage over the whole of the Singapore electorate, it will be a very interesting percentage. So dream on Singaporeans!

It’s a matter of time before Singapore is completely filled with the rich and tourists while the poor gets extinct.

From my perspective, I think the LTA and MOT have lost it. People who drive their posh cars do not understand what daily commuters like us face, and try to rationalize an alien concept of public transport with their colored lenses. They are refuting everything the public tells them, based on the rationale that they understand the public best. Duh. They really need to wake up and do a major overhaul. Cut the volume of cars, designate bicycle lanes so people can cycle to work, eradicate all the other useless ERP gantries and confine them to the CBD.

Rahman:

Bus no 197 and 198 do not come from the same terminal. One is from Jurong East and the other is from Boon Lay. But, I have experienced similar cases (quite often actually) where 2 double-deck 198 bus has passed before a single-deck 197 bus showed up.

As for “de-privatising” of the public transport? I don’t think it would make much of a difference now.

As it is:
Their routes are “government-approved” ones.
Their fares are “government-approved” ones.
And: Guess who’s the major share holder for both SMRT and SBS? (There was even an article in TOC on this)

you still believe in talking with these moron thick skin people for change? leopard will never change its spot. migrating to australia soon. Being a 2nd/3rd class citizen there is still better than be an impotent stinkapoor citizen here rule by elite uncaring face morons who self-claim to be 1st world leader.

There was a period where the mantra was privatise to imrove efficiency. And there was this recent fad of outsourcing – the echo was loud and clear, to outsource so-called non-essential work to parties that can do the job better, and the out-sourcing Company concentrate on its core business.

So it must goes to follow, perhaps somewhere , perhaps part of the governing of Singapore need to be ‘ptivatised’ and ‘outsourced’

The Singapore government encourages more to travel using the public transport like buses or trains in a bid to ease traffic flow and better air environment.

A series of measures, like increasing ERP charges and installing more ERP gantries at various “strategic” locations, have been implemented to discourage owning a car. To encourage more to take public transport, LTA has come up with a masterplan to make travelling easier. Higher frequencies of buses and trains between intervals especially during peak hours are ordered by the LTA to transport operators.

Question comes down to “Are Singaporeans taking public or private transport?” Now, all transport operators are privatised and the big players like SMRT, SBS Transit and Comfort DelGro, are all listed on the stock market. They will need to answer to shareholders and ensure y-o-y profit are improving, if not maintained.

How many times have we read, seen or heard of complaints from commuters because of overcrowded trains or buses, or filthy buses? How many minutes have been wasted because of long waits for buses or trains? How often do you read of passengers complaining on taxi drivers “hiding” from the streets but suddenly reappear out of nowhere with a “On Call” sign?

Despite higher oil prices, SMRT still managed to report higher net profit of S$149.9M, up 10.4%. So, is their past arguments on a need to up transport fares justifiable? Also, are the public consulted prior to an increase in on-board rate for cabs? The taxi operators simply proceeded with their increase without listening to both the cab drivers and passengers. Profit is number ONE.

Let’s admit the fact that we, Singaporeans, no longer are taking public transport. We are taking PRIVATE transport. I will not be surprised should transport operators submit another round of fee hike proposal and get it approved year in year out. It’s time to introduce and bring in big and new players so no single operator can “monopolise” the market. When I says big, I really mean big if not their influence to the market is of little if not negligible insignificance. Remember how the other smaller taxi operators have no choice but to follow big boy Comfort DelGro up in fare prices?

hongjun
http://hongjun.blogspot.com/

Please remember all your grievances and unhappiness the next time GE comes around. Please please please don’t be taken in by handouts that are taken back the moment the GE is over.

The govt’s decision to privatise “public” transport is not to improve efficiency. Rather, it is to deflect public criticism of impending price hikes on a regular basis.

Imagine the heartlanders’ outcry if a clearly govt-owned transport company increases fares as blatantly as what SMRT and SBS did so regularly. Now, our govt can “honestly” claim that these fare increases are commercial decisions (not govt decision) of any publicly listed companies which must answer to their shareholders. However, the govt conveniently fails to mention that it is also the biggest shareholder.

Many netizens know what the govt say is partially true, but it is NOT the whole truth. As even more heartlander uncles and aunties do not know they whole truth, these are the 66.6% who give their votes to PAP after receiving GE handouts.

The government is trying to encourage ppl to take public transport, but how much effort they have put in to improve the public transport services so far? Imagine you have to spend at least 1 hour to take a trunk service from one end to the other end where a car can reach within half an hour. Bear in mind that, that is excluding the waiting time. So, in total, you need at least 1 and half hour to reach your destination. Of course, ppl will opt for car rather than public transport since it save lots of travel time. I would suggest the trunk service to be reviewed so as to come up with a more comprehensive route map.

although the transportation companies cannot please everyone, they try to meet the needs of at least the majority, but the issues raised are not new. and at least 3 out of 5 issues raised are from some of the majority i’m sure.
is the transportation companies really not listening hard enough?

I totally share the same experiences of public traffic congestion. With the plan of increasing the population to 6 to 7 million by 2027 in pipeline, the need for an efficient transportation system becomes even more important.

Both the deficiencies and the necessity for improve are clear.

What is more uncertain, in my opinion, is how best to fix it. I’m not entirely sure that nationalizing public transportation will definitely work. A quick scan across the world reveals that nationalization works for some countries but not others: (1) state ownership works in France, (2) privatization works in Japan, (3) nothing works in UK.

A more pragmatic approach is to examine available information objectively and to explore new solutions without fear or failure. To achieve this, both the government and people need to change.

The government needs to be more transparent about the traffic statistics and revenue. Availability of information allows more people, for example universities or interested individuals, to understand the situation and to propose new perspectives objectively. What is equally important is communication of the rational behind public policies to the people. I find these efforts seriously lacking.

On the other end, I (sorry for being equally blatant) find some responses from the public useless at alleviating the current problem. In fact, I find many of them merely reflect the well-known short-falls, some of them gave hypothetical reasons, and others even wrote personal and political attacks. What I also find disappointing is the absence of gracious lucid articulation.

Just took a look at the latest P&L for SMRT.

Record $150m profit on $800m revenues for FY 2008 from $135m profit on $740m revenues in FY 2007. 8% revenue growth and 11% profit growth. Increasing oil costs?

So despite increasing costs, do people in Singapore actually pay more for a public good to fund shareholders profits as well? :-)

Will FY 2009 see even higher record profit? Doesn’t take a genius to guess…

To be fair, for SBS Transit, although group revenues have been increasing, profits have maintained (at lower rates than SMRT) from 2004 to 2007. That at least has been some consolation…

50) ng65 on July 7th, 2008 1.43 pm

“In fact, I find many of them merely reflect the well-known short-falls, some of them gave hypothetical reasons, and others even wrote personal and political attacks. What I also find disappointing is the absence of gracious lucid articulation”

The only lucid thing is that our pockets gets burned deeper and deeper with no imporovement but the situation getting worst because of unforseen consequences. So what solutions & gracious lucid articulation are we talking about. They have been experimenting (you may call it deliberately planning) for so many years with COE, PARF, ERP, weekend plate, high fuel tax, taxi fare (with so many levels of costs that add to confusion rather than enligtenment), privatisation in the name of competition and whatnots and so what do you get finally.

This is Singapore. We are a small island and we love peace. In Singaporeans’ mind, if ‘they’ want to increase, what can we do? Will they really listen to all this feedbacks all of you here giving now? Wake up! The answer is NO. They are smart, unlike some other countries. They will not increase 1 dollar or more, they will tell you 1 cent, 3 cent. Over the time you will get it.

Anyway what can we do, We just LOVE PEACE. Change your mindset! LIVE WITH IT!

Don’t waste time here. What we should do now is to earn more money to pay for the increasing standard of living in Singapore. I always think that the more richer you are, the more all this “increased in standard of living” will benefit you. Looking forward for the opening of the whole stretch of KPE.