“Going to the other end of the spectrum, if rides were to be made completely free, that would impose a heavy tax burden on the people, as it takes S$1.2 billion just to run the bus and train systems annually.”
—–
—–
“A PROPOSED formula for calculating bus and train fares can bring reductions during an economic slowdown, but it can also give rise to bigger increments in bountiful years.”
New formula flexible on transport fare changes
Straits Times Feb 25, 2005
—–
Questions
Will there be a fare reduction as Singaporeans face this giant economic tsunami?
Will the government dip into our save-for-rainy-days reserves to subsidise transportation fares?
—–
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
If you like this article, please consider a small donation to help theonlinecitizen.com stay alive. Please note that we can only accept donations from Singaporeans. Thank you for your assistance.Do you have a flair for writing? Volunteer with us. Email us your full name and contact details to theonlinecitizen@gmail.com
The rainy day never comes. I wonder whether there are any guidelines on when reserves should be used to help the poor.
with that disgusting pay they PAP are taking home every month, what does “raining days” mean to them?! It never come and never will come.
To me, his body language in the video is like subconciously showing he’s afraid that his salary will be reduced because of subsidised public transport.
Check out the way he emphasize his words and then pointing at the audience saying “Two, I use, YOU help me subsidize.”
But then again maybe I’m just too paranoid after hearing our elite ministers speak down to peasants in such manner so often.
in english it is called “BOLLOCKS”…the more “answers” they give,the bigger hole they are digging themselves into…
Nobody is asking for the transport to be free…the questions asked was the people hoped the public transport will not increased the fare again and given that the oil prices has come down in recent months…why have the fare not go south as well?
AT NO POINT DID ANYONE ASKED FOR FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORT…
Wah, look at the way he shook hands with the peasants…you can really see him shaking away their hands as quickly as he touched theirs. There is no sincerity at all. Sigh! He should learn from past experiences of his parliamentary colleagues…especially that one in Bt Gombak….bad..bad…
Actually if they can provide a really really completely free public transport, I don’t think we will mind paying with a 1.5% increase of GST. What I’m curious is, what is his definition of “free public transport”?
Pros:
- no more price hikes of any form (since it’s free)
- beneficial to people who can ONLY make use of public transport – poor people, and of course everyone else. The rich can still ride in their cars.
- probably less cars on the road as people switch to public transport
Cons:
- can they maintain the service quality of the free public transport?
What other benefits and cons could you guys think of?
Just to touch on the cycling issues, what’s wrong with upgrading infrastructure to support short cycling distances between towns?
If the infrastructure exists to make cycling safe and enjoyable, our people can still have a choice of whether they want to cycle for long distances or not.
In the end of the day, people want to have their choices and not being forced to take the “bitter medicine” that our dear leaders prescribe regularly.
It sounds like an employer talking to his maid…..
“You want to have day-off?? We cut your pay ah, you want or not???”
So singapore, our gahmen, keep talking to us as if we are the maids, while they are the owners………
exercise your votes wisely…….
NOT QUALIFIED AT ALL !!!!!!!!!!! PUI !!!!!!!!!!! SO ASHAMFUL WE GET THIS TYPE OF MINISTER . BTW HE STUDIED ECONOMICS AT U OF ADELlADE —– GRADE F – not fit for STANDARD JC even …PUI !!!
i think it’s about time we start practising shoes hurling exercise…enuff is enuff!
Public Fare not link to Oil Price? Then One + One = Three.. He think we are all Retards or little kids.. I am Disgusted with more and more Mininster Lately.
aiyoyo
so there are such ELITEs in this country…
by the way what’s their contribution to commoners???
aiyoyo
I support increasing GST by 1.5% …and everyone gets FREE TRANSPORT. I would believe free transport includes buses and train rides.
GST 7%
It will cost me S$ 2.00 to travel from woodlands mrt to orchard mrt. To buy a shirt worth S$ 50.00. after GST = S$ 53.50. Another S$ 2.00 to go back home. Total cost: S$ 2 + 53.50 + 2 = S$ 57.50
GST 8.5%
I take FREE transport from woodlands mrt to Orchard mrt to buy a shirt S$ 50.00 after 8.5% GST = S$ 54.25
Transport savings
S$ 57.50 – 54.25 = S$ 3.30 …wow i like! plus can travel free the whole day!
Can Raymond Lim deliver what he said?
wow i like! plus can travel free the whole day!
Don’t forget to factor in the fact that your friends, brothers, sisters, father, mother, grandwhatever and whoever can go along with you to help you choose your shirt. All for a free ride. Indeed good value for money.
“Can Raymond Lim deliver what he said?”
Since when any of the highly-paid clowns deliver what they says ?
Remember the Woody Pecker who says $100 millions to upgrade Hougang, only to admit that he doesn’t know where the money come from !
So let not succumb to the blatant lies of the government. This gov has totally no integrity and credibility in delivering what they says. They take citizen money for real but talk as nothing will hold them accountable. They only good at taChee and flip-flop. What else are they good at beside bootlicking ?
14) gemami on December 23rd, 2008 1.44 pm
That’s an even better deal!!
15) Daniel on December 23rd, 2008 1.52 pm
Agreed …anyway my entry was jus satire. :)
“Transport fares not linked to oil?” Raymond Lim is one of the Singapore ministers who can move the goalpost and rewrite Economics anytime he defends his policies.
This is one of the million dollars “A” Team ministers that LKY speaks so highly about.
The next thing that they will say is “look at our past records” when defending the bad investment losses with the Lehman bonds. “We are very transparent”, says Khaw Boon Wan, “but we will not open our books”.
Let’s rejoice because Singapore’s ministers have rewritten Economics and redefined the word “transparency”.
Actually, the GST has already been increased from 5% to 7% not too long ago, resulting in a surplus of more $6 billion instead of the projected $0.5 billion deficit. So, the previous 2 percentage points increase in GST is more than enough to provide for free transportation for all. With free transports, you won’t need $1.2 billion a year to operate the buses and trains as you do no not need those highly paid chiak-leow-bee CEOs, fare collection systems, fare machines, and fare-card readers and fare collection related costs. With delistings of Comfort Delgro and SMRT, all costs related to regulatory reporting, disclosure, investor relations etc will be saved.
I turned off my speaker to watch his body actions.
It is a lecturing session; not meeting the people dialogue session. The attitude is “I know much more than you do.” Whenever he points at himself after pointing at the audience, it is like ” you listen to me”.
I also got the impression that most of those who turned up are Ah Peks, Ah Mas and all those who are members of the RC people (from the same T-shirts they wear). Hence, they applauded; the ground is sweet.
Not sure if all others boycott the session or are invitation is only restricted to those supporters of RC.
People who are not in RC should attend such session to voice the displeasure, pressure and bombard these MPs with questions until they drop. Don’t feel shy or embarrassed because it is your rights to questions your MP and Ministers. It is time to let our voices heard and voting rights make known.
Ha ha! This is one of the rare occasions that I feel like joining the cynics and skeptics in voicing their disapproval of our ministers.
Mr Raymond Lim had committed at least two gaffes:
(1) Instead of explaining why transport fees will not be lowered in view of falling oil prices, he attempted to build a “straw man” of people asking for free transport. Unfortunately, he is a poor orator and poor communicator and this little trickery did not come off well. No one has been conned by it. It has truly back-fired and now he ends up with pie on his face.
(2) He compounded his faux pas by giving people the false choice between free public transport supported by a 1.5% increase in GST and the status quo. Ha ha! If only things are so simple!
This time, I’m truly disappointed.
Taken From National News bureau of Thailand
“The Department of Land Transport is set to discuss over bus fare reduction within next two weeks after retail prices of diesel hit lower than 20 baht a litre.
The department Director-General Mr. Chairat Sa-nguansue (ชัยรัตน์ สงวนชื่อ) revealed today (December 10) that the committee overseeing bus fares has agreed in its recent meeting that once the retail price of diesel continued to hit lower than 20 baht a litre for two weeks, a special session to seek bus fares’ reduction would be convened.”
This is how it should look into issues concerning the people, take a lesson from Thailand – Raymond Lim – REALLY FEEL ASHAMED FOR YOU. REALLY YOU NOT FIT TO BE THE TRANSPORT MINISTER — NO STANDARD WHATSOEVER
I suggest online citizen stage a protest at HL park with banners to condemn Raymond lim for his arrogance and SPH for refusing to publish readers letters criticising his comments
I wonder why unhappy s’pooraens are so useless, they dare not to stage protest,demonstration against uncalled for remarks from Raymond Lim.They only know to complain online.
If the PAP does their math correct, fully subsidized public transport will resolve the car population issue. I will give up my car for the FREE public transport ride and don’t mind paying the 8.5% GST.
The fear is in them that when they pay tax and drive and with so many cars at home, the peasants are riding public transport for free. This calls for a selfish act here.
If our leaders are so generous, there should be fully subsidized certain bus routes that help easy the traffic condition. Drivers will ditch their cars at home to take free public transport to work. But will that work? They fear they will lose money from the ERP, COE, Road Tax. So free pulic transport will NEVER come true in Selfishpore. The leaders are thinking TOO much about their own pockets only! F!
“‘FREE !” hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha ! in Singapore? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, its my toes, they are laughing, not me!!!!
where is our president!!! isn’t he watching the money? go make sure its well spend and accounted for. wtf
The money must come from somewhere right. Right, the taxpapers are now paying your high salary.
Why can’t they juz STFU?????…..at least i wouldn’t have doubt them being Div 1 or A Team…..now – - – Sigh
26) protestor on December 23rd, 2008 6.31 pm
where is our president!!! isn’t he watching the money? go make sure its well spend and accounted for. wtf
But the keys to the golden vault are not with him! its with . . . . . in his bedroom below in one of his pillow case.
Hopefully his million dollars salary not link to being Div 1…..that’ll be a relief
>>where is our president!!!
aiyah…he not FREE lah
8.5percent GST for free transport for all with PINK ICs.
why not? isn’t this a great deal?
the foreigners and PRs will be the ones paying, just to compensate the social ills and imbalance they caused.
sorry for belated comment, as was abroad. public transport should not have been privatised but be run as a co-operative like Fairprice though for buses
only ONE other private competitor be allowed. currently the govt should
provide coupons for lower income families.
Happy 2009