Leong Sze Hian
In December last year, chairman of the Public Transport Council, Mr Gerard Ee rejected polytechnic students’ request for fairer transport fares. Mr Ee said then, “It’s not within our power to force operators to give concessions – that’s up to the operators.” (Asia One / TOC)
On 12 August 2009, Mr Ee again rejected calls for cheaper fares – this time for the elderly. Writing as Chairman for the Council for Third Age, Mr Ee’s letter to the Straits Times forum page, titled “Cheap fares for elderly not the best way”, said:
“For low-income older workers, putting more financial resources directly in their hands is probably better than further concessions on public transport”.
Calls for senior citizens’ concessionary travel to be applied throughout the day, instead of just off-peak hours, has fallen on deaf ears, over the years.
The income of older lower-income workers has continued to fall over the years. An elderly cleaner now earns only about $650 a month.
Allowing peak hour concessionary travel for senior citizens may go a long way towards lessening the financial burden of all senior citizens. The fact of the matter is that most measures to “putting more financial resources” in the hands of the elderly lower-income, as Mr Ee referred to, has not worked very well.
Citing the Workfare Income Supplement Scheme (WIS) – “For example, a 60-year old earning $1,000 a month stands to receive $2.400 in Workfare benefits, of which $686 will be in cash and $1,714 in CPF top-ups” – may be of little meaning to the debate on concessionary travel, as 71 per cent ($1,714) of the WIS is locked in the CPF which cannot be used to pay for transport fares. The other 29 per cent ($686) is to help the elderly whose low incomes continue to decline.
Public transport operators have generally continued to make record profits almost year after year, even despite the recent reduction in fares.
If we can employ hundreds of additional personnel to fine those eating or drinking on public transport, and increase the number of trains a day by 900 during the F1 races downtown, why can’t we give the elderly full concessionary travel? Let’s “cut all the crap” (pardon my language), but isn’t it simply about money and profits?
Other countries respect their elderly for their contribution to society and the nation, with unrestricted concessionary travel.
Why do we continue to give all kinds of excuses just to deny elderly Singaporeans the respect and dignity they rightly deserve?
Perhaps the transport companies, instead of Mr Ee, should look into granting more concessions to our elderly folks. After all, Mr Ee did say that even his PTC, which is suppose to regulate transport fares, has no power to force operators to give concessions.
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He is just follow gov. policy. Don’t scold him. he is very sick now. Give him some peace before time run out.
So brothers and sisters, remember to cast your vote wisely in this coming elelction. The PAP will use a lot of goodies to buy all of us over. Don’t forget, all those goodies are in fact are come from us. We by right should have it than kept by them indefintely.
Once again calling all able s’porean to come out to stand for election. Don’t wait or else you will regret. No point of grumble too much, show them our votes and they will realise the people’s power .YES WE CAN!!!!!!!!
Gerard is sick ?
what illness he has ?
he is totally ignorant of what aging that brings, does he expect eberyone to wprk till 80s and take bus at full fare ?
There are only two men in 80s refusing to retire, each is drawing $3.7M to $3.9M per year, they don’t bus they don’t work much too
what illness? these elites must be all suffering from 1 illness, & its in their heads?
by The Cranberries.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FML9vEubYKY
can anyone advise me on how i can get a online petition going? i think we should organise an online petition to fight for the reduced fares for the elderly..i m not tech savvy at all when it comes to using the computer..i wanna do something but not sure what to help these elderly people who deserves some respect from these ruling elites…they don’t know what it is like to take the bus day in n day out, they sit in their nice ivory towers and pass down rules and regulations without knowing how they will affect the populace, esp the old and needy. their aged parents n grandparents r likely to be chauffered everywhere. anyone can suggest something? i think if we pull together our objections and made known to the public, instead of just on this website?
something is not right here…..we are suppose to be one the richest country in this world…and yet we see so many are living from hand to mouth… where did we went wrong….?????
or are we like in olden china….where the emperor and his ministers wined & dined every evening…and the peasants are taxed to the bones…
on adobepie on 16august 8.57pm
i agree with u….i have seen with my own eyes old ladies going through trash bins looking for cans to sell..i have been approached by one old lady once in a market, and she asked if i could give her 5 dollars so she can buy a bowl of noodles and a soda..i took her to the stall, and i bought her the meal..she was so happy, and she said if only the govt would only show her some compassion like i did…sad isn’t it? compassion is like a extinct word these days with our govt..it was never like this…sad sad sad!
“he is totally ignorant of what aging that brings, does he expect eberyone to wprk till 80s and take bus at full fare ?”
No, he is not ignorant. Like pappies, he is much sober than everybody else. It is just his deliberate decision to maximize profitability and not acting as a charity which is the mindset of all Singapore INC companies in line with PAP ideology.
I am disappointed with his remarks! What can you expect from a rich person sitting in judgement of the poor? Gerald should start to walk to the bus stop, junk his luxury car and take the bus to work for a life of the poor he has so little understanding for.
He may as well tell the poor to migrate to a cheaper neighboring country like what a minister suggested to the aged!
on 108 coconut august 17th 1.23pm….u r right, not only should mr ee ditch his car, walk to the bus stop, take the bus, get sandwiched in between bodies in a crowded bus, but he should get his aged aunties, uncles, all the aged members of the family to do the same….then maybe, just maybe they would understand what it is like for an old person having to walk to work to save on bus fares, having to eat less so he can afford his next fare to do his cleaning job (it is a shame that an old person, who should be relaxing and enjoying his twilight years a bit, after sacrificing so much for his country)…but i don’t think the elites would ditch their cars, walk to work, or get sandwiched in between bodies in a crowded bus, life is just too good for them to want to give them up, and in the meantime, they tell us no cheap fares for the aged! shame on u!
From his ivory tower. What he sees= what PAP sees. that everything is “fine”…. just “fine”. Cause of these uncaring elites, lesser mortals like old aunties and uncles have to suffer.
Just cause of a group of senseless idiots running this regime. Some of their ideas precipitate down to the “not-so-bright” goondu bootlickers and suckups.
As a outside observer, although born and bred in Sinkapore I think the ruling party “govern” Sinkapore like a CEO running a company. Social issues is outside their remit, the key indicator GDP matter only. When a ruling party had total control of Parliament, with no alternative voice to speak -up for the poor and homeless, the governemnt is free to do what they think is best for country. A more balance approach is obviously desirable – balance between friendly business and social policies. LKH never believed in social welfare, a view he had expressed many times previously.Although he is semi”retired” but his view still stand and no ministers dare to propose a policy that he had expressly disliked. It is sad but true. The only solution is in the hand of Singaporean. They had to use their vote wisely come the election.
Here in New York, senior citizens get a monthly travel card and get to ride ALL the subways and buses for free!!! I am truely disgust with the PAP and promised myself never ever to step into Singapore ever again. I love Singapore, I grew up there and all my memories, friends and families are there. I am a recent graduate and an engineer here in USA. I will gladly return to Singapore to contribute my talent even if it means that I’ll be getting much worst salary and benefit compared with USA. To many people in this world (PAP excluded), money isn’t that important. I would want to be part of a country where I can be proud, be passionate that I can contribute and help build it to become better for the benefit of all it’s citizens. Sadly, PAP has poluted Singapore with their greed and hunger for power, that passionate citizens with visions are not at all welcome. I wish all of you my fellow beloving Singaporean citizens to all wake up and please let’s vote this bastards PAP out!!!!!!!!
“welfare is not a dirty word”……one of our MPs once said….looking around us these days and seeing so many of our old folks digging thru trash bins… just to seek a few dollars for their daily meals…do ask ourselves….is this a 1st world singapore…i’m ashamed
the gahmen is so obsessed with making this small country of ours into a 1st world singapore, the economic power house in this region, that they have truly lost sight of the fact that many singaporeans are suffering in many ways. what is the point of making us world no. 1 n all that crap when ordinary folks are being forgotten and left to rot? world no. 1 is crap when that world no. 1 hasn’t got a compassionate heart beating in the pulse of the gahmen, who should be looking after her citizens first.
From his statements you can deduce this Gerard is nothing but a psychophantic rich man and an eager boot licker of the 30 highest paid politicians in the world…why should he speak on behalf of the poor …I believe He hopes the poor and aged will just disappear or just die….problem solved.
Like one of our forumers suggeted this Gerard should stop using his car and take bus or train for at least one month …maybe …maybe he will be more understanidng of the difficulties of the poor ….Le thim try to survive on $330.oo per month…I suspect this Gerard spend that amount on food a day.
Shame on him and his 30 highest paid politicians in the world for being so cruel and uncaring.
Every society has its fare share of poor regardless how wealthy the country. Japan, USA and UK had its poor. One major difference is the governments provided the old with free transport to encourage them to be mobile. UK governemnt had an agreement with the transport companies to provide free transport in return for a fixed sum annually. Once a person reached the age of 65 (OAP) old age pensioner, he or she will receive a bus pass that offered free bus trevel. SinKapore could easily provide similar facilities without causing any hardship to the national budget. It is just similarly we have a uncaring government and sadly we do not have a minister that are capable of “Freeand original thinking” to make Sinkapore a more comfortable place for aged and poor.Change is way over due. We need to change starting from the top and worked our way down to make the country truely fix for Singaporean especially the old folk.
They have every right to increase their fares, no money, not happy, dont ride. Walk. Free.
I also don’t like the idea of making fares any cheaper for elderly.
I believe the old should make way for the youth, they dont need to further crowd our buses and take their own sweet time boarding/leaving it. They’re a mighty burden to singaporean society, we’ve more or less learned whatever we need from them if they can’t even pay for bus fare i reckon just leave.
@bobbytan
Money makes the world go round. This is the new age,youth and knowledge is power, get over it.
Don’t try to make guilty those who are intelligent enough to achieve and hold their financial positions. If you all care so much about ‘poor people’, go take care of them, Share your income with them.
3/4 of people just cry their asses off about things that don’t even affect them, but not like they donate or anything anyway.
I am only a middle class worker, but i have fully accepted these facts of life. Stop whining about every little thing.
For being so harse on Senior Citizens and yet holding on to the post of Chairman of the PTC and Council for teh Third Age..Mr. Ee has automatically disqwualified himself of the privilege of even sitting on the PTC and The Third Age…He has completely lost his MORAL rights and privileges.
Shame on this man (whose Father would have admonished him if He were alive today).
I wonder if Mr. Ee can survive on say 5 times what the elderly poor earns per month not to say on only $650 per month.
Everytime this subject comes up amongst my friends and colleagues I get so angry and frustrated…for this my friends and I will vote against the PAP in this forthcoming GE because the Politicians are not doing enough for the poor and destitute in this area and by implication actually endorse Mr. Ee’s views and stand.
in australia, seniors reaching 60 years and not working full time, can get a card that allows them discounts in some shops and pay only A$2.50 for travel by bus,ferry or train for the day.
in our visits to singapore, we are always saddened by the sight of the elderly serving and cleaning up at food stalls, jobs done by the young in australia.
surely a so called rich country like singapore can look after her less fortunate seniors better.
Yes every citizen knows full well the PAP Government DO NOT WANT, REFUSE TO, WILL NOT approve unconditional subsidised fares or any special considerations for the old and destitute because to these Money grabbing, highest paid, mercenary, self serving, immoral public servants the word “compassion” is ALIEN to them.
Shame on these immoral bunch of public servants. They really believe they are the Masters and not servants of the Public.
To ex Malaysian
There are many poor people in Singapore living cheek by jowl with the rich. Who are the rich? The government is rich, that’s for sure. The government ministers and their ilk are certainly rich. The people put in place by the government to run government-owned companies are rich. We can then add another group – the owners of hugely profitable, private businesses are also rich. And of course people who earn incomes in the high seven figure range.
These are the rich.
Many Singaporeans are living hand-to-mouth. So, the picture of Singapore being rich is not what it seems, when you scratch the surface.