12/08/2012

Turn SMRT into a National Service




The General has been appointed as the CEO. He is bringing in more soldiers to help him run the business. Drivers, logistics, transportations are all key elements in a big armed force like the SAF. The trained manpower and their expertise are relevant and very important both in war and in peace. It is time to nationalise bus companies as part of the SAF logistic arm. One good thing for sure will not happen. No strikes. The next big thing is that the running cost will be down, with NSmen as drivers and guards, yes the installation will be well guarded, no more vandalism. 

The introduction of army discipline will do well for the transport services, with healthy and fit NSmen, young and vibrant and following orders, the buses will be running like clockwork. No need to recruit foreigners. No need to have union and unionist problems. All disciplinary problems just leave it to the RSM.

Routine orders, stand by bed, daily inspection, fitness exercises, cleanly pressed uniforms, a perfectly discipline workforce. What can be better? No need to please shareholders, no need to pay exorbitant management pay and director fees, which means, yes, lower fare. This is like a wet dream. 

Commuters can look forward to lower fare and stable fair, no regular fare hikes. And the management do not have to worry about the profits to pay the shareholders.

Another big plus, with the experience in driving through the city, they will be an asset in FIBUA, knowing every nooks and corners and negotiating all the difficult turns through ground knowledge.

What do you think?

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Sir (LKY), in the event of a serious threat of a freak election, would you do the unthinkable, that is, send in the army?"

This was Catherine Lim's prophetic question on Sep 2009 to LKY. See link below.

Now I ask you to open your eyes and look at all the retired generals and admirals all around us.
The freak election result has not happened yet.
But the army and navy have already been called in.

http://catherinelim.sg/2009/09/03/sir-would-you-send-in-the-army/

Anonymous said...

Funny one minute video which describes present day SMRT perfectly. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJVEbkMJNS8

Anonymous said...

Mr Chua if your good proposal is adopted you may be called "Singapore Father of Productivity." Solving a big challenge the PAP great talents have been saying they cannot solve.

Your solid proposal will:
Use & train NSF talents, cut costs in SMRT dramatically, lower fares for public, make redundant loads of expensive directors, CEOs, etc.

Tharman calling for higher productivity (an old song of past 20 years with reversed results). He can take a leaf from you. What is he waiting for?

Anonymous said...

RB! u talk cock again lar on a beautiful Saturday morning!

Anonymous said...


That's a brilliant idea. How come those million dollars paid ministers and the highly well paid civil servants never thought of it? Redbean you are greater and more brilliant than those so called renowned economists in the Evil Empire , USA where jokers in the local political arena have always been copying and practising to the detriments of Singapore. As your idea will save Singapore tens of billions of dollars annually you deserve to be paid an award greater than the Nobel War Prize, say something like one or two billion dollars.

Eagles Eye

Anonymous said...

But, but, without the big profit where is the money to pay the ministers and the people in GIC and Temasek?

Anonymous said...

"But, but, without the big profit where is the money to pay the ministers and the people in GIC and Temasek?"

Vote Opposition and we don't have to worry about high salaries for Ministers.
We will close down GIC and Temasek.
And use the money to better the lives of Singaporeans.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

I have no problem with paying Sinkies and making more Sinkies rich. But I have problems with using Sinkies money to pay foreigners filthy rich. I also have problems with paying too few Sinkies obscenely rich. The money should be spread more to make more Sinkies richer...and also not to make the average and below average to pay and make the rich filthy rich.

Anonymous said...

RBI, but 60% think they are rich and they have no problems like u mah!

Anonymous said...

Actually I wonder if public transport in other countries milk money of such amounts.from it's citizens and depress wages so low to puff up the profit margin.

Anonymous said...

Every year NATIONAL SERVICE train 800 to 1000 personnel to drive 5 tONNERS.Why SMRT NEVER pull them in to SMRT as they KNOW how to drive big vehicles
It shows the TOP SMRT are plain lazy people who leave to small fish to work.

Anonymous said...

For that matter, may as well consider making HDB national service.

Padaly said...

Yup. Fully utilized all the NS men plus reservists in public transport, build more HDB flats, run all the public hospitals and even teach in schools etc. Maybe structured it such a way that one yr mitsry training with another yr public community services! Why not? Everybody will be happy. Our problems will be solved! National Service whether you are rich or poor means serving the country. Nothing wrong with that. Every citizen must do it. What a brilliant idea. This is what we call thinking out of box. Innovative breakthrough beyond imagination. Not the same old formula of fare increases if you want improvements! When we ask for help they always give us more headache and problem such increasing fares. Always thinking of increasing prices and fees!

Anonymous said...

When all the other ministries are involved, the ladies could also be roped in for NS in vocations that are relevant, like nursing, admin, cooking, etc etc. Some of these jobs can be assigned to the womenfolks to free the men to carry the guns.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

One good thing about nationalisation is the fact that you don't really have to pay for labour. You can just FORCE people to work, and threaten them with punishment if they don't.

>> What do you think?

Fantastic idea! Singaporeans are the perfect "slave class" anyway. Though they are apt to complain about everything, they never take any ACTION to change.

In that way, nationalising public transport is a great way to reduce labour costs to virtually zero.

Anonymous said...

Just visiting this blog is enough to provide all the ideas for NatCon. Why waste everybody's time and effort.

Anonymous said...

RB is not an approved NatCON Leader.
His blog is free.
Cannot generate income for all the official supplies & suppliers to the NatCON effort.
Has anybody seen the budget being spent on NatCON?
And asked who are beneficiaries of the NatCON budget?

Anonymous said...

Are the army generals ready to run the show at Olam too?
After all, the army has already been called in for;
NOL and SMRT.

Did I overlook anybody else?

Anonymous said...

Rb, you asked what do you think?

I think you are nuts!

Anonymous said...

This is a good suggestion. Nationalise the SMRT and SBS under SAF and make the NSmen worked as bus drivers. They can also save money on driving lessons. Tax payers can continue to enjoy low fares. Afterall what is the point of spending so much on defence when there is no return?

Anonymous said...

Maybe can also ask lky to drive the bus and build some HDB flats whenever he is not required to show face for his MP job. He likes to work remember?

Anonymous said...

Rb, I think you are a genius. SAF is just only spending money so far, deploying them to build flats and drive buses will ensure the country to do better.

Anonymous said...

Rb, you are right. During the colonial times, the angmo soldiers also helped to build roads. SAF soldiers and PAP MPs should help to build HDB and drive buses lah.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

I fully agree. The entertainment value alone is astounding...starring...

NS Bus Drivers!

I think it is WILD to entrust the PUBLIC SAFETY to a bunch of pissed-off (tulan), ill-treated (lum pa pa lan), UNDERPAID (and hating it), testosterone-infused male youths...let loose on the public roads, in heavy vehicles.

Thousands of them. Slaves with weapons of massive destruction.

Comedy gold.

Anonymous said...

MS, the lives of all NSmen are in the NS drivers. NS drivers can have a job waiting for them in driving buses on ORD. Not necessary 100% of public transport drivers be NSmen. Some can be ex NSmen.

The said...

NS men cannot strike, but can hentak kaki. So, these NS-bus drivers can make their buses hentak kaki....

Anonymous said...

Now if they use NS men to perform National Service like being bus drivers I think that is a step in the right direction for the 'increase productivity campaign'. Thar man should take a leaf from this blog.

On the other hand, if some white MPs collecting protection money and shaking legs were to put their hands to the national pump, by performing National Service as bus drivers, that would be a good starting point. But of course....they will tell us it is too expensive to waste such white elephants.

Anonymous said...

We then get to cut the defence budget and make smrt directors redundant and have LHL booted out of his PMO!
Their buddy network ensures that all those sinecures are buying votes from his supporters and when he has nothing to buy their votes, the opposition will fix him before he can fix the opposition.
LOL

HoHoHo, X'mas comes early.

RedBean, maybe that idiot will really adopt your brilliant idea and fire the Transport Minister by making SMRT a division under SAF.