ERP coming to MRT? Huat ah!

Some times back I wrote a tongue in cheek piece on ERP in MRT. Now looks like this is going to be a possibility. This time it is to stagger people using MRT instead of cars using expressways. As a money making concept, this is simply brilliant. Yes there are many ways to skin a cat. Let me quote a few phrases from the New Paper. 'In Adelaide, too, public transport fares are 25 to 45 per cent cheaper between 9am and 3pm, compared to earlier and later peak periods. Ms Tammy Tan, spokesman for SBS Transit, which operates the North-East line, said a staggered-fare system is possible in Singapore. She declined to elaborate. But SMRT, which operates the North-South Line, said it prefers to cut congestion by increasing the frequency of train runs.' Maybe we are safe with SMRT for the time being. As for the North east line, pray hard.

Mas Selamat has done it

No, he has not blown up any air planes or buildings. But for just hiding in the unknown, Mas Selamat has created havoc to the lives of many on both sides of the causeway. The security forces, the lorry and bus drivers, the school children and the shopkeepers in Woodland, plus the suppliers of our food and vegetables across the causeway, are all suffering. Their businesses and livelihood are all hanging in the balance until Mas Selamat is caught. Then, with the delays and slowdown in goods vehicles coming through, the prices of basic items are also shooting up. Now who is paying for these and being badly affected by the higher prices? Practically every hardlanders. It is very costly, I must say.

Mas Selamat mugshot on sale

Our new celebrity is getting a lot of followers. Thanks or no thanks to the well meaning people for the publicity he is getting. You can get his famous look on mugs, T shirts, posters etc at a small fee. Mas Selamat has been elevated to cult status similar to the greats of Che Guevera, Castro and Mao Tse Tung. The family of Mas Selamat should send to these entrepreneurs who are selling his mugshots a bill for royalties.

The Mean Western Media - What a shame!

The myth that western media were objective, unbiased, truthful and fair reporting were clearly exposed in a report in the China Daily/Ann, REUTERS. The report is supported by evidence, pictures and writeups of western media, supposedly very reputable ones, of distorting truth and creating misleading news to attack the Chinese authorities in Tibet. When all the violence and killings were done by the rioters, the reporting and pictures were doctored to show that it was the Chinese authorities that were the bad guys. Among the culprits mentioned were CNN, BBC, Washington Post, Germany's Bild, N-TV and RTL TV and Berliner Morgenpost. It is really disgusting and distasteful for such organisations to stoop so low in their reporting of untruth and misinformation. Where is the credibility, where is the ethics, the moral standing for these ass organisations to do such disgraceful acts? It is an abuse of freedom of expression and freedom of the media when such misinformation are published as truth. What tooth? These organisations have destroyed whatever credibility they have and drag down whatever little credibility the western media has in general. The full article can be found in MyPaper today.

Professionals to self regulate

Boon Wan has stepped in to the new buzz and decided that it is too much work for the ministry to regulate aesthetic medicine. It is now left to the professionals to regulate themselves. After the taxi bus implementation when the users rose in arms against the new regulations LTA also responded to modify the well thought out plans. It took quite a while though, and after many complaints before LTA relented to change. Kudos must be given to the MOH for changing their interventionist position to one of self regulation within a week of the announcement. And the professionals better to a good job to regulate themselves and not allow money to get in the way at the expense of professional ethics and the interest of the customers.