Best “Ang Pow” for Singaporeans – Revoke 2015 Transport Fares Increases

And It Does NOT Cost Anyone A Single Cent!

By MIKOspace

In the Year of the Goat, the best “ang pow” for Singaporeans, especially for the millions who commute daily by public transport, is the revocation of the 2015 public transport fare increase announced to take effect from April 2015.  And the most innovative element of this “ang pow” is that not only would it not cost the government a single cent, it puts money back into the commuters’ pockets AND also saves public transport operators (PTO) the S$7.5 million needed to subsidise the needy in order to make the “affordable” new fares truly “affordable”.  This is nothing less than a win-win situation for the government, the commuting public and the PTOs.

The Case for no public transport fare increase is the strongest yet for 2015, the Year of The Benevolent and Compassionate Goat (or Sheep). 

Public Transport Companies are Highly Profitable and Economically Viable

Both PTOs, SMRT and ComfortDelgro, are expecting bumper windfall profits in their current closing financial year 2014-2015, and into the next financial year 2015-2016, according to DBS Bank and OCBC Bank analysts.  

Global oil prices have dropped by more than 50% in the last 6 months and would fall further in 2015 and not expected to recover much over the next few years. Gas prices have begun to follow the decline and the costs of grid electricity generation by our gas-power power stations would reduce even further. Public transports especially buses and taxis would have their fuel bills greatly reduced. The fuel costs of MRT trains, mostly using grid electricity, should also fall according.

In end-January 2015, SMRT in fact announces its financial results for 3Q15 (Oct-Dec 2014), showing a 6.8% revenue increase to $313.2 million, and that all its business segments performed better than the previous year. Accordingly, SMRT net profit also increased by 58.4% $22.5 million, as staff costs, the largest expense component, remained flat and electricity and diesel costs decreased.

The April 2015 transport fare increase would have added another $27 million to SMRT revenue without any quid pro quo benefits to commuters by way of significant improvements in train punctuality, over-crowdedness, lesser breakdowns and customer service.  Of critical importance is the fact that even WITHOUT the fare increase, SMRT would still enjoy unprecedented economic viability and profitability.    

 

The other PTO, ComfortDelgro, also enjoys similar increases in ridership and oil price reductions, among other variables, to make it one of the most profitable public transport company on the Singapore Stock Exchange, never mind that two-third of its revenue come from its overseas units.

2015 Inflation Good News

According to a report by DBS, inflation forecast for 2015 has been cut sharply to 0.4% from a previous expectation of 1.7%.   Public transportation is weighted at 3.66% among the “basket of goods and services” considered by the inflation computation formula.   It means that without the April 2015 public transport fare hike of 2.8%, the already low expected inflation rate of 0.4% could be driven even lower to 0.38%!  This is a further bonus to Singaporeans across the board throughout the economy.

Would the Year of the Goat usher Singaporeans into a new epoch of bliss and prosperity with a win-win “ang pow” by revoking the 2015 public transport fare hike?  

It would take the wisdom and courage in the great Servant Leadership personality of the Goat (or Sheep) to give the people the enhanced economic satisfaction in this revocation act without having to spent a single cent of public fund while doing it.    

See also:

Restoring Public Trust in Singapore

Should Singapore Nationalise our Transport Companies

True Lies of Public Transport Operators

Mahathir – Quotes of wisdom or wise cracks

The Today paper published an article by Agencies on what Mahathir said about Najib and his role as a citizen of Malaysia. Some may find his criticisms overbearing, outright, pointed, biased or just wise cracks. Whatever, I find them interesting and some are very relevant to the politics on both side of the Causeway. I will just quote them at random here.
 
1. If you don’t perform and people say you‘re no good, please resign. He went on to say that underperforming leaders should not trouble the nation and should, instead, resign.
2. If you need a tongkat, it means you are decrepit.
3. I advise people who retire to be active. If you are not active, you die. I love this country. I have a right as a citizen to criticize.
4. The country is currently facing a lot of problems, but the govt is not admitting it. They are in denial.
5. A good leader would always look behind him to see if there were people following him. And if there aren’t, they should do the right thing and leave.
 
Though Mahathir said all the above about Malaysia and Najib, they have an uncanny relevance to all political systems and countries. I think they are also applicable to the state of affairs in Sin City.

Town Councils – A proper and responsible handover system

Most of you have experienced a proper handover of office or organization in your passage through adulthood. In employment, when you are appointed to a new position, assume a new role or command, there is always a proper handover of duties, responsibilities and assets/equipment, and staff from the incumbent to the successor. It is the responsibility of the incumbent to account for everything he is handing over and to brief the successor carefully on the roles and functions of the appointment to assist and ensure that the successor could carry on the role of the office quickly and smoothly.
 
The successor can refuse to take over if there is no proper handover. Of course this is an ideal case. In reality many steps are often missed, sometimes totally missed. But in a normal situation, there must be a proper and responsible hand over of duties and responsibilities.
 
The same procedures and considerations are also applicable in the handing over of a society or organization. The incumbent office bearers must hand over all the files, equipment, including furniture and computer systems, money, contact lists, and outstanding matters to the incoming party. The incumbent office bearers cannot take anything belonging to the organization, paid by the organization, along with them like their private properties. A responsible incumbent party would ensure that everything is in order and the in coming party be briefed of all outstanding matters.
 
The handing over procedures of a society and organization are applicable to a Town Council. They cannot strip bear the office, take away furniture and equipment, systems, files and computer software and hardware. The incoming party must be able to continue to function smoothly, or as smoothly as possible other than the change in personalities and staff. They don’t have to reinvent the wheel, introduce new systems, buy new equipment and furniture and operating systems.
 
In the case of Town Councils, who is going to pay for a brand new system, furniture and equipment whenever there is a change of political party everything will have to change. Do not waste public money in the process just because of a change in political office. The big question, is the out going incumbents allowed to take things belonging to the Town Council, paid by the Town Council, with them or even sell them away?
There must be continuity in Town Council operations. It is a public organization set up to serve the residents, paid and supported by the fees of the residents and subsidies from public fund.
 
Is the present Town Council System fitting to serve the people without being hung up to dry when there is a change of MP? Do the people expect someone running for political office to gather a team of administrators, system and what else ready in case he wins an election? Are we asking to much or who is asking too much?
 
Should there be a proper handover and takeover procedure to ensure continuity, cost savings, prevention of unnecessary expenses, breakdown of services etc etc? Can the present Town Council System that is crippled by a change of political parties serve the interest of the people well? Should the present Town Council System be allowed to continue as it is? What should it be? What is the responsible thing to do?
 
What should a responsible and functional Town Council System be? You don’t need to be a super talent to know the answer unless you choose not to want to know, not to want to do the right thing. The present Town Council system is there to shackle and hackle a novice MP or a team of MPs taking office or is there to help them serve the people?
 
What do you think?

A Town Council is not a provision shop

A Town Council is not your provision shop where you could hop around to another one when you are not happy with the service. It is not a shop that can open and close as it likes. It needs to be there providing essential services for the residents. Even a provision shop like 7 eleven has a mission to serve the people at all hours, practically 365 days of the year except one. This is the mindset of an organization wanting to serve the people, to be there when the people need it.
 
Can a Town Council stop functioning for a few weeks, a few months, whenever there is a change of officer bearers, whenever there is a change of political party in charge? It is unthinkable that the services would be disrupted when the MP changed hands. It is unthinkable that the incumbent can simply remove its operating system, its computer software and hardware and leaving the successor in the lurch, to start all over again, to bring in a new computer system, a new set of officers and staff, probably knowing nothing of the functions and management of a Town Council, a new set of contractors, cleaners etc etc.
 
How can a Town Council function this way, being crippled after every change of office bearers? It is not easy to get a new system and a new set of staff to get it running. What are the safeguards and provisions to ensure that a Town Council will continue to function regardless of who is the political master, like the civil service and the uniform services?
 
Is the current Town Council system good for the people? Is this what you called good governance? Why is the Town Council not part of the govt’s essential services to the people, that it would continue to function comes what may? The people deserve an Uninterrupted TC providing continuous services at all time. Who is responsible to set this right?
 
You tell me.

PM under the spotlight

PM ‘facing increasing scrutiny for cracking down on opponents, troubles in a strategic development fund and questions over his family assets, with even ruling party conservatives questioning his leadership….’
 
The above is quoted from an acticle in the Mypaper today on Najib’s problems. There are increasing criticisms on his ability to lead, on backing out of his pledge to sooth racial tensions and bolster democracy. More problematical are the criticisms involving his purchases of overseas properties and the 1MDB fund. Where is the money coming from and where is the money going to? Then there were also comments about Rosmah’s expensive taste for jewelries and luxuries items.
 
The PM’s office has issued official statement to deny Najib’s involvement in the purchases of foreign properties. The problem is that with the easy access to information and the net, not many things can be kept hidden from the public’s view. 
There will be the whisperers doing their jobs. Many things are still under wrapped not because they were not known but the timing is not right. Many skeletons would be thrown out once it is due for exposure.
 
Looks like Najib’s days are numbered. Many of his political friends are sharpening their knives and waiting for the Ides of March.