Originally posted by ·¯riverºê:
Amen to that....anyways read the report:
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/sub/singapore/story/0,5562,315003,00.html?
May 4, 2005
SBS Transit confirms proposal for fare hike
It joins SMRT Corp in applying to raise bus, train fares; cab fares may be next
By Christopher Tan
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
Under the formula which comes into effect this year, a 2.4 per cent increase is possible. This would mean a commuter would have to pay about two cents more on an average fare of about 80 cents.
The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) said any rise will affect the bottom 20 per cent of income earners 'adversely'.
'
Many of them are still out of jobs and are still trying to find ways and means to earn a living,' Case executive director Seah Seng Choon said, adding that the economy is just beginning to show signs of recovery.
Describing any fare hike now to be 'untimely', he noted that record profits posted by ComfortDelGro and SMRT 'should enable them to hold back the need for increases for the time being'.
'There is no urgency for the companies to adjust fares at this point in time,' Mr Seah said.
Case may have another fight on its hands, as The Straits Times understands that cab fares also look set to rise.
"Case may have a fight on its hands" ? We'll see how.....dun forget that Case is also government affliated with the gahmen
And in order for Case to investigate any complaint, local consumers have to fork out an annual membership fee of about $100 ( i think)
How many people will actually turn to Case ,given that its gahmen affliated and you have to fork out EVEN MORE for them to intervene for you against PTC? (Public transport Council)
The following past Policies of the government will continue to make it difficult for the government to lower costs of living of the citizens in the coming years:-
(1) No free lunches as stated by ministers like Mah, Yeo, etc despite the fact that the ministers, MPs and Civil Servants are enjoying the free lunches in the form of golden handshake amounting to some S$1,000,000,000.00 (posted in another thread) paid by Singaporeans for their retirements after two terms.
(2) Non-welfarism (Meaning: All departments and ministries operate as cost centres whereby all costs incurred in provisions of essential services etc will be recovered fully by HDB etc and taxes already paid for such services are subtly transferred as budget surpluses.
(3) Lands acquired using citizens' monies under Land Acquisition Act were charged again up to market values by HDB, JTC, LTA, Transport companies (Previously taken over by government as public companies), various corporatization and privatisation schemes to farm out less profitable activities, Singapore Power, Government Hospitals, etc in the cost/fee computation..
So far, PM LHL has not signalled that he will look into modifications or review of these 3 high-cost practices started by LKY and carried on blindly by GCT.
If the above-mentioned 3 policies or practices cannot be discussed in parliaments or in public to get Singaporeans' opinions or views and suitably modified or reviewed, the citizens will forever be fighting a progressively losing battle against justifications by Case, News media and ministers' judgmental decisions of all kinds in the coming years.
You don't have to believe me but just look at the above-stated cost-centre computation formula for government fees and charges used by ministers Mah and Yeo in arriving at all the fees and charges again.