Befuddled thinking from the LTA
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The following (from singaporegovt.blogspot.com) could be old news but it is for the benefit of those who missed hearing it from a PAP MP's mouth:
Let me bring you back to 10 November 2003 in the parliamentary seating where LTA was again in the spotlight. MP Wong Kai Yuen said,
“Sir, EZ Link could do so (charging the commuters $5 for every EZ-link card purchase) because its parent, the LTA, is both the regulator and the owner of the fare collection system. This, I believe, is fundamentally wrong. It is wrong in terms of principle. It is wrong because there exists a conflict of interests between the regulator and the operator. Getting the commuter to pay for the cards is a solution to a problem that could only be arrived at by decision makers with a civil service mindset. The fact that we see such befuddled thinking from the LTA should no longer surprise us in this House. In fact, it is the same agency that causes none other than Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to publicly acknowledge its two very big mistakes. Firstly, Deputy PM Lee Hsien Loong described the scheme to charge the taxi drivers a fee in order to monitor their performance "invidious" in the House recently. So he actually changed it. On the North East Line, Minister Yeo Cheow Tong did - which he denied - a policy U-turn. And Deputy PM Lee described it in public that it was a mistake made by the Government to require more than one rail operator under the premise of increasing competition. Are these just "honest mistakes", as we have a tendency to classify such mistakes made by civil servants? Or is it symptomatic of something deeper?”
“Which brings me actually back to the fundamental question: why would LTA set up EZ Link Pte Ltd to be a 100% owned company in the first place? Having done so, why does it sign over the right to manage the float to a bank? Why did it not adopt the same model as the TransitLink company that the ez link system be replaced? The TransitLink company is a jointly owned company by the transport operators. In fact, in that system, more than 8.7 million farecards were issued, and the company did not complain that too many cards were issued. There are several reasons for that. Firstly, the cards were cheap. I believe they were 20 cents each. Secondly, TransitLink held the float. More importantly, Sir, there were sufficient savings from the other operations of the TransitLink system to subsidise the cost of the cards.”
“So, indeed, Sir, why did LTA not replicate the same model? I can only surmise the reasons by looking at the moves EZ Link has made as a company. EZ Link card is designed to be used beyond transportation to pay for retail purchases. EZ Link, as a company, has entered into an exclusive agreement with QB Pte Ltd to extend the use of ez link cards for this very purpose. To enter into the realm of multiple electronic applications, MAS stipulated that EZ Link be tied up with a bank. QB Pte Ltd is a subsidiary of Green Dot Payment Services Pte Ltd which is, in turn, owned by Green Dot Capital Pte Ltd which is, in turn, owned by Singapore Technologies. As we all know, Singapore Technologies is a Government-linked company. So the Government has its hands in all this, somehow or other.” -
>>Are these just "honest mistakes", as we have a tendency to classify such mistakes made by civil servants? Or is it symptomatic of something deeper?” <<
It is definitely symptomatic of sth deeper. Those in public office have forgotten their public duty to make things better for the people whom they are supposed to serve. There is also a dearth of conscience and honour in the govt - no one offered to resign or was told to resign to take responsibility for the mistakes made. -
The terms "honour" , "social responsibility" etc are non-existent in the dictionaries of those who run Singapore and its various Stat Boards and GLCs.
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LTA BEFUFFLED?
I think it's worse than that! It's incompetent, insensitive, stubborn and irresponsibile!
LTA needs a thorough clean-up and every single director including its Corp Comm Director, Han Liang Yuan who no doubts uses a standard template to type his/her response to public complaints, needs to be flushed into the sewers.
More recent "befuddled" thinking by LTA: removal of traffic crossing between Republic Plaza and Robinson Road to force people to use the underpass. That crossing has been serving people very well and is heavily utilized as the underpass is like a fortress and totally inaccessible to the handicapped. Now the removed it without thinking through the implications and put people's lives in danger every day.
And did anyone read LTA's reply to a forum writer yesterday in ST? In it, Han Lian Yuan noted that they will paint more zig-zag white lines on roads approaching zebra crossings to warn drivers to slow down. NOW, do these lines contain some sort of chemical which when inhaled by drivers, will cause them to slow down??
Are those policymakers at LTA bigtime idiots or what???
WHY AM I STILL PAYING MY TAXES TO FINANCE GOONS LIKE YAM AH MEE AND YEO CHEOW TONG???? -
Every policy made that AFFECTSand IMPACT the DAILY SINGAPOREAN LIFE is NEVER made at the level of the the Agency or Department Head.
Such policy will pass through the highest level of the Government before implementation is carried.
Is this policy - that reap in millions of dollars through the sale and use of the EZ link card - simply introduced without the knowledge and assessment of the OMNIPOTENT Being ?
This U-Turn only happened at about the same time when events were turning sour for the Minister of Transport, with a string of tasks that had no opportunity of success being added into his portfolio.
Let us watch if he will keep his Ministerial post after the up-coming election. -
a mistake though it may be .... it gratifies me to see that another PAP MP spoke up about this .... the goverment is not perfect , and yes, there are policy screw-ups every now and then, but the fact that another member of the ruling party has spoken up about this shows that the MPs are doing their jobs, providing checks and balances against the excesses of the goverment, notwithstanding that they are from the same ruling party ... I applaud Mr Wong Kai Yuen ... well done ...
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The rot affects the entire level of command at LTA, not just at the ministerial level.Originally posted by Atobe:Every policy made that AFFECTSand IMPACT the DAILY SINGAPOREAN LIFE is NEVER made at the level of the the Agency or Department Head.
Such policy will pass through the highest level of the Government before implementation is carried.
Is this policy - that reap in millions of dollars through the sale and use of the EZ link card - simply introduced without the knowledge and assessment of the OMNIPOTENT Being ?
This U-Turn only happened at about the same time when events were turning sour for the Minister of Transport, with a string of tasks that had no opportunity of success being added into his portfolio.
Let us watch if he will keep his Ministerial post after the up-coming election.
What I see is that at LTA, we have stupid buffoons proposing stupid policies which are then approved by a stupid minister. -
Many things can't just be pinpointed with such convenient finger.Originally posted by Profounder:The rot affects the entire level of command at LTA, not just at the ministerial level.
What I see is that at LTA, we have stupid buffoons proposing stupid policies which are then approved by a stupid minister.
LTA is quite... huge. And the entire government service has kinda similar requirement of getting people. Now, given the same requirement doesn't mean you'd get good people.
And here... why would someone choose to jump before th Nicoll Highway accident...?
Is it because of some politician? Or because of crawling office politics left bo-chap or bo-chapp-able in LTA?
But who would tell Minister of Transport:
Sir, don't worry... I am making the entire department hotter than hell by running up office politics in accordance to survival of fittest...
That say...
Never really know who's right or wrong.
It's the entire issue of this Singapore environment... rotting all the way down within the society, not merely one LTA or what. -
LTA is a stat board with autonomy in making recruiting decisions. In other words, it is run like any other company with its own cost and profit considerations.
Agree the rot seems to be seeping into many areas of the civil service. Note URA's sheer and blatant waste of public money by renaming Marina Bay as Marina Bay.
But nobody beats LTA in terms of the disgusting mindset they have that they know best (just analyse the tone of their replies) even though most of the time, they are dead wrong and go against public interest. -
Actually, we have to realize this... In a huge huge forest, there is usually only a few great beasts... and most are just small flies, bananas, tiny ants and so on.Originally posted by Profounder:LTA is a stat board with autonomy in making recruiting decisions. In other words, it is run like any other company with its own cost and profit considerations.
Agree the rot seems to be seeping into many areas of the civil service. Note URA's sheer and blatant waste of public money by renaming Marina Bay as Marina Bay.
But nobody beats LTA in terms of the disgusting mindset they have that they know best (just analyse the tone of their replies) even though most of the time, they are dead wrong and go against public interest.
Which is, when an organization grows exceedingly big too fast, quality wane easily. When compare to increasing rate of sophistication of work... quality stretch helplessly thin per unit effort.
Which is why a nation which doesn't focus on quality values and anyohow charge, usually ends up hitting walls. The more great men you have, the more chances things go smoother, on the whole. LTA is no difference. If you let the forumers run LTA, can anyone of you stop the decay? Can anyone fight to eradicate office politics, or just end up being part of it?
Why are so much noise and focus on education? Proper education properly? Because we need good men and women... No system can stop Nicoll highway accident, and one good minister can do little to check every single department every single minute...
Does the public really want to defend its interest? Then the public must know what they want in the first place. -
Weekend is here time for joke:
From sammyboy forum
ASEAN Meeting
During the ASEAN meeting, all PM of the ASEAN countries were
present except for Goh Chok Tong who was represented by LKY.
During a conversation, Dr. Mahathir of Malaysia says, "I came up
with a bright idea to produce Proton cars and with a initial
investment of M$1 billion, we now make M$50 million a year. That is
what I call Money Mind."
Mr. Suharto of Indonesia says: "I am going to start a car
manufacturing plant to produce our National car for only $500
million RP and it will generate $50 RP million a year. Isn't that
smarter."
LKY of Singapore was not impress and say, "I told my Land Transport
Minister to spend SGD$500 to buy a old printing machine and also
made SGD$50 million a year."
Everybody was taken aback and asks "What the fuck can you do with
just SGD$500 only ?"
And LKY replied "I use the machine to print COE !!!" -
har har...Originally posted by lotus999:Weekend is here time for joke:
From sammyboy forum
ASEAN Meeting
During the ASEAN meeting, all PM of the ASEAN countries were
present except for Goh Chok Tong who was represented by LKY.
During a conversation, Dr. Mahathir of Malaysia says, "I came up
with a bright idea to produce Proton cars and with a initial
investment of M$1 billion, we now make M$50 million a year. That is
what I call Money Mind."
Mr. Suharto of Indonesia says: "I am going to start a car
manufacturing plant to produce our National car for only $500
million RP and it will generate $50 RP million a year. Isn't that
smarter."
LKY of Singapore was not impress and say, "I told my Land Transport
Minister to spend SGD$500 to buy a old printing machine and also
made SGD$50 million a year."
Everybody was taken aback and asks "What the fuck can you do with
just SGD$500 only ?"
And LKY replied "I use the machine to print COE !!!"
funni one
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If the ministers in charge are proactive, or creative, there will be a history of problems with departments under their charge. PM does not seem to override or correct Ministers' policies. He usually leaves it to them to speak and defend. That is why the pattern of inactions and persistent problems like work site poor safety records etc is happening. That is why LTA, MOH, Public Transport companies etc under the ministers' charge have not been recognized for so long.Originally posted by Profounder:LTA BEFUFFLED?
I think it's worse than that! It's incompetent, insensitive, stubborn and irresponsibile!
LTA needs a thorough clean-up and every single director including its Corp Comm Director, Han Liang Yuan who no doubts uses a standard template to type his/her response to public complaints, needs to be flushed into the sewers.
More recent "befuddled" thinking by LTA: removal of traffic crossing between Republic Plaza and Robinson Road to force people to use the underpass. That crossing has been serving people very well and is heavily utilized as the underpass is like a fortress and totally inaccessible to the handicapped. Now the removed it without thinking through the implications and put people's lives in danger every day.
And did anyone read LTA's reply to a forum writer yesterday in ST? In it, Han Lian Yuan noted that they will paint more zig-zag white lines on roads approaching zebra crossings to warn drivers to slow down. NOW, do these lines contain some sort of chemical which when inhaled by drivers, will cause them to slow down??
Are those policymakers at LTA bigtime idiots or what???
WHY AM I STILL PAYING MY TAXES TO FINANCE GOONS LIKE YAM AH MEE AND YEO CHEOW TONG????
Just look back at the particular ministers' past records of dealing with work site accidents, transport fare hikes, medical fee hikes and there have been only a series of defensive explanations and not much creative actions to solve problems. High costs would remain high and there will not any actions to correct shortcomings.
NKF is a typical case of ministers in charge persisting in some belief that high flyers of their recognition would deliver. But are the ministers minitoring problems like ratio of donation to salaries of CEOs.
If ministers are willing to be proactive and admit accountable and transparent management. The same MRT chaotic problems and LTA, mess or past MOH's persistence in refusing to lower hyper medical fees etc. would not have been explained away with some stupid committee or public panel's wrongful beliefs or policies. He would step in and correct them without bothering the PM. -
What so many level..... like those mafia washing $$$.... with level of level of level.
More level more good... difficult to trace and in the end dirty $$ bcos legally clean. -
Indeed.Originally posted by Profounder:The rot affects the entire level of command at LTA, not just at the ministerial level.
What I see is that at LTA, we have stupid buffoons proposing stupid policies which are then approved by a stupid minister.
With the current publicity LTA is receiving from all corners, one can be forgiven for placing LTA as a 2nd-rung job. The only ppl left to run the place are those govt scholars, and unless they can whip LTA into shape fast, will just add to the declining rot that has been breeding for some time and merely took several incident to explode.
Expect more of such blow-ups soon. -
but its true. ha ha haOriginally posted by lotus999:LKY of Singapore was not impress and say, "I told my Land Transport
Minister to spend SGD$500 to buy a old printing machine and also
made SGD$50 million a year."
Everybody was taken aback and asks "What the fuck can you do with
just SGD$500 only ?"
And LKY replied "I use the machine to print COE !!!" -
Where are the professionals?The technical guys?The urban planners?
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Did you say "Urban planners"?Originally posted by LazerLordz:Where are the professionals?The technical guys?The urban planners?
They are all brain dead at URA, another bloody hell of a stupid cesspool of stupid policy makers and idiots, wasted $400k of taxpayers' money.
And worse, their definition of urban planning is to build more shopping centres and more condos, without consideration for the traffic conditions around the area.
Just look at Plaza Sing. The road along Istana jams every weekend and now they are building Emily 8 condo. Can't imagine what will happen to the road when the project is completed.