We Pay $1.1 Billion To Get A Bus Strike?

I was aghast when parliament approved the $1.1 billion (Bus Service Enhancement Programme) of taxpayers money to be given the bus companies to improve bus services.

We cannot help the poorest of the poor in Singapore by providing them with 3 meals in hawkers centre (No, not in food court , definitely not in hotel restaurant!); we cannot have minimum wage for the lowest paid; we cannot buy flats from HDB at affordable price (no, not subsidised but reasonable price at cost plus basis) BUT we can blow $1.1 billion to add comfort to the two public transport operators.

Now I am devastated!

Red vs Red

Men In Red

Vehicles in Red

Do the 'Ang Chia's (Special Operations Command vehicles) still intimidate? Or are they merely 'toys' to PRCs because PRCs did messed around with tanks in Tiananmen Square previously?

I know not the legality nor the justification for the strike by the drivers from PRC. I only know that in Singapore . . .

Times . . . . they are a' changin'!

In the good ole days, when civil servants were charged for corruption, they pleaded guilty and quietly walked into the sunset doing their best not to upset or embarrass the AG and/or the ruling party.

Today, when civil servants are charged for corruption, they take the AG on and show to the public that integrity is worth fighting for. They no longer take it sitting down. The case of former Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) director Ng Boon Gay against te AG is a good example.

In the good ole good ole days, politicians encouraged workers of bus company to strike for fair wages, justice and equality -  and also to enhance their personal political power?  Ironically today, politicians condemned striking bus drivers for their fight for fair wages, justice and equality. Do they do it for the same reason - to enhance their political power? Or do they do it for the welfare  and well-being of the bus drivers?

Lately, SMRT has been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons. Apart from the MRT breakdowns that caused the resignation of Saw Phaik Hwa, and the current bus strike by PRCs, emotion also ran high amongst Singapore bus drivers over their pay and working condition (Link) which, I think, eventually led to the resignation of Ong Ye Kung, the Deputy Secretary General of NTUC. However, “That’s not really the reason for my decision,” he wrote in his facebook. Well, to each is own, conflict of interest is something not easy to live with and "to have the cake and it it too" happens to only the powerful few! Eg: selling an affordable apartment at subsidised price and still making a fat profit out of it! Or do they really sell under cost? 

Anyway, through Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew, we pay $1.1 billion for a fooking strike!

So very funny . . . 

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