Monday, June 30, 2014

Commuters Are Not Entertained

When you have civil servants paid from $300,000 onwards, it's inevitable they miss the disconnect. Instead of looking for ways and means to cut costs and reduce public transportation charges, they are forever cooking up ideas to splurge to the hilt. Any financial relief is welcome now, in the wake of the Medishield Life premium hikes.

Do we really need entertainment videos at train stations when the jam packed coaches afford only views of the smelly armpit of another unhappy commuter, 1 of 3 which is likely to be non-Singaporean? They had a failed attempt once installing mobile video on buses, at an undisclosed cost which was probably passed on to the passengers. When that system was canned, and video service terminated, no fare reduction materialised.

The "heritage videos" they are planning to showcase at station platforms won't be coming in cheap. Keep the propaganda videos and offer fare rebates instead. Commuters would rather have a shorter wait for a ride than hanging around the station for the 5 or 10 minute "content which is meaningful, informational and entertaining."

"Expect more entertainment to make time pass a little faster" seems to be a coded message implying longer waiting time for a train is inevitable, despite all the broken promises to speed up the train service. The congestion at the station during peak hours is barely sustainable as it is, do we need to add buskers to the crowd? Train stations are key to a quick clearing system, so that tired workers can go home promptly to their family and recover from the grind at the office or factory place. As it is, most leave their house before the sun rises, and return only after the sun has set. The only people who would hang around a train station are those looking at it as a novelty, not an essential transportation hub that need to be processed efficiently and speedily.

34 comments:

  1. The company supplying the heritage videos.
    Is it a $2 company?

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  2. The videos will only ensure the commuters watch and listen to the right stuff...the fares no doubt will be adjusted accordingly. It is a brilliant idea, ensuring commuters do not become bored. Perhaps HossanLeong and company performing 101 comedy sketches on video to make you laugh at the PAP. Enjoy the videos but save the best for last by voting the PAP out, thereafter putting them in Changi to perform the JailHouse rock. What do you think ?

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    Replies
    1. Actually they are planning for you to puke - the videos will be YPAP standard - then the patrolling SMRT officers will fine you for littering the train and collect more money.

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    2. First Changi Jail house no class to keep them. But more importantly, they would have left for their mansions and villas overseas before anyone could stop them.
      Many of their kins could already be domiciled abroad. Rest assured they are very meticulous in their planning

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    3. Yes, fares will be adjusted, upwards!

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  3. WMO: Waste money only.

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  4. "When you have civil servants paid from $300,000 onwards, it's inevitable they miss the disconnect. "

    They are supposed to come with high HAIR qualities, the "I" stands for "Imagination", "R" for reality. I suppose if you really push their definitions, sneakily making the taxpayer pay to forced-watch your propaganda could qualify as an indication of.of hairiness. Harry should certainly agree.

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  5. Just in time for 2016 GE.

    Perhaps the money will be better spent upgrading the PA sound so the commuters can better enjoy the Funeral March when the time comes for it to be played ad nauseam?

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  6. What to do? Nothing, just wait till we have none and still will not satisfied.

    Never voted for the PAP, can’t blame me, blame those who have voted for the PAP.

    Tough luck, the majority rule since the 60's

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  7. "Entertainment videos at train stations .."

    There's a very high chance that the people who dream up this idea does NOT take public transports.

    Coming from an old man - doesn't most (except the extremely old) people either chats with their friends or listens/watches their smart phones?

    Where got time to strain their eyes and ears for these entertainment videos?

    Face palm !!!

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    Replies
    1. What is the use of videos when they deliberately lower or even switch off the volume like those in the bus, polyclinics, hospitals, etc.? And even when they increase the volume, the public will complain it is a nuisance to some of them!

      So why do they want to waste public money like that unless some interested party is setting up another of those S$2 companies?

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  8. Paying civil servants 300k is too low. We should be paying them at least 500k when they are so hard working. In private sector they will be paid higher so its a sacrifice to be a civil servant.

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  9. This elistists forget that to some is music but to other is just noises!

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    Replies
    1. The elitists may decide to introduce the National Anthem along with national songs like "count on me singapore", "stand up for singapore", etc, during interval periods of each entertainment video clip. So that at the end of the journey, commuters who are the least musically inclined, can at least get the gist of the tune and tempo, and of course after several months will become competent in singing all the propaganda songs. In fact, commuters may actually bond well together in the trains, busses, if they actually sing together in harmony like they are in a choir...what do you think ?

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  10. Show "heritage videos" for what? To remind us that they are all gone like the wind? Like our National Theatre, Central Library, Bidadari, Bukit Brown etc, because of LHL's craze for GDP growth and to make this red dot a global city, a concrete jungle, with only memories of the past? I think these are more for tourists, like the Jewel at Changi Airport, Garden By The Bay, Casinos, etc. What a waste of good money which can be used to improve the lives of Singaporeans.

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  11. They think it's smart?

    It's an idiotic idea. The Hong Kong MTR and the Taipei MRT don't splurge on these nincompooic nonsense. They just do the job of ferrying passengers in the fastest and most efficient manner because all are destination bound and not going out for a Sunday ride on the trains to nowhere.

    The trouble with this sink hole and especially the MRT system is all bells and whistles but no substance. They are just trying to hide their incompetence with an excuse for a fare increase.

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    Replies
    1. No bells and whistles ....
      Does this mean $2 companies will have less business opportunities?

      Delete
  12. We 'canned' everything, including buskers in MRT stations. Would SMRT pay the buskers and the fee pushed to commuters? Or buskers pay a license fee and take their chances with commuters? All I want is frequency of service and lower fares. No need entertainment.

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  13. I thought safety is first priority, i.e. to clear the commuters quickly from the station. We are now living in the world of bomb threats, fire threats, crazy people going around hurting and killing people, etc etc as happened in other parts of the world.
    Please tell us how soon and how to clear the jams and delays at peak hours? We don't need these things which make the commuters more angrier now than before!

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  14. Well, if they cannot sting like a butterfly, at least they want to dress like one can or not? The problem with an unaccountable civil service is that money is not an issue: taxpayers are at their service to pay for their 'hifalutin' ideas to score points for year end promotion or make someone's KPI shine. Never mind if it did not work out the last time it was tried, there is no need for corporate memory (Media TV it was called, right? lousy pieces of shit that took eons to install, never work most of the time, and even more money to get rid of it). Why need to remember when ignorance brings promotion leh? Freaking pinkie following a Mr peanut, no wonder right has become wrong and all it takes is for the civil servant to say black is the new white.

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  15. We should insist that Agnes Quek, all LTA senior management and the transport Minister take the freaking train everyday for the nest one year and then tell me whether they want to be entertained while packed like sandwich in a freaking train which has a high chance of being delayed . What a bunch of freaking idiots

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  16. LTA management, SMRT, transport minister are a bunch of morons to come out with videos, buskers at mrt trains and platforms. No wonder people have negative opinions of them. Another crap is bargain Hen saying to buy bigger ships and more helicopters for rescue operations in the region. Is he the defence minister of the region or Pinos? moron!

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  17. Kudos to Minister Ng Eng Hen for wanting to buy bigger ships and more helicopters to save live. At least we have a humane, noble and constructive minister. Why spend money to destroy one another? Silly.
    Wish that more ministers will be like him and extend their kindness to their citizens. Maybe do away with conscription and have professional soldiers. Provide careers for our young men and pay them well. Train them to defend and also save live when needs arised.
    There are many unhappy Singaporeans now going by the Social Media. Can our ministers look into their grouses and unhappiness like Minister Ng preparing to do relief and saving live?
    Please make or save the happiness of Singaporeans first.

    patriot

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    Replies
    1. Quite a brainwave from Minister Hen. Somehow I don't think the neighbors are going to be too impressed.

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    2. I'd be more impressed if they spend the money to help Singaporeans.
      One old fart living in the lap of luxury.
      While hundreds of old folks are cleaning toilets and selling tissue paper to survive.

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    3. Coming from a doctor, makes you wonder why there are so many thousands of malpractice suits all holed up from the public eye in the SMC! When buying weapons save lives, no wonder making the populace pay for more screw ups is how they "fix the problems". Or maybe the populace is, for the elites, "the problem", the only way to fix it is to kill them all off, that way they will all be saved from further misery. Perverse logic maybe?

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    4. We spend on defence to save lives so that when we do go to war, it will be for peace.

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    5. The kindness is not for citizens. The JMMS is to save precious Filipino lives, not the expendable Singaporean lives.

      Seriously, you think the JMMS is for humanitarian purpose? How about getting ready for the F35s?

      Delete
  18. Ok the GOD himself has spoken and front pages are flashing that soon, housing "cooling measures" will be rescinded now that Kweks are feeling the "pinch" of the 1.5% price drop because some money-laundering PRCs aren't coming to buy his freaking gezillion dollar bungalows at Sentosa. Matters not that weekend queues at various "new launches" are as happening as ever. So Papigs aren't so powderful, and the admin service clowns are there only to table what Kwek said to cow during lunch. Hope he liked the grass served by kwek's hotel. because once again, the real rulers are not papigs, its the property developers, banksters, military-industrial complex and oil men!

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  19. Seriously, this is what Singapore's transport system needs ? Are they alright in the head ? This is worrying.

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  20. Hey Tattler, I missed your daily blog. Hope that you will update your blog. Thank you. Take care.

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  21. Like the previous comment, I also missed your update today. Hope nothing has come from you-know-who to make you stop writing the 'RIGHT' things for us to read

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  22. Hope you are ok tattler

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  23. The Clown Prince and his Goons want to shut down the voices of the People. No better than N.Korea or the PRC. VTO.

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