SMRT - Squeezing People, Endangering Lives?

Seems like we're going to bear with the squeeze on our MRT trains as usual. Though the LTA, or Transport Minister Raymond Lim, promised to tighten the operating standards, I see nothing's going to improve. What's said to be improvised are mainly the waiting time and passenger load, but SMRT said they 'have been doing it anyway'.

You know what? In the past, every weekday morning and evening peak passengers would have to squeeze into the cabin. Even with the centre filled, often I had to tap my palms on the ceiling to find balance. Poor ladies by my side had to endure my fragrance, and it is no wonder that there are so many palm stains on the ceiling panels.

Today, even with the tremendous increase in train headways, peeple still squeeze. Certainly it's true given that people nowadays avoid driving to save on petrol costs and switch to public transport. But who cares? the FACT is that the train is still packed to the brim! I simply have no idea WHY the authorities are still using FIGURES to show it's 'still less than capacity' when PEOPLE are the ones taking the train, and not FIGURES? Please come back to the ground, you people are lost in your paradize driving big cars like Merc 500 it is no wonder only the figures are used. If only those so-called think-tank were to join in the crowd, then I suppose there's improvement. No pain, no gain, right? Boys, figures don't pinch. I really meant PINCH.

My heart nearly burst into flame when the CEO of the corporation, Saw Phaik Hwa, said:

"The importance of the train is to ensure you can pack as many
people as possible. People want to travel. One of the complaints’ is
not because there are no seats, but it's too packed."

WTH?!? We, passengers with senses all across the skin and flesh, felt that YOUR trains (and buses) are already packed near to the core, now YOU want us to reach the core? The company has been posting higher net profits every year in terms of millions of dollars, and all these gains goes to the company and its shareholders. We passengers are only stakeholders so we've got to bear with all these unnecessary pains. How much more cost are you talking about by increasing the train frequency marginally? With all-time high passengership, what YOU gain is the pennies collected. So what cost are you talking about. Increase the frequencies further!

SMRT received the 'Best Passenger Experience' award at the inaugural Metro Awards 2008 in Copenhagen, Denmark. WTH? It's a service not acceptable by the locals, don't honour something else from the foreigners. It's also firing it's company's slogan:

Squeezing People, Endangering Lives you mean? I wonder what if one day, one of the doors falls off because of strong pressure, the company will be in deep trouble. Street men will witness flying commuters instead. What's more, the news also report that it has planned to remove 86 SEATS on TEN of its trains shuttling between Jurong East and Bt Batok stations. In the older trains, there were 372 seats a train. After refurbishment, it's left with 296. Now, even lesser. I wonder when will it be the day when trains have no seat. I would say, WHAT A NOVEL WAY of maximising the profits!

See also:
STOMP.SG: http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singaporeseen/viewContent.jsp?id=41837
http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singaporeseen/viewContent.jsp?id=40449

What the?? WE WANT OUR SEATS BACK!!! SMRT has posted $150million for FY2008 ended March 31. Given such a huge amount, SMRT is going to continue to juice the most out of the passengers! Lest the all-time high fare increases. So is SMRT talking about any societal responsibilities? The answer is a straight NO! The low train frequencies HAVE BEEN the norm until the government stepped in. Only until recently people gets a better frequency. Next, it has the SMRT Tribute Funds, yes it is doing for the society, but i suppose a large fraction of those was from donations from passengers, as seen from their advertisement asking for donations. That's why I've never patronaged the box. Squeezing more passengers into a train is NOT the way. Our culture does not support this; we're not like those foreign workers who apparently love to make skin-to-skin contact. IF I WERE THE regulatory body I WILL NOT LET SMRT run the major lines. Same goes to its bus services like 67, 190, and 960. Trans-Island did a far better job.

Four things for aftermath:

1. Commuters 'storming' into the trains for seats, instead of the current 'rushing',
2. Teenagers and foreign workers sit in circle on the floor (which counter the purpose of such move),
3. People skipping trains with such configuration because PEOPLE WANTS TO SIT!
4. People protesting at Hong Lim Park.

So, the already-redundant 'please allow passengers to alight first' announcement will be further ignored. When people sit on the floor, even lesser space is allowed for standing. More passengers will stand longer on the platform to avoid such trains to get their seats. Ok, we shall see then.

Why can't it just run more trains? Let me cite an example overseas, in Hong Kong. In my recent trip there, almost all of my trips were made on the MTR. 100% of time waiting time did not exceed 2mins (I wish to bow), even at 10am and 3pm. After entering the train, I found myself often than not wasn't squeezing with other people and instead - spaces aplenty. With 8 carriages for all trains (ours' 6), 2mins in frequency day and night, and both being a Corporation, i wonder what is SMRT really doing.

Here's my suggestion: Allow private buses or even its competitor like SBS Transit to run buses parallel to the MRT lines. Why not? Since it can't deliver a good job, let the comsumers have an alternative (with far more seats) and at the same time giving it a PINCH for losing customers. Another good solution will be allowing overseas operator, like the HK's MTRC, to run new train lines! I'm certain all local operators will buck up!

I also hope someone who is more frustrated than myself about it will start a petition to BRING BACK OUR SEATS.

Look, there's no crowd during off peak hour, yet frequency is at 2mins a train. So many value-added services like news on the go with audio, among other initiatives. Yet, travelling for three stations from Yau Ma Tei to Admiralty is only HKD3.6 (S$0.72)!

So the burning question is: WHY COMMERCIALISE in the first place?? Without that, the state runs it, we people get good deals. Ultimately, the public transport is for the PEOPLE. Why talk about profits here. I see, we sigh. Money rules the world. Perhaps striving (probably the entire lifetime) to get the COE and a car remains the viable way for Singaporeans.

Can we Singaporeans have enough reasons to take pride in our only railway? You shall justify.

6D5N Hong Kong/Macau/Zhu Hai

Back from Hong Kong! Long long updates in just a while please. (Few weeks probably!) Gonna start preparing for classes in the new and final (hopefully) semester!

It's Recession!

Times are bad, from now on. This is the first recession that somehow seriously concerns me, or most people from my age group, because i was probably too young to have felt the impact during the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the post-911 effect. I didn't need a job, and knowing that someone, particularly dad and mum, would still be home to feed me food was a blessing. This time round, getting a job might be increasingly difficult especially i'm graduating like real soon. From what I see from the papers everyday, i'm skeptical that the economy will make a comeback so soon. The biggest global investment back Lehman Bros has fallen! Many banks and insurance companies have policies that were linked to Lehman, and everybody lost confidence and started surrendering their policies. Monies in the reserves are falling and stock market turns bearish. Everything turns bad now. Real bad. Such things are dominating headlines day by day and scary is the word. Confidence in investors aside, we shall see how much the worldwide govts can do to control the situation. SGD is now fixed and no long paired up with USD, though it weakened against it. Every cent is a dollar from today, and every dollar owed must both be collected back and returned (i owe wengkin $8). I'm saying NO to taxi rides, restaurants, big ticket items, as far as possible. (Hey, HK trip was planned before Lehman collapsed!). Open up income channels but sad to say, I've been idling around for more than 8 weeks due to some 'constraints' LOL. But I guess I won't get a job until semester ends on 1st March so as not to repeat semester. And hope dad won't lose his precious job.

The point is that, I now feel the blessings our gahman gave me a break. I used to hate NS cos it's like a waste of time. Two years to me, back then, is equivilent to $$shingshings so shiny than those stupid rifles. But now, I feel it's a buffer for me to start the engine at the right time. Rifles now sparkles brightly and so green with envy. Otherwise, I might be flying around, hunting for jobs for 365 days after graduation if without NS. Wahahaha. By the time (ORD) I shall see it's time for a good start in life.

Extracted from TODAYonline, today.

Is our Gen Y ready for its first recession?

Loh Chee Kong cheekong@mediacorp.com.sg

THEY are articulate, confident and too young to remember the gloom of
the 1997 Asian financial crisis, or the post-911 and Sars slumps of recent
years. (I was 7 back then.)

Singapore’s youth — aged under 30 — have until now had the world at their
feet ... or so they were told. Faced with their first recession, how will they
cope, should the world slip into a full-scale recession as many experts are
predicting?

Headhunter Christopher Leong, for one, wonders how this group — known
for its high expectations and consumerism — would buckle down and, in
youth-speak, snap back to reality. (I'm back already, luckily)

Mr Leong, a partner with Chris-Allen Executive Search, said: “Some of them
have ridiculous aspirations. Many of them live with their parents and are not in
a hurry to look for any work. They would think, ‘If I can’t find a job, I would
just look for temporary work or go travelling around Europe’.” (True enough, and mine is HK though. Lol)

In recent weeks, various Government officials have warned of tougher times
ahead, with unemployment expected to rise.

Young people do understand the gravity of the situation, especially when
some relatives, or even parents, have lost large sums due to the collapse of the
Lehman Brothers bank in the United States.

But it seems that job worries can wait — there are the examinations and
partying to get through. “I don’t think the media is hyping up the crisis ...
it’s real,” said Ms Denise Goh, 22, a final-year student at the Nanyang
Technological University. “But, our immediate concerns are to get through the
rest of the year — the exams, and things like that.”

And, despite looming job cuts and slower economy, they do not see the need
to tighten their own belts yet.

Said Ms Lin Dongzheng, 20, who is doing temporary work at a bank: “If I get
paid more this month, I’ll spend more.” (dangerous!!)

Unsurprisingly, it is those who have mouths to feed who are contemplating
the worst.

Said Mr Kelvin Kao, a 28-year-old account manager whose wife recently gave
birth to a son:“I started budgeting in greater detail just this month ... I also
started measuring our household’s energy consumption, and I tend to buy more
house-brand stuff nowadays.”

Associate Professor Annie Koh, dean of executive and professional education
at Singapore Management University, feels the recent financial turmoil would
“sieve out the men from the boys” in this age group.

“My advice to students is to be pragmatic and not too choosy,” said Assoc
Prof Koh, adding that students should make use of the growingopportunities to
work with homegrown small and medium entreprises, at a time when some global
firms are stumbling.

Mrs Ruth Chiang, director of SMU’s office of career services, said that
graduating students “may not receive multiple job offers now and have to be
prepared to accept job offers as they come”.

Mr Leong felt it would be several months after graduation before young
job-seekers adjust their expectations.

“After six months, after sending out 50 CVs, going for 10 interviews and
getting no return calls ... then they will realise it’s getting tough — but only
after they see one or two of their friends taking on lousy jobs,” he said.

Undergraduate Leong Fengzhi, 22, told Today she would give herself three
months upon graduation to find her ideal job in the public relations industry.

Said Ms Leong: “I’m willing to settle for lower pay, but it should be a job
in the same industry. If not, I would consider entering a similar industry, like
hospitality.”

Still, entrepreneur Elim Chew, founder of streetwear chain 77th Street, who
is a member of the National Youth Council, believes the recession could have a
positive impact on a restless generation — just as the ’70s oil shock gave rise
to the punk subculture among British youth.

Said Ms Chew: “In fact, this crisis may be their baptism of fire. With the
energy of this generation, this recession will inspire creativity.”

Yet Another Day

School's starting in three weeks! Looking forward to day one when most things start anew yet again. Except for GPA. In few months time, I'll be getting the cert at graduation and no longer have to sit in classes, unless I'm bound for uni.

Recently, I've been quite held up with organising the annual pot luck dinner. So exhausted but really exciting. Then on the actual day we'll get to see many familiar faces getting older. I won't be surprized to see some bringing children. lol!

Financial activity wise, I'm no better than the current world's trend. No job, no income and yet expenditure rules them all. Next week I'm bound for Hong Kong! Quite excited. But got to stay silent. Don't worry frens, you'll receive goodiessssss. Muahaha.

From today, I'm gonna read a book a week. It's really been an eyesore to always see those books pile there day by day. Yea, gonna start reading. Cos, you either improve or worsen. There's no such thing as status quo as in personal developement. We have to move as the clock ticks. Yea, starting to read. Flip.

Lest A Bean

Surely I'm getting bored about that bean, till the extend that I changed the blogskin yet again! I'm really bored, so bored I'm really left with nothing to do other than gazing at those birds. Recently there're bunches and bunches of mynas, unsure of whether were they fighting, quarreling, or lovey dovey; kept making a din out of nothing, right outside my windows. They stood on the ledge where the planter is, and stayed there for minutes. I wonder if they're talking, cos I just couldn't understand. It was as if there's worm, ant or rather, their food. Ant I suppose, cos my house is currently ant-infested. These birdies are black, and they flock together. So much of the saying 'birds of a feather flock together'. But one was bald, MSG I guess.

Gonna resume my driving lesson again! My interest died down from the previous deadly test, which driving a car hadn't been much of an excitement for the entire month of September. So now, basically, I have about 30 more days to school resume, and frankly I've already spent the previous half of 60 days in agony. Boredom kills, really. What about getting a job? Had I not have the plan of going Genting on 9 Sept, I would have worked and enjoyed. What about now? Can't really as on the 19 i'm going on a trip to Hong Kong for a week. So, essentially I'm stucked in between of nowhere, and who in the right mind would hire me.

Downtrend is the financial market; so is mine.

Simplicity is the best complexity.

Corrinne May

In The Bleak Midwinter

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, Whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, Whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

Journey



It's a long long journey
Till I know whera* I'm supposed to be
It's a long long journey
And I don't know if I can believe
When shadows fall and block my eyes
I am lost and know that I must hide
It's a long long journey
Till I find my way home to you
Many days I've spent
Drifting on through empty shores
Wondering what's my purpose
Wondering how to make me strong
I know I will falter I know I will cry
I know you'll be standing by my side
It's a long long journey
And I need to be close to you
Sometimes it feels no one understands
I don't even know why
I do the things I do
When pride builds me up till I can't see my soul
Will you break down these walls and pull me through?
Cause It's a long long journey
Till I feel that I am worth the price
You paid for me on calvary
Beneath those stormy skies
When Satan mocks and friends turn to foes
It feel like everything is out to make me lose control
It's a long long journey
Till I find my way home to you