By Muhammad Al Hakim
After the farce of recent fare hike coinciding with the recent spate of breakdown, it begs the question, why hasn’t the government taken a initiative in solving the problem? It may be because there is no clear radical solution in the works that might be able to help the problem, short term or long term.
What we clearly need is a new initiative, one to help clear long-standing problems that has plagued our transportation issues since 2011.
Nationalisation may seem to many of us the solution we need, But I say nationalisation is the means to solving our problem, not the end. What we truly need to more accountability to the public and the commuter, not just to the elected government.
My idea is of a gradual nationalisation spanning for 3/4 years of SMRT and SBS transit, with proper compensation to both owners of the company. A period of reform and stringent maintenance program will be in place during and after nationalisation period. This will ensure that the burden of the standard of transport services will fall under the government and will be directly accountable to the efficiency and failings of our system.
A new state-owned Corporate group, possibly named Singapore transport Group will have the control of all rail and bus services that are currently under SMRT and SBS. This Group will in turn be split under a rail transport company ( Singapore Rail perhaps? ), a Bus transport services ( Singapore Bus? ) and a management company for administration, research, marketing etc.
Of which, the PTC Act will have to amended to give more powers to the council to make decisions concerning the standards of transportation in the country, including powers to make surprise inspections. Members from professions involved such as engineers, train drivers, station officers serving or retired will also be included to give the council more understanding of the transportation issues and matters. Any Investigation conducted by the PTC should be available to the public for transparency and to obligate the new company, even after privatization to ensure they are maintaining and/or improving transportation standards.
A period of nationalisation should amount to go along at 10 years. A process of Privatization should begin once the government and the public are fully satisfied that the standards are improved, that due processes are in place in ensuring transportation standards. The shares of this future corporate group will be divided into three segments, 40% to the public, 40% to the former companies that receptively owned SMRT and SBS ( If those companies still exists ) and 20% to the government. Rules will implemented to ensure those companies will not buy off public shareholders shares and/or manipulating through other means to gain control of Singapore Transport Group.
The principle at play for privatizing after nationalising at (in my point of view) a short time is the fact that when members of the public have shares and influence of the future Singapore Transport group, the company will be even more obligated to ensuring that the company is delivering the services and standards that their shareholders (The public) demands. Also this will ensure that any fare raises, purchases and any other issues will be under the more discerning public eye, as they have a much more vested interest in the company.
All this is to ensure that our transport services are the one that are worthy to all Singaporeans, and to repair and rebuild our transport services that are a shambles and a disgrace to our island nation.
Submitted via Reader’s contribution.

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