Ministers often appear to miss the forest for the trees

Senior Minister of State for Public Transport, Chee Hong Tat has said in Parliament on Monday (5 Oct) that he was concerned about the recent verbal and physical abuses against bus captains. While it is heartening to see that a minister considers the protection of bus drivers an important issue, it is noteworthy that the Government has been quiet about how bus drivers may have been intimidated by SBS Transit itself!

In August this year, an audio recording surfaced where an SBS Transit employee can be heard allegedly intimidating a bus driver who is involved in a lawsuit against the company. The lawsuit involves 13 bus drivers who are currently in a legal dispute with SBS Transit for failing to compensate the drivers at the basic hourly rate of pay for their waiting time between shifts.

What is the point in tackling one off public bullying incidents if potential systemic bullying is tolerated? Case of missing the forest for the trees?

Chee went on to say that those who abuse bus drivers should “be prepared to face the full consequences under the law”. What about the internal abuse then? Should they be prepared to face the full consequences of the law too? If so, can we the public please get an update on the SBS Transit employee who threatened the bus driver? Has the incident been investigated at all?

If you want to punish the public, you will also have to punish those within the system that have abused the bus drivers no?

This is similar to Minister for Transport, Ong Ye Kung taking to social media to express his gratitude for bus drivers but yet remaining silent on bigger issues such as ensuring that SBS Transit protects its employees.

It must also be noted that some bus drivers have withdrawn from the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU), being the union that is supposed to protect their rights, on the basis that they do not believe that NTWU would stand its ground to fight for members’ rights.

What about the bus drivers that were jailed a few years ago for daring to strike against unfair pay? Or how a SMRT bus driver was thrown under the bus for a malfunction of his bus and accused of committing a rash act for over three years, only to get acquitted with the help of Mr Anil Narain Balchandani – the same lawyer who successfully defended Parti Liyani from her charges of theft.

If Chee and Ong really want to champion the well being of bus captains, why not take a long hard look at the employment rights of the bus captains?

What is the point of words of praise if bus drivers feel underpaid and are seemingly being threatened by their employers?

While pretty words have its place, actions speak louder.