Stop raising transport fares ! !

On behalf of all Singaporeans, I strongly urge that the above transport operators mentioned would not raise bus and train fares this year.

I cite the following reasons for not raising transport fees;

1. Bus and Train fares are already very costly

2. No enough public consultation is being done to study the effects of a hike; even though this year cap on price hike is 1.7\%, on ordinary Singaporeans.

3. Bus Fares were raised by 2.4\% just last year during a period where our economy was just recovering from the economic downturn of 2001. We accepted the price hike reluctantly because Singaporeans understood the financial plight of the transport operators. Do not expect Singaporeans to bite the bullet again, especially in times of economic consolidation and progress.

4. SBS Transit posted earnings of $200 million last year, while SMRT made about $100 million. The transport operators are more than able to cushion the financial impact of rising oil prices.

5. It's been observed that communting costs rise more than overall household expenditure. This phenomenon is most starkly observed among low-income families. Why make it worse?

6. Public transport is a need not a want.

I have presented my objection towards a hike in transport fares based on the above 6 arguments.

Singaporeans are still reeling from the effects of economic restructuring and consolidation and is not willing to accept another bout of price hike. It's unfair to Singaporeans and more importantly, it's not justifiable in any sense whatsoever.

If you would like for transport fares to remain as it is, there is one and only one way - and that will be to truly seek the opinion of all Singaporeans concerned with their wallets. Unless every Singaporean agree to the price hike, the proposal of SBS and SMRT to raise the transport fares again is not juestifiable at all.

Sinagporeans DO NOT WANT & DO NOT NEED a hike in the transport fares