Members of Parliament are elected by Singaporeans to speak up and defend their interests in Parliament. Workers Party MPs understand this process well and have used the parliamentary platform to highlight inherent problems and make recommendations to existing policies. With all due respect to Ms. Josephine Teo, instead of acknowledging the responsible manner in which the transport concerns of low wage workers, the disabled and polytechnic students have been raised by her fellow parliamentarians, she has resorted to an outright political rant. Her comments are the kind of politics that Singapore do not need for an inclusive society. Lets not forget that it was her ministry that denied polytechnic students like me fair and affordable fares since 2001. To herald the measures announced yesterday as a major shift towards an inclusive society only shows how much they are behind the curve in their policy decisions. Probably she is still unable to grapple with the anger and frustrations that many Singaporeans feel towards the current administration, which is rather surprising given the extensive network of parapolitical tools and grassroots networks at their disposal. It certainly makes sense for the public or any entity to welcome the measures announced because it was simply long overdue. WP MPs do not dare to claim credit, they are merely speaking up for their residents, many of whom are polytechnic students, low-wage workers and disabled individuals. Through the parliamentary process, they are playing their roles as representatives of the people, a role that is expected of them, a mandate accorded to them by the very people whose interests they are speaking up for. Similarly, the elected government should play their role well and ensure that public transport should be provided as a public good and service quality, reliability and fare affordability should come before the need to ensure the profitability of public transport operators. Sadly, as we all know, this is not the case. Many wondered why the need to rush through a fare hike when they themselves are not ready with the concessions for low-wage workers and the disabled. Why the rush, whose interests are they protecting? If the WP is opportunistic, devoid of ideas, out of touch, populist and irresponsible as is commonly accused, it then makes no sense as to why the PAP is increasingly in danger of losing the middle ground in Singapore politics. It is not that the WP is populist and prompt to claim credit (we do not dare to), it is Josephine Teo and many of her colleagues and the government that she represents that is increasingly out of touch and she does not know why that is so. The comments of Ms. Josephine Teo amounts to nothing but a cheap political shot aimed at its own political base without a proper understanding of the frustrations and anger of fare paying passengers over the public transportation system. Her comments are the kind of politics that Singapore do not need as she turns 50 next year.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Jan 2014 16:09:05 +0000
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