Instead of an impartial poll of all public transport commuters on the new public transport fare hike, Channel News Ass-ia (CNAss) only spoke with the beneficiaries of the new concession schemes. The mainstream media have continued act as the profit driven government mouthpiece to mislead the public and foreigners.
In response to CNAss’s biased reporting, online media newbie, The Straitjacket Times (SjT) decided to interview the 95 per cent majority of commuters shunned by the MSM. Below are comments of the interviewees.
A heartlander auntie at the neighbourhood market.
SjT: What is your take on CNAss’s “positive response” article?
Madam Chin Chio Lui: Positive my foot! We all ordinary and poor Singaporeans got no say every time. Gahmen appoint committee people who are their own people and also gahmen got many shares in SMRT and SBS. They make up stupid excuses and shove it down our throats so do you think this is positive? Don’t make my toes laugh la.
A retrenched middle-aged man at a coffee shop.
SjT: Uncle, government allows MRT and bus fares to increase. We want to know what’s your opinion.
Mr Boh Kang Cho: (pointing his middle finger and speaking loudly) K N N B I just lost my job and you want to find out what I think about the government? You all better get the f…. (our journalist cautiously moved away from this interviewee who was about to turn violent)
A poly student on her way to school.
SjT: Do you think the fare hike is fair?
Ms Chio See Lang: Ha ha ha. Government still thinks citizens are stupid. Increase my parents fares and my fares then use our money to offer a bit of concession? I don’t mean to be rude because I was really well brought up in an Asian family. In this case, I cannot help it but to ask you isn’t this called L P P L? I mean, first you increase fares and then give some back. Right? We poly students have been neglected for 2 decades so the government move is an insult. Personally, I think telling the PTC and review committee to take a hike is fair.
In 2009, 5 years ago, poly student Bernard Chen and a few students collected some 5,300 signatures linkand met the authorities on this issue. As the PTOs kept making profits of hundreds of millions during the last few years, nothing came out of it! The government is doing so now because it is aware many many people are just fed up.
A general admin office worker in the office.
SJT: Do you have anything positive to say about the fare increase?
Ms Ang Ku Kueh: The only thing I am positive about is to slap the people who increase the fares. I mean, can increase overcrowding and then increase fares meh? Where is the logic? And what about train delays and breakdowns which keep increasing? You know I am a lady and every morning I come to work got to squeeze by many passengers and foreign workers, do you think I am happy? Why don’t the ministers ask their daughters and wives to take the train during morning peak hours every day and give them feedback on the fare increase?
Factory supervisor at the workplace.
SjT: Hi. Are your employees happy about the fare increase?
Mr Chin Buay Song: Pui! Government always wayang and use the newspapers to create an illusion. Fare increase is not salary increase OK? You cannot understand this simple equation and still want to ask this stupid question. You must be from the government newspapers right?
Most of the company employees rely on public transport. With so many breakdowns and delays, they sometimes come late and the boss got so angry and use the F word many times. Do you think they are happy? Whenever the train is delayed, you can hear them swear at the Stupid MRT (SMRT) the whole day. A profit driven company will not improve any time soon la. You should use your brain.
After interviewing thousands of commuters with numerous insults thrown in, the SjT concluded that NONE has any positive comments on the fare hike. Hmm.. isn’t it strange the MSM has not come across a single unhappy commuter?
Mr See-Pay Too Lan
SjT Editor
Satirical Piece by Phillip Ang
TRS Contributor