REACH 203 - Community playing a larger role in Singapore Green Plan (SK)
05 Mar 2021 (11am - 7pm)
REACH
[11:00 am, 05/03/2021] +REACH: Dear contributors,
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[11:05 am, 05/03/2021] +REACH: 📢 Topic 📢
💬 How do you think the community can play a bigger role in Singapore’s Green Plan?
“The Green Plan is not just an MSE (Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment) or even a government plan, but a blueprint that we have set out for ourselves as a nation," said Minister for Sustainability and Environment Grace Fu on Thursday (Mar 4).
“Everyone must work together to achieve our vision. While some targets are existing, new and enhanced targets have been included.”
Singapore’s public sector will set a carbon emissions target for the first time, one of the four key shifts that the sector will take under the GreenGov.SG initiative as part of the country's Green Plan 2030.
As part of efforts to further pave the way for greener vehicles, the registration of new diesel cars and taxis in Singapore will cease from 2025. To encourage recycling of beverage containers, the deposit refund scheme for beverage containers will be legislated by 2022. Singaporeans can also look forward to 130ha of new parks over the next six years, as part of a wider effort to make Singapore's urban environment more green and sustainable.
👉 Singapore lays out plans for green and sustainable future: https://str.sg/JVHW
👉 Public sector aims to peak carbon emissions around 2025: https://str.sg/JVDN
👉 Refund-based recycling of bottles and cans: https://str.sg/JVDj
👉 Greener urban environment: https://str.sg/JVDP
👉 Registration of new diesel cars and taxis to end in 2025: https://str.sg/JVDd
[11:37 am, 05/03/2021] +REACH: Penalties for 3 sex crimes to go up after review, academic potential should not carry much weight: Shanmugam
The maximum penalties for three types of sexual offences will each be increased by a year, after a review of how some sexual and violence-related crimes are sentenced by Singapore courts, the Minister of Law said on Friday (Mar 5).
The three types of sexual crimes that will have their maximum penalties increased are: Outrage of modesty or molestation, sexual activity carried out in the presence of a minor aged between 14 and 16 or showing them sexual images, as well as similar activity done in front of a minor aged between 16 and 18.
There has been a 24 per cent increase in number of reported cases of outrage of modesty from 2016 to 2020 versus 2011 to 2015, said Mr Shanmugam.
More: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/penalties-for-3-sex-crimes-to-go-up-after-review-shanmugam-14338544
[0:14 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Don't just blindly hop onto the electromobility bandwagon but to look into ways to make our energy sources cleaner than it already is
[0:15 pm, 05/03/2021] +Timothy Low: I wonder what will happen to the petrol kiosks in times to come?
[0:16 pm, 05/03/2021] +YT: Any one with young children will certainly support this strongly, myself included. In fact, I think the punishments are still too lenient. Strong deterrence is needed. There are just too many perverts out there who think theh can get away with such crimes and demean another human being.
[0:19 pm, 05/03/2021] +Fulgrim: I think it’s also worth examining why such crimes are on the rise .
[0:19 pm, 05/03/2021] +Fulgrim: Convert to electricity kiosk lor
[0:19 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: From what I know about Shell, they'll probably slowly transition from "petrol kiosks" to EV chargers since now some of their stations do feature one or two charging points alongside the conventional filling points
[0:20 pm, 05/03/2021] +Fulgrim: If all the petrol kiosks also offer electricity ( fast charge- 5mins) then no need to have chargers in hdb Liao
[0:20 pm, 05/03/2021] +Fulgrim: It will be pumping petrol
[1:05 pm, 05/03/2021] +YT: Battery and charging technology will improve over time. I envision a future where petrol stations become charging stations. In and out in 10 minutes or less, just like the current refueling of petrol that vehicle drivers are all so used to.
[1:06 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: With current charging limitations, there will bound to be traffic congestion outside of fuel stations so hopefully with ITS solutions, drivers can be directed (or rather, assigned) to the appropriate fuel station - optimising wait time
[1:13 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
ExxonMobil to cut 7% of Singapore workforce, cites 'unprecedented conditions'
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/exxonmobil-singapore-cut-7-per-cent-workforce-300-jobs-14320978
[1:14 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Oh yes I've also spoken with someone from Shell before since I thought they might be advancing their oil and gas (O&G) agenda even when transitioning to e-mobility (it's possible if you think about it) but the person told me that they rely on the electricity from SP PowerGrid
[1:14 pm, 05/03/2021] +YT: So, the question is, would the government's investment in charging stations now be justified? What if in the next two or three years, after building all these charging stations, there is a new invention or new type of battery or charging technology that would render all these charging stations obsolete? That's the point to weigh and I am sure hope our government has considered this fact. Don't blindly pump in money only to find the money is paying for obsolete technology.
[1:15 pm, 05/03/2021] +REACH: New panel to be set up to achieve greater consistency in sentencing: Shanmugam
A new advisory panel will be set up to achieve greater consistency in sentencing, Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam announced in Parliament on Friday (March 5).
The key function of the panel will be to issue publicly available sentencing guidelines that will be "persuasive" but not binding on the courts, he said. In coming to this decision, Mr Shanmugam said his ministries studied the experience in other jurisdictions, namely England, Wales and Scotland. He said the guidelines will also provide greater clarity to the public about the likely sentence and the relevant factors to be considered in sentencing.
For instance, if the panel decides to issue guidelines for a hurt-related offence, it can set out a framework of different sentencing bands, based on the twin factors of harm and culpability.
More: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-panel-to-be-set-up-to-achieve-greater-consistency-in-sentencing-shanmugam
[1:15 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Don't blindly jump onto bandwagons too
[1:19 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
1. Oil business seems to be on the decline - and may move to become a sunset industry.
2. Our oil rig business - is also declining.
3. Our oil refinery less vibrant.
4. Our oil bunkering business will also be impacted.
With Green initiatives coming out strong.
Wonder what is our national initiatives to replace our traditional oil business with Green strategy to create jobs, help workers and oil business to transform to take on Green jobs and Green business, and maintain Singapore as an energy hub.
Notably, oil business make up a substantial proportion of our Economy GDP.
Wonder if our GDP got impacted at this inflection point - from oil business to Green business.
[1:28 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
Oil business in Singapore is make up of about 5% of our GDP.
Singapore is an undisputed oil hub in Asia.
In 2009, it generated about $57 billion in GDP.
Without a comprehensive national strategy to continue to maintain Singapore as Asia energy hub - our GDP will be adversely impacted and oil business, oil fund, oil jobs will be adversely impacted.
[1:32 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: I think one portion we can really work on for community is to get ppl to recycle more often but I’ve seen garbage trucks take in garbage and the recycling bin items as well so I dun understand how our recycling trash presort works.
Another area where we should improve is last mile transport aka PMD or bicycle. Allow PMD and incentives for cycling and using PT instead of grab or taxi or driving. It will all add in when everyone plays their part. Nat here have more suggestions so can approach him for PT last mile stuff.
My 2.14 cents
[1:36 pm, 05/03/2021] +m@dm@n: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/italy-blocks-export-of-astrazeneca-covid-19-doses-to-australia-14336110?cid=FBcna&fbclid=IwAR1UFAlcbBz9tpCjEtPovfjva6k2ltQaQdnghJqfxyMzEY9xqEf5TZOhscA
[1:40 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: I'm sure people already recycle often but what happens to the recyclables is another story, especially after the news a few years ago where China said it would stop accepting recycled stuff from countries all over
Quite evident when you look at CNY period, recycle bins are either filled to the brim or disappeared cuz there's just so much recyclables all over them
On active mobility, it is good that the government is now going all out to assess the feasibility of converting lanes of selected roads to bicycle lanes or bus lanes (the sharing of lanes by both bus and bicycles are quite common in other cities actually) but my advice stands, a proper and thorough assessment must be done to prevent the plan from backfiring, such as when congestion starts to occur or becomes worse - my good old "Supply and Demand" logic. As for PMD re-introduction, those who know me for quite sometime already know that I said that I would vow to be the balance between PAP's "ban PMD" and WP's "bring back PMD" - we want neither an all-out ban nor another November 2019.
Banning PMDs completely contradicts the P, which stands for "Personal". Reintroducing PMDs without proper control measures in place will also not be a good idea - so whether it's PAP or WP, a non-partisan (or bipartisan, if that works) view is necessary to ensure that such a move is done as safely and as efficiently as possible.
[1:47 pm, 05/03/2021] +KS Foong: Supermarkets: To provide incentive for household to bring their own bags for buy groceries from super markets. Customers who bring along their own bags for shopping will earn credit points. These credit points can be accumulated to exchange for goods. Alternatively, impose a environment levy charge for every bags issued.
Hawker Center/food court: discourage use of disposable cutlery and plates for eating in customers.
[1:49 pm, 05/03/2021] +REACH: Maritime sector to receive $20 billion in investments by 2024, new jobs to be created
Singapore's maritime sector can expect $20 billion in investments from industry players, by 2024. This will create more jobs here, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Chee Hong Tat on Friday (March 5).
More: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/maritime-sector-to-receive-20-billion-in-investments-by-2024-new-jobs-to-be
[1:52 pm, 05/03/2021] +REACH: Covid-19 crowd control measures at some sites during Qing Ming festival
Crowd control measures to ensure safe distancing will be introduced during Qing Ming, or the Chinese tomb-sweeping festival, with visits to some sites limited to two per household.
The festival this year takes place on April 4. The National Environment Agency (NEA) on Friday (March 5) said crowds are expected to peak on Good Friday, which falls on April 2, as well as on the weekends between March 20 and April 18.
More: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/coronavirus-qing-ming-festival-at-some-sites-to-have-crowd-control-measures-to-ensure-safe
[1:59 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
Based on what I see, we can still maintain our "Energy Hub" in Asia to maintain our $57 billion oil business and in fact grow our Energy business beyond 5% GDP.
1. Maintain our oil refinery, oil rig, oil bunkering - as there are still many Countries will still retain their needs for oil energy eg.
a. Airplanes - still need air fuel to fly
b. Maritimes ship - still need ship oil to sail
c. Cars - many developing Countries (who have no electric charging infrastructure) - will still depend on petrol and diesel to power their cars, trucks etc.
2. Grow and develop our Green energy business into billion dollars industry and contribute as good % to our GDP eg.
a. Solar energy
b. Electric grid
c. Natural gas bunkering business
d. R&D to transform "air into energy"
etc.
3. Develop new high tech agro-tech business into billion dollars industry and contribute as good % to our GDP eg.
a. Plant-based meat
b. Cell-culture, Tissue re-engineering meat
---- to fulfil our domestic needs for meat - but also to sell to overseas market - to replace traditional meat due to dire global climate conditions (no rainwater, dry land, less fertile land for crop cultivation, glacier melted - no water, river dry up, etc) that deplete land to culture foodstock to feed livestock - like pork (cull due to swine flu), steak (Australia not enough cow to produce meat), poultry (cull due to bird flu), fish, seafood (due to polluted seawater), mutton (not enough grass land to feed sheep) etc.
4. Build our coastal defence with tourism spots, shopping malls, residential houses, offices - and rent out as tenants into billion dollar industry mixed-residential-office-tourism spots and contribute as % to our GDP.
[2:03 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
5. Transform our GLCs such as Keppel Corps and SembCorp - to do Green energy business plus continue to do traditional oil business (hybrid) - to do local and overseas projects, create jobs.
[2:11 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
All HDB car parks in at least 8 towns to have electric vehicle charging points by 2025
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/electric-vehicle-charging-points-hdb-carparks-8-towns-14326528
[2:12 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
If HDB flat and condo also build charging points, who will charge and pay their car charging in petrol station?
Petrol station close shops?
[2:20 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: Wash car
[2:20 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: Fast charging
[2:31 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
Petrol revenue and profit drastically drop and may even lose money.
Now 100% of cars need petrol station to pump petrol.
Next time, how many cars need to charge their car in petrol station if people can charge at home?
[2:33 pm, 05/03/2021] +Kevinn Wang: chareg at home is not free too hahahaha
[2:34 pm, 05/03/2021] +Kevinn Wang: and am very sure these will be outsource to maybe petrol station akak going forth no more petrol station land can be return
[2:34 pm, 05/03/2021] +Kevinn Wang: and that's where we will see if EV is really good for the environment and the people wallet
[2:36 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
Sembcorp and Keppel corp can build the energy grid and lease charging points to charging companies.
That's probably how petrol station can survive.
[2:37 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
Sembcorp and Keppel corp with this expertise can bid overseas projects to build energy grid.
This is how Sembcorp and Keppel corp can transform their green energy business.
[2:38 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: 🤣🤣🤣
[2:42 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
Sembcorp and Keppel corp can also learn and develop the expertise in building coastal defence and together with capitaland bid for overseas projects - to help overseas countries to build coastal defence-mixed plot projects - tourism-residential-office spots.
[2:46 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
Going green without building our GDP generator capabilities - will in effect burn our money - just for the sake of going green and not building our green hub capability to generate income, business and jobs for our economy - as we lose our oil hub business.
[2:46 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: The charging or car, ppl mid night to go down to take out the charger
[2:47 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
IoT set-off alarm and alerts - CCTV take a picture of the intruder for example.
[2:48 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: U can hog the charger overnight
[2:48 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: Can't
[2:51 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: Unless u provide charger for every car park in Singapore
[2:51 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
And alerts the owner the charging is complete through SMS.
[2:52 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
IoT many configuration is possible.
[2:52 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: And who is going to wait until midnight to charge their car.
[2:53 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: You're focusing on the charging speed right? Since everything will start out slow initially
[2:54 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: Oh. How long does it need to charge?
[2:54 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: And how long can a charge last?
[2:54 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: Sorry, am not sure about this.
[2:55 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: Maybe every dustbin in the block or building to have a recycle bins?
[2:56 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Still, what happens to the recyclables at the end of the day? We do have a recycling culture but problem is we don't really have the capability to process them nicely
[2:58 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
And if car owners still not remove their cars when charging complete - the longer the car put there, the higher the price the charging go up.
This will ensure no car owners will leave their car overnight.
[2:59 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: Hmm
[2:59 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: So what is Gov going to do?
[2:59 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Beats me bruh, the supply is there, but the demand side uhh
[3:00 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
Sembcorp and Keppel corp is essentially running a car utility company (energy grid company) - like Sembcorp now is an electricity utility company.
[3:03 pm, 05/03/2021] +Bernard Lau: Why need full charge EV ? Singapore is small ; just charge when you see a free station eg during buying grocery or having a meal .
[3:03 pm, 05/03/2021] ☸️ Danny 心:
All HDB car parks in at least 8 towns to have electric vehicle charging points by 2025
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/electric-vehicle-charging-points-hdb-carparks-8-towns-14326528
[3:04 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Anyways early adopters of EVs will have to suffer, especially when we can't keep up with the demand (popularity)
We are now at the stage of incentivising, but we will eventually reach the stage where we have to stop incentivising and curb the numbers of EVs - that is reactive. For a more proactive approach, I would use the transition from ICEVs to EVs to cut down the number of cars overall and continue to push for shared mobility (such as my true love, public transport and everyone's not so true love, Grab and Gojek)
[3:05 pm, 05/03/2021] +Bernard Lau: ? With the widely available of EV charging points , there will be plenty of opportunities to charge the vehicle
[3:08 pm, 05/03/2021] +REACH: Budget debate: Public transport has to be subsidised, but costs cannot keep ballooning, says Ong Ye Kung
Taxpayers will continue to subsidise the operation of trains and buses, but measures have to be in place to prevent a cost spiral.
Speaking during the debate on his ministry's budget on Friday (March 5), Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said public transport subsidies, which amounted to around $2 billion a year before the pandemic, will continue.
"We can't run away from that," he said. "But the bill to taxpayers cannot keep ballooning. If it does, we would leave our future generations a growing financial burden."
More: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/public-transport-has-to-be-subsidised-but-costs-cannot-keep-ballooning-ong-ye
[3:08 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Another anyway,
Parking lots by themselves are just parking lots, if we put in a charging point for every lot, the CAPEX (and OPEX naturally) will increase drastically, my advice to gahmen is to not go all out with e-mobility, but to go with a 1/4 or 1/2 load for trials whilst also looking at the best cost-effective solution out there
[3:13 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: He's merely repeating what has been done before, this is called rail route rationalisation, nothing new
Also, bus routes that run parallel (duplicate) rail lines are not entirely bad, look at DTL vs 190 for example. Route rationalisation was common back then, but since DTL, we can see that we cannot completely rely on our trains (not just because they might breakdown, but also because of the cars per train such as 3 for DTL for example) coupled with the frequency of the line.
In fact KBW's plan to have bus services that purposely (and purposefully) run parallel with rail lines (especially our legacy NSEWL) serves to boost the reliability of the connectivity between places along such lines.
When we cut down on PT expenditure, commuters must expect less fanciful results - perhaps our buses in the future won'
[3:13 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: I suspect some bus frequency is lesser after covid came.
[3:13 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: 't feature USB chargers, perhaps fares will increase even more because of the transition to e-mobility, no one will ever be happy.
[3:14 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: I think nobody use the usb chargers
[3:14 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: Maybe no need to put liao
[3:14 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: Save money
[3:15 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Exactly, it's not hard to find ways to cut cost
Some things are just LTA's way of showing off to the world, at the expense of expenditure
[3:15 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: I've always been vocal about how LTA spends money unnecessarily on their fanciful toys - again, not hard to cut down on cost if they pay attention
[3:15 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: And recently I saw new buses that cover the usb port so well
[3:15 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: Nobody know it is there
[3:16 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Some are located under the seat for example because of design constraints (there's actually a sticker informing commuters that the charging port is below the seat)
[3:16 pm, 05/03/2021] +Valli: Side track a little bit,
With AirAsia now providing online food delivery, I foresee some issues cropping up, I hope the authorities will be keeping track of this development.
[3:16 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: Like what ah?
[3:25 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Another harsh truth, I'm sure everyone knows about the Buona Vista breakdown
It's costly to maintain all these cables here there and everywhere so if we are to continue cutting costs, we will have to expect less reliable services but perhaps what can be done is to continue boosting the reliability of connectivity by having solid plans for emergent situations when there is a power, track, train or whatever fault (no matter who's fault it is)
The idea is to make one's commute as smooth as possible but of course I know the smoothest is when the train doesn't breakdown lah of course but for when it does, the next smoothest would be a frictionless transition from travelling on the train to finding alternatives (can be bus bridging service, can be taxi, can be anything) so long as people still get to where they want to go even when the rail service fails them
I am not like KBW, who is completely optimistic of the rail reliability - I am prudent about it, and having conversations with classmates who know the limits themselves, we have to prepare for breakdowns more than hope they don't occur.
Don't care if the OEM is Alstom or Siemens or whatever, maintenance whether in-house or provided by the OEMs themselves are costly. As I always say, PT is environmentally sustainable but not economically sustainable - we aren't alone, the most successful PT networks out there are always heavily subsidised by the government.
So you see, I don't look at just a single point of failure, I look at multiple points of how we can mitigate failure, failure that will happen even when we do our best to prevent it.
[4:21 pm, 05/03/2021] +REACH: Budget debate: More than 350,000 Singapore residents have received first Covid-19 jab, says Gan Kim Yong
Steady progress has been made in Singapore's vaccination programme, with more than 350,000 Singapore residents, including around 80 per cent of healthcare workers, already receiving their first jab of the Covid-19 vaccine as of Thursday (March 4).
About 215,000 have received their second dose, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said in Parliament on Friday (March 5) during the debate on his ministry's budget.
More: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/budget-debate-more-than-350000-singapore-residents-have-received-their-first
[4:39 pm, 05/03/2021] +REACH: [Sent by Gov.sg – 5 Mar]
As of 12pm, MOH has preliminarily confirmed no new cases of locally transmitted COVID-19 infection.
There are 9 imported cases, who had already been placed on Stay-Home Notice upon arrival in Singapore.
MOH will share further updates in its press release that will be issued later tonight.
go.gov.sg/moh050321update
[4:46 pm, 05/03/2021] +Dan: I read in dismay that the class size problem was highlighted again in the parliament, just like in 2015 and 2018, the topic was raised again and yet, not much was done to downsize the class. Though there is improvement in Student- teacher ratio, the fact is teachers still have class size of 40-42. Its a huge challenge to conduct lessons in a class of 40.
[4:47 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: I thought got lesser babies already
[4:47 pm, 05/03/2021] +Caleb: means lesser teacher
[4:49 pm, 05/03/2021] +CQ: and the teachers are very very very very swamped with admin and CCA duties...
[4:50 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: Mandatory tests for e-scooter and e-bike riders from mid-2021; all bicycles must have brakes from September
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/mandatory-tests-for-e-scooter-and-e-bike-riders-from-mid-2021-all-bicycles-must-have
[4:50 pm, 05/03/2021] +Dan: Compared to other OECD countries, Singapore "devote[s] a larger share of our teachers’ time to activities that are crucial for students’ holistic development, such as CCAs, lesson preparation, and professional development", Wong added.
[4:51 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: The more we subsidize PT the more our people should use it. That’s the only way to “get your money back”.
[4:51 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: Maybe can frame it as such to encourage more usage of PT
[4:51 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: No, it will backfire completely
[4:52 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: 🤔
[4:52 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Have we not learned from revealing actual costs like $67 million?
[4:53 pm, 05/03/2021] +CQ: yes, and because of this, no one gets to enjoy any "benefit" in whatever purported increase in student-teacher ratio. and like you mentioned, the class sizes are still huge. so teachers are stretched very thin trying to manage a big class and now on top of that, there's all these additional activities.
[4:55 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: 🤭
[4:55 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: I won’t kpkb actually
[4:55 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: I will actually try to maximize all subsidies and take advantage of our PT
[4:55 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: But yes many others might complain
[4:56 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: You won't but the point is majority will and eventually backfire, I have always warned about backfiring
[4:57 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: Want World Class PT, want cheap fares but don’t want gov to subsidize where got such thing?
[4:57 pm, 05/03/2021] +Rama: Fares have to rise, operators must be more cost-efficient as taxpayers’ bill ‘cannot keep ballooning’: Ong Ye Kung https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/fares-have-rise-operators-must-be-more-cost-efficient-taxpayers-bill-public-transport-ong-ye-kung?cid=telegram_tg-single_social-free_26012019_today#.YEHyVvAZaAI.whatsapp
[4:59 pm, 05/03/2021] +Bernard Lau: Well .. this is a yester-mentality that commuters need to change or at least appreciate . We can’t be keep spending $$$$ endlessly on improving service . Basically it is unsustainable
[4:59 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Pretty obvious
[5:00 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: Yes agreed
[5:01 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: There must be a cut off amt
[5:01 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: People will always complain, no matter what is done to improve infrastructure and service but my strategy is to distract people from topics that will cause plans to backfire
[5:05 pm, 05/03/2021] +Bernard Lau: So the politician always has to deliver bad news of fare hikes etc . Little choice as the book needs to be balanced
[5:06 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Fare hikes are inevitable, especially with the new technology involved now (PIDS, Hybrid, Full Electric)
It will increase soon, no doubt about it
[5:07 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: Capital and operating expenses increase of cos fares have to increase as wel
[5:09 pm, 05/03/2021] +Bernard Lau: Also Find new ways to fund new transportation infrastructure . Eg airport tax for T5
[5:09 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: There’s infra bonds for that iirc
[5:09 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: I’m sure if open for retail there will be local demand for these bonds
[5:11 pm, 05/03/2021] +Bernard Lau: ADL is a good step forward .
[5:20 pm, 05/03/2021] +Rama: https://mothership.sg/2021/03/moh-subsidy-framework-changes/
[6:10 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/single-contractor-municipal-services-pilot-tampines-hdb-14332328
[6:15 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: Interesting concept outsource to maintain consistently and if they don't perform? Is the one contactor that has all the skills or they will outsource the skills they don't have eg. Like pest control, security enforcement? Then why do we need GRC? How do you evaluate their effectiveness.
[6:18 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: I submitted a complain about cleanliness and then reply of then town council was the cleaner cleans in the evening. A check with the residents indicated that they have raise conservancy fees. Place continues to be dirty. Doesn't reflect well in those who are running the precinct
[6:19 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: Are our people in authority pen pusher and contract pushers or really solve issues.
[6:20 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: I head LKY when you don't perform you get a dressing. I am not sure about this but look at reply from some folks in authority. It is like that
[6:21 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Lol you don't get a dressing, you get replaced 😆
[6:23 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: If they can only managed macro and don't manage micro tasks, is that good leadership
[6:24 pm, 05/03/2021] +YT: Which single contractor has the bandwidth to do park maintenance, smoking and littering enforcement, cleaning, and bird management? Seems like a very wide range of services for one contractor to provide. It will end up being a government-linked contractor that has that kind of breadth. Unless they train a cleaner who also enforces smoking and littering bans, while at the same time, makes sure trees and shrubs in parks are properly trimmed do that birds won't be a nuisance. Gosh...
[6:25 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Superman! 😂
[6:28 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: Cheaper better faster I guess
[6:29 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: Better clarify my precinct town council is excellent, just that I went for a walk in the morning to another precinct and the place was dirty for 4 mornings. I reported one service 3 times and on the third Time that precinct called me and say that cleaning in the evening because of cost and they can't do anything about it
[6:30 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: On 5th day I met a resident and she shared talk to MP and RC for two years nothing happened. Then they raised conservancy and for a few months okay then back to normal
[6:31 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: Maybe this is one Way to push cost to citizens
[6:31 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: That means contractor and TC fall out lor then no deal
[6:33 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: Guess a single point contact than one company do all
[6:34 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: Yeah , if they don't deliver who is responsible?
[6:35 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Cannot be one company do all one, where got so power one lol my guess is it'll become another bureaucracy saga
[6:35 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: Like this case. All push
[6:36 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: We have one service app. See how this got passed on to the other and best the body reply with the law haha
[6:36 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: Main con likely
[6:36 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: If not this push there and half his half mine happen
[6:36 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: If they don't fulfil. What then?
[6:36 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Back to square wan
[6:36 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: Change lor
[6:37 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: Yeah push to sub con. Workers suffer
[6:38 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: Someone have to kena call accountability 😅
[6:38 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: If not how?
[6:38 pm, 05/03/2021] +YT: I think one contractor who will then manage many little sub contractors. So any fault, the Town Council only needs to deal with that one contractor. Before you know it, Pritam Singh will ask what's the purpose of Town Council then.
[6:38 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: I feel like this is gahmen damage control, on the surface sounds good, deep within is the same old thing
[6:38 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: Lol
[6:38 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Bo salah lol might as well not
[6:39 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: Any issue is contractor fault not town council anymore lol
[6:39 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: So it doesn't really simplify anything actually
[6:39 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: How Japanese company work haha
[6:39 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Just a smokescreen
[6:40 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: If contractor does a good job then good lor haiz
[6:41 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: If main con sucks can change
[6:42 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: But if town council sucks you can’t do anything about it
[6:42 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Lol until next few years 🙈
[6:42 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: With 50% probability only 😝
[6:43 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: So I guess is a bit of improvement
[6:43 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: At a slight increase cost
[6:43 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: If not town council cannot change then everything square one
[6:44 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: When you see HDB side by side difference so much lol you know got so who do don’t have
[6:44 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: 😅
[6:44 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: Can record one arh
[6:45 pm, 05/03/2021] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
⏰ We will be closing the chat in 15 minutes ⏰
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan 😄
[6:45 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Semolaide
[6:46 pm, 05/03/2021] +Ken: Taking about outsourcing but context 🤷🏻♂️
[6:46 pm, 05/03/2021] +jimmy chew: Sorry error
[6:46 pm, 05/03/2021] +Nat: Lol
[6:46 pm, 05/03/2021] +Alvin: Gdnite Megan
====
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