The PSP supports the recent announcement from the Ministry of Transport that it will postpone the replacement of the current EZ-Link and NETS FlashPay based ticketing system with the SimplyGo System.
While my question in January to the Government on how it would respond to Singaporeans’ negative feedback on SimplyGo during the debate on the Parliamentary motion “Building an Inclusive and Safe Digital Society” was not answered, I am pleased that Minister Chee Hong Tat and the Ministry of Transport have taken steps to acknowledge and address Singaporeans’ concerns on digital inclusivity.
We are heartened by Minister Chee’s apology “for the delays commuters experienced when they tried to convert their existing EZ Link cards” and his acknowledgement of Singaporeans’ concerns regarding the SimplyGo system. It is a breath of fresh air to have a Minister apologise, take charge and reverse a publicly announced decision in response to public feedback.
In a similar vein, in a recent interview with Lianhe Zaobao, Minister Chee announced that the Government is now studying the creation of a separate COE category for private-hire cars owned by companies. This appears to be a reversal of his stance in November, when he rejected similar suggestions raised by MPs.
The PSP strongly believes that it is beneficial for Singapore to have a working Parliament, where robust constructive debates between Government and opposition MPs result in positive changes in government policies for the benefit of Singaporeans. We are encouraged by the recent changes and responses, and we look forward to the Government’s clarification on how the “additional $40 million” is being spent to maintain the current ticketing system at the next Parliamentary sitting in February.
The PSP will continue to ask good questions and offer constructive policy alternatives in Parliament.
For Country For People
