Special Goodwill Transport Vouchers in View of Lower Oil Prices

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Transport whether the public transport operators (PTOs) will consider extending a special transport voucher to all Singaporeans especially the Pioneer Generation in commemoration of SG50 and/or extending a special fare rebate to all commuters due to the current low oil prices.

Mr Lui Tuck Yew: Mdm Speaker, I thank the Member for the suggestion. It is also one that Mr Seng Han Thong had separately raised to me earlier. As part of the 2014 Fare Review Exercise, the two public transport operators will contribute $13.5 million to the Public Transport Fund. We intend to use up to $7.5 million from this Fund to provide 250,000 Public Transport Vouchers of $30 value to needy families for this fare exercise.

The Government also has plans for the remaining amount in the Public Transport Fund and we will announce the details when we are ready to do so.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Pasir Ris-Punggol): I thank the Minister for the positive reply. I think we are all aware that Singapore public transport is heavily subsidised by the Government. My thinking is that since it is heavily subsidised, and actually there are profits made by the transport companies, and there are also savings there, would the Ministry perhaps consider making all Singaporeans as shareholders of these public transport companies, so that they get to share in the savings, especially for this year, which is SG50? I think we had done that in the past via the issuing of Singtel Special Shares. Perhaps, the Government may consider that to celebrate SG50 and to thank all Singaporeans for their support this year, for the understanding that they show, and for the support of the transport operators, especially in the past two years, for the inconvenience that some of them have to go through.

Mdm Speaker: Mr Gan, can you please put your question?

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: Okay. Thank you.

Mr Lui Tuck Yew: Mdm Speaker, let me thank the Member for his suggestion which is to make all Singaporeans shareholders in the company. I am afraid that this is something that comes outside of the ambit of the Ministry of Transport, but I will raise this matter to the Minister for Finance and to let him consider this in his own good time.