Hammersphere – The Workers' Party supporters' blog

BY BERNARD CHEN

Youths play an important role in shaping a world class public transport system in Singapore.

In November 2008, a group of 10 tertiary students came together to initiate a national petition for fairer transportation fares. This group went to the streets of Bugis and Plaza Singapura to collect signatures for their campaign, issued two press statements and earned themselves a meeting with top policymakers from the relevant stakeholders such as the Public Transport Council (PTC), SMRT, SBS and Transitlink.

This translated into a successful civil campaign when the Public Transport Council announced on 19th February 2009 to reduce the existing transport concession fares for tertiary students.

This latest civil campaign by students for students has once again demonstrated the integral role that students and policymakers play in the realisation of a world class public transport system in Singapore. This also means that parliamentarians and government policymakers should consider and act upon the perspectives and recommendations made by the youths of this country.

While it’s lamentable that right now, students do not do much outside their studies and co-curricular activities, it must be noted that civil activism should not be viewed as taboo or anti-establishment in nature. It can be both enjoyable and engaging.

I strongly believe that youths in this country plays an important role in shaping a world class public transport system. But how can this be done?

I am of the view that Singaporean youths from the age of 13 to 30 should come together to form a Youth Transport Advocacy Group (YouthTAG). There are many pertinent issues that involved young Singaporeans to come forward, to take a stand and to advance the interests of this country that they call home. It is all about having a sense of ownership of our public transport system.

In a nutshell, YouthTAG seeks to foster graciousness and compassion in a society that is urgently in need of it. It not only comprises of individual initiatives and graciousness but also intends to work with relevant stakeholders to kick-start any reform agenda in the outlook, behaviours and attitude of young commuters. This is a refreshing approach whereby we abandon the top-down legislative, rules-based formula for untested bottom-up, personal approach to resolving youth transport issues of the day.

I am personally not in strong favour of the attempts by SMRT to curb eating and drinking on trains via measures such as imposing fines on commuters. Though this is something that the Transport Minister, Mr. Raymond Lim begs to differ when he made clear in Parliament on 19th August 2009 that “[he] made no apologies for what some have called overly strict rules banning eating and drinking on the MRT”.

What are some other issues that youths can advocate other than fairer concession fares for tertiary students and educating the public not to eat and drinks on train?

• Initiate the good practice of queuing up prior to boarding.
• Encourage young commuters to send out SMSes rather than converse on mobile phones on public transport. Recommend the setting up of mobile-free carriages / zones for commuters who want a peace of mind and appropriate rest while travelling.
• Advocate that young commuters take the initiative in giving up their seats to fellow Singaporeans who need the seat more than they do.
• Educate young Singaporeans to keep the volume of their mp3 / audio  players and gamesets to an appropriate level where other commuters would not be disturbed by the “surround-sound” of the devices.
• Refrain from indecent acts of affection, especially among young couples on public transport.

If you like to see change and improvements to the existing public transportation system, it is high time that we, as young Singaporeans and stakeholders of this nation stand up and be counted. Talk is simple, but action demands commitment, enthusiasm and a strong sense of making Singapore a better place than the one they inherit from their parents.

If you like to know more about YouthTAG, feel free to contact Bernard Chen at bernardchen06[at]gmail[dot]com