GOING UP!

UP! UP! UP! Everything's going up recently, most significantly, of course fuel and then food, electricity tariffs, temperatures (with the dry season) and of course tempers flaring up with the stress of making ends meet. However the only exception was the price of fragrant and glutinous rice which they announced will be reduced(Phew!).

It's good to know that the Government will save billions of ringgit from the reduced subsidies, but what will happen to those savings? My one wish is to see those savings being put to use to develop an integrated public transport system to make it reliable, efficient and available to everyone. Then everyone will have a dependable alternative when driving their own car gets to be more and more costly.

Reliable and efficient is of course very important because when you go out to catch a bus or train, you know it will arrive at your stop or station at the precise scheduled time. Now Available? Of course we have our bus services, commuter trains, LRT and monorails but they are only available in certain areas only. Why can't they service all areas or at least be linked to most residential areas regardless of demographics? It's not only those of lower income groups who use public transport, but if an efficient integrated transport system exists, I believe most people regardless of income or status are willing to use it. Then we could settle part of our traffic problems, our financial woes, reduce our stress levels (no traffic jams) and the bonus is we reduce our pollution problems as well... What excuse can there be not to have it?!