Tuesday, August 19, 2008 . 10:59 AM

We can't in the end have every household in Singapore own a car, like in America... But what we can do is to have the roads free-flowing and a first-class public transport system for everybody. -- Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

Being in the automotive industry, I have to get a little depressed when I hear that cuz, what about my bonus?!. The aspiring yuppie in me also despair because I can hear the 'pop' that tells me that my bubble has been burst. But the Earthling that I am rejoices because it means I'm helping to save the environment.

I don't mind taking the public transport that much. Maybe I hate the shoving and squeezing during peak hour. And the inaccessibility of certain places (Siglap, Geyland, Punggol...) but I've survived with them for so long, certainly I can do without them.

However, I have to point out the sad and cruel fact that our public transport system is anything but first-class.

Since our PM does not like comparing ourselves with US, then how about Taiwan or better yet, Hong Kong? We love pitting ourselves against HK anyway as THE Business Centre.

And compared to both countries' public transport system, ours is pathetic. I haven't been to HK before, but Taipei's public transport is an eye-opener. People actually keep to the right, leaving the left free for those rushing for trains. If you are a clueless foreigner, you'll quickly learn their ways because they're not afraid to teach you the right way.

And then there's the little matter of people queuing to get into trains. How uber cool is that? Imagine, no aunties digging their meaty elbows into your ribcage, stomping on your foot with their Bata slippers and tripping you up with their groceries to be one step ahead of you to get into the train and their asses on the limited edition seats.

If your perfect public transport world is merely courtesy on the trains, you have got it in Taipei. And if your perfect world is accessibility, well, Taipei is still the answer. I took train EVERYWHERE. All their major tourist spots have their dedicated MRT station. Except maybe Miramir and PS Bubu. But everywhere else, I happily climbed onboard the train and let it take me where I want to go.

Now Singapore... we need to build our trains faster. Holland is a cool place to hang out, but I have only been there twice. Why? Cuz it freaking takes me hours to get there. I don't have a direct service there cuz Yishun is apparently The End of Singapore and there's no need for people to get into Yishun and neither is it necessary for us to get out. I feel discriminated against.

Show me more accessibility in our 'first-class' public transport and sure, I'll stop hankering after a hunk of metal with 4 wheels with a cat/horse emblem at its front.

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