Shanmugam: Taxpayers 'shouldn't pay' for MRT security
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Jun 20, 2010 - Straits Times
Taxpayers 'shouldn't pay'
by Rachel Chang
TAXPAYERS should not be paying the bill for the security of private sector companies, especially since they are profit-making and there are thousands of them.
Law and Second Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said on Sunday security should be a partnership between the Government, private corporations and the public. Putting the responsibility solely on government ultimately means taxpayers foot the bill, he pointed out.
In the first comments by a government minister on the recent breach of security at SMRT's Changi train depot, he said: 'SMRT is a profit-making entity. Is it fair for members of the public to pay for the security of all the thousands of private sector organisations, which make profit for their own shareholders? Or should their own shareholders through the companies pay for their own security? I think the answer is obvious,' he said.
Speaking on the sidelines of a Woodlands community event, Mr Shanmugam delineated the division of labour between the Government and corporations when it comes to security.
'The most effective way in organising this security framework, is for the Government to identify key installations that it will provide security for,' he said.
These are highly sensitive locations like border checkpoints, oil refineries and power stations. If something 'goes wrong' at these locations, the Government has operational responsibility for the lapse, he said.
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Companies should monitor safety.
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SMRT may be a private company but the govt have to make the transport system for the mass safe.
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lets put it this way.....it should be joint effort ...pushing or tai ji to whose problem must become an outdated management bug....
all join in to solve it.....taking ownership of problem is one thing.....solving it is the key
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Originally posted by Fcukpap:
lets put it this way.....it should be joint effort ...pushing or tai ji to whose problem must become an outdated management bug....
all join in to solve it.....taking ownership of problem is one thing.....solving it is the key
they can't even agree, how to join in to solve problem?
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sure tax payer shouldnt pay, but passengers should pay instead
looks like SMRT is going to raise its fare again.
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Rooney is right.
This is just another wayang from cheng hu and his croonies.
The security issue should be resolved with the huge profit that they earned last few years from the passengers.
They are just trying to package it like it is a additional requirement that the PEOPLE want.
So, the PEOPLE will PAY for the security since they have wanted.
This is plain disgusting.
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That is indirectly telling you that the PAP government won't subsidize for security of Singapore.
Maybe they should also stop providing security such as Police and Army, afterall the shopping centres you patronize all belong to profit making entities.
Next time if there is a terrorist attack in MRT or Suntec City, the government will tell you that they are a profit making entity and they should pay for their own security.
Increase the MRT fares by $0.50 per trip, should be able to cover all the cost of security.
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In the future, all shopping centres will pay a monthly sum (protection money) to the police for the security of their shopping centres. They are profit making entities and should pay for their own security.
You get this kind of bullcrap from a Minister.
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Next in line will be tax payers shouldn't pay for the maintenance of the drainage system.
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FY 2010 Intercity Passenger Rail (Amtrak)
Total Funding Available in FY 2010: $20 Million
Purpose: The purpose of the FY 2010 IPR program is to create a sustainable, risk-based effort to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism, major disasters, and other emergencies within the Amtrak rail system.
Eligible Applicants: Amtrak is the only agency eligible to apply for Intercity Passenger Rail program funds.
http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/amtrak/index.shtm
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Enhancing the Security of the Nation’s Transportation System
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Devotes nearly $6 billion to the multi-layered, risk-based aviation security system.
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$3 billion for over 48,000 Transportation Security Officers and technologies to screen passengers and their baggage for weapons and explosives.
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$1.2 billion to recapitalize checked baggage screening devices and accelerate deployment of inline systems that will increase baggage throughput up to 300 percent. The Budget proposes a temporary, four-year surcharge in the passenger security fee of $0.50 per enplanement with a maximum increase of $1.00 per one-way trip. The additional fee collections of $426 million would be deposited in the Aviation Security Capital Fund to accelerate the deployment of optimal checked baggage screening systems and address the need to recapitalize existing equipment deployed immediately after September 11, 2001.
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$128 million for enhancements at passenger checkpoints to improve the detection of prohibited items, especially weapons and explosives, through the use of additional sensors, such as whole body imaging, liquid bottle scanners, automated explosive sampling, and cast and prosthesis scanners. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will continue to provide specialized training in the detection of suspicious behaviors, fraudulent documents, and improvised explosive devices.
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Nearly $100 million for air cargo security inspectors, canine teams, and the Certified Shipper Program to achieve 100-percent screening of passenger air cargo in 2010.
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Enhances security assessments. Funds security assessments on more than 2.4 million individuals in the Nation’s transportation system, including commercial HAZMAT drivers, airport and port workers, and international airline flight crews. In addition, TSA will continuously vet 13 million individuals who have already undergone a security assessment. These assessments will be based on terrorism and criminal information from the U.S. intelligence community and FBI databases. And, TSA will assume the watch list matching of over two million airline passengers daily with the implementation of Secure Flight.
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Addresses surface transportation vulnerabilities. $37 million for surface transportation security, including funding for nearly 100 inspectors to conduct risk-based assessments in the largest mass transit and rail systems.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/rewrite/budget/fy2009/homeland.html
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Ooops!
I forgot this is Singapore not USA, the country where the leaders tax the citizens heavily and keep all the money in their coffers to pay their multimillion dollar salaries.
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"TfL is already investing £10m per year on safety and security on the overground train network and we will continue with this work. We expect train operators to work with us to take this initiative forward and reduce the fear of crime on the overland network."
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/3682.aspx
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The message is so clear. If you think the gamen needs to put in more effort in the securities, you will need to pay more. If you think SMRT should do this on their own, you will pay more for the fares. So either way, we need to pay. Full stop.
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One thing is clear, taxpayer should pay for ministers' multi million dollar salaries
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the swiss is luffing at us
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someone got to foot the bill.
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Tax payer shouldn't pay.
Haha hahaha ha
In the first place the SMRT infracstructure is pay by tax payer.
The main share holder for SMRT. ???? Some GIC company.
Anyway, our home affair minister will never admit it is the department fault just like the Mas Selamat case. It is due to individual negligence.
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Originally posted by Medicated Oil:
Rooney is right.
This is just another wayang from cheng hu and his croonies.
The security issue should be resolved with the huge profit that they earned last few years from the passengers.
They are just trying to package it like it is a additional requirement that the PEOPLE want.
So, the PEOPLE will PAY for the security since they have wanted.
This is plain disgusting.
For a while, I was thinking wtf Rooney meddling with our domestic affair when he's got bigger fish to fry in South Africa....
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How about oil refineries like Exxon Mobil refinery in Tuas, SAF is providing security so how? Last time i check Exxon Mobil wasnt partly owned by the Government or a Government entity. So how?
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Originally posted by viewquek:
Tax payer shouldn't pay.
Haha hahaha ha
In the first place the SMRT infracstructure is pay by tax payer.
The main share holder for SMRT. ???? Some GIC company.
Anyway, our home affair minister will never admit it is the department fault just like the Mas Selamat case. It is due to individual negligence.
You can rest assured that the little guy at the bottom will be taking the rap for the Minister.
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Originally posted by laurence82:
One thing is clear, taxpayer should pay for ministers' multi million dollar salaries