LETTER | The culture of free lunches must stop

LETTER | I agree with Selangor state executive councillor Ng Sze Han on the need to impose a certain fee for foreigners using PJ City Bus service in Petaling Jaya.

Although I am never impressed with the performance of Ng, a Kinrara assemblyperson and a state exco since two years ago, nor Bandar Utama state assemblyperson Jamaliah Jamaluddin, what they have to say on imposing this charge makes sense; therefore, it should be viewed positively.

Although I am always defending the oppression of the poor, I think there are simply causes that are not meant to be defended, especially if it goes against some basic rules in life.

Most people can, in fact, afford to pay for an expensive meal with their friends at Starbucks or Coffee Bean, which I myself can ill-afford unless I have no other choices, but they would complain about paying RM1 for public transport.

In any country that you go to, the priority is always the citizens. This is not necessarily a form of discrimination, since the resources are scarce. When we were in Mozambique, for example, people could buy bread for a small token, but for hygiene’s sake, we preferred to get it from the supermarkets at a much higher price. This is a matter of choice.

Small price to pay

In fact, expatriates who can afford Grab services have no reasons to complain about the 90 sen bus fare chargeable to a foreigner.

Even foreign workers in the blue-collar category can afford RM2 if they find that the bus services provided by Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ)are convenient for them.

An Indonesian cleaner, for example, when providing cleaning services can easily earn RM60 to RM80, so what is RM2 to them?

If they take other bus services, they would also have to pay, and what’s worse, if they have to depend on Grab services which most of them would have to anyway because these buses do not get them to where they are.

It is understandable that MBPJ services are provided free to citizens who pay the assessment rates, but if foreigners make up 60 percent of the users, it defeats the purpose of promoting the use of public transport and helping ease the traffic congestion in the city.

As the proverbial saying goes, there is no free lunch. In fact, Malaysians have to do away with the culture of free lunches.

For the disabled, senior citizens, and children in school uniforms, by all means, waive the fees.

For the locals, even a fee of 50sen is affordable; otherwise, Malaysians will get too pampered with anything provided free to them, while the rest of us have to pay for the free services.

When I initiated a shuttle service for the university that I was working for some 15 years ago, I proposed RM1 fee for each trip between the train station and the university campus.

Even I had to pay for the services that I conceptualised because I preferred to take the KTM Komuter every day to office. The cost of taking public transport is still much lower compared to driving a car every day.

For that small price that I had to pay, I got away from the traffic congestion and I could at least catch up with someone or two hours of sleep on the train. It is worth it!

STEPHEN NG is a citizen with an avid interest in following the country’s political developments since 2008.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini