Originally Posted by Unregistered

So your idea is to maintain cost neutrality by charging foreigners more... the merits and feasibility of that aside, but what has this got to do with nationalization?

As it is now nationalise or listed, fare revenues are solely controlled by the PTC and bears little relation to market dynamics. What added benefit does nationalization and appointing a bunch of bureaucrats from stat board to oversee management bring to the table???

Also this is extremely hazardous morally. There are many more essential neccessities in life, is the government going to price differentiate all these items to force PRs and tourists to help pay for Singaporeans?

Also your suggestion is only going to bring a one-off benefit to citizens. As it is now, the rising cost of operations are significantly higher in the region of 8-10%p.a. than fare increases every year. In order to maintain the cost ecalation to citizens at the current run rate of 1-2%p.a., you will need to massively jack up costs across the board and then jack up the rebates for citizens annually at the same time. There aren't enough dumb foreigners for you to try this stunt perpetually and it will just end up like yet another government assistance program.

This seems like a very roundabout and administratively cumbersome way to give government handouts to citizens. Wouldn't something straight forward like WP's recommendation to jack up WIS by 5x much more practical in helping poor Singaporeans?