In view of falling oil prices, the increase in public transport fares slated for April 2015 has sparked an outcry in Singapore. Many raised questions about why falling oil prices did not translate into lower commuter fares. Despite numerous responses and explanations from the PTC, the general public sentiment has been one of dissatisfaction, where for some the government broke a “social contract” in the provision of public transport services. The debate aims to analyse the issue, examine the fare adjustment formula and PTC review approach, as well as discuss wider implications of the fare increase (such as affordability) and operational aspects to providing public transport services, e.g., nationalisation; privatisation; or a hybrid solution.

From left to right: Viswa Sadasivan, Editor-In-Chief, IQ; Michael Heng, President & CEO of Energycorp Global Pte Ltd; Asst Prof Walter Edgar Theseira Economics Division, Nanyang Technological University (NTU); and Farhan Shah, Editor, DrWealth.com

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Transport Fare Hikes — Necessary Now?

Excerpts from the inaugural debateIQ on "Freedom to Express vs Right to Retaliate". Should there be limits to the freedom to express and offend? Or should such freedoms be absolute? Watch the full video of this debate in Singapore, featuring panellists Minister for Law and Foreign Affairs K Shanmugam; Associate Professor Kwok Kian Woon (Sociology Division, NTU); Dr Nazry Bahrawi (Lecture/Cultural Critic, SUTD and Middle East Institute, NUS), moderated by IQ founder, Viswa Sadasivan. This debate was recorded "as live" on 16 January 2015.

In Part I: The Charlie Hebdo killings. The Sydney hostage crisis. The Peshawar school massacre. As leaders in the West march in solidarity for freedom of speech, are there no exceptions to this absolute freedom? Who will be accountable when there is retaliatory action where life is lost? Are we witnessing a new age of instability driven by ideologies that offer no middle ground? What's Singapore’s position on the matter?

In Part II, we look closer at what these global developments mean for Singapore. How are Singaporeans responding to what's been happening? Is there a need to rethink our "tried-and-tested" approach to maintaining racial and religious harmony? Or should there be a review of our laws here, e.g., Sedition Act, Religious Harmony Act and the Penal Code.

"Freedom to Express vs Right to Retaliate": Part 2

"Freedom to Express vs Right to Retaliate": Part 1

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