If there's ever a worst time to be a Transport Minister, it is probably now.

It's fare hike season and nothing irks Singaporeans more than having to top up their EZ link cards more regularly.

From April 5, bus and train fares will go up by 2.8 percent, announced the Public Transport Council yesterday (Jan. 21, 2015).

This will mean an increase of between two to five cents a trip, depending on distance travelled. Students will need to fork up 1 cent more, which means that pair of Timberland is drifting further away.

On the other side of the EZ link card, 1.1 million commuters will not experience any hikes. They include senior citizens, low-wage workers, people with disabilities, students holding monthly concession passes and adults with the $120 monthly travel card.

Enter Minister Lui Tuck Yew with this Facebook post hours after the announcement.

Essentially, the minister described fare hike as "a good balance". Naturally, people were pissed. With more than 300 over Facebook comments and precious few likes, we try our hands at being the press secretary to Lui.

Here are the top 10 burning questions answered if we and he can be honest enough.

1. Why is there a fare hike when fuel prices are low?

With price of crude oil as low as US$50 a barrel, Singaporeans at large are confused. Shouldn't fares be cheaper? Does it mean that oil needs to be free before there's no price hike? Well, could it be these factors?

- Better renumeration to attract and retain bus captains, which is a rather thankless job. "Thank you for driving safely, dear bus captain," said no one ever.

- Maintenance and servicing of air conditioners, trains, escalators, buses, lifts etc.

- Increase in Public Transport Fund ($13.5 million) to give out public transport vouchers for needy Singaporeans.

What do you think? Are you convinced? Or are we smoking you?

2. How can the Minister sleep well at night?

Maybe he has a good pillow? Or mattress?

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3. Why have a PTC when fares increase yearly?

Because cannot anyhow increase what.

4. Do the council members take public transport?

We are sure at some point of their lives, they did take the Trans Island buses or trains when they were overseas. You can read their profiles here.

But we are sure that the Minister has taken public transport several times.

Source: Mr Brown

5. How did the authorities derive the $80 monthly pass for traveling outside peak hours on weekdays and anytime on weekends?

Okay, we know that SBS Transit North East Line's peak hour is only from 7:30am to 9:30am and 5:30pm to 7:30pm (four hours). But the $80 off peak monthly pass definition of peak hours are from 6:30am to 9am and 5pm to 7:30pm (five hours).

Sorry for opening up another can of worms but this is a story for another day.

Back to the main question.

Someone pass us the calculator please. Because it's two-third the price of the $120 all time, anytime adult monthly pass?

Hold on to this train of thought (2-3 minutes waiting time if you are lucky). If $120 gives you a traveling window of, for example, 5:30am to 12:30am (19 hours). Then the $80 pass will give you: 19 hours (normal operating hours) - 5 (peak hours) = 14 hours.

However, if we go by the two-third rule, the $80 pass should only give you 12.6667 hours. So you pay two-third of the price but earn another hour or so? Wow, we don't believe ourselves either.

6. Where is the dislike button?

You've got to ask Facebook. But a dislike button is quite unlikely.

7. Why is the minister patting himself on the back?

We tried it earlier. Not as comforting as someone patting your own back though.

8. Is UP your favourite movie?

To be fair, UP is quite a sweet movie.

It's about a grumpy old man who doesn't listen to the advice and comments of his young friend. Wait a minute...

9. Why don't you increase our salaries instead?

We will refer you guys to another council - The National Wages Council.

10. Are you running for the next General Election?

Yeah, we think. He has been in office for only two terms and should be still running at Moulmein-Kallang GRC.

Related article:

8 facts about Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew you’re better off not knowing

Top photo from here.

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