Ong Ye Kung: No excuse to abuse bus drivers

Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung on Sunday, Aug. 23, stood up for bus drivers and paid tribute to the vocation in a Facebook post.

This was following high-profile incidents caught on video showing passengers getting into spats with bus captains, as the vocation is known in Singapore.

Ong wrote in his post: "We may live in uncertain times due to Covid-19 but that is no excuse for anyone to physically or verbally abuse fellow human beings who are performing their duties."

"The last thing we need on a bus is an uncooperative and abusive passenger."

Ong wrote that bus captains begin their days as early as 4am, ensuring that passengers get to schools, offices and errands "in a timely and safe manner".

"Graciousness is the cornerstone of a caring society. Let's be there for our bus uncles and aunties," Ong wrote.

Background

On Aug. 19, a man in Singapore posted a live video of himself threatening to sue a bus driver, who had refused to let him board the bus as he was wearing a neck gaiter instead of a face mask.

The passenger said the bus driver's actions were racially motivated.

The passenger also used abusive language on the bus driver.

The SBS Transit bus driver was seen calling his company for help as the abuse happened.

Another passenger then offered the man a mask, but he refused to accept it.

Police officers subsequently arrived at the scene.

The passenger then claimed in a comment to his post that the police officers "accepted my mask as valid".

What does MOH say?

Under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 and its regulations, a mask "includes any paper or textile covering designed or made to be worn over the nose and mouth to provide the wearer protection against infections or air pollution, but excludes a face shield".

However, the Ministry of Health told CNA that it "does not recommend the use of neck gaiters and bandanas as masks".

MOH said surgical masks or reusable masks with better filtration capabilities should be worn, especially for those with respiratory symptoms, such as cough and runny nose, or those who are more vulnerable or at risk of infection.

MOH told CNA: "These include seniors aged 60 years old and above, persons with other concurrent medical conditions (such as diabetes, heart conditions), and persons interacting with (such as providing care to) someone who has respiratory symptoms."

Earlier on Aug. 13, a passenger was also seen getting into a spat with a bus captain in Little India.

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Top photos via Ong Ye Kung Facebook