This phenomenon is more pervasive than it appears. It not only applies to Singaporeans as an entity, but also permeates all levels of society, economy and politics.

The kiam-siap mentality is a fundamental principle of economics, whereby rational decision makers aim to extract maximum benefits while incurring minimum costs.

The problem arises when the basic economic instinct of hard-headedness imbued since young to survive in the competitive socio-political environment of Singapore is sharpened and exaggerated by the primacy of economics in Singapore (this being aptly embodied in the description of this island nation as 'Singapore Inc').

The outcome is letting our heads rule our hearts, and public discourse conducted in terms of dollars and cents.

An issue I would like to raise is weekend train frequencies. Gone are the days when commuting by train on a weekend is a pleasant journey, with comfortable standing space for each passenger, if not a seat. Now, the description of weekends as 'off-peak' periods is a misnomer. With train arrival intervals of eight to 10 minutes, passenger numbers and train loads are not unlike those experienced during weekday peak hours - 'like sardines in a can'.

Is this overcrowding another manifestation of the kiam-siap mentality, of maximising 'cost effectiveness', on the part of the public transport operator?

It was recently announced that 'in slightly over a year, at least 80 per cent of bus services must run at intervals of not more than 10 minutes at peak hours'.

A minimum service frequency should also apply to rail operators, and be extended to off-peak periods as well.

I urge the authorities to increase weekend train intervals to five to six minutes, if not better.

Ms Chua rightly pointed out in her article the link between 'the cheapskate mentality' and 'declining standards of safety and service', and that this 'is a sorry statement of our society's values'. I hope we are not sacrificing quality of life in the name of 'cost effectiveness'.

Sin Wei Xiang