政壇：睇社論學英文：哭窮九巴又加價 當局護航為哪般

行政會議昨日通過九巴加價百分之四點九，下月十七日生效。通脹高企，物價飛升，民生維艱，港府再批准九巴加價，基層市民交通開支負擔將更加沉重。

令人莫名其妙的是，有責任為市民把關，監察公共交通機構經營效率的政府官員，竟然為九巴說項，把加價合理化，聲稱批准加價前已考慮市民接受程度，以及與巴士經營相關的一籃子因素，相信未來兩年九巴營運仍然艱巨云云，顯然暗示九巴日後還會再申請加價。

虧本生意無人做，如果九巴真的經營困難，連年經營虧損，何不放棄這盤無利可圖的生意？當年中華巴士經營不善，當局收回專營權，轉由新巴接手，不但提升服務質素，而且利潤可觀，毋須經常加價，創造市民與巴士公司雙贏之局。當局與其面對九巴溫水煮蛙式的加價申請，一再挑動民怨，收回專營權可能才是釜底抽薪之策。

When KMB cries out again for a fare hike, why does it receive the Government's backing?

The Executive Council approved yesterday the 4.9% fare increase of Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB), and the hike will take effect on the 17th of next month. With ever-increasing inflation rate and commodity prices, people are already finding it difficult to make ends meet. Now that the Hong Kong Government gives a green light to KMB's fare raise application, the traffic-expense burden on the grassroots will become even heavier.

To one's surprise, the government officials who should be the gatekeeper monitoring the operating efficiency of public transport companies are instead speaking for KMB. They rationalize the fare increase by stating that they have already taken the public's acceptance and KMB's operation into account before granting the approval. They believe that KMB's business environment will still be tough in the coming two years, obviously hinting that KMB may apply for further fare rise in the future.

Nobody would keep running a business that loses money. If it is really that difficult for KMB to operate and it suffers losses year after year, why does it not give up this unprofitable business? China Motor Bus used to operate so poorly that the Government withdrew the company's franchise. It was later granted to New World First Bus that not only improved the service, but also made a handsome profit without raising fares all the time. The result is a win-win situation for both the passengers and the bus company. It is the Boiling Frog Syndrome that people's aggravated grievance becomes grudging toleration over KMB's persistent and repeated applications for fare hike. Instead, a better action for the Government to take may well be the drastic measure of withdrawing the bus operator's franchise once and for all.

重要生字

people find it difficult to make ends meet 民生維艱

win-win situation 雙贏之局

Boiling Frog Syndrome 溫水煮蛙