Hey everyone! This is my first time publishing an article/blog post on Medium. So I just wanted to say HELLO! I am still new to this platform, so I may not yet understand the standard publishing norms on Medium, but I'm pretty sure I'll learn it along the way! Either way, I was looking to move away from Blogger, and Wordpress just didn't appeal to me as much. So here I am!

NRIC: A Short Introduction

The NRIC or National Registration Identity Card, is basically a card with a unique alphanumeric code that represents your identity as a resident in Singapore. In a way, you could say it is rather similar to the Social Security Number system that is used in the United States. One of the distinctive features of our NRIC, is that the status of our residency is easily distinguishable by the color of the card. An NRIC that is Pink in color denotes a Singaporean citizen, a Blue card represents a Permanent Resident (PR) of Singapore, and finally a Green card is a “Visit Pass”, which are for foreigners studying or working in Singapore.

Singapore: The Foreigner Situation

For those who don't already know of the foreigner situation in Singapore, there have already been numerous articles on it all over the web. The bottom line, is that Singaporeans are unhappy with the great influx of foreigners who are enjoying similar or even greater benefits and opportunities as our local citizens. I do not intend to further stoke the flames, but I do acknowledge the situation and hope to find solutions to this increasing problem. That’s what this whole blog is about. Ideas to change the world in which we live in.

NRIC: We can Do Better

While the NRIC works great as a normal identity pass and provides all our vital information, it is clearly a prehistoric form of technology. I mean, just look at it!

All it does is just provide a black & white image with all your ID in text form. On the back, there is an image of your thumb print, address, and a barcode which contains your NRIC number. Simple, easy, gets the job done.

But in this day and age, could we do more than that? Can we do better? Do we need to? To that last question, I answer with a confident “Yes”. There are just so many uses for an identification card, and I literally carry half a dozen cards in my wallet everyday. Here’s a simple example of a card that almost all Singaporeans will have by now: an EZ-Link card. It is basically an e-wallet that stores money so that we can use it to pay for public transport. You can purchase a public one from SMRT over the counter, or use the one issued to you by your respective educational institution.

What’s the problem here? I have to carry 2 cards with basically the same details on them. But hey, at least this one has a colored photo, and the barcode is on the font this time. This card is pretty advanced with all it’s radio frequency (RF) technology thingamajig.

But in all seriousness, why do I need to carry 2 cards. Just because they are issued by different governing bodies? Or is it for student concession prices, which can easily be configured backend by a system administrator? What’s the value in having these cards be 2 separate entities. To me, it really doesn't make a whole lot of sense to be honest.

Proposal: The Singapore Card

Well the idea is simple, merge the 2 existing cards into one. Your NRIC is also an EZ-Link card. Done. Problem solved.

Of course, as always, the devil is in the details isn't it? What about Singaporeans without a Student Pass? Well, do they have an NRIC? Yes, even foreign workers would get some version of the identification card wouldn't they? What about the student fare and concessions? Well, this is a bit more complicated. But I think it could be configured by the schools upon matriculation. You just need some machines and staff to do it. Not really that hard. People under the age of 16, who do not have an NRIC, can still get a student pass, as that is the card that offers the heavily subsidized fare rates (used to be 45¢ back in my days). The goal would be to give one of these cards to everyone in Singapore, and the NRIC does cover the population pretty well, while the student pass does not.

But why change the current system? We don't just suggest change for change's sake. The idea for this change, is to have clearer stratification of the different citizenship status of the people in Singapore, and allow a greater level of flexibility in managing transport subsidies and government services integration in Singapore. To this end, there are a number of suggestions that I am proposing.

1. Transport Fare Adjustment by Citizenship

Basically, the premise is that citizens should rightfully deserve some form of preferential treatment, for their sacrifices and loyalty to the country. So, why not reward them with fare prices subsidies. Even a small amount like having 10–15% cheaper transport fares, would make a big impact in the long run. To be clear, I am not proposing making fares even more costly to foreigners that it already is. That is the prerogative of SMRT and up to them to decide. What I'm saying is we can we can make fares more affordable for locals, while not having to make a price cut across the board. For example, Citizens get 15% off, while PRs get 10% off, and Foreigners pay full amount.

2. Greater Flexibility in Transport Subsidies

With the necessary infrastructure and processes in place to implement such a system, the proposed idea would allow for the government to be more flexible in offering help to different groups of needy people. For example, we currently have a Senior Citizen EZ-Link card and Student card. Could we not also extend subsidies to citizens with lower income, or people with other difficult circumstances and conditions? Perhaps the government could do more to reach out through the Community Centres and other agencies to help them configure different concessions for their new EZ-Link card. I’m sure that a little help in reducing their burden would go a long way.

3. A Technologically Advanced Smart Pass

I mention the integration of the EZ-Link card with the NRIC. However, the possibilities do not stop there. Through the use of additional technology, we could integrate even more services and features into the Singapore Card. An idea that comes to mind would be the SingPass, which right now is another silo entity in itself. Other possibilities could include integration with education and healthcare systems. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that we could do so much more to integrate all these services in a coherent manner. If we just upgrade the technology in this clearly outdated NRIC, we open the door to a wide range of possibilities in the future.

Just my two cents.