A recent visit to Beijing had left me very impressed with its public transport system.

While reading the directory at the bus stop, I missed a bus to the city.

I was disappointed as I thought it would be at least a 20-minute wait for the next bus. To my surprise, the next bus came within two minutes.

It made me wonder how the bus company could make money running such frequent services during off-peak hours, not to mention the buses? relatively new interior and TV sets.

During my walks in the city and in the hutongs (alleyways) of old Beijing, I noticed that the pavements were clean.

I expected to see some very high-tech road-sweeping machines. But, to my astonishment, I saw workers sweeping the streets manually, armed with a broom and a big trolley to collect the rubbish.

It made me wonder about the fanciful cleaning machines I see in my Toa Payoh estate and the pavements and drains there which sometimes look like they have not been cleaned for months.

Based on my Beijing encounter and the experience here, I conclude that there is a need to go back to the basics to solve problems.

For example, I do not need Mobile TV if I can get to my destination in the shortest time possible, with a better bus network and frequency.

As for keeping the streets clean, humans are still more efficient than machines sometimes.

Of course, one might argue that Beijing is not a good comparison as it is now gearing up for the Olympics and everything is running at its best.

To that, I would say that it is high time we get started for such efficiency, as we prepare ourselves for the Youth Olympic Games in 2010.

Mr Teo Beng Hwee