Commuter felt that MRT fares should be calculated based on the shortest route

The fare from Kembangan to Chinatown station is $1.38.  This is computed based on the 11.9 km from Kembangan to Outram Park on the East-West line, then onward to Chinatown. Mr Yeo felt that it should be based on the shorter 11-km route from Kembangan-City Hall-Dhoby Ghaut-Chinatown stations.
 
Explanation

Under Distance Fares, fares are calculated based on the distance of the route that the bus or train takes to get to a destination. However, for certain rail trips, it is not possible to determine a commuter's actual route of travel on the rail network as he does not tap in or out while changing MRT lines.  

Based on travel surveys done by LTA, commuters take into consideration walking and waiting times when planning their routes.  Hence, for the calculation of rail fares for such journeys, the Public Transport Council (PTC) adopted the general principle of using the distance of the fastest route between the origin and destination stations. When Distance Fares was implemented in July 2010, this fare-setting principle for rail travel was retained.