News that some officials have been using public services as ordinary citizens to "share the feeling" is spreading nationwide. This act is only temporarily effective; they should abolish the officials' privileges first if they really mean to improve public services, says a column on People's Daily. Excerpts:

Many people have painful experiences of bad public services.

To improve the system, some officials are putting themselves in the public's shoes.

Health officials from Guangdong province went to the hospital as ordinary patients. The director of transportation in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, rode on the bus once, to "share the feelings of ordinary people".

These acts can be effective in improving public services. Actually, the high temperature on the bus ride in Suzhou prompted the director to vow to replace old buses without air conditioners.

However, the problem won't be solved if officials continue to receive privileges.

For example, many hospitals have reserved special, luxuriously decorated rooms for officials at the public's expense, while many schools reserve seats for their children, too. It’s this lack of inconvenience that gives officials less cause to improve public services.

Therefore, a more effective way to improve public services is to abolish privileges for officials. Let them share the same public services as ordinary citizens. Only when they experience equal treatment, will they increase public services reform efforts.