Leong Wee Keat / Today /
Her comments last week about crowding on trains have raised the hackles of some commuters, especially in cyberspace.
When asked if she had read the comments and blogs, SMRT chief executive Saw Phaik Hwa said with a laugh: “I’d be a very depressed person if I read every comment about me.”
She went on to clarify her comments. “I never said that I didn’t recognise it’s crowded … I accept it’s crowded. The point is, in comparison with others, we’ve yet to push people into the train,” she said, referring to Japan and some parts of China.
Ms Saw was reported as saying last Saturday that SMRT does not carry what is referred to as crush loads. She had also said that “people can board the train – it’s whether they choose to”.
She clarified that the latter comment was made in context of the morning peak period. “It’s not because … they choose not to board. It’s because they also know there’s a next train that’s coming, which is much less crowded,” she said.
Some netizens have wondered when Ms Saw last took a train ride. To this, she told MediaCorp she takes a train almost every week, with her last morning peak trip “a few months ago”.
“The fact is, we’re so bothered by it (overcrowding) that we place senior management’s attention to this inordinately,” she said.
“It is crowded, but I push my way in. It is crowded, but when they are already running at 2-3 minutes (intervals), it’s the most that I can do. I cannot go faster than that without compromising safety and reliability.” – Saw Phaik Hwa, Channelnewsasia.
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Ms Saw Phaik Kwa has yet to reply to TOC’s email. The above is Today’s report, in which she addresses some of the questions we had asked her in our email.
From Today / “She takes a train almost every week” /
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Picture not from Today’s report. Picture from eforum1.
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PTC should open the parallel routes to the bus sector to test if SMRT’s system really cannot accomodate more trains. More competition is good because the fundamental problem is lack of competition.
A few multi-modal operators doesn’t mean there is competition, especially when train lines do not run in parallel and bus routes are parcelled out by PTC.
We should have single-modal operator system. A train operator should not be running buses/taxis and a bus operator should not be running trains/taxis. Each mode of transport will then compete with the others (train vs bus vs taxi). This is the true meaning of competition unlike the current wousy ones. Within each mode of transport, there can be a few operators to ensure further competition – except for trains.
Train systems are unique because they are fixed.
Trains should be run by the government because the infrastructure requires very long term planning, billion-dollar spending and draconian state laws to evict residents whose houses get in the way. It will also erase any confusion as to who should be in charge of security. The Build Operate Transfer nonsense should be stopped. It’s about time Temasek Holdings privatised SMRT and drop its licence to operate buses and taxis. The government should also take back the N-E line from SBS-Transit and merge it with SMRT. It is not anti-competition because the trains are not competing in the first place.
It was a mistake to have merged SBS and TIBS in the name of economies of scale. Our population has doubled and demand has catapulted. Singapore is now big enough for a few bus operators. Hence, the bus sector should be liberalised and operators should be free to plan their routes. You can be sure they will be running excellent parallel bus services to compete with the trains. The current debacle of over-packed trains might not even have come in being. We can also have the bonus of another kind of competition – private sector buses versus public sector trains.
It is ridiculous that fares are based on requests by transport operators and approved by PTC when they should be liberalised.
It is also not wise to expand the train system into a spider web when clearly BUSES are the solution.
Time flies and information gets outdated. Our population is so large now that there are not enough telcos, bus operators, banks and newspaper. We have reached diseconomies of scale because our population has soared and the parameters have gone haywired.
Hi Ms Saw,
Which station did u board the train? I’d love to suck up to u and squeeze u! Oops I mean to be squeezed together with u!
So that we can smell each other…..haha…
U want ice cream? I buy u. We eat together in the train. When was the last time you had a good ice cream?
push people in?
For what… to get up to the crush load capacity?
If the system choked because of that… then her head will roll.
Clearer explaination makes you look better. Explain to people what are your plans are for SMRT and the current croweded situation on trains.
How you can complement them to ease the situation with buses or feeder buses.
That will, sure make people comforable to a point and make sure you do what you say unlike the lipservice PAP.
That way, you will not be depressed when you read the comments people make, instead improve on them.
For 1.7mil SGD, certainly people will expect more. You you think they are paid a million in Japan or in China. Perhaps a milion yen.
@ not drunk guy
Totally agree that the government should parcel out more long-distance bus routes and encourage competition amongst public transport operators.
When trains are too crowded, the immediate solution to ease congestion is to put more buses on the roads. I think SMRT and SBS are resisting operating more buses since this would increase their cost, cannibalize train traffic, and cut their profits…
Yes, it is not a good idea to let SMRT operate buses and taxis, and for SBS to operate the NEL. The 3 different modes of public transport (trains, buses and taxis) should operate in direction competition to one another to reduce fares and congestion.
Quote : “I cannot go faster than that without compromising safety and reliability.” – Saw Phaik Hwa, Channelnewsasia.
Saw FINALLY admits that MRT trains have MAXXED out their operating capacity at peak hours.
Who was the transport minister who was responsible for signing off on building of the current MRT system?
Given the parameters then, why was a larger or more efficient alternative not chosen?
Seems like quite a number of ministers who were responsible for signing off on major public infrastructures were not so “forward” in their planning after all. Was the first stages of this MRT system spearheaded by MBT?
Recall the recent spate of floods that have resulted in losses for motorists and shopkeepers. Then we have the transport minister telling us that the ERP gantries are insufficient and they want a new satellite tracking system to charge us more efficiently. Now the MRT system has hit peak operation rate. All the above public infrastructure were built with taxpayers’ money.
Even if it was the old man’s bulldozed the decision to increase Sg’s population to a target of 6 million, shouldnt the million-dollar ministers of the various departments then have taken proactive steps to mitigate such foreseeable problems? They had quite a few years to lead time to avert such situations but why did they choose to procrastinate till it gets really bad and then engage in denial or fire-fighting?
So, we finally get to witness how LHL’s “A team” deals with problems.
aiyoyo
why pay so much $ & get ‘push in the train’?
omg, can these elites follow new philippines president,
behave in the manner same as commoners,
so to really feel the commoners’ daily transport life…
and make real improvements to transportation
aiyoyo
if comments are as good as your hong bao monies, you would read it.
She knows the comments about her are bad, real and numerous.
She at least has the sense not to read them for cocking up so badly.
With the recent PR and security fiasco that SMRT faced lately, Ms Saw definitely does not warrant her renumeration and continuing with the job. The MIWs do not see her as a political liability although they are completely different issues. Commuters and voters only see things in their daily lives and it is not that much of a pretty sight.
When it comes to pay, they wanna match the best. But when it comes to service standards, they will compare with the worst.
singaporeans WORKERS at one time long ago was ranked favorably as very productive.
But how do Singapore Managers rank on the world stage ? I am talking about those managers paid or who expect to be paid World Class Management salaries and package?
Why so jam packed?
I thought the influx is being controlled or reduced?
Or is this my misunderstanding?
Earlier today, I was trying to figure out how many people there would be in a packed train. The way to do this is to break down into smaller sections. This is what I came up with…
Each train car (the older type) has 25 seats on each side (3 sections of 7 seats plus 2 sections of 2 seats) = 50 total.
At the space between the two doors, people are standing about 5 or 6 abreast. Refer my photo: http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/2530713
Here, the people are standing at least 6 to 8 deep. So each “doorway” would have between 30 (ie 5 x 6) and 48 (6 x 8) people. Let’s go with the lower number first… 30.
Each train car has 4 doorways, so that’s at least 120.
Add, say, another 20 people at the “joint” between each train.
So far this gives us 50 people sitting, plus 120 at the doorways, plus 20 at the joint = 190 people by conservative estimates.
What about those standing along the passageway between the seats?
According to SMRT, the trains are now carrying an average of only 200 to 233 people per car.
So this means there are only 10 to 43 people along the passageway between the two rows of seats!
REALLY ?!?!
Wow! It sure is comfortable in there. No wonder those people refuse to budge to let others share their “comfort”.
Yes, these people need a $,$$$,$$$ CEO to scold them for being so selfish. And yes, the rest, too, need to be scolded for not pushing their way in.
All of us need to be scolded, including we who waste our time and finger strength typing all these complaints that will get us nowhere. Haven’t we already heard that the problem cannot be solved “without compromising safety and reliability”?
Our bad! Our bad! Our bad!
She said she will feel depressed reading comments about her. She finally admitted that she believes in herself and no one because if she were to take feedbacks from everyone, that will make her very depressed. She only wants to hear the good staff, not the bad one. Same PAP mentality.
If SMRT has capacity has already reached its peak and there is no more room to grow, we should stop bringing anymore foreign workers and converting PR so as not to overload our MRT.
More buses will also be needed.
How jam packed she wants it to be?
Did she know that women in India, Hong Kong and Japan packed in trains with no room to move are more likely to be molested?
Would not having to push people into trains mean it is overloaded and can cause health/safety issues?
How mountain tortoise can she be?
Try this solution
http://atans1.wordpress.com/2010/07/03/smrt-be-innovative-not-stupid/
DON’T TOUCH ME OR PUSH ME:(
Can she pretend to sympathize even if she can’t empathize?
Bet she doesn’t wear sandals but army boots, so her thick-skinned toes were never stepped on.
With our hot n humid climate, does she know How much BO if a y’all man raise his arm to hold those handles?
And of course she never hv to lug her laptop, files n kids’ backpack from their childcare ctr to n back from office…
folks, i realise that though i only have a sec 3 cert, i have the traits of a good CEO – I am responsible and accountable. I dun push blame to lower ranks people wan. Under my watch if something big screws up, i take responsibility as the buck stops in my wallet.
if i am not responsible, who the $#$%#$ is ?
will over crowding lead to “Potential” MOLEST CASES ? ?
Why is it we have such dangers in Singapore, fights can break out, blood will spill and people might DIE….
This is Singaprore, the be all COUNTRY, that has the highest paid ministers and we need PM,MM,SM ??
The irony is that the PTC / transport minister actually allowed the cutting down of direct bus services recently that competed with the MRT routes.
Remember their spiel about the “hub and spoke” model of public transport with the MRT as the backbone?
Makes one wonder if they had the correct figures or was GREED the sole factor for removing the alternative direct bus routes.
In a way, the sardine situation that we are experiencing now is a result of poor planning by the authorities that is involves more than just Ms Saw alone.
It is unfortunate that Ms Saw has been sent forward as the “dummy” to take all the flak from the disgruntled public.
It’s just the MIW’s pre-election strategy to protect those who are really responsible for this mess.
Woodpecker: It is unfortunate that Ms Saw has been sent forward as the “dummy” to take all the flak from the disgruntled public.
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I think Ms Saw incurred the wrath of many of us not just for the sardine situation (which, yes, is not her doing) but more for her arrogant and insulting remarks about commuters choosing not to board trains when, according to her statistics, they can be further squeezed.
And she – together with her communications manager – makes me 2lan (angry / fed up) for repeatedly re-vomiting fairytale statistics that do not correspond with reality.
The standard of services will be improved if the key management person is willing to read all of the positive and negative comments from the ground.
Thus, never close your heart to listen to the voices from your clients if you want to be a good services provider.
By listening only. Doesn’t mean that you need to act according to what you have listened. If you fee that the comment is right and good. Yet you accept it. Who will benefit for it?
How can you improve the standard of services if you don’t even want to open your ear to listen and open you eye to see the comment from the ground?
Work with an open heart and you will obtain more energy and confidence from those sincere people who is willing to continue to give you comments. To let you become a better person and to be able to continue to provide quality services of your job.
My sharing to everyone of you who read this post.
Thanks and Regards
Jane
Richard:
I share your sentiments too about Ms Saw’s PR skills, or lackof.
Ms Saw was just doing her job as the CEO to spew rubbish statistics in order to protect her boss’ revenue stream. After all, she is paid millions to do it and presenting selective statistics to support untenable situations has happened fairly often, especially among the ruling elites.
FYI, her boss is Temasek Holdings, who owns more than 50% of SMRT. So, she knows which side of her bread the butter is on.
If her boss doesnt slap her on the wrist for misbehaving by fooling around with statistics, then her boss is equally, or more at fault.
Ultimately, the more she riles up the public, the more the press can use it to draw attention away from the politicians who are responsible.
Don’t be surprised that this charade is a calculated move so that when the outcry gets too severe, the tpt minister will step in to act as the “hero” to transfer her to another GLC.
What a sly move to make the one who should be blamed to look like a hero just before locals go and cast their votes.
Hello my sweet Phaik Hwa. You have a point to say the train is running within 2-3 mins. at peak hours. Beyond that we will compromise safety. Agreed.
Before I give you a ‘phaik’ on your cheek, does the train really running at 2-3 mins interval. And how come, off-peak are being compromised to 7-8 mins interval.
My sweet Hwa, can you give up your car and take mrt everyday. Anywhere it is a free ride for you. And you will feel gratify with many people pushing at you for close contact. Guess you will like the ‘body contact’ and pushing and the fragrant odour of the underarms…
Please help the poor folks and jobless senior citizens of S’pore Try not to ‘restructure’ fare increase at your whims and fancies. Compassion is a virtue of the highest order.
patrick lee s j
Can someone enlighten me is or should the gov be in some way responsible for the organization wide Security Fiasco if a company is gov-linked?
I assume they are totally not responsible in any what whatsoever but then, i am just a mere mortal, so i like to find out from the more enlightened your views on this given the sensitive word of ‘gov’ is tied to this highly lucrative company that is basically almost a monopoly if not perceived to be one.
So, to conform , they are not responsible at all right? Can someone comfom pls?
i wonder how SMRT won the Best Passenger Experience award before???
The famiLee is to be blamed:
- the son flood sg with FT, thus everywhere crowded.
- the wife lost lots of money, so no money no talk.
- the old man said stop at two, thus give the son a reason to open FT flood gate, to increase population.
all a bunch of useless, waste rice people.
If the entity is ‘related’, if there is CHANGE, would the heads change opening up a world of opportunities?
Do you have any idea when Ms Saw is going to reply to TOC’s letter?
I heard from a little bird that she has been advised to ignore it.
Wishing you a very good beginning for the Yes Minister program.
I am sure it will be a catastrophic success.
Sometimes, it pays to have friends dont you think so?
I find Miss Saw Phaik Hwa’s (SMRT Corporation Chief Executive Officer and President) comments very annoying and humorous at the same time.
I seriously refuse to believe that trains are already running at their highest frequency possible – given the train network’s design – during peak hours. I myself take the train daily both during peak and non-peak hours and the trains are ridiculously crowded. I board the train from Eunos MRT station to Jurong East MRT station during the morning peak hours at around 7.00 a.m. and I am forced to wait for three or four trains to pass before I can board one which is not really crowded and if I am lucky, get a seat.
The train frequencies at that time is not two or three minutes but can be as long as four to six minutes. I have a strong feeling that the train drivers are driving very slowly on purpose so as to get as many commuters to board the trains and become sardine packed and claustrophobic.
I have noticed on far too many occasions that train doors do not close immediately after commuters have boarded but are left open in the extremely annoying hope that many more commuters will run in and crowd out the train, making the train bursting at the seams.
It is simply illogical to compare SMRT’s train loads with that of much bigger, populated cities like Shanghai, London and Hongkong. They have different train systems.
I vehemently disagree with her comment that “people can board the train – it’s whether they choose to”. Trains are already ridiculously crowded, more often than not with little or no standing space at all and not even one single empty seat. How do you expect people to board the train?
People have to wait for several trains to pass before they can comfortably board one which is not so crowded and has a higher likelihood of getting an empty seat.
She is being very sarcastic in her response to whether she reads the comments and blogs laughing and saying “I’d be very depressed if I read every comment about me.” This goes to show that she is very lackadasical and indifferent about commuters’ woes and how we are literally suffering. She may have read, or rather, glanced through the comments without really thinking about them and trying to find ways to solve the infinite number of problems that SMRT faces.
Does SMRT consciously realise that commuters’(e.g. workers, students) time is wasted waiting for several trains to pass before being able to board one that is not so crowded? If trains can run at the highest possible optimal frequency of two minutes at all times of the day and not just only during peak hours, then I strongly believe that trains will not be crowded and bursting at the seams like now and commuters will not have a hard time getting a seat. It is just whether SMRT is willing to do so.
Miss Saw told MediaCorp that she takes a train almost every week, with her last morning peak trip “a few months ago”. I find this very hard to believe as there is no evidence to prove this. Is there any video footage of her boarding trains and interacting with commuters on the ground to get a better understanding of the true situation at hand? If there is, then I am sure the public can believe. Miss Saw also has the luxury of driving a car to work unlike the average Singaporean who has to make do with extremely unreliable and inefficent public transportation.
Miss Saw also said “The fact is, we’re so bothered by it (overcrowding) that we place senior management’s attention to this inordinately,” Is it really so? Then why is the problem of overcrowding still ever persistent? It is simply because train frequencies are too low (even during peak hours), there are not enough trains, seats in trains have been removed, train drivers are not driving fast enough and purposely leaving train doors open for as long as two to three minutes so as to get as many commuters as possible to board the trains and wasting commuters’ time. If SMRT can solve the above, then overcrowding can also be solved.
Also, the replies given by SMRT staff to the press are more often than not standard template replies with some amendments here and there, being unsatisfactory in directly addressing commuters’ concerns and issues at hand.
Miss Saw also seems to be very sarcastic when she said “What we have done is every week, and I am talking about every week, not year, we are adding 1,110 train rides already. As late as March and April, we added another 150 rides.” By this comment, it can be inferred that she is implying commuters are too demanding that she emphasises the words “every week” and not year to show that SMRT is trying to lessen overcrowding on trains. But I, and I am sure, many commuters like myself, do not see any visible improvement in the overcrowding situation. How are we supposed to know if there are really an additional 1,110 train rides added every week?
She also said “I am very aware it’s crowded. I take trains all the time. I take the effort to go all the way to the northern towns to see how crowded it is during the morning peaks and I take the train with the people.” Again, this is ironic. Miss Saw seems to be contradicting herself when she also said that she takes a train almost every week but in another response she said she take trains all the time. So which is correct? And why is it that she only goes to the northern towns? What about the east, west and south? They are also overcrowded.
She said “It is crowded but I push my way in. It is crowded, but when they are already running at 2-3 minutes (intervals), it’s the most that I can do. I cannot go faster than that without compromising safety and reliability.”
It shows that even Miss Saw herself has problems getting into the trains to the extent that she has to push her way in. It is good that she acknowledges the problem but more must be done.
By the way, Miss Saw commands a high salary. She was paid $1 million dollars-plus, but what she is doing is not enough to justify her high salary.
SMRT also has a tendency to cite statistics in their replies to the press/media. However, statistics do not always tell the truth and one must be on the ground to get the true facts.
Miss Saw said that she does not read all the comments and blogs as if she does so she would be very depressed. But she missed a point here. Being a good service provider that is customer-oriented, SMRT and in particular Miss Saw who is the CEO should take the effort to read the comments by the public commuters on what their woes, grouses, complaints etc. are and to act on them as soon as possible. Only then will people be confident in SMRT in providing good, high quality public transportation.
Look at the recent SMRT depot incident. Although it is a different issue altogether, it clearly shows that SMRT is not doing enough in all aspects of its operations and other areas. This has also exposed the vulnerability of depots.
woodpecker
4 July 2010
They are all one big family. No irony at all.
On top of that, they have all the statistics from all the wrong & worst places to compare.
It is like the police department telling you that 5 killings per year is ok & comparatively better than a lot of some selectively picked countries which fare worser.
When it comes to performance & compensation, the comparison with some better global benchmark has suddenly fallen very silent.
i wonder if this fiasco happened in western 1st worlds, what would have happened?
If it happened in Japan or SKorea, i suspect most like a 90degrees bend over done long long ago.
“SINKaporean 4 July 2010
i wonder how SMRT won the Best Passenger Experience award before???”
Who was the Judge?
What company audited this award process?
This CEO really has the guts to say that she will be very depressed if she read every comment about her. Isn’t this the same as she doesn’t want to be bothered with feedback from the public ?
Same as that idiot Minister who said that they (PAP leaders) are deaf to criticism. Is he then not saying that they are not even bothered whether you vote for PAP or not ?
And then we now have that arse warmer ex-PM coming out to ask for constructive criticism ? Hypocrite or what ?
May I ask “What’s the use if you all are deaf and least bothered ? And the best part is that they didn’t even realised what a blunder they have made ?
hello CEO, do u know that Stadium mrt got no chair for me to sit???
can tell us why?? howcome all stations have except this one.
Tell everyone she is trying to throw a bait by rousing the issue of using pushers in SMRT.
This another one of her ploy honed from years of bad karma education to trick Singaporeans by diverting the real issue namely; her arrogance to admit her incompetence and the truth is we are facing the worst cramped train system.
In Shenzhen, it costs only 10 Singapore cents for two stops during high shopping hours on a weekend and you still get a seat and even wide standing space.
Ms Saw, you think this is some small town where you came from. I just hope your relatives know the good you doing to honour your ancestors in Malaysia.
Why didn’t she admit that trains during off peak hours are bloody crowded, uncomfortable & hot as well? ‘cos of the monstrous population & 6 min train intervals, even at off-peak hours, every train is fully packed. That’s really uncomfortable. Stampedes will occur in cases of emergency. Old people who take the train during off peak hours have no seats. Most trains even during off peak hours are running with cabins without seats. What’s that supposed to mean to the old & handicapped? It’s a bloody insult. We’re paying for this transport service, & got crap service. The only reason we continue with this crappy SMRT service is that we got no alternatives. Don’t suggest crap like cab or buying cars ‘cos they’re overpriced here, taking our stagnant salary in comparison.
Must buy smrt shares…
CEO so environmental friendly to maximize pp per train… Must nominate her for Al Gore award…
4legs good, 2legs badddd… So earn 4 digit per day of course better than those earn 2 digits… Must get her to join my co so she can squeeze more men into her tight a**
In all likelihood she knew about those articles written about her. Just pretending not to know so that she need not response. Her Personal Assistant would have read all the media articles and kept her informed.
She only has lame excuses and no guts.
Even if SMRT is going to employ “pushes” like at Bukit Gombak, it becomes a safety issues both in the carriages and on the platform. I hope they will take this into consideration. Something will happen, and its going to be very bad. If you notice, SMRT is building another track at Jurong East. There will be four lines now. My guess is the trains coming from CCK and take these two lines and the crowds will clear faster, anyone any ideas.
Just like many other current social leaders,this CEO is Superficial to only chooses to hear what she wants to hear.
Is this being professional?
This sounds familiar: like our newspaper, they only publish what they want us to read.
“The point is, in comparison with others, we’ve yet to push people into the train,” she said, referring to Japan and some parts of China.
Why do I feel that she’s waiting with glee for that prospect?
watch this video the truth of lees cheating the election with prove.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQCab3QZbBk
It seems to me that what Saw is saying is that she has already dealt with the problem and that she cannot do more if the people continue to complain because that is the best she can do given the situation.
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If that is the case, then it is time for her to move aside to allow someone else with a better brain to take over. She does not deserve to be where she is.
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I challenge her to start pushing passengers into overly crowded trains if she has the dare to put her money where her mouth is, if not go blow it on something else.
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There are many other bad decisions she had made like taking off the seats to some of the cabins. In wanting to create more space during peak hours, which are confined to certain hours of the day, she had inevitably prevented others from having a seat during not-so-peak hours which comprises more hours of the day.
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I used to take the train to work at 6.30am each morning, which is outside the peak hours, and can be considered a not-so-peak hour. Trains arriving at this time are usually not so crowded and therefore it makes more sense for everyone to have a seat. But with seatless cabins, passengers getting to work at this hour have to stand all the way through 10 to 15 stations. Makes no sense. I now take the bus which allows me to have a seat even though I will arrive at work 15 minutes later.
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Now she wants to run buses parallel with MRT lines. Whatever happened to the original objective for trains to enhance cross-country travel and to replace buses along main routes? We have to return to using buses instead to bring us around the island to lend support to train routes. What a reversal? Will the bus rides that runs parallel with these train routes be just as fast? Will the arrival intervals be the same?
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It sounds good on paper that we will have buses running parallel with train routes but even a child will know that their travelling speed during peak hours with traffic jams and all, carriage capacity and arrival times will deem it as useless as a rickshaw.
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Is she dumb or what?
in many countries, public transport is still managed by the govt, or subsidised heavily by the govt.
therefore its cheap. if its cheap, people dont complain too much about the quality of the ride.
Now, in singapore its private. we’re paying premium prices for our public transport.
therefore we expect better “quality” from our transport system.
Dun know if our political/business leaders are dumb or just plain arrogant, or what?
- So, SMRT’s action plan, when crowding on trains is expected to increase & in light that they admitted train frequency cannot be increased, is to start pushing people into trains? What about someone in a wheelchair – just bulldozed the wheelchair (with its passenager) into those ‘selfish’ folk standing at the edge of the doors? What happens if the pushing also don’t work after a while? Start the beating, fines, ERP for people, etc…?
- By same logic, barriers doors only recently added because before that “…we’ve yet to see the threshold number of people jumping onto tracks”?
- By same logic, grilles/gratings were retrofitted to windows of high security detention centers (& now flood drains) because before that “… it will be too costly to install grilles on the toilet windows to prevent a dangerous terrorist from escaping.”
- By same logic, we can continue bringing in foreigners because “…we’ve yet to displace 50-60% of local jobs with foreigners. (Currently only at 36++%).”
- By same logic, we can push more and more people into trains because “…we’ve yet to see what will actually happen when the crush-load of the train is exceeded (aka must see some dead bodies first).”
- An aside, Tharma says he plans to increase median wage by 30% in 10 years. Excuse me, but at our current inflation of say 2.5-3.0% each year for next 10 years, then a plate of chicken rice today would cost 25-30% MORE in 10 years. This is of course theoretical; last 3 years, my grocery/food bill increased about 25% already (& I’m not eating or earning more!).
Ah, the thinking process of million buck$ monkey$, indeed.
Did she just cited what some passerby commented in CNA interviewed? (spectacles man in white) from video “Singapore 02 Jul 2010 SMRT to introduce more bus services that run parallel to train lines” in CNA website.
That is like the lamest comment ever made! It just reinforce that most Singaporean are living in a bubble! His travels to Tokyo comments just back fired!
Ok, Let’s clear the facts! Let’s not do this comparison anymore:
1.) Entire Singapore total population: 4,987,600, density: 7,022/km2
2.) Tokyo City total population alone: 13,010,279, density: 5,847/km2 (It’s a valid problem)
If someone gonna make this comparison again, they might as well say “Singaporean should be grateful atleast, that they have a public train service in the city as compared to such countries; Indonesia, Kenya, etc!” That will be more accurate.
Why are we comparing to countries already with overcrowded train problems?? Why stop there? How about, is Singapore too safe and crime free as oppose to other countries? Should we lower our standards to match theirs than?
Are we aiming for Tokyo, China, NY, etc overcrowded train problems than we do something about it? Such strange ideals when comes to World’s Standards!