Update 2: the following is SMRT’s email to TOC. Their statement is in response to Mr Seng Han Thong’s remark about comments made by their PR team.
“Regarding Mr Seng Han Thong’s Facebook post which contains the transcript from his comments made on BlogTV, we wish to clarify that Mr Seng may have misunderstood comments made at our media conference last Friday.
When asked by the media about the lack of information given to passengers and feedback from some that they could not understand the English announcements that were made, SMRT’s Executive Vice President Mr Goh Chee Kong had explained that the company faces a challenge in trying to train its drivers to make announcements, as not all of them are comfortable speaking in English.
At no point did Mr Goh highlight any particular race in his remarks.
Our train officers are encouraged to make announcements as appropriate. However we have provided them with pre-recorded messages to assist them. These are the areas we are working to improve. We are now working to beef up our announcement to include pre-recorded messages in the four official languages, and training for our train officers and staff so they can communicate better with passengers when a situation arises.”
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SMRT spokesperson
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Update 1: The following is MP Seng Han Thong’s apology:
Statement of Apology
In my interview with blogtv.sg, I made a regrettable mistake in my language, which may be misconstrued as me saying that people speak bad English because of their ethnicity. I sincerely apologise to all Singaporeans, who have been offended by this error.
Singaporeans of all ethnicities and backgrounds speak varying standards of English. My own Chinese-educated background gives me a special empathy for the non-English-speaking sections of our society. We should all be tolerant of people of different standards of linguistic ability.
The point I was trying to make is that this should not prevent people from trying to communicate, especially in times of emergency.
The remark was made in the context of a larger discussion about how we could better and faster improve the current problems we’re facing with our mass rapid transport system. Let us once again focus our minds and our public discussion on this issue.
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Editor’s Note:
In his Facebook note (see HERE) MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC Seng Han Thong said, “some of my comments (on BlogTV interview about the SMRT breakdown) were mis-interpreted.”
He posted a partial transcript of the BlogTV programme on his Facebook clarifying that he said, “I notice that the PR mention that, some of the staff, because they are Malay, they are Indian, they can’t converse in English good, well enough, so that also deters them, from but I think we accept broken English.”
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~by: Sonia Suka~
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In a BlogTV programme MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC Seng Han Thong admitted that part of the problem with the SMRT breakdowns last week is due to SMRT staffs not being trained in emergency preparedness. He said that because some staffs are “Malay(s), they are Indians, they cannot converse in English good, well enough”. See from 6.12 minutes:
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It’s really obvious that this guy (idiot Mr Seng Ting Tong)is a total racist.A lot of effort has been done to maintain racial harmony and a word on once race and religion is very sensitive and shouldn’t be mention at all. (I’m sure every Singaporeans knew that including a 5yrs old kindergaten kids) but yet this government dog (so called highly intellectual MP) screwn it up and blurted out in front of National TV for all to see. We demand him to resign from any government post-A TOTAL DISGRACE.
@phum2
KEYBOARD WARRIOR~
So we all singaporeans next time make misatke do not admit it but use this new statement ” what i said was misquoted or mis understood”
I think this pharse must be added in the dictornary.
What is irony is how come we can understand the news from our newspaper except this statement we misunderstand?
MP SHT, instead of giving excuses why don’t you just admit your mistake?
Robin,
Accept the fact.
Don’t mislead people here.
He did not actually said anything racist. he was referring to the SMRT PR person that said..,,blah blah.
Now,
i suspect you are the racist one… hmmm.
need one to know one.
PM Lee said Singapore cannot survive without foreigners. Seng Han Tong said foreigners are incompetent. So, if Seng is right then PM Lee is a “&£%^¥$€ Fool.
Mr Seng, by outlining the Malay and Indian race while leaving out the Chinese race, clearly shows that he feels that the problem lies with the races he mentioned. Thus he insinuated that the Chinese is superior in terms of speaking English. This is fundementallly racism. No point by explaining that it is taken out of context etc etc. RACISM IS RACISM. I hope that the govt takes action to show that they do not cordone racism in Singapore, especially those holding public office. I,as a member of publis, strongly urges the resignation of Mr Senga, as he is not fit to represent me in Parliament.
Batman: SMRT clearly say that their staff did not identify any race.
@webster,
and you’d think that the malay mp can differentiate islam as a religion from islam as a race.
@DiCapps,
why won’t you insinuate that malay – muslims are “racist” towards malay ex-muslims simply by their omission from the malay community.
How many times have our MPs and ministers been “misquoted” ? About time that we change them with an A team who knows how to communicate. From beginning of the new term till now, the PAP ministers have all disappointed Singaporeans time and time again. Poor transportation is just a part of it. Their poor handling of the housing situation with no consultation is another. And Lui taking trains all round Singapore does not help either. It should be the CEO of SMRT who should be doing that. She is conspicuously absent in all these. Time for new opposition blood to come in.
Merry X’mas to you @Disappointed
25 December 2011
NO SOP in place during emergency after over 20 yrs of operations? What talking you?? Some more can tell others “THAT IS A FACT…and….not fit to comment” here at TOC??
Is this a show of power or what? It’s idiot like u always ordering others to do this and that without conferring, just to please yourself. Come on, we are all educated people unlike most of our older generations, so continue to discuss and find a solution for our land!
Every time Mr. Tan makes a mistake in his language the ministers have to come out in force to rescue him. It proves that Mr. Tan inability to converse appropriately costing PAP in terms of standards.I would like to think our government have high standards in choosing MP especially when it comes to presentations to mass media and articulating views and assessments correctly. It is embarrassment for PAP if they cannot see to pull their act together. I do not think Mr. Tan is racist as what some media portrays him. However, Race is a sensitive issue and isolating minority group as a reference cannot be seen appropriate when MP represents the mainstream society and all minority groups found in Singapore.
I’ve been to the work shop in SMRT and SBS etc….there is plenty of technicians who speak better english then this fruit cake….what a pity his perception is so lame….
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What is wrong with is tounge. Can't speak english either.