The Online Citizen sent the following petition to the Minister for Transport, Chairman of LTA, Chairman of PTC and Chairman of SMRT:
–
Singapore has an international reputation for being efficient. While Singapore might not be the most exciting city in the world to live in, Singaporeans have always taken pride in the fact that “at least the trains run on time”. No longer.
SMRT is a profit-based public transport operator that has a concession from the Government of Singapore to operate the North-South, East-West and Circle lines of Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transport (“MRT”) system. SMRT is responsible for keeping of our trains running on time, and responsible for maintaining public pride in our public transport system.
On 15 December 2011, SMRT failed us. Train disruptions across the North-South line left 127,000 MRT commuters stranded, and 4,000 trapped in trains. Services were disrupted again on 16 December 2011. These are not isolated incidents; they are merely the most visible. In 2010, there were 28 disruptions of MRT services, and up until October this year there have been 17. SMRT’s stewardship of the Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit (“LRT”) has been similarly woeful: 32 delays between 2008 – November 2010, 8 of which lasted longer than 30 minutes.
Despite the above SMRT’s net profits have grown from $56.8 million in 2002 to $161.1 million in 2011. Despite this, SMRT applied to the PTC for a 2.8% increase in fares in the latest round of fare increase in 2011 on the premise of “rising fuel prices and manpower costs”.
As the profit margins of SMRT increased, so too did the wages of senior management in SMRT. CEO of SMRT Ms Saw Phaik Hwa was paid $1.85 million in cash and shares last year, an increase of 11% from the year before.
In light of the aforementioned, we, petition the Government and the Board of Directors of SMRT to restore the public’s trust in SMRT by doing the following:
1. Apply to the Public Transport Council (PTC) to reverse the 1 per cent transport fare increase in August 2011 due to lapses in Quality of Service standards and pledge to apply for no fare increments until MRT delays have halved for the period of 1 year;
2. Give a full accounting of what SMRT spends on train and rail maintenance by releasing its maintenance records for the last 10 years in comparison to industry standards in other major cities like London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, New York City and Shanghai, adjusting reasonably for the relative age of infrastructure;
3. Terminate the employment of your current chief executive officer so that a more-able person can take over and provide the leadership the organisation, and the country now needs. The current CEO of SMRT has recently confirmed that she intends to take responsibility to make things right, and so will not resign. But the current CEO’s expertise is mainly in retailing and marketing. She showcased this expertise by developing alternative revenue streams for SMRT during the 9 years she headed the organisation. She however has absolute lack of experience in running a large public transport organisation. This showed by the fact that the train tracks were not checked or serviced for the last 10 years, which is almost equivalent to her tenure of service in the organisation. It is obvious that the service disruptions were the result of these insufficient investments in maintenance and upgrades. As CEO, Ms Saw Phaik Hwa must take direct responsibility for these failures.
4. We also note that SMRT operates in a highly-regulated industry under rules and regulations set by the Government of Singapore and its appointees like the Public Transport Council and Land Transport Authority. These rules and regulations have allowed SMRT to continue making record profits while not providing an appropriate level of service. We therefore further petition the Government of Singapore to, in the terms of reference of the Committee of Inquiry review whether the current regulatory framework for the public transport industry is adequate for the needs of Singapore today, and to accept and consider submissions from all interested parties on this question.
–
Members of the public may sign this petition at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/give-up-your-seat.html.
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
If you like this article, please consider a small donation to help theonlinecitizen.com stay alive. Please note that we can only accept donations from Singaporeans. Thank you for your assistance.Do you have a flair for writing? Volunteer with us. Email us your full name and contact details to theonlinecitizen@gmail.com
is breach of trust a chargeable offense?
:D
$ingapore government look for $, $MRT also look for $, what is Singapore core value. Are we lost our soul for $….
this Singapore Poem is dedicated to all singaporeans on pappies
when our cpf lock is getting immensely more, retirement age increase, uncontrollable housing debt, erp, coe, cov, foreigners take over the country by new ploys and huge monthly and daily bills etc, th and gic losses, bless ourselves
Please help to send this message to the rest of complacent daft singaporeans(our “dead” loved ones)
:
1) In midst of long complacent selfish singaporeans slumber
2) All suddenly realized great plunder of greedy pappies
3)we should have known but we did not
4)too late we mentioned hopefully not too late
Conclusion :
cry with no tears till next few generations
typo corrected below :
this Singapore Poem is dedicated to all singaporeans on pappies
when our cpf lock is getting immensely more, retirement age increase, uncontrollable housing debt, erp, coe, cov, foreigners take over the country by new ploys and huge monthly and daily bills etc, th and gic losses, bless ourselves
Please help to send this message to the rest of complacent daft singaporeans(our dear “conscience dead” loved ones)
:
1) In midst of long complacent selfish singaporeans slumber
2) All suddenly realized great plunder of greedy pappies
3)we should have known but we did not
4)too late we mentioned hopefully not too late
Conclusion :
cry with no tears till next few generations
To understand why maintenance and operations were so bad, check out the background on the Chief Operating Officer of SMRT from 2007-2011. He is Yeo Meng Hin.
http://www.smrt.com.sg/Upload/201112715263376131.pdf
Do you want to know his background? Check out SMRT Annual Report 2010. Let’s stick to the facts. In 2010, he was paid SGD970,272. Before becoming COO, his training ground was in the HR department. Relevant training? His education was a Bachelor of Arts. Relevant education? What was his previous company? This one tells it all. It was DFS. Same company as CEO Saw Phaik Hwa. Apparently, she replaced SMRT old staff with her own people from DFS. Most likely, SMRT old staff had more relevant experience in managing a train network than someone with a retail background.
Singaporeans are paying for the political games played by Saw Phaik Hwa.
this Singapore Poem is dedicated to all singaporeans on pappies
这首诗献给国人专党极弊端
when our cpf lock is getting immensely more, retirement age increase, uncontrollable housing debt, erp, coe, cov, foreigners take over the country by new ploys and huge monthly and daily bills etc, th and gic losses, bless ourselves
当公积金极加剧被锁，退休年龄无望，多国人房债难清。。。。
Please help to send this message to the rest of complacent daft singaporeans(our dear “conscience dead” loved ones)
:
1) In midst of long complacent selfish singaporeans slumber
自私轻心长眠国人
2) All suddenly realized extreme plunder of greedy pappies
全都顿醒专党极掠
3)we should have known but we did not
众人当知但众不理
4)too late！ we mentioned hopefully not too late
太迟！众云望不太迟
Conclusion :
结论：
cry with no tears till next few generations
欲哭无泪祸及几代
@Engineer CEO. As you reported I can see that what a mess someone has created by making MS Saw as CEO. This woman is without a clue as to the engineering aspects of her job, being in retail development in DFS. Yet she accentuated her weakness in a vital requirement by getting in Mr Yeo Meng Hin as her Chief Operating Officer . Mr Yeo was from her previous company DFS in the HR department. In an engineering intensive environment like the MRT, the two top executives have no clue of engineering.What a cosy arrangement to fatten themselves at the expense of the citizenry. All this I understand from Robert Teh to have been initiated by the Dowager when she propped up Ms Saw in SMRT. Blood boils.
Help! SMRT is self destructing each day that passes as the top guys led by MS Saw have no clue to the engineering problems causing the massive failures all over the MRT lines.
Even if there is a collision and explosion, you can be assured that Ms Saw will argue her way out. At the rate the MRT is degrading, something very serious is on the cards.
The mindblowing salaries we pay to Ministers and top civil servants have blown their minds and conscience away.
Its very hardbreaking to see how a country is run like a MNC.
In China, almost all top government and GLC officials are engineering degree holders, including current President Hu (hydrolic) and ex-President Jiang (electrical).
In Singapore, sorry, what is engineering? Any things can be done if you have right connection without any experience and qualification (except ball carrying).
Who is Saw Phaik Hwa?
Kuala Lumpur-born Saw, who built her career in the retail and marketing sector, born in 1954, Saw studied at Convent Bukit Nanas here before leaving for Singapore to do her “O” Levels. She eventually graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1978.
Saw was DFS Venture Singapore’s regional president in charge of Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia from 1981 to 2002 before her appointment as SMRT CEO.
This episode in the Series Fiascos de Spore,
educates us that We must take part in the Process or be taken for a Ride on the Long Tube without Lube.
Yours
An Honest man
Boss of Pubic Service
Saw’s father is a businessman. I wonder what kind of business is he dealing with to have her daughter landed the post of SMRT CEO…
The 2 public transport companies have monopolise Singapore for too long.Many,many years ago calls were made for alternative private bus companies to help ease the problem….but fell to deaf ears.Why?Just to generate the huge profit of the “majority sharehoders”of which you know who.Compare were made between HK and Sg transport system..taxis,buses and trains and HK always comes up superior.I admire their mini bus system,tho simplistic but yet effective and the people greatly relied on them.They got a bigger population and smaller land area but their taxi system is so much more efficient.Their train is more regular and NEVER breaks down.
The point is dont be afraid of losing face.Learn from HK.Lets bring the mini buses,learn their taxi system and get their advice to run the train.Public transport is not about earning hugh profit but easing the daily essential movement of its people to run the economy.
Many rich chinese have sent their dragons n phoenixes here and based on personal encounter there are those whose parents are working for their chairman. how come can be so rich? Can they open bank accounts here?
Another switzerland?
Oh yeah,not to mention that HK does not have COE,ERP PRAF,APRF and etc.etc.etc….
the malfunctioning of smrt reflects the general malfunctiioning of our govt system and policies in recent times.
it reflects the greed of our leaders/miws;focusing on ‘profits’ or high gdp numbers instead of focusing on true natioj building and progress for our singaporeans.
there is much harm done and to rectify all the wrongs require sincerity and utmost honesty and compassion.
Sorry lah. Even PM Lee and MM Lee do not have any more moral authority to sack anyone ……ask Ho Ching and Tony Tan.
@cow-peh-cow-boo,
The problem of mis governance cannot be rectified easily because it runs very deep in the system. The PAP has over 50 years entrenched their own, either relatives of relatives or friends of friends in every nook and corner of the honey pots of the Land. SMRT is one honeypot that is discovered to be malfunctioning because it is very visual when it fails. Other services which fail do so quietly. For example the mass migration of foreigners into Singapore was by shiploads, yet there is no visual effect on the country until breaking point. Today the citizen is appalled by what has become of the country. The only way to rectify the situation is to get substantial opposition parties into Parliament. That way, the PAP has to compete with the opposition when they want to place their crony in a top post. Politics in Singapore is about self enrichment and there is no one hones, no not one. Not when the country is leashed up so thoroughly by one political party like in Singapore. Ms Saw is the consequence of the ascendancy of the PAP to total control such that if they had placed a monkey as CEO no one can object.The judges and the ISD will come after you if you object. The placement of non cognate top managerial staff where they please as in the case of Ms Saw is rampant. The phenomenon of MS Saw is just the tip of the Iceberg. The body of the iceberg is the civil service, government linked companies and whatever else controlled by the PAP. The problem of non delivery of public goods can be rectified only when the Ministers , top civil servants and CEOs of Government linked companies are paid like normal office holders the world over. This can only take place when there is no total control by one party.
The issue here is one of mismanagement, and not only from Ms Saw. Some person put her in the position of CEO – with the objective of making more profits for SMRT. Which she has delivered well, by trebling its profits since she took over.
Her objective as CEO was never to raise the quality of service in the trains – It was for profits. The Board of Directors for SMRT has remain conspicously silent since the issue came to light. As Ms Saw is a convenient scapegoat, there is no reason to draw attention to themselves.
The SMRT Board of Directors must be held accountable for these lapses.
We always emphaise on Meritocracy? Our neighbours are indeed laughing?
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/world/article/singapore-mrt-breakdowns-douse-christmas-cheer
The CEO and her “gang” took home legally every year millions of dollars. Who appointed this group of management? Where esle has such situation in Government linked companies? The appointment of senior management at Keppel group? Capitaland? Ascendas? ST Engineering? etc etc
Recycled “jiak Liao Bee” type of BG and COL get dropped into ST Engineering to get high pay and doing nothing since major customer is MINDEF!!!!
The Dowager herself came from humble beginnings in Bukit Timah and absolute power has gone to her head.
Unlike Wong Cun Seng’s public apology for Mat Selamat, we are not ready to accept anymore apologies.
Dismiss these thick skinned well connected cronies.
Unlike the Japanese or Koreans or Honkies or even nowadays Indians resign without any reservations for any failures.
@Dowager’s Gang,
Servants resign when service rendered is bad, Rulers do not resign, they dig in with SILENCE or irrational arguments or get judges to destroy you or get the ISD to keep you in a camp.
Yeo Meng Hin
http://www.smrt.com.sg/Upload/201112715263376131.pdf
This official memo from SMRT showed that this guy is incharge of trains and bus units, safety,security and emergency planning, organisation development before his resignation.
I wonder what is happening at SMRT now is the results of his gross negligence..
Is this how we run our strategic assets?
Does the board of directors that is all appointed by this government did not question the credentials of Yeo with his phony MBA … or they just collect directors’ fees, pally and have a good time.. and let Saw hookwinked them.. What is corporate governance?? or gross negligence at the highest level…
You guys forgot that SMRT is no longer a transport company but a retail property landlord.
This is why the CEO is from DFS and the COO is also from DFS.
When it comes to engineers, trains and buses, they are treated as step-daughters, receiving crumbs and mistreatment.
SMRT now stands for Saw Mass Retail and Trading. As such, she gets the Board of Directors to pay her $1.85 million and she recruits and staff personnel as she wishes.
The “driver” of SMRT is sleeping on the job, we REALLY NEED the “WP co-dirver” to slap the driver
We don’t know whose responsibility, LTA or SMRT. Is there no replacement spare parts for repair works ? The multi-billion dollars build MRT system must retort of using a cable-tie to hold the damaged part together.
If there is inventory of spare parts , get it replaced immediately. SHUT down the MRT lines as long as it takes for the repair work.
another crony ….
————————
TEO CHEW HOON
Executive Vice President, Commercial & Roads
SMRT Investments Pte Ltd
SMRT Buses Ltd
SMRT Taxis Pte Ltd
SMRT Automotive Services Pte Ltd
Bus-Plus Services Pte Ltd
Teo Chew Hoon, 47, is Executive Vice President, Commercial & Roads. She joined SMRT in 2003. Before this, Ms Teo was Group Sales Manager, and subsequently General Manager of Airport Operations at DFS Venture Singapore (Pte) Ltd from 1999. The businesses under her charge included duty-free liquor, wines, tobacco, beauty, fashion goods, watches, souvenirs and packaged food.
Ms Teo graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Economics.
Singapore leaders always publicly claimed to be corruption-free and possessing world-class leadership and talent.
What do we see in this SMRT fiasco?
(1)SMRT/LTA having implemented a preventative comprehensive maintenance with daily rotating inspections of all electrical installations and major moving parts. (Ms Saw referred only to incident reports and not authenticated signed records of preventative maintenance on the train power collector/holding brackets which caused the breakdowns)
(2) SMRT/LTA having the knowledge and competence to have selected the best cost-effective trains in terms of technology, durability and lowest life-cycle costing.
(3) Ministers having practised leadership by example with true meritocracy, and not any form of hidden agenda for their own gains like legalized corruption and cronyism?
The Committee of Inquiry should include these three items as terms of reference. (If they fail to do so, then this COI is only an eyewash)
For longterm, the Govt should also stop allowing SMRT to do other non-transport related business like retail. They’ll soon be into property development and food if you are not careful, and all their resources and attention will be diverted into other more lucrative trades (as if transport is not).
Luckily Ms Saw was not also in charge of airline fleet when she was head of duty free shops.
Fire Saw and dissolve PTC are the best way to regain public confidence.
saw news that the train fault is but result from signaling fault.
PAP might as well have used the same excuse when HDB say it was not informed about the influx of people to Sg. that is also signaling fault wad. that is why the demand forpublic housing always hit the roof.
the MSK escape also got signaling fault that is why there was a delay in informing the public about the escape. & later result in army being sent to comb the wrong places…
even PAP grass roots got signaling fault, that is why the feedback from the grass end up sending inaccurate signals during GE2011…
signaling is a means of communication, i am certain there are conflicting signals being sent out resulting in the mess S’pore is beginning to experience in higher frequency. if progress is measured with arrows pointing upwards, how can people accept if standards point south while costs head north?
Claw-back provisions on her bonuses?
TOC should include a paragraph in this article to the Minister for Transport asking him to do a good social deed- to step down.
SMRT Corp. is not a property developer, it is not a mall operator, it is not a media company.
It is an engineering company running a public service.
They must get this priority right.
What are the causes of those additional breakdowns these latest two days. Minister Lui has claimed the cause of breakdowns as attributable to the loosening or dropping of the power collector holding brackets at certain section like Newton-Marina stretch.
The root cause now appears to be deeper and more persistent than what he has suggested. His so-called busy train service as the cause of such problems with the power collectors may be an attempt to cover up deeper problems.
He should let the COI investigate whether the root cause is one of policy errors due to placing of non-qualified cronies to be in charge of GLCs and the importing of 26% of foreign new immigrants that cause our current overloading of facilities and rising costs.
Temasek linked companies are headed by HC and her cronies – many of them do not have relevant experience and knowledge for the particular company.
Just do a bit of digging and all worms will come out !
Sad day for Singapore !
Who is actually running Singapore ? PM ? Or YOu know Who ?
Will the leaders care? The part of government collectively grouped as privatized public services give them the economic muscle to build their own power base to grow rich and powerful in cahoot with the rich and powerful private sector bosses. This part has its own unoffical pm and president which is out of the control of political MPs and system. Citizens are unknowingly being exploited by all cronies and power play in this sector. What can ordinary citizens do ? Nothing? Because the ministers and MPs can say these are not part of ministries but investments which are beyond queries by parliament.
Like the advertisement on TV says Those who know know Best.
The root cause is ‘one nation under lee’..
Glc and tlc (temasek linked)..
Hc married to younger lee and parachuted on the top seat of temasek.. played a wider stage –ceo of temasek linked super corporation..
Her appt was most controversial..temasek’s boss was ministry of finance, headed by her husband (DPM lee)..reporting sys was thus shortcircuted to a bedroom chat..
Dala who kana a slap by younger lee, was the most innovative chairman to clear obstacles for HC, suggested that he himself would attend the meeting with the minister to avoid wife-husband in a conf room.. thus hc smoothly parachuted..
Her husband later assumed the throne having warmed by uncle goh, in 2004..
thus, the super excellent family –father (gic chmn), son(PM) and daugther (ceo temasek), and younger son (ceo singtel)(resigned later)..
then, this woman came to smrt.. does her appt any connection with HC? Proceed to multiple choice: A-yes, B-No, C-I don’t know..
..he knows more or I know more? –lky once asked.
One nation under lee –One-man democracy..
extended impact of A nation held hostage by the most charismatic dictator in the region.
History recap: know yourself, know your history..
In 1999, popular PAP backbencher Tan Cheng Bock argued that thе PAP’ѕ policy to proactively woo global talent had been implemented over-enthuѕiaѕtically, reѕulting in many Ѕingaporeanѕ feeling increaѕingly alienated aѕ citizenѕ. Lee Kuan Yew, thе prime initiator of thiѕ policy at the time, replied bruѕquely:
“You [Memberѕ of Parliament] have to decide whethеr you think he knowѕ more or I know more. You have to decide whethеr you think he will give you thе anѕwer to Ѕingapore’ѕ future or I am likely to give you thе better road to thе future” (Thе Ѕtraitѕ Timeѕ, 15 Auguѕt 1999).
The notion of one-man democracy is “one man calls all the shots.” Tan’s argument had accidentally invited Lee to unwittingly expose his mentality of one-man democracy in which political decision-making all along has rested in the hands of the party’s strongman. Most PAP backbenchers remain disciplined in Parliament except reading pre-drafted questions to entertain their constituents and political masters, and incredibly, a few of them even caught by media cameral “snoring” in the chamber.
On thе iѕѕue of high miniѕterial ѕalarieѕ which is hotly debated by the people, Lee Kuan Yew justifies it ѕimply by ѕaying:
“I am prepared to put my experience аnd my judgment againѕt all thе argumentѕ thе doubterѕ can muѕter. In five to ten yearѕ, when it workѕ аnd Ѕingapore haѕ got good government, thiѕ formula [of high miniѕterial ѕalarieѕ] will be accepted aѕ conventional wiѕdom” (quoted in Ho, 2003: 96).
The analysis above emphasizes the point that in Singapore, one-man democracy is supported because tiny island cannot help but perceive its vulnerability. With no agricultural hinterland and negligible natural resources, even water, fenced by less developed, Islamic neighbors, this densely populated island nation is completely dependent on imports, including foreign talents, Chinese teachers, athletes, managers, workers, weapons, prostitutes, masseurs, water and food.
The nation faced further instability when it won its independence from Britain, along with the other Malay colonies surrounding the island, in 1963. Two years later, PAP strongman Lee Kuan Yew faced a political setback when Singapore was summarily ejected from the Malay federation and unwillingly forced into ‘divorce’ from Malaysia.
thus pap’s doctrine.. unite under lee, prosperous under lee.. to be strong under pap gov.. accept one-party rule.. be compromise your rights.. never mind your tansport sys is not safe, so long as you get a job, pap is strong, your country is safe..
The pattern of cronism emerges in any environment which favors it. Darwinian Evolution triggers of the inexorable battle for resources and the fittest and most ferocious come to occupy the top of the gold chain. Here in Singapore, it is plain for all to see that the honeypots of the country are populated by relatives and friends of the Ruling Elite. Cronism has been invisible for several dscades as the citizenry has been lulled by the sense of the specialness of the Regime. This batch of men and women who proclaim Confucian aristocracy must be exceptionally noble and let us leave matters in their hands and go about the task of making a living. Alas, we wake up to find that that living has been assigned to the hordes of the unemployed invited to our shores in shiploads.The Ruling Elites wanting to earn maximally from their positions of power pumps in more and more people, whoever they are, to work in Singapore. So the bloated population burst the existing infrastructure at the seams. The elites manning the infrastructure care little about providing public goods to a satisfactory level, their eyes are trained instead on how much more they can extract from the honeypots that they control. Thus in the case of the SMRT all concern was on the rental possibilities of the retail spaces which abound in the spacious halls of the underground facilities. Naturally the CEO has to be one specializing in retail space development and not the technical aspects of running trains. So for 25 years the trains have been running with minimal maintenance, because maintenance is a cost which will reduce the profitability of the SMRT and reduce her own remuneration. Whether or not she is closely connected to the Ruling Elites and so hand picked to wnjoy the largesse, is a moot point. As Ms Saw plans more and retail space, the rails and other rail infrastructure are self destructing alarmingly.
Exceptional nobility in leaders is a rarity indeed.Only a very few personages in history are noble. We the citizens of Singapore are now confronted with the familiar problem of plunder by the leaders who are supposed to protect us from plunder.
If a CEO hires some of his ex-subordinates and they are competent, have the relevant experience and can be proven to the the best people for the jobs up for grab, then he practises good people management.
However, if the CEO squeezes his ex-subordinates into a new organization that hardly fits their background, experience and qualification, then infer that he practises cronyism.
Looking at the profile of SAW’s ex-DFS subordinates, she practises CRONYISM!!!! beyond any doubt.
SAW must GO!!!
A country is only efficient if its people are motivated, as when we were in the early years. The government and people were together in a common quest to make a living for ourselves. We didn’t have so many “scholars” and “generals” running the country. Then somewhere along the way, the ruling party turned elitist and started looking down on Singaporeans and began to have grand ideas and grand plans under which Singaporeans were to play a secondary part. The party started believing in its own myths of invincibility and self-importanceae. The SMRT breakdowns are a clear sign of this belief that we can do no wrong. Lapses creep in. The refusal of the SMRT CEO to resign is another sign of shameless behaviour. You have been found wanting – and still have the face to hang around?
I am less optimistic that the COI will point to at least 1 policy failure as the root cause. What we will get is instead a technical or infrastructure answer, not a policy or management one. Maybe we can make our mark as the land of inquiry committees. What’s there to stop this from happening since we started this with the escape of MSK ? Maybe, that’s why the COI was convened by a ministry which was part of the problem isn’t it ? Transformation, as declared by policy makers is likely to still come with sacred cows that cannot be disposed of :-)