Train services along the East-West Line between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations remain severely disrupted, with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) warning that repairs may take several days following a serious incident on 25 September 2024.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, 26 September, LTA provided an update on the situation, confirming that extensive damage to the tracks and equipment had been discovered, resulting in prolonged disruptions for commuters.

Rail operator SMRT, with LTA’s support, is working continuously to restore services, aiming for partial resumption by 27 September.

The disruption, which is now the second-longest in Singapore’s rail history, has affected approximately 874,000 commuters over two days.

According to LTA’s Facebook post, a defective axle box on a first-generation Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) train caused the derailment of one bogie—a structure beneath the train carriage that holds its wheels—between Dover and Clementi stations.

As a result, the faulty train, which had been in service for over 35 years, severely damaged 1.6km of track, leading to 34 rail breaks, including cracks and chips.

LTA’s post detailed the additional damage caused by the incident, which included three point machines—critical devices used to switch trains between different tracks—sections of the third rail, which powers the trains, as well as power cables and rail clips.

The damage to the tracks was so severe that engineers have been working overnight since the accident to address the issues.

It is said that LTA and SMRT are making every effort to restore services. However, the Facebook post reiterated that train services between Jurong East and Buona Vista would not resume in either direction on 26 September.

Instead, a partial shuttle train service on the less severely damaged eastbound track is expected to begin on 27 September, running every 20 minutes.

SMRT has deployed 80 double-deck buses to provide free bridging services between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations in both directions, offering some relief to the many affected commuters.

To maintain service reliability and safety, all KHI trains currently in operation have undergone rigorous checks, specifically on their axle boxes, which passed the required functionality tests.

This move was taken to prevent further disruptions, with LTA emphasizing that restoring full services remains the top priority.

Besides the shuttle service between Jurong East and Buona Vista, SMRT has implemented additional shuttle train services between Buona Vista and Queenstown stations and Jurong East and Boon Lay stations.

In addition, 620 personnel from LTA, SMRT, SBS Transit, Tower Transit, and police officers were on-site to assist with managing the crowds, particularly during peak hours on 26 September.

This unprecedented incident, which LTA confirmed is the first of its kind in Singapore’s rail history, has caused widespread inconvenience.

Commuters who rely on the East-West Line are being encouraged to make alternative travel arrangements until full services are restored. They are also urged to follow announcements from LTA and SMRT closely, while shuttle services remain in place to mitigate the disruption.

SINGAPORE: On 25 September, Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, called for substantial reforms of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), focusing on constraining the veto powers exercised by the five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Speaking during an open debate at the Security Council, he emphasised the need for the UN to adapt to the increasingly dangerous global landscape, where multiple crises are putting civilian lives at risk.

Dr Balakrishnan highlighted that the UN is at a critical juncture.

“The United Nations is at an inflection point. We need to reform multilateral and UN institutions to address both current and future challenges, including reform of this very Security Council,” he stated.

His remarks come as part of his participation in the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, held in New York from 19 September to 28 September.

During his address, Dr Balakrishnan called on the Security Council to reconsider how the veto is exercised.

He noted that the increasing use of vetoes by the permanent members has paralyzed decision-making within the council, undermining its ability to maintain international peace and security.

He stressed, “All permanent members should focus on the broader goal of delivering international peace and security. However, the trend of the increasing exercise of the vetoes suggests we cannot leave this to the permanent five to voluntarily change their behaviour.”

The Security Council consists of 15 members, including 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.

The current non-permanent members include Algeria, Ecuador, Guyana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Switzerland.

Dr Balakrishnan emphasized the importance of strengthening the role of these elected members, particularly in bridging gaps when the permanent five are entrenched in mutual distrust.

He argued that these members should have a greater say in key decision-making processes.

Dr Balakrishnan also called for a closer collaboration between the Security Council and other UN bodies to improve conflict prevention efforts.

He referred to Article 99 of the UN Charter, which allows the Secretary-General to bring attention to threats to international peace.

He noted the importance of the council responding swiftly when this article is invoked, particularly in cases of humanitarian crises and mass atrocities.

“Article 99 of the UN Charter is in fact a powerful preventive diplomacy tool,” Dr Balakrishnan said, referencing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ December 2023 appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza under Article 99.

It was the first time Guterres had invoked the article since taking office in 2017.

Singapore’s push for veto reform aligns with broader international efforts to address the limitations of the current UNSC structure.

In March 2024, Singapore’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Burhan Gafoor, expressed concern over the council’s declining effectiveness.

He cited the increase in vetoes since the adoption of a resolution in April 2022 aimed at limiting their use.

“Since the veto initiative resolution was adopted in April 2022, we have seen 12 vetoes,” Gafoor noted at the time.

Additionally, Singapore supports a French-Mexican initiative that seeks to limit the use of vetoes in situations involving mass atrocities.

This initiative proposes that permanent members abstain from voting in such cases, especially if they are directly involved in the conflict.

This stance was echoed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who also addressed the General Assembly on 25 September 2024, calling for reforms to veto power in cases of mass killings.

“Reform of the composition alone of the Security Council is not sufficient to make it more effective. ”

“I also wish for reform to change the operational methods to limit the right to a veto in case of mass crimes,” Macron stated, in what appeared to be a reference to Russia’s use of vetoes in conflicts like the Gaza war.

Dr Balakrishnan’s statements, alongside those of other world leaders, reflect growing frustration over the limitations of the UNSC, particularly when permanent members use veto power to block resolutions that could mitigate humanitarian disasters or end conflicts.

This issue was brought into sharp focus last year when the US vetoed a resolution calling for humanitarian pauses in the Israel-Palestinian conflict and blocked a bid for full UN membership for the Palestinian Authority.

Similarly, in March 2024, Russia and China vetoed a US-led resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.