10/27/2015

The most frightening thing happened yesterday morning


The NEL MRT broke down in the morning just as the train started to run. And this was the morning of the start of the O and A level examinations, the biggest examinations of our highly stressed school system. The poor students who were caught in the breakdown, after mugging nights and weeks for this day, had another stressful encounter to face, how to get to the exam halls on time. Many were already feeling the stress of the examinations, now to fight for time to get to the exam hall must be very frightening.

How could the train fail on such a crucial day and put added pressure on our students? Sure it can. When a train system wants to fail, it will fail. But this kind of things never happened in the past leh. In the past our trains were simply reliable and could be expected to run and not to break down. Taking the train was a no event. Today taking the train is so dramatic with all kinds of things waiting to happen.

Never mind if this is the new normal, the new standard of efficient Singapore where everything is supposed to work with the push of a button. Ooops. Today, the new normal is to expect failures and breakdowns when you pray that it would not happen, and not on such an important and stressful day when the O and A level examinations were in full swing. Be prepared for the worst and more to come. Be always prepared and don’t take things for granted ok? Students taking examinations must plan for alternative route or means of transport just in case. This is another burden, another thing to prepare in addition to preparing for the examinations.

Sorry kids. Don’t expect everything to work. This is Singapore. You can bet if the results for those taking their exams yesterday would be affected. Poor kids!  The mental stress must be heavy on them. Having to slog and struggle for the examinations were stressful enough, and now this. How many students were late for the examinations?  They must be trembling in fear, yes fear and worried sick. Thank God, today’s newspaper reported that only less than 20 students were late. Is this supposed to be another miracle? Or is it that the students were smart enough to find their ways to the exam hall on time?

The magic wan is running out of tricks. Is this the beginning of things falling apart? The saga of hepatitis C and the number of deaths and people infected is still unfolding like a 3rd World country.

Shall we call for Harry, Harry Potter?

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

I thought transport minister Khaw Boon Wan had already visited the MRT maintenance teams and as a result their morale is very high and also very motivated? Boon Wan even said he wanted to make friends with the MRT maintenance staff some more.

But seems like high morale and highly motivated MRT staff and trains breaking down are 2 separate matters? Just like PTC Chairman Gerard Ee said fare increase and train breakdowns are separate matters?

Or just like PAP screw up and yet 70% voted for PAP are 2 separate matters?

Any more separate matters?

Anonymous said...

/// In the past our trains were simply reliable and could be expected to run and not to break down. ///

The same could be said about our past PAP Ministers.
- but that was a long time ago

Anonymous said...

I wonder if the 20 kids who were late for their exams.
I wonder if they will vote PAP when they turn 21?
- what about their parents
- 70% of them must be PAP voters right?

They got the train service they voted for.

Anonymous said...


Sad! Very Sad! Very Very Sad!

Since the new MOT, we have plenty of nice talks and more nice talks.

But, what the commuters want is not just nice and beautiful words!

The commuters want REAL actions! Able to get to destinations smoothly, on-time!

Why are we now in this state?

Very simple! We put the "wrong" people to manage a complex system like MRT.

We need people with direct experiences, not scholars!

Please do not let this statement permanent........ very very "heng" lah, MRT did not fail this morning coming to office, very very "heng" lah.......

As we are marching towards SG100, is this another NEW NORMAL that the masses must suffer in silent?

Sad! Very Sad! Very Very Sad!

Anonymous said...

Khaw Boon Wan and his right hand man Tan Gee Paw wants "rat catchers" to look for problems in our MRT system.

"rat catching" really means kpkb but Tan Gee Paw cannot say this.

redbean is a rat catcher, Maestro level.
redbean kpkb for more than 5 years already
about everyday in singapore and not just mrt

Holy Cow and Tan Gee Paw should employ redbean as CEO of SMRT rat catchers.

But other PAP Ministers don't like rat catchers.
They say rat catchers are not constructive in their criticism.

patriot said...

Thot many folks here said one miracle
Khaw has the transport system mended with his magic wan ?
Rb was all praise and singing for the Kaw as always.

Liked the 70% sinkies, that was misplaced faith indeed.
Or rather, misreading of the highest order. Singing praises to cow 对牛谈/彈情/琴 is a waste.

Anonymous said...


the famous rats saga must had left a deep impression on some people.....

now MRT oso use the word "rats"........

the rats businesses have not ended yet......

"rats" "rats" "rats" everywhere.......

hahaha.......

Goh said...


Nothing unusual for train to break down and it is only unusual if it dun.
Think of the benefits of such breakdown instead of complaining lah uncle.
At least I save on 2 bus ride fares yesterday even that particular train breakdown does not affect me.
This breakdown itself is an examination.Students shd be tested on how they react and whether they can manage in such emergency instead of kpkb.

Anonymous said...

Singaporeans should vote Opposition.
Do you think we need more rat catchers in parliament?

Anonymous said...


agnongkia 9.57am pls kindly note.......

If that is your thinking, very good for you.

We need more Singaporeans like you.

Gooooooooooooood! Good! Good!

Cheers.

Anonymous said...

A new train under test damaged the catenary.
The overhead 1500v dc transmission was 'lost'.
So, who was in charge at that time?
Simple question, simple answer.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Agongkia is thinking and talking like the Emeritus Minister.

simple said...

WELCOME MINISTER KHAW. YOUR LUCK THIS TIME MAY BE RUNNING OUT.

Anonymous said...

"Moral need to act decisively on haze" says PAP Millionaire Ng Eng Hen

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/moral-need-to-act-decisively-on-haze-says-eng-hen

-------------------
What about old Singaporeans collecting cardboard boxes for exercise?
What about unemployed PMETs?
What about Hepatitis C?
What about broken down MRT?
What about keeping promises and returning cpf money at 55?

Ah Hen ah.
Any moral need for you and your colleagues to act decisively to justify your million dollar salary or not ah?

Is your moral high horse is just a chicken shit toy pony?

Anonymous said...

It is morally right to pay them millions for their great sacrifices to think of bringing in foreigners to help Sinkies. And when got problems, bring in foreigners to find out why. Such tough and high thinking demanding jobs must morally be paid millions.

If no one can think of bringing in foreigners, and no Sinkies can solve all these very difficult problems, then Singapore will be habis.

Anonymous said...

Heng ah, got suckers willing to accept a few millions to do so difficult jobs.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Now I deserved to be whacked. Patriot has started. It is my fault for praising Boon Wan and saying all the good things and the right things.

Now within days, two major breakdowns. Yesterday's breakdown was simply avoidable if they know the specs of the train. It was no accident.

Can I blame it on the breakdowns and my commentaries are still sound and good?

Anonymous said...

Actually I don't mind being paid millions and let Khaw the magic Wan do all the works. What a nice job to be in.

Anonymous said...

You sure it's a magic wand and not wool that you see in front of your eyes?

patriot said...

I have no dispute that Minister Khaw is the Most Outstanding Cabinet Member in Sin.
He is outstanding shrewd and clever, with words and smiles, he called others to hara-kiri. With a little actions, he got the people to believe he has solutions to problems. Best of all, he makes the people forget about problems that created in the Past, at the Ministies he helmed.

Rb's praises for LKY, Tan Chuan Jin and a few others such as Tommy Koh, Lim Chong Yah etc, came too early in my opinion.
Like to say that I do consider Lee Kuan Yew a shrewd and ruthless guy too, but I also admire him for telling the people to judge his reputation and respectability after he died.

We should do the same to all the others and ourselves. Even then, opinions may not be unanimous. I for one, cant say I can respect anyone who worked for the Japs in WW II.
As for people who are scheming and ruthless, I have only honest wishes to see them get despises as that is what they deserve.

Anonymous said...

In order to believe in what the MSM said about only 20 students being late for the exams, you must find out whether it is from the mouth at the top or the one at the bottom. The sound is always different and is sometimes sanitized or should I say digitized to make the message sound like music to the ears.

Anonymous said...

Singapore is falling apart.

Our MRT is breaking down.
Our hospitals are breaking down.

What's next? SIA planes falling out of the sky? HDB blocks collapsing?

Our Stock Market comes to a standstill? Wait - that has already happened.

Anonymous said...

Agk 9.57am

How stupid can one get!