11/21/2017

Japan should stop sneering at our world class SMRT

An article in thenewpaper on 20 Nov by a SM Ong took offence at an apology issued by the Japanese MRT for a slight hitch in the departure of its train. SM Ong was incensed, felt insulted because the apology was not because the Japanese MRT had a ponding problem, not because their MRT had regular and frequent breakdown, not because their train had a collision. The apology was because their train departed a mere 20 seconds earlier than it was supposed to. How would 20 seconds affect the lives of the commuters? This is like a case of perfectionist mindset, a privilege only a perfectly efficient system can brag about. But they were not bragging, it is just their culture, something very different from our SMRT culture. Want to blame them for having an efficient culture?
 

By the way, the Japanese apology was reported in the Japanese media for Japanese consumption. How did it appear in our local media? Who did this and what was his agenda? If this is done by the Japanese, then it is right to feel offended for rubbing in on our serious train problems. But if the Japanese did not do it, instead it was done by a Singaporean or new Singaporean, or a local, then it is very unfair to blame the Japanese for it. It is misplaced anger that is typical of daft Singaporeans.
 

I quote SM Ong, ‘So we don’t need you, Japan, to make us feel worse about it. We don’t need your Japanese CEO of your Japanese car company Nissan to say last Friday that he will return part of his salary after an inspection scandal led to a recall of 1.2 million Nissan vehicles…Our transport minister, Mr Khaw, once said: “In Japan, the chairman, the CEO will call a press conference and take a deep bow, and in the good old days, they may even commit hara-kiri.”’
 

Now, aren’t this going too far and being overly sensitive? Actually we have a lot to learn from the Japanese if we adopt a healthy and positive mindset. We should be striving to be like the Japanese in terms of efficiency, be on time, not every day apologizing for delays and breakdowns. We should learn from their culture of accountability, failure to perform, return the salary for not performing, and…ok perhaps committing hara-kiri is demanding too much. Just simply resign may be an honourable thing to do.
 

This is a case of failure to see the real problem, refusing to see the problem and beating the messenger for bringing the bad news. This is our daft culture, a nation heading from first world to third world and behaving like third world people.
 

The decline is evident and very assured. And in the article SM Ong quoted Hsien Loong saying that our SMRT is among the top 4 cities in the world and Japan not even mentioned. Is this the same as bragging that our local universities are ranked among the best in the world while Japan’s are not so highly ranked, so we are better than Japan, our SMRT are better than Japan’s?
 

Oh my God. 无药可救. No medicine can help liao.
If one takes into consideration lightning strike and one SMRT train captain was injured, be mindful, be very mindful that HE is watching and obviously not happy with how things are developing. When the collision hit, I was asking what can be worse. Now lightning struck. What can be worse after this.
 

Someone suggested that commuters should think seriously of getting travel insurance. I hope no clown would jump onto this and suggest making this compulsory and using CPF money.

43 comments:

virgo49 said...


Jetstar is polled to be one of the better Budget Airliner in terms of Punctuality as well as Service.

I had a Confirmed Flight on Dec 02 at 12.50 pm. About month's back, they informed that the Flight would be reshudeuled to 12.55pm.

A mere 5 mins different. Even if aircraft is ready to take off at 12.50, you also experienced five to ten mins of delay due to whatsoever reasons before they took off.

What's difference does it really made for the five mins difference change of schedule??

Yet, they took the trouble to inform and allowed change of Flight schedule if you wanted to at no penalties. I even took the opportunity to change a return flight at a later time with no penalty and it is a higher price for this convenient time.

See the difference in an Organisation's culture of work.

One time, one return journey was delayed prior a day's before flight. They informed a day's before so you don't have to be wasting your time at the Airport waiting for your flight

That's the difference between a well run and a mediocre organisation.

Anonymous said...

What can we do to a party that's always Ownself Praises Ownself? Japan can build trains, can Red Dot do it? Sinkieland's system of efficiency is going downhill & some more wanna increase more taxes...it is Stupidity beyond cure! & 70% Dafts Sinkies r 愚蠢愚痴,痴呆,病入膏肓,东南亚病夫。。

Anonymous said...

When lightning struck, it is confirmed that it is a matter of bad luck. They still have not found the one that is bringing bad luck to SMRT.

Anonymous said...


I m no management guru.

But I must stressed that a company's culture is very very important
to the smooth running of the company's operations.

SIA is one good example.

This something SMRT can learn from SIA.

We must STOP wayanging with problems at SMRT.

Change the culture now!

Have the political will to do it.

Now or Never!

Anonymous said...

This is Heaven's Will to send a signal to Ah Long's administration that all is not well in Sinkieland's Smrt train system. Imagine a train captain can get struck by lightning ⚡ yesterday afternoon while riding on train near to Bedok mrt stn. God sending Thor to tell Ah Long better wake up or be parish. Or The Old Fart wakes up to tell his dishonourable son better watch his ash or else be screwed by him..

Anonymous said...


Hi everyone.......

May I ask you a question......

新加坡是不是天堂?

or

新加坡是不是地狱?

What say U!

Anonymous said...

“We have a first-class transport system in Singapore” – PM Lee

The ruling party leader was quoting an article that ranked Singapore as one of four most reliable train systems in the world, along with train systems in Hong Kong, Taipei and Los Angeles.

http://www.theindependent.sg/we-have-a-first-class-transport-system-in-singapore-pm-lee/
------------------

No mention of Japan's MRT system?

What about Russia?
- You think Singapore engineering is better than Russia?

What about China?
- You think Singapore engineering is better than China?

http://www.businessinsider.com/giant-chinese-infrastructure-projects-that-are-reshaping-the-world-2016-6/?IR=T/#12-billion-the-hainan-wenchang-space-center-launch-project-was-completed-in-2014-its-uniquely-positioned-to-launch-a-spacecraft-that-will-stay-in-orbit-26

Anonymous said...

I love this SM Ong work.
"Point to the North and screw the South."

Anonymous said...

The honorable thing to do is to claw back 50%*5 years of his bonus n salary. And the next most honorable thing is for k&k team to resign. Ah kong has spoken.

Virgo49 said...

Ah Kong's lightning Logo strikes the MRT.

Is this his way of Resurrection or His Rising? ??

Beats one upmanship on One
Messiah.

Frightening

Anonymous said...

PAP ministers can relinquish their posts in a ministry one day and then pop up to head another ministry another day. So no point demanding that Khaw resign as transport minister lah, as it won't hurt him.

Anonymous said...


don't play play

yes! the lighting is a very very very very serious warning

must be very very very very careful

but no need to buy travel insurance yet for travel on mrt

once again, the ligthing is indeed a very serious warnine

be careful be careful

Anonymous said...

He has risen!

Anonymous said...

First thing first. Can Sinkies continue to trust the words of a Dishonorable Son? Even his own younger brother and sister, who grew up together with him under the same roof, openly declared on Facebook that they cannot trust him as a brother and have no confidence in him as a leader. And, he as eldest in the family, after the death of their father, he refused to invite them for Reunion Dinner during Chinese New Year's Eve?. Also abused his power and the organs of state to his and his wife's favour? Also putting his personal lawyer as AG. And his personal secretary as a Minister?

Anonymous said...

Now they wanna build giant sewage tunnel.

With so many tunnels underground, the island may one day crack apart and sink into the sea with all the 5.7 million inhabitants . . like Atlantis

Anonymous said...

Rb, with mrt no longer safe and reliable so travel insurance is a must. The most efficient way is through cpf deduction for local like MediShield so no escape and workers levy for ft working here. This will covers all living human in sg. As for tourists, can levy a tourist tax and for who ever transit through here, an inbound tax for example lorry Drivers that drive to sg etc. This will help to keep the premium down

Anonymous said...

What does "Dishonorable" mean?

eg never honor assurance made during 2015 general election hustings that there will be no GST hike .

Anonymous said...

Yes, this is a sign that we are on the decline, perhaps nearing the bottom already. By not admitting our own shortfall is like an ostrich sticking its head in the sand. We see nothing but our self importance. When there are almost daily MRT breakdowns, our minister must claim SMRT had performed better than before. Huh? Who would believe such a claim? It is such own self praise own self that get people upset. Sad state of affairs in Singapore.

Goh said...

Wao laochek Virgo.
I same same love jetstar.Many times even arrive at destination earlier than scheduled.
Sinkies are well known to be complain king,not knowing they are tarnishing sinkies images.
I feel very laokhwee with these cheapskate ,five cent bigger than bullock cart.
Having say that,train departing earlier than scheduled should not happen unless the train run every half an hour.,else one may have to wait for the next train which may be hours or days apart.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12 noon

You asked who woUld believe sUch a claim.

You don't know meh!?!

Of course the 70% lah!

Yes! The 70%!

Anonymous said...

Political Joke
-----------------

We have a first class MRT (Monopoly Rail Transport) in Singapore.
It delivers record profits to its shareholders even when its customers are clearly unhappy with the service.
And fares can be increased upwards without affecting demand from Singaporeans.

Anonymous said...

PAP Convention 2017.

"But our spending needs will grow. So Heng Swee Keat was right when he said that raising taxes is not a matter of whether, but a matter of when."
- PM Lee

Do you think this means "a vote for PAP is a vote for higher taxes"?

Anonymous said...


Hi 113pm, good joke!👍👍👍

Keep it up!

Anonymous said...

The 70% will believe anything the PAP says. They need the lightning God to wake them up!

But then, the lightning rod is held by the PAP, so can never wake up.

Anonymous said...

We have been 'ownself praise ownself' on many things, but our neighbours North and South did not say we are sneering at them!

Of course we will never do such a thing as apologise for 20 seconds late, which I am sure our neighbours will also not be accusing us of sneering at them for that!

"Those with suspicious hearts see (grow) dark ghosts", so goes a Chinese saying. If you are not guilty, why be so suspicious?

Anonymous said...

People who do not see the importance of keeping to a schedule (even 20 seconds);
are clearly not yet at a certain level of development.

Just as native people living in the Amazon jungle do not understand why Singaporeans need to check on the time;
Singaporeans likewise do not understand why the Japanese feel it necessary to apologize for a train leaving 20 seconds early.

Anonymous said...

Japanese are very punctual people, from my personal experience. Whether it is for a meeting, dinner or other functions.

They do not understand why Singaporeans invited to dinner during weddings or other functions are never punctual, and many guests arrived sometimes an hour after the stated time, which the dinner was supposed to start. I think it is a bad habit.

Or maybe this is a cultural issue!

Anonymous said...

Or maybe this is a cultural issue!
November 21, 2017 3:56 pm

People from less developed countries do not place a high value on time or being punctual.
The trains in these lesser developed countries tend not to run on time.
Frequent train break downs are tolerated because the political leadership pays only lip service to productivity.

Anonymous said...

@ 4.37pm //Frequent train break downs are tolerated because the political leadership pays only lip service to productivity.//



Are u also inferring to the billions $$$ of taxpayers blood, sweat and tears $$$ spent ("frivolously" with still productivity "plummeting") despite the much-touted (hot air) PIC (Productivity & Innovation Credit) scheme under the (misguided) Botaknomics policies?

Anonymous said...

Under Botaknomics, after (anyhow) spent billions on JLB policies, just (simply) push to spending up, then go after the low-income pockets again (by increasing water tax, electricity tariff, parking fees etc etc)?

Soon GST up too?

According to Botaknomics preaching, it was claimed that GST helps the poor?

In that case, pls increase GST to 100% (since it helps the poor, they will be grateful)?

The 70% (ignoramus) will surely award 9/10 marks to Botaknomics?

Mo Tak Teng?

b said...

The pigs are crazy. Want to put so many cows in a small farm. I think they must see a doctor.

Anonymous said...

@b November 21, 2017 6:36 pm
//The pigs are crazy.//


Hokkien say "Kay Siao!"?

Nvr hear before as "GLUTTON" as a (pa)pig?

U (ahquamen) die your (own) biz?

What's wrong correcting (tons of) $$$ from (ignoramus) ahquamen?

Hokkien say "Tai Lang Pang Huay"?

Only the "sharpest" heavenly swords and dragon sabres will do (for the JLB to "tai" ahquamen till they are as pale as pregnant women who just undergone caesarian sucktion)?

Anonymous said...

“We have a first-class transport system in Singapore” – PM Lee

“We have a first-class government system in Singapore” – deaf, dumb & blind PAP voter

Which is real news and which is fake news?

Anonymous said...

If a picture paints a thousand word, what would have you painted here?
That Harry did not imprisoned Poh, Said, Kai, Siew.
Smiles in their families than tears.
The babies were not aborted becos of Stop at 2, so no open leg to FTs.
Prince not appointed the Clown piper erased, a mathematician at NUS then.
The sunny island full of smiley faces, Mat sitting by the coconut looking at the bay.

If and even if not.
The equalizer of death will still come, and the sentences be pronounced.

Consider, for we will never pass this way again.
For them given much, much will be required.
So to the Princelings talk truth, do good, stay humble, fear God.
The lightning, thunder & fury of fire will surely come upon the earth.

Anonymous said...

Time.where can i get refund time?

Anonymous said...

tooooooooooooo late to say anything

tooooooooooooo late to do anything

can only kpkb kbkp kpkb kbkp

also not bad at least can kpkb kbkp

better than cannot

correct?

hahaha,,,,,,,,,,,

Virgo49 said...

KBW said 10 secs for driver to react.

SMRT license what class???

Vehicles emergency brake reactions only takes 2 to 3 secs.

Like that sure have to take drinking, ooops driving tests twenty times when the tester hits the dash Board.

Virgo49 said...


Sorry, too late for driver to react.

10 secs challenging? ?

At least you brake, the passengers in your own carriage suffered less injuries than collisions.

Sigh

Anonymous said...

@ Anonymous November 21, 2017 12:00 pm
//Yes, this is a sign that we are on the decline, perhaps nearing the bottom already.//


A few weeks ago, ringgit to sgd was at 3.20 to 1...

Since then the sgd has been lao sai-ing, depreciating, losing ground and value eroded and plummeted against the ringoit abt 5% standing at abt 1 to 3.06 (at this moment)?

Hopefully some past "fortune-telling" that one day it could be 1 MYR to 3 sgd in matland's favour will simply not be happening ...?

For now, the hardtruth is sgd has lost abt 5% value in the past few weeks against myr and seems to continue unabated?

If the trend persists, before the year is out, it will be back to where it started abt 3 years ago in 2014 @ abt 1 to below 3?

Matland rly BOLEH!

Uniquely Singapore!

MRT breaks down like sun rise in the east every morning?

And some A-Level students from some of the top JCs had to take pte hire for more than $40 to reach exam halls in time last week during the morning 6am+ peak sch hours to sit for those 8am morning papers, panicking, panting and in cold sweat, rushing and face turning pale, white, green when some reached the exam halls past 8am ...?

Some students and their parents were in (total) distraught after some of the papers on those days last week as their children probably SU those papers given their mental conditions before they started the papers?

Meanwhile, more thumb tweedling and tai chi by the top notch elites as one wooden block already ownself exonerated ownself by saying neighbouring countries traffic in worst gridlock?

How come this wooden block never volunteer the info that neighbouring countries politicians are paid rusted iron peanuts and not golden peanuts?

Anonymous said...

@ Virgo49November 22, 2017 8:16 am
//KBW said 10 secs for driver to react.//


10 sec can complete a 100m race liao

The gorilla rejectculation less than 5 sec?

Only mental masterbed takes more?

Anonymous said...

Latest rate @ 11.30am 22 Nov 2017:

About SGD1 to 3.05 ringgit?

Yesterday was 3.06?

Uncle virgo, your chips from sgd to ringgit getting lesser at genting?

Jiat Lat leh?

Anonymous said...

If come Feb 2017 CNY rate sink below 3.0, could many matlanders go bk dun want come bk anymore?

China investing tens and tens of billions now with KL, Melaka, etc etc booming ...?

The 31-station about 60 km KL Sungai Buloh - Kajang MRT Line opened in Jul 2017 std superb, no breakdown on opening day and connect seeminglessly with their Rapid KL Lines, Monorail etc etc ..... Very Kuat Kuat leh ...?

Malaysia rly BOLEH!

Now KL - Klang Valley alone 10 different lines and almost 1000km network ...

Malaysia (with collaboration of China counterpart infrastructure experts) rly BOLEH!

How come nvr invite Malaysia KTM, Rapid KL, MRT experts (to) solve SMRT (incessant) breakdown?

Where is the AEC (ASEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY) spirit & solidarity?

All talk no action?

Other free trade areas bring down barriers, AEC cooperation between Sinland & Matland is to put up more barriers such as tariff and taxes at the border customs like what not vehicle entry tax etc?

Say one thing but do another?

Does the pple up there understand basic economics?

Matland garment smart understand demand enter their cuntry inelastic so up vehicle entry tax but sinkies continue jam their customs their revenue up lah?

Matland consumers enter sinkieland demand elastic up vehicle tax means revenue down lah?

No?

Seems the matlanders politicians understand economics than Mr Harakiri and superior to Botaknomics?

That's why China invest big time and they are booming, Boom Boom Boom ...

Malaysia Boleh!

Virgo49 said...

Hello bro 11.43

It's ok now play on E machines.
TOP up membership cards.

cannot afford play chips. Got minimum bets. Only for PRCs.

Time for another round of Roulette. Now still afford to have some gaming. Later S $ one to one or lesser than RM, cannot play any more.

Tonite git Members D&D dinner.

Lucky Draw Rolex watches.

Cheers