3/05/2015

SMRT breakdowns are becoming routine


5 breakdowns in 9 days! This is going to be better than in 3rd World countries man. And because of the regularity of train breakdowns, everyone is getting use to this new normal and life goes on. No one seems to be feeling the heat anymore. If this is going to be the trend, in 90 days there will be 50 breakdowns, in 365 days there will be 203 breakdowns. Of course this is only statistically speaking or straight line extrapolation. But it would be useful for people who like to use statistics to attack people, in this case SMRT.
 

It will not be the case. 5 breakdowns in 9 days is just one of those once in 50 year incident. The pain is that it must happen at a time when we are trying to celebrate our 50 years of Independence and being a world class city that prides itself that everything works here, with the flip of a switch. This train thing is going to be a little bit embarrassing, and the bad part, it cannot be swept under the carpet. Every time there is a breakdown thousands of commuters will be affected, businesses will be affected, the economy will be affected.
 

I think they are going to appoint a COI to investigate why breakdowns is a daily affair. Or would they be hunting for a foreign talents around the world to take over the train management? Our local talents are looking like not up to it. Maybe they should bring in a team from Mumbai. They have the experience to do the job. They also go MRT, I think.
 

What is the point of writing this? I think we should not blame the SMRT management. This is what you will get when the system is overloaded, over used. The important point which I think people must learn from these breakdowns is that it is a warning sign, it is telling us what to expect when the population hit 6.9m. This is only the tip of the problem. When the population is 6.9m, imagine what would happen to the train services, the public transport system and other supporting services? Can this island take the stress and strains and demands of a 6.9m population when we are starting to break down with 5.4m?
 

What, 10m also can? Everything will be fine with our superb planning skills and our super talents at work. I just have one comment. Please make sure the system will not fall apart like the SMRT now. If this is going to be the new normal, 6.9m would be a daily nightmare.
 

Believe me, trust me. Or you want to believe the super talents? The breakdowns are a peek into the future on how things would be. Be grateful for the early warning signs. Would the govt take heed.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is a reflection of the the top management. The shinning stars on his shoulders are just for ornamental purposes. No real value for running mrt lines.

jjgg said...

RB..we've had 30 years of non stop digging since MRT commenced..these diggings have led to countless business failures as hoardings led to truncated walkways and poor visibility..after the MRT job is completed...more business failures as greedy landlords up the rental due to the improved landscape..so is MRT boon or bane to businesses..will we ever stop digging? Has the commuters any alternatives..practically none..has the MRT improved our lives or has it been a drain on our resources to feed SMRT shareholders.

Anonymous said...

"SMRT breakdowns are becoming routine"

But can changing the SMRT CEO improve the situation?

That Desmond Kuek is still around in SMRT as CEO shows that PAP think they could not find a better person to replace him as CEO, tio bo?

And for the same reasons why majority SInkies still voted PAP in GE 2011 because they could not find a better party to replace a even worse(compared to now)PAP at that time.

Anonymous said...


WORRISOME! WORRISOME! WORRISOME!

The recent MRT lines disruptions
are worrisome!

I am least worried about people
late for works and appointments.

I sincerely fear for the safety
of the commuters.

The way the crowds JAMMED on the
train platforms are indeed very
very very dangerous.

STAMPEDE, stampede, stampede
cannot be ruled out!

This is a top top top urgent
thing to do before any accidents,
MINISTERS!

Now! Yes Now! Yes Now!

Anonymous said...

In the eyes of PAP and also due to circumtances, Desmond Kuek is the best available person to become SMRT CEO.

Simply because the best is not available to PAP to choose as CEO.

Just like the best foreign talents are not available to come to Sinkieland to increase the population and GDP. So we can only get the best available, and which could even be fake talents in some cases. Hahahahaha.

Anonymous said...

...PAP think they could not find a better person...
Anon 9:30 am

So WP can find meh? They are not even ready to go and find, let alone find. Hahahahaha.

Anonymous said...

Get the right people to do the job. Replace LTY and DK. As in any multinationals, if you fail, turn right exit. No ifs no buts, no excuses, no kpi. But in SG, their pay based on top 10% but results reflects otherwise. Maybe even got bonus. Everyone clamour this type of job but only certain qualified people can get. I wonder if these folks can get 7 digits in the private sector. But the again i recall someone said the private sector will GRAB them and maybe pay them even more. I wonder how many really got GRABBED. What do you think.

Anonymous said...

I wonder how many really got GRABBED.
Anon 9:51 am

Got. Ex-minister George Yeo was "gra bbed" to become Chairman of Kerry Logistics (of billionaire Robert Kuok Group), based in Hong Kong.

Anonymous said...

A lot of MPs and ex MPs (PAP lah, of course) got "grabbed" to become company directors.

One was even reported to hold 11 directorships, and which comes with director fees. If combined, these could even be many times more than their $15K MP monthly allowance. No wonder they are only part time MPs! Hahahahaha.

Anonymous said...

If combined, these could even be many times more than their $15K MP monthly allowance.
Anon 10:17 am

So for sure they will not travel by MRT, tio bo?

So MRT breakdown, even if frequent, got nothing to do with them, tio bo?

Anonymous said...


take mrt "very eat strength", always failed......
but people have no choice but have to take mrt........
people can only kpkb.....
what else/more can people do......
just kpkb kpkb kpkb kpkb till kpkb no more.....
what else/more can people do......
give up give up give up lah.....

Anonymous said...

"Believe me, trust me. Or you want to believe the super talents? The breakdowns are a peek into the future on how things would be. Be grateful for the early warning signs. Would the govt take heed."

If regular SMRT breakdowns are early warning signs.
What about decline in value of Temasek shares in Alibaba?
Is that another early warning sign?

Goh said...

Please lah.Dun be childish and complaint over such trivial matter.
Whats wrong even if the train breakdown every day.
Its as good as striking toto and 4D.
Not everyone can have such encounter.

Its a good reason for me to be late for work.My superior is sick of asking the same question on why am l late for work becos its the same answer.Train Breakdown.
Now everyday can come late.A valid reason .No penalty else go MOM to report.
Employee are king leow.
Can sleep till late late .Breakdown is good.

Anonymous said...


agongkia (12.02pm) is correct lah......

an example of how to turn a negative situation into positive.....

smrt needs your positive feedback.......

hahaha.......

Anonymous said...

IB agongkia is right. What is so bad about train breakdown? Small matter lah.

Anonymous said...

Exactly. You hit right on the nail.

Anonymous said...

I also hope mrt breakdown more frequently before general elections. it's good proof that pap is no longer ready to be government.

Anonymous said...

When leaders are chosen from soldiers, trade unionisst and civil servants, what is there to complain about?

They are not professionally trained to do the job, so what can they understand about the job? We are literally forcing a square peg into a round hole by hook or by crook and problems are bound to arise.

If an engineer from the army can be slotted to run Temasek, you understand what I mean about a square peg in a round hole.

Just cover up the mistakes and sweep them under the carpet.

b said...

Actually using the hovercraft or via water is a cheap and reliable solution to transport people from one part to another part (usually south) of the island. No need to build expensive tracks, buy expensive trains, or expensive maintenance.

b said...

Else just convert all mrt tracks to bike tracks lah. Cheap, clean and easy to maintain. Only need at most 40 min to travel from north end to south end.

b said...

>>4:12 pm

they have never been 'ready'. building one bedroom flat for a family of six to live in is never a 'ready' government in my opinion. just another profit maximising goverhment.

Goh said...

@b4.45pm
Can consider .
I ever propose a Giant tower crane, hope someone kapo my idea.
Can consider to built one high tower crane somewhere in the center of Singapore.
Long cabin on top of tower crane,1 pointing to north, 1 east, 1 west, 1 south. Just one tilt can bring pax from north to east.East to south , south to west n west to north.From north to south one only need to wait for 2nd tilt.
Can built more at suburban oso n can transfer at each end where they meet.
Like that 20 million population oso no problem.
Sinkies happy Garmen Happy everyone happy.Another 50 years of prosperity.
Win win situation.
Be the first to try agongkia idea. Nothing is impossible:-)

Goh said...
This comment has been removed by the author.