SMRT

[sgd]

I doubt it is engineering talent but maintenance costs. Downtime is a function of aging infra and costs.

it's a sign that the system is at it's limit.

It's like construction company having a van but because the management cheapskate so treat it like a big lorry and place impossible loads on it, everybody knows it will break down eventually. Changing the tires adding a tow carriage behind installing better suspension so what? it's still a van.

[Freenasi]

I think a 'costing' problem would be easier to solve than a 'lacking of technical know how/ engineering knowledge' problem

anyway, I do not know what is going on behind, but for the interests of all commuters, hope that they solve this frequent breakdown problem soon

Yes I agree. If money or funding is the issue, I m quite sure they w throw billions of $$ into SMRT to get it fixed. Esp when election is near, it is certainly a unwanted bad publicity for the ruling party.

I seem to repeatedly hear the same excuses given by SMRT, and its nothing new and nothing significant had changed. One thing for sure, the CEO is not suitable to head the company and change of leader should be the most urgent task.

[butcher]

Was reading all the news with regards to SMRT on CNA today, realised the following:-

SMRT CEO, Desmond Kuek - Former Chief of Defence Force ("CDF")
LTA CEO, Chew Mun Leong - Former Chief of Navy ("CNV")
Minister for Transport, Lui Tuck Yew - Former Chief of Navy ("CNV")

I think Lui Tuck Yew passed the CNV baton to Ronnie Tay (who should be at another stat board, last heard MDA or what) who then passed the CNV baton to Chew Mun Leong.

If in armed forces, whose position higher and have bigger say?

A lot scholars after career in armed forces joined the GLCs or stat boards and into politics.

Although they are scholars, I think head hunting a Transport or Logistics officer to head the transport ministry and SMRT will be a better choice as they have the necessary background.

[butcher]

Just for fun, I think Mr Lui Tuck Yew's predecessor is Mr Teo Chee Hean if my memory serves me right.

[thor666]

My additional $0.02 worth opinion:

I guess the government would pretty much like to throw in billions to fix. However, any funding to smrt to remedy will be seen as rewarding errant behavior. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. My gut feel is that the existing duopoly model has not worked well - when competition is nonexistent (subs can't take over smrt tracks and vice versa) and monopoly benefits are not provided (ie excess funding as necessary), the consensus model of evaluating and rewarding/punishing operators is not enough to solve root causes.

The move to remove saw phaik haw and put in the current ceo is a mistake imo. It was the wrong signal sent for a management who wanted a person with skills to build their retail portfolio but blamed the same person when the trains stood still. Agree with freenasi, I do not see suitable visionary in the current ceo to manage crisis conditions.


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[brattzz]

MINISTER/CEO/MD/ many stars..etc... all no use at all when train refuses to move...
LHL cannot find the correct people to help singapore??!!

Bring in some japanese train experts sir please!

[greengiraffe]

Reminded me of those NS days... going thru actions... when time comes will we ever be ready? They say we are... but from SMRT ongoing problems...

MINISTER/CEO/MD/ many stars..etc... all no use at all when train refuses to move...
LHL cannot find the correct people to help singapore??!!

Bring in some japanese train experts sir please!

[dydx]

Was reading all the news with regards to SMRT on CNA today, realised the following:-

SMRT CEO, Desmond Kuek - Former Chief of Defence Force ("CDF")
LTA CEO, Chew Mun Leong - Former Chief of Navy ("CNV")
Minister for Transport, Lui Tuck Yew - Former Chief of Navy ("CNV")

I think Lui Tuck Yew passed the CNV baton to Ronnie Tay (who should be at another stat board, last heard MDA or what) who then passed the CNV baton to Chew Mun Leong.

If in armed forces, whose position higher and have bigger say?

A lot scholars after career in armed forces joined the GLCs or stat boards and into politics.

Although they are scholars, I think head hunting a Transport or Logistics officer to head the transport ministry and SMRT will be a better choice as they have the necessary background.

So many high-flyer, highly-paid and so-called competent ex-military chiefs to run SG's transport infrastructures, and yet our MRT trains still continue to break down regularly. Are we having a situation of having a top-heavy management structure where the leaders are mostly good in making plans on papers and giving instructions down the hierarchy, but are not themselves able or willing to roll up their sleeves to lead and solve the mostly technical problems?

[yeokiwi]

I doubt it is engineering talent but maintenance costs. Downtime is a function of aging infra and costs.

it's a sign that the system is at it's limit.

It's like construction company having a van but because the management cheapskate so treat it like a big lorry and place impossible loads on it, everybody knows it will break down eventually. Changing the tires adding a tow carriage behind installing better suspension so what? it's still a van.

This is an unfortunate truth.

If you need to wear the same shoes everyday, how are you going to mend the holes on the soles?
It is by itself a hard engineering problem at this stage since the repair and maintenance time is limited to 12am to 6am.
And there are no alternate tracks and no alternate routes so that the maintenance crew have a longer time to do their jobs.

Maybe, it is time to pay some serious money to engage a japanese or german technical team. We have no such talents in singapore.

[jjlim84]

Was reading all the news with regards to SMRT on CNA today, realised the following:-

SMRT CEO, Desmond Kuek - Former Chief of Defence Force ("CDF")
LTA CEO, Chew Mun Leong - Former Chief of Navy ("CNV")
Minister for Transport, Lui Tuck Yew - Former Chief of Navy ("CNV")

I think Lui Tuck Yew passed the CNV baton to Ronnie Tay (who should be at another stat board, last heard MDA or what) who then passed the CNV baton to Chew Mun Leong.

If in armed forces, whose position higher and have bigger say?

A lot scholars after career in armed forces joined the GLCs or stat boards and into politics.

Although they are scholars, I think head hunting a Transport or Logistics officer to head the transport ministry and SMRT will be a better choice as they have the necessary background.

So many high-flyer, highly-paid and so-called competent ex-military chiefs to run SG's transport infrastructures, and yet our MRT trains still continue to break down regularly. Are we having a situation of having a top-heavy management structure where the leaders are mostly good in making plans on papers and giving instructions down the hierarchy, but are not themselves able or willing to roll up their sleeves to lead and solve the mostly technical problems?

CEO, imho is an overrated title. You need a team of competent engineers with the correct attitude

CEO, the norm now I think, is able to present well, sociable, play some golf, meetings meetings meetings, but get the highest pay