I am looking at the whole defective and unsafe train saga going on in SMRT/LTA and the exchanges and reports between the China train maker CSR Sifang and the LTA. Many things do not make sense on the part of the comments made by SMRT and LTA. Therefore, I suggest a higher power is at work here. a political power. Let me summarize.
1) The initial batch of trains were ordered back and delivered in 2009. 22 trains with 6 cars each for an exorbitant price of $368 million.
2) we are told that within 3 months, the problems started happening for these trains.
3) Problems reach a peak in 2011 with the massive breakdowns in service. COI blamed many things but not the real cause which we know now was the defective trains.
4) As one of the last acts of the Saw Phaik Hwa era, another 13 trains were ordered in 2011, of the same model and from the same maker. Why? that is a good question.
5) The train maker CSR Sifang has now come out with a statement saying that they were only informed by LTA of the defects in the trains in June 2013!! Seriously? LTA waited for 2-4 years to complain?
6) The whole sordid episode would not have come to light if it were not for an independent news report out of Hong Kong. LTA, PAP, CSR SIfang were all colluding to try and keep it secret.
7) It is known that CSR, the china govt owned large train maker was aggressively trying to get business overseas, particularly in Europe and North America. in fact, the Boston and Chicago mass transit operators ordered their trains.
8) My conclusion: The PRC central govt. call the PAP and Gay Loong and ask them to keep the defects under wrap and keep quiet about it. In fact. if the LTA had made a full public disclosure about the faults, it was highly likely that the bids for other business by CSR would have been badly hurt. It was only after CSR won the big contracts in Hong Kong (93 8 cabin trains), Chicago and Boston that the news is now revealed. The PAP agreed to keep it under wraps and in doing so jeopardize the safety of passengers. To reward LTA for keeping quiet, did CSR agree to replace the LTA trains starting 2014 after the results of their successful bids in other cities?
1) The initial batch of trains were ordered back and delivered in 2009. 22 trains with 6 cars each for an exorbitant price of $368 million.
2) we are told that within 3 months, the problems started happening for these trains.
3) Problems reach a peak in 2011 with the massive breakdowns in service. COI blamed many things but not the real cause which we know now was the defective trains.
4) As one of the last acts of the Saw Phaik Hwa era, another 13 trains were ordered in 2011, of the same model and from the same maker. Why? that is a good question.
5) The train maker CSR Sifang has now come out with a statement saying that they were only informed by LTA of the defects in the trains in June 2013!! Seriously? LTA waited for 2-4 years to complain?
6) The whole sordid episode would not have come to light if it were not for an independent news report out of Hong Kong. LTA, PAP, CSR SIfang were all colluding to try and keep it secret.
7) It is known that CSR, the china govt owned large train maker was aggressively trying to get business overseas, particularly in Europe and North America. in fact, the Boston and Chicago mass transit operators ordered their trains.
8) My conclusion: The PRC central govt. call the PAP and Gay Loong and ask them to keep the defects under wrap and keep quiet about it. In fact. if the LTA had made a full public disclosure about the faults, it was highly likely that the bids for other business by CSR would have been badly hurt. It was only after CSR won the big contracts in Hong Kong (93 8 cabin trains), Chicago and Boston that the news is now revealed. The PAP agreed to keep it under wraps and in doing so jeopardize the safety of passengers. To reward LTA for keeping quiet, did CSR agree to replace the LTA trains starting 2014 after the results of their successful bids in other cities?
