General Kuek to ‘court martial’ SMRT supervisors over PRC strike

[makapaaa]

[h=2]General Kuek to ‘court martial’ SMRT supervisors over PRC strike[/h]

December 14th, 2012 |

Author: Editorial

LG (NS) Kuek: "When I receive a clear report from our investigation team, we will decide how best to deal with them." (ST Photo)

CEO of SMRT, LG (NS) Desmond Kuek said “supervisors or managers involved in the chain of events” may face action.
He has admitted that the illegal bus drivers’ strike could have been avoided if supervisors had been more “sensitive, attentive and responsive” to their complaints.
SMRT is currently holding an internal investigation of the PRC strike. Some 171 SMRT PRC bus drivers were involved in a 2-day strike last month over low pay and poor living conditions.
LG Kuek added, “When I receive a clear report from our investigation team, we will decide how best to deal with them.”
“It was disturbing to me that there were issues that were not addressed as quickly as they should have been… Clearly, whoever was in that whole chain of events must reflect very carefully. The well-being of the staff and creating a good value system are the key responsibilities of leaders and managers at all levels.”
One of the PRCs involved in the strike was jailed for 6 weeks. 5 have been charged and 29 repatriated. The rest of the PRC drivers were given warning letters.
After the strike, special liaison officers were appointed to be attached to the PRC drivers so as to improve communications with the PRCs. Townhall-style meetings have also been held.
LG Kuek is also planning to get more army men into SMRT to help run operations. The media reported that one Colonel Gerard Koh will be joining SMRT as director of human resources next month. Colonel Koh is currently the head of national service affairs in MINDEF. Another senior SAF officer, a logistics specialist, is also believed to be joining the SMRT bus division (‘New SMRT general to hire more military men for key posts‘).
“I need to strengthen the team of people working with me to better meet the wider spectrum of operational and capability issues,” he said.
Meanwhile, after getting her millions and resigning from SMRT earlier this year, former CEO Ms Saw Phaik Hwa must be glad that she needs not have to deal with the current mess of things happening in SMRT.
She joined Auric Pacific Group in May this year to become their Group Chief Executive Officer. Delifrance, Sunshine Bread and Topone, including Food Junction are under her.
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[makapaaa]

[h=2]Bringing in the army boys[/h]

December 15th, 2012 |

Author: Contributions

Singapore moves to instil discipline within a transport system that is becoming too reliant on foreign workers.

LG (NS) Desmond Kuek, SMRT President and CEO

SEVERAL top army officers are to help run a major transport company where 171 bus drivers from China recently staged the first strike here in 26 years.
They will be joining Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) in the next few months to work under a chief executive, who is himself a former chief of defence force, ex-Lt-Gen Desmond Kwek.
The transfer was reported in a local newspaper on Dec 6 – four days after the foreign bus drivers staged a strike over pay and poor living conditions.
Although the workers have returned to work, the ripples of the work stoppage still linger.
(Five men were charged for instigating the illegal strike, one was sentenced to six weeks jail and 29 others were sacked and sent back to China.)
About 400 or one-third of its total driving staff were recruited on two-year contracts from China.
Only one of the newcomers was identified, Colonel Gerard Koh, who will take up the post of director of human resources, which includes handling staff matters involving the Chinese drivers.
Another was said to be taking charge of the company’s logistics.
The high dependency on such a large number of Chinese drivers remains a source of worry to commuters who fear this may not be the end of the problem.
Any prolonged strike could badly disrupt life in the Republic and harm the economy.
It is feared that some strikers may still be unhappy over pay since their demand for an increase was rejected and this could lead to further trouble.
Two objectives face the military-led SMRT management.
The first is to clean up management inefficiencies and improve living conditions for workers.
Secondly, it has to exert a firm hand when dealing with potential troublemakers.
This could explain why so many ex-senior armed forces officers are being recruited.
Former armed forces chief Kwek had himself joined SMRT only several months earlier.
In breaking the story, the Straits Times said that he was calling senior military officers in to beef up SMRT’s command and control structure.
“Don’t be surprised, he will mobilise the combat engineers the next time there is a service disruption,” a surfer commented.
The government obviously believes that a military-led management will be better placed to tackle any problems of indiscipline.
There has not been much public reaction, with commentators generally expressing reservations about it.
Indiscipline on the part of both management and workers may not be the only reason.
During the past decade, more than half a dozen senior executives were reported to have quit or retired and this has apparently weakened it.
The government and the current CEO blamed the strike partly on poor management that had failed to act on staff complaints, including the strikers’.
It is clear that Kwek not only has to maintain discipline among the strike-prone PRC drivers but also has to improve the quality of the company’s operation.
The strike has, however, focused its attention on a bigger national concern.
Recently, I wrote in this column that over-dependency on foreigners in essential servi&shy;ces, such as transport, health-care, port, airports and food distribution, posed potential secu&shy;rity risks.
Some government departments apparently share this concern.
One is SingHealth, which has announced that all public hospitals (including one for children) and polyclinics are reviewing contingency plans in the wake of the bus strike.
Among its 16,000 staff-members are a large, undisclosed number of foreigners, including those from mainland China and the Philippines.
It obviously wants to prevent a situation where it is overwhelmed by a sudden strike.
Some companies are reported to be reducing dependence on foreign labour.
Singapore’s strategy of importing “cheap” manpower is attracting the attention of supplier countries like China and Indonesia, which are becoming more protective of their citizens’ rights.
One critic said turning to military leaders to run public services at the first sign of trouble was not a sound idea.
There are already too many retired generals and admirals running the country and the public service, they argue.
“Being conditioned to a regimented environment for most of their careers, such military professionals are used to being obeyed and issuing orders without expecting to be questioned,” said Dr Lim Boon Hee in a letter to the press.
“From my own experience in the army, inflexibility and conformity are the order of how things are done in the military,” he added.
However, a People’s Action Party (PAP) representative said that the armed forces had long been contributing resources to the country’s leadership.
It is a long-term strategy, he added.
Most are given armed forces scholarships. The top ones are co-opted into politics.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Deputy PM Teo Chee Hean are ex-military men. So is Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew.
Other ex-officers are managing or playing major roles in the state investment company, Temasek Holding, shipping line Neptune Orient Line (NOL) as well as Public Utilities Board (PUB) and A-Star.
This dates back to the 70s when the then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was searching for potential Members of Parliament and Cabinet ministers.
Lee paid special attention to several groups when seeking leaders, the first being university professors who could work with young people.
The next was the business community or people who have the experience to grow the state economy.
This provided the largest number of second generation leaders headed by Goh Chok Tong.
The third group was the military and this impressed him most because they were scholars, capable of planning to counter emergencies,” one PAP leader told me then.
“But more importantly, they are tough and can make hard decisions,” he added.
.
Seah Chiang Nee
Chiang Nee has been a journalist for 40 years. He is a true-blooded Singaporean, born, bred and says that he hopes to die in Singapore. He worked as a Reuters corespondent between 1960-70, based in Singapore but with various assignments in Southeast Asia, including a total of about 40 months in (then South) Vietnam between 1966-1970. In 1970, he left to work for Singapore Herald, first as Malaysia Bureau Chief and later as News Editor before it was forced to close after a run-in with the Singapore Government. He then left Singapore to work for The Asian, the world’s first regional weekly newspaper, based in Bangkok to cover Thailand and Indochina for two years between 1972-73. Other jobs: News Editor of Hong Kong Standard (1973-74), Foreign Editor of Straits Times with reporting assignments to Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and The United States (1974-82) and Editor of Singapore Monitor (1982-85). Since 1986, he has been a columnist for the Malaysia’s The Star newspaper. Article first appeared in his blog, http://www.littlespeck.com.
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Editor’s note: Military men have been trained to reply, “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”

 

[scroobal]

A bit rich fora man who did not think that the first strike in 26 years would warrant his immediate return from his holiday. A bit rich for a man who took a holiday within 2 months of taking office. The whole country knew that the place was mess. The former CEO was sacked. Why the sudden need to bring the army in. Despite his his training in oxbridge and Harvard, he only seems to know only one world is only comfortable with one world - the army. What about the rest of the great companies in SIngaore and the World. Did they find talent in a small pool let alone the armed forces.

The previous CEO brought in her cronies and now this idiot bringing in his own cronies.

 

[GoldenDragon]

History to repeat itself - more screw-ups from the SAF-led SMRT. Sadly for DK, he will be exposed unlike his days as SAF chief where 'the need to know' rules.

 

[zhihau]

The previous CEO brought in her cronies and now this idiot bringing in his own cronies.

me wonder if the trains and buses would rush to wait and wait to rush from one station/bus-stop to the next

 

[elephanto]

Honestly i prefer army cronies to DFS cronies any time ...

on a more serious note, when u need good men , u 1st think whu u trust, who can & u hv worked with b4, ex-co workers are the logical outcome ... Old school network, biz associates ...

pls , it's par on course, tio bo?

 

[scroobal]

I have no respect for CEOs who bring in their ex-colleagues. It shows no desire to bring in the best and best qualified individuals. It builds a system of patronage. Unless they are from blue chip companies there is no logic. Such individuals work harder not smarter because there is an element of loyalty to the CEO rather than the company. And of all the places the Army.

This is why we need good number of opposition people in parliament to get accountability.

 

[elephanto]

I have no respect for CEOs who bring in their ex-colleagues. It shows no desire to bring in the best and best qualified individuals. It builds a system of patronage. Unless they are from blue chip companies there ...y.

By and large, i share yr view n desire, but we r operating ' as-is ' not in an ideal world.

Econs 102 teaches in the short run, no much significantly can change right away.

even from blue chip companies, all bets are off too, whether here or in fortune 500s.

TTT : things take time

TWT: time will tell....

 

[scroobal]

Actually DFS had an impressive and proven track record of innovation, opening new markets, unbelievable profits and a very tight control over its operations. Why do you think the SAF is better to run a company incorporated as a profit making business.

Why would you not recruit the best that Singapore can offer or the world has to offer. Why be lazy and look at a smaller pool. Would you be afraid to handle someone who has never been your subordinate before and holding a senior management position.

Surely if the corporate world thinks along this line, we would not have seen the rise of great companies like GE, SIA, Apple etc.

Honestly i prefer army cronies to DFS cronies any time ...

on a more serious note, when u need good men , u 1st think whu u trust, who can & u hv worked with b4, ex-co workers are the logical outcome ... Old school network, biz associates ...

pls , it's par on course, tio bo?

 

[GoldenDragon]

Would you be afraid to handle someone who has never been your subordinate before and holding a senior management position.

I suspect it is fear that your subordinate would threaten your rice bowl especially so when you engage someone who never worked for you previously. Employing someone known is considered a safer option. That person would know who's the boss and owes you his loyalty. More so if the latter is not that competent to be wanted by others.

One of my superior once told me he is always on the look-out for a more competent chap to be his subordinate. He can then delegate his work to this chap and then use his ideas and suggestions as if he himself was the originator. Best of all, can play golf fully confident that his subordinate would be able to handle all incidents while he is out of office. This boss of mine also knows that his 'mountain' would not expose his weaknesses. He had a smooth sailing career in the SPF. Retired as SAC.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

History to repeat itself - more screw-ups from the SAF-led SMRT. Sadly for DK, he will be exposed unlike his days as SAF chief where 'the need to know' rules.

The civilians will be told to report to the "proper channels" when making a complaint.

 

[scroobal]

I can tell you. Company Boards have had responsibility for CEO succession plan and management of senior talent in the last 15 years. They therefore want to see the CEO's direct reports. So to avoid competition you pick people who you know will never ever outshine you. Kwek has absolutely no background in running a profit making company so why pick people who come from such a background as they will be ahead of him.

The classic case was NTUC Income under Tan Kin Lian. His direct reports were notoriously weak. The Board was so fed up, that they appointed one of their own ( a board member) to replace him and paid him twice the amount. He thought he was the best. Thus his ego for PE.

I suspect it is fear that your subordinate would threaten your rice bowl especially so when you engage someone who never worked for you previously. Employing someone known is considered a safer option. That person would know who's the boss and owes you his loyalty. More so if the latter is not that competent to be wanted by others.

One of my superior once told me he is always on the look-out for a more competent chap to be his subordinate. He can then delegate his work to this chap and then use his ideas and suggestions as if he himself was the originator. Best of all, can play golf fully confident that his subordinate would be able to handle all incidents while he is out of office. This boss of mine also knows that his 'mountain' would not expose his weaknesses. He had a smooth sailing career in the SPF. Retired as SAC.

 

[GoldenDragon]

I can tell you. Company Boards have had responsibility for CEO succession plan and management of senior talent in the last 15 years. They therefore want to see the CEO's direct reports. So to avoid competition you pick people who you know will never ever outshine you. Kwek has absolutely no background in running a profit making company so why pick people who come from such a background as they will be ahead of him.

The classic case was NTUC Income under Tan Kin Lian. His direct reports were notoriously weak. The Board was so fed up, that they appointed one of their own ( a board member) to replace him and paid him twice the amount. He thought he was the best. Thus his ego for PE.

You have just reminded me of the time Sim Poh Heng, as DD ISD had to regularly briefed LKY with his intel reports on the Opposition. As we all know, he is not the most fluent or eloquent with the English language.

When BL turned up at the appropriate section, he was tasked with these briefings to LKY. It was a big relief for SPH who shares the same initials as Saw Paik Hwa. Strangely, they both share something in common with S'pore Press Holdings - SPH.

 

[myfoot123]

He has no choice but to rush back because the whole saga reflect very badly not only on SMRT but the ruling party. Let's not forget our international image has also been greatly affected. Future mass recruitment in China won't be that easy if the anger brew and spread across China.

 

[Prometheus888]

A bit rich fora man who did not think that the first strike in 26 years would warrant his immediate return from his holiday. A bit rich for a man who took a holiday within 2 months of taking office. The whole country knew that the place was mess. The former CEO was sacked. Why the sudden need to bring the army in. Despite his his training in oxbridge and Harvard, he only seems to know only one world is only comfortable with one world - the army. What about the rest of the great companies in SIngaore and the World. Did they find talent in a small pool let alone the armed forces.

The previous CEO brought in her cronies and now this idiot bringing in his own cronies.

Agreed wholly with your statement bro. Just what we need right??

...more idiotic useless army clowns who have no idea what to do to run a publicly listed organisation.

 

[Prometheus888]

Actually DFS had an impressive and proven track record of innovation, opening new markets, unbelievable profits and a very tight control over its operations. Why do you think the SAF is better to run a company incorporated as a profit making business.

Why would you not recruit the best that Singapore can offer or the world has to offer. Why be lazy and look at a smaller pool. Would you be afraid to handle someone who has never been your subordinate before and holding a senior management position.

Surely if the corporate world thinks along this line, we would not have seen the rise of great companies like GE, SIA, Apple etc.

Any arrogant and egotistical leader just wants people to say yes sir yes sir 3 bags full to any of his cockanathan ideas..... U think he wants someone smart to tell him that he is an incompetent overpaid idiot who has to cling on to his multimillion dollar salary by obeying his political master meh???

doubt it....

 

[batman1]

All SMRT supervisors and managers standby in no.3 to take orders ?

 

[streetsmart73]

History to repeat itself - more screw-ups from the SAF-led SMRT. Sadly for DK, he will be exposed unlike his days as SAF chief where 'the need to know' rules.

hi there


1. gd, bingo!
2. don't expect miracle from some toy soldier that operates behind some pc or laptop mah.
3. no eye see!

 

[winnipegjets]

We will judge the Army crew on these criteria -

1. Improving reliability - 99.999 percent;
2. Improving efficiency - no increase in fares for the next 5 years as there are lots of fats in the organization;
3. No losses - SMRT should breakeven or have profit;
4. Staff turnover to be less than 10 percent.

If they fail to deliver on one of this criteria, the whole gang should be fired and NO SAF scholars should ever move into the government or government-related agencies ever again. If they leave the SAF, they will have to spend at least 5 years in the private sector before they can join a government or government-related agency.

 

[Confuseous]

How many of them have started looking for a job?
Phan Yoke Fei has not been sleeping well the past few days.

- http://www.smrt.com.sg/AboutSMRT/Overview/SeniorManagement.aspx