Is Desmond Kuek a responsbile CEO for SMRT?

[Confuseous]

Whilst SMRT was inundated by a sudden illegal strike by 171 PRC bus drivers on Monday 26 November, the smart alec SMRT CEO Desmond Kuek was merrily pampering himself on his vacation in the United States. How he could obtain leave hardly two months after assuming duty as CEO in SMRT is mind-boggling. If responsibility is a trait in his character, it does not seem to be evident. It was no ordinary strike and government minister and SMRT senior management staff were involved with dealing with this complex situation. Since this was a strike of great gravity, was it not incumbent upon the CEO to cut short his vacation in the US and return immediately to Singapore to assume overall control of the strike instead of leaving such an important responsibility to his senior management to handle?

And could it not have been more comical and irresponsible that this smart alec Desmond Kuek saw it fit to return to Singapore on 30 November after the tumult arising from the illegal strike had been subdued? He said that although he was on leave in the United States, he was in constant contact with his senior management during the illegal strike. His involvement was almost "in real time". He was constantly updated and made decisions collectively with his management team, he said. Could there have been a bigger joker than this man Desmond Kuek to expect discerning Singaporeans to believe his fallacious argument that his remote communication with his senior management staff to deal with the PRC bus drivers' strike is the same as being on the spot himself to direct operations as a CEO? Would it not have been the acme of irresponsibility? Mr Kuek should have his head examined for lack of sanity. He should have come out with something more genuine for Singaporeans to accept his sincerity.

Would it not be ludricrous for CEO Desmond Kuek to be concerned now with trying to retrieve the situation by visiting the workers' dormitories, bus depots and talking to the PRC bus drivers when the strike situation has been brought under control, not through his efforts? Four strikers have been charged in court, and probably one more. 29 PRC bus drivers are to be repatriated to China and they will be paid including ex gratia bonuses on a pro rated basis. The Chinese Embassy, on behalf of the Chinese Government, has been showing great concern over the proper treatment of its nationals by the Singapore Government. And Chinese netizens, who are quite a force to be reckoned with, have gone viral with their accusations of discriminatory treatment of the PRC bus drivers by the Singapore Government. Only the Chinese mainstream media has not yet shown its aggressiveness. So whether CEO Desmond Kuek is politically sensitive to the whole PRC bus drivers' problem is yet to be seen. So far his performance is anything but reassuring. He must buck up if he is to gain the confidence of discerning Singaporeans. If he had displayed the same no-show performance in a military situation when he was chief of the defence force, he would not have got away so easily

The situation in SMRT has now almost returned to normal and CEO Desmond Kuek should find it to his career interest to take prompt action to ameliorate the living and working conditions of the PRC bus drivers so that there will not be a repetition of the unhappy illegal strike.


Posted by Singapore Recalcitrant at 1:49 AM

 

[Bigfuck]

Yes, he is. His job is to know the mission, objectives of the company and the operating conditions of his staff. His job affects the lives and safety of millions.

 

[scroobal]

The strike itself is not his fault. The manner that involved himself in handling the crisis reflects poorly on him. It shows poor leadership and this attribute is important in a big organisation. He is the defacto role model of the organisation. Failed to engage the commuters who are his customers. They are fare paying customers and not welfare recipients.

The strike is not be his fault as he only recently took over the organisation. However it is certainly the fault of the organisation, SMRT. They failed on multiple fronts. He however for reasons best known to him chose to remain with his family on a holiday albeit claiming to be in touch. He did not address his customers who were inconvenienced. To compound the matter for reasons best known to him, he chose to appear at the dorm after everything was done and dusted and went overboard with PR photo opportunity. What was he trying to prove? That he was one with the workers. That he is Mister Empathy Par Excellence.

 

[Bigfuck]

The strike itself is not his fault. The manner that involved himself in handling the crisis reflects poorly on him. It shows poor leadership and this attribute is important in a big organisation. He is the defacto role model of the organisation. Failed to engage the commuters who are his customers. They are fare paying customers and not welfare recipients.

The strike is not be his fault as he only recently took over the organisation. However it is certainly the fault of the organisation, SMRT. They failed on multiple fronts. He however for reasons best known to him chose to remain with his family on a holiday albeit claiming to be in touch. He did not address his customers who were inconvenienced. To compound the matter for reasons best known to him, he chose to appear at the dorm after everything was done and dusted and went overboard with PR photo opportunity. What was he trying to prove? That he was one with the workers. That he is Mister Empathy Par Excellence.

He is not interested in the company. How long he needs to break into the company?

 

[kukubird58]

hahaha......it is obvious many pple assumed things from their own narrow perspective....
when u are selected for a senior position, u can also set your own pre-conditions for taking up the post.
it would be naive to think that his vacation was a last minute thing......
it is the board's decision to accept the pre-condition that he would be going on leave as planned...less than 2 months into his job.
of course i assumed...so as many other pple here who can assume what they want to assume....

 

[watchman8]

Strike or no strike, any CEO or high level exec of a major company responsible for critical service of a nation does not go on long overseas holidays within weeks of taking over. The new CEO has to be on the ball for at least 6 months to a year before taking long holidays, what's more smrt was known to be having management problems before he agreed to take over.

He must have skivvied a lot in the past. Karma caught up finally and gave him a high profile strike right when he's in the midst of skivving again.

 

[watchman8]

hahaha......it is obvious many pple assumed things from their own narrow perspective....
when u are selected for a senior position, u can also set your own pre-conditions for taking up the post.
it would be naive to think that his vacation was a last minute thing......
it is the board's decision to accept the pre-condition that he would be going on leave as planned...less than 2 months into his job.
of course i assumed...so as many other pple here who can assume what they want to assume....

If hon sui sen or goh keng swee are still around, they would not have tolerated such wusses.

Kuek knows there are big issues waiting for him in smrt, and the company is in low morale and internal turmoil caused by old auntie. And he still insist to go on long holidays within weeks of taking off as a precondition?

Does the smrt board and CEO selection committee not find this attitude worrying, a reflection of what this man is made of? This is call global talent?

 

[cass888]

From the WPIB, I'd expect better. You think Desmond Kuek has got a starship that can beam him up and beam him down?

He however for reasons best known to him chose to remain with his family on a holiday albeit claiming to be in touch. He did not address his customers who were inconvenienced.

 

[kukubird58]

If hon sui sen or goh keng swee are still around, they would not have tolerated such wusses.

Kuek knows there are big issues waiting for him in smrt, and the company is in low morale and internal turmoil caused by old auntie. And he still insist to go on long holidays within weeks of taking off as a precondition?

Does the smrt board and CEO selection committee not find this attitude worrying, a reflection of what this man is made of? This is call global talent?

hahaha....u appear to be seriously out of depth and very shallow....
read and think before replying.....
u don't go to USA with your family as and when u like.....
it is fair to assume that such a trip would have been booked many months in advance.
DK can choose to take up the post after his trip.
That such an incident happened while he was on holidays is just plain ass luck.....period.

 

[eatshitndie]

Strike or no strike, any CEO or high level exec of a major company responsible for critical service of a nation does not go on long overseas holidays within weeks of taking over. The new CEO has to be on the ball for at least 6 months to a year before taking long holidays, what's more smrt was known to be having management problems before he agreed to take over.

it's getting boring and tiresome to keep hearing a broken record. *yawn*

if a company or service provider relies on a ceo to be there 24 by 7 by 365, then the outfit deserves to fail. my ceo was vacationing on a tropical island when sandy struck. i was vacationing too in sg. the business keeps on rolling.

 

[GOONDUSAMI]

it's getting boring and tiresome to keep hearing a broken record. *yawn*

if a company or service provider relies on a ceo to be there 24 by 7 by 365, then the outfit deserves to fail. my ceo was vacationing on a tropical island when sandy struck. i was vacationing too in sg. the business keeps on rolling.

Well said!