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SMRT continues to raise netizens' ire
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<CITE>The overcrowding recently seen at Bishan MRT station. (Pic / Internet)</CITE>
SMRT chief executive Saw Phaik Hwa's latest words have once again raised the ire of netizens and commuters.
In a Straits Times report yesterday, the SMRT chief commented that the MRT system is "still reliable compared with other systems".
She said, "I don't see anything significant" in the number of disruptions and delays.
She also attributed the train breakdowns to higher service frequency, new trains that "need to break in", and more rainy days in Singapore. She cites the newly installed platform screen doors at surface stations, which need to synchronise with train doors, as another factor in train disruptions.
A regular train commuter, stockbroker Cole Cheong, 40, was also quoted in the same report. In his comments, he summed up the sentiments of many disgruntled fellow commuters.
He said, "The trains are very crowded and people get into quarrels frequently because of that. There are service disruptions at least once a week. Just 10 years ago, things were smoother, we had a lot more private space on the trains."
Many netizens, calling the SMRT chief's answer "not sincere" and "unprofessional", have been posting their thoughts on local forums.
A netizen "poseidon" asked if SMRT is trying to be "slightly better than the worst" and wondered if SMRT is comparing itself to train systems in China or India.
Another netizen "tt32003" feels that SMRT's shareholders care only about more commuters taking the MRT and earning more profits.
"They don't care about the complaints", he posted.
Another netizen "angcsbenny" feels that regular folk are at the mercy of SMRT, because "like it or not, you still have to take the train".
Netizen "Kiwi8" feels that service disruptions occurring "at least once a week" are simply not acceptable. The netizen goes on to suggest that the CEO of SMRT should be summoned to parliament to answer to the Members of Parliament.
The SMRT chief had raised the ire of commuters last year with another comment she made when the issue of overcrowding was raised. Back then, many netizens had criticised her for saying, "People can board the train, it is whether they choose to."
A report carried by Channel News Asia in July last year also had the SMRT chief expecting overcrowding to ease by the end of 2011 when 22 new trains were to be added to the train system.
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SMRT chief executive Saw Phaik Hwa's latest words have once again raised the ire of netizens and commuters.
In a Straits Times report yesterday, the SMRT chief commented that the MRT system is "still reliable compared with other systems".
She said, "I don't see anything significant" in the number of disruptions and delays.
She also attributed the train breakdowns to higher service frequency, new trains that "need to break in", and more rainy days in Singapore. She cites the newly installed platform screen doors at surface stations, which need to synchronise with train doors, as another factor in train disruptions.
A regular train commuter, stockbroker Cole Cheong, 40, was also quoted in the same report. In his comments, he summed up the sentiments of many disgruntled fellow commuters.
He said, "The trains are very crowded and people get into quarrels frequently because of that. There are service disruptions at least once a week. Just 10 years ago, things were smoother, we had a lot more private space on the trains."
Many netizens, calling the SMRT chief's answer "not sincere" and "unprofessional", have been posting their thoughts on local forums.
A netizen "poseidon" asked if SMRT is trying to be "slightly better than the worst" and wondered if SMRT is comparing itself to train systems in China or India.
Another netizen "tt32003" feels that SMRT's shareholders care only about more commuters taking the MRT and earning more profits.
"They don't care about the complaints", he posted.
Another netizen "angcsbenny" feels that regular folk are at the mercy of SMRT, because "like it or not, you still have to take the train".
Netizen "Kiwi8" feels that service disruptions occurring "at least once a week" are simply not acceptable. The netizen goes on to suggest that the CEO of SMRT should be summoned to parliament to answer to the Members of Parliament.
The SMRT chief had raised the ire of commuters last year with another comment she made when the issue of overcrowding was raised. Back then, many netizens had criticised her for saying, "People can board the train, it is whether they choose to."
A report carried by Channel News Asia in July last year also had the SMRT chief expecting overcrowding to ease by the end of 2011 when 22 new trains were to be added to the train system.