MRT breakdown

[kaki11]

In the land of 10-year cars and buildings knocked down after 10 years, is anyone surprised that maintenance here is ignored or at best shoddy? Even the severity of last year's Orchard rosd flooding was down to blocked drains.

[all gone down]

The clean and efficient Singapore is becoming a thing of the past,
Standards of public transport, cleaniness, safety have been dropping rapidly

Work permits used to take 2 weeks to process, now you don't even get a reply after 2 months

[disappointed lad]

The thing is, the efficiency has made everyone complacent and hence taken for granted everything will be up in no time. What they failed to see was that everyone was expecting someone will do it but in fact, nobody is doing it.
 

[jalanperak]

I don't know if this is indicative of the whole system, but I've also noticed that a lot of the escalators in the newest stations of the circle line are often down for "maintenance." For stations that have been open just over two months, this seems like a pretty high failure rate.

[Even]

This is a result of what happens when locals no longer care to do the work of maintenance, or even basic supervision because it is 'beneath them' so passing the buck onto foreigners. Whilst they may try hard and work hard, they don't really have the invested care to maybe get it done right.

So long as the repair does the job, it looks right and was cheap then everybody's happy, until it fails.

Unfotunately fining the companies does not help. This erodes their bottom line and with a lower profit they have a secure argument for raising fares. By that time everybody would have forgotten about just why their bottom line was impacted.

[kaki11]

Fortunately SIA's average passenger fleet age is still a comforting 6 years 4 months.

[Even]

Fortunately SIA's average passenger fleet age is still a comforting 6 years 4 months.

And that would only likely improve when they finally stop flying 747s and farm out the older 777 to new Scoot subsidiary.

But, it's a cool job to be an aircraft engineer so locals will do that and take pride in their work. It's not a cool job to work in a MRT tunnel late at night mending rail or power cable.

[Here]

The SIA fleet may be 6 yrs 4 months old but PEOPLE fly planes and PEOPLE offer customer service.  SIA and it's service has gone backwards.  Look at Tiger Airways' bad track record now.  It used to be efficient but in the last 4 years, it has gone downhill.

I wonder if it's due to the younger generation, the 23-35 years age group.  I wouldn't trust my life with them. From tertiary institutions to government service, offices, businesses, cafes, restaurants, department stores and shops - I am shocked at their don't-care attitude and tardiness.  I'm sure parents are alarmed at the increasing number of young adults not working right up to their late twenties and early thirties.

[localmanjames]

The SIA fleet may be 6 yrs 4 months old but PEOPLE fly planes and PEOPLE offer customer service.  SIA and it's service has gone backwards.  Look at Tiger Airways' bad track record now.  It used to be efficient but in the last 4 years, it has gone downhill.

I wonder if it's due to the younger generation, the 23-35 years age group.  I wouldn't trust my life with them. From tertiary institutions to government service, offices, businesses, cafes, restaurants, department stores and shops - I am shocked at their don't-care attitude and tardiness.  I'm sure parents are alarmed at the increasing number of young adults not working right up to their late twenties and early thirties.

Being 36 years old, I am just outside the group you described. I just want to point out that SMRT is run by a Malaysian CEO is 55 years old. And the problem was caused by a damaged rail/cable which is probably due to wear and tear, and it was quickly fixed within a few hours.

I take it you were not in Singapore in the 1960s and 70s. And you obviously don't know anything about history.

I was only a child/young teenager in the 1970s/80s, but I recall the Hotel New World collapse being shown on the news. So who do you think caused that? The 20-35 year olds you see today or the 55+ year olds you see today?

Would you rather an entire hotel collapse because the old people today were so incompetent they couldn't build it properly or be inconvenienced by a four hour delay of the MRT service due to a damaged cable which was then quickly fixed.

And check out the race riots which took place in Singapore throughout the entire 1960s as well. As well as the countless strikes, union problems etc.

And oh yes, if you are free, read about the struggle between Lee Kuan Yew's English-speaking PAP and the Communists (which was mostly made up of or was supported by the Chinese-speaking Singaporeans) in the 1960s as well as well as the Malayan Emergency where the Chinese-speaking Communists took up arms to fight the government after they lost at the elections.

Which generation do you think was responsible for all those crap?

Why do you think S'pore has such strict laws? It is because a particular generation (and no it is not my generation of 30+ year olds) of mostly illiterate people (mostly coolies and labourers) are so dangerous, incompetent and uncivilised that such heavy handedness is required in order to squash the Chinese-speaking Communists, quell the riots, ensure food safety, ensure building safety and to have some sort of civilised environment for the country to grow. They even had to fine people for spitting and not flushing their toilets.

Oh, and if you are free, try reading up on all the wars, massacres, famines, bloodshed and utterly stupid and ridiculous crap that happened around the world prior to 1970s.

WW2, persecution of Jews in Europe, Japanese front of WW2, Chinese 'Great Leap Forward', discrimination against the AA in the USA, Cold War (nearly nuked the entire world), 'White Australia/Canada/USA etc policies', KKK in the USA, British Child Migrants, the way the British treated the locals in many of its colonies, etc etc.

Try talking to the typical 50+ year old Singaporean today and you would be quite lucky if the one you are talking to can even spell his own address and pass the Primary school examinations.

[not free]

The SIA fleet may be 6 yrs 4 months old but PEOPLE fly planes and PEOPLE offer customer service.  SIA and it's service has gone backwards.  Look at Tiger Airways' bad track record now.  It used to be efficient but in the last 4 years, it has gone downhill.

I wonder if it's due to the younger generation, the 23-35 years age group.  I wouldn't trust my life with them. From tertiary institutions to government service, offices, businesses, cafes, restaurants, department stores and shops - I am shocked at their don't-care attitude and tardiness.  I'm sure parents are alarmed at the increasing number of young adults not working right up to their late twenties and early thirties.

Being 36 years old, I am just outside the group you described. I just want to point out that SMRT is run by a Malaysian CEO is 55 years old. And the problem was caused by a damaged rail/cable which is probably due to wear and tear, and it was quickly fixed within a few hours.

I take it you were not in Singapore in the 1960s and 70s. And you obviously don't know anything about history.

I was only a child/young teenager in the 1970s/80s, but I recall the Hotel New World collapse being shown on the news. So who do you think caused that? The 20-35 year olds you see today or the 55+ year olds you see today?

Would you rather an entire hotel collapse because the old people today were so incompetent they couldn't build it properly or be inconvenienced by a four hour delay of the MRT service due to a damaged cable which was then quickly fixed.

And check out the race riots which took place in Singapore throughout the entire 1960s as well. As well as the countless strikes, union problems etc.

And oh yes, if you are free, read about the struggle between Lee Kuan Yew's English-speaking PAP and the Communists (which was mostly made up of or was supported by the Chinese-speaking Singaporeans) in the 1960s as well as well as the Malayan Emergency where the Chinese-speaking Communists took up arms to fight the government after they lost at the elections.

Which generation do you think was responsible for all those crap?

Why do you think S'pore has such strict laws? It is because a particular generation (and no it is not my generation of 30+ year olds) of mostly illiterate people (mostly coolies and labourers) are so dangerous, incompetent and uncivilised that such heavy handedness is required in order to squash the Chinese-speaking Communists, quell the riots, ensure food safety, ensure building safety and to have some sort of civilised environment for the country to grow. They even had to fine people for spitting and not flushing their toilets.

Oh, and if you are free, try reading up on all the wars, massacres, famines, bloodshed and utterly stupid and ridiculous crap that happened around the world prior to 1970s.

WW2, persecution of Jews in Europe, Japanese front of WW2, Chinese 'Great Leap Forward', discrimination against the AA in the USA, Cold War (nearly nuked the entire world), 'White Australia/Canada/USA etc policies', KKK in the USA, British Child Migrants, the way the British treated the locals in many of its colonies, etc etc.

Try talking to the typical 50+ year old Singaporean today and you would be quite lucky if the one you are talking to can even spell his own address and pass the Primary school examinations.

I doubt anyone is even free to finish reading your drivel

[Here]

Localmanjames - please don't confuse history ( politics) with a social phenomenon (opt-out mentality of the new generation).

In the past, poor and uneducated people worked their butts off for a living, they hold 2 or 3 jobs to support a family.  Those fortunate enough to go to schools will also work part-time in the evenings and weekends for extra money to pay for their textbooks and household expenses.  The 1930's -60's generation value thrift and hardwork.  This was the pattern of immigrants who settled in foreign countries, too.

Farmers get up at 4.30 am to milk cows.  Crop farmers work in the fields all day long.  The young ones are not interested in farming now citing boredom and too much manual work, they'd rather move to the city with night clubs, cafes and cinemas.  From a 90% agrarian economy, the percentage has gone down to 30-40% in most agricultural countries.

Wars, strikes and race riots ( to name a few) are often instigated by a few red-necks who are combative and power-hungry.  They manipulate the masses for their own gains.  At least, the young adults of that time, can be bothered to wake up from their beds and fight for their cause.  Whether or not they were misled, at least they cared enough to want to do something to improve their lot.

Today's middle-class and upper class youth ( 40-60%) can't even wake up in the morning or be on time for lessons /work.  Their usual wake-up time is between 11.00 am - 3 pm.  They spend their time playing computer games, hanging out at shopping malls / buying brand-named goods, checking their smartphones periodically and chatting on social networking sites up till early hours of the morning.  Some admitted that they go to bed around 4-5 am.  Do you think you can count on them to start / run businesses or even do volunteer work in the future?

Ngee Ann Polytechnic introduced a strict policy to correct latecoming.  If they are late by 15 minutes, they're considered absent.  This applies to foreign students as well.  The same tardiness is evident in tertiary institutions in other countries, too.

The London riots involved idle youths.  According to friends who knew the neighbourhood - they were surprised that overnight these so-called smiley friendly youths became vandals, joining in with their peers.

In the past, many young adults went on job-hunting sprees on their own.  Todays' youth are not that interested - their parents had to nag them, without much success.  Parents are concerned that they cannot count on their children to pay the bills.  With rising costs in housing and standard of living, these young ones will not be able to support themselves, let alone their aging parents.

[localmanjames]

Localmanjames - please don't confuse history ( politics) with a social phenomenon (opt-out mentality of the new generation).

In the past, poor and uneducated people worked their butts off for a living, they hold 2 or 3 jobs to support a family.  Those fortunate enough to go to schools will also work part-time in the evenings and weekends for extra money to pay for their textbooks and household expenses.  The 1930's -60's generation value thrift and hardwork.  This was the pattern of immigrants who settled in foreign countries, too.

Farmers get up at 4.30 am to milk cows.  Crop farmers work in the fields all day long.  The young ones are not interested in farming now citing boredom and too much manual work, they'd rather move to the city with night clubs, cafes and cinemas.  From a 90% agrarian economy, the percentage has gone down to 30-40% in most agricultural countries.

Wars, strikes and race riots ( to name a few) are often instigated by a few red-necks who are combative and power-hungry.  They manipulate the masses for their own gains.  At least, the young adults of that time, can be bothered to wake up from their beds and fight for their cause.  Whether or not they were misled, at least they cared enough to want to do something to improve their lot.

Today's middle-class and upper class youth ( 40-60%) can't even wake up in the morning or be on time for lessons /work.  Their usual wake-up time is between 11.00 am - 3 pm.  They spend their time playing computer games, hanging out at shopping malls / buying brand-named goods, checking their smartphones periodically and chatting on social networking sites up till early hours of the morning.  Some admitted that they go to bed around 4-5 am.  Do you think you can count on them to start / run businesses or even do volunteer work in the future?

Ngee Ann Polytechnic introduced a strict policy to correct latecoming.  If they are late by 15 minutes, they're considered absent.  This applies to foreign students as well.  The same tardiness is evident in tertiary institutions in other countries, too.

The London riots involved idle youths.  According to friends who knew the neighbourhood - they were surprised that overnight these so-called smiley friendly youths became vandals, joining in with their peers.

In the past, many young adults went on job-hunting sprees on their own.  Todays' youth are not that interested - their parents had to nag them, without much success.  Parents are concerned that they cannot count on their children to pay the bills.  With rising costs in housing and standard of living, these young ones will not be able to support themselves, let alone their aging parents.

Sorry I don't agree. The discrimination against the AA, 'white only' policies in USA/CAN/ANZ, and even the prosecution of the Jews in Germany, could not have occurred if the majority of citizens in those countries did not support the policies, as the USA, Canada and Australia etc back then were already full democracies.

If the Americans were staunchly against the discrimination of AA, there was no way those policies could have been enacted the first place. Well, later they became fiercely against it, but once again it was mostly the younger generation of that time that supported the emancipation of the AAs, and only after MLK went on his campaign, and MLK got shot later of course.

The laziness and entitlement attitude you talk about has nothing to do with age, but it has something to do with wealth. Believe me, there are plenty of young people in third world countries who are ploughing the field from 6am to 6pm every day. Just walk to any construction site in Singapore and take a look at the young expatriates and some of the young locals doing back-breaking work there.

Yes it is true the young first generation Singaporean who came down from China in the 1800s and young first gen American who boarded the Mayflower by signing a work contract will wake up at 6 am every day, not because he wants to, but because he is a labourer/farmer and has no choice but to do so.

He will also eat scraps for meals but not because he has some high-minded ideals to save food and pollute less of the world, but because he is an indentured servant.

Just stick around at any of the hospitals in Singapore and you will see how ridiculous some of the old people are. Even on their deathbeds, they will tell the doctor to buzz off, pull the drip needle out of their arm and they then proceed to make some herbal tea to cure them of their cancer. Or buy some stones with 'magical properties' which will magically heal them. Or if you are talking about lazy people who are unwilling to educate themselves and work hard/smart but instead daydream about becoming rich their entire lives, just walk into any Tote (betting) shop in Singapore and take a good look if the young or old make up most of the regular gamblers there.

[I don\'t think so]

The SIA fleet may be 6 yrs 4 months old but PEOPLE fly planes and PEOPLE offer customer service.  SIA and it's service has gone backwards.  Look at Tiger Airways' bad track record now.  It used to be efficient but in the last 4 years, it has gone downhill.

I wonder if it's due to the younger generation, the 23-35 years age group.  I wouldn't trust my life with them. From tertiary institutions to government service, offices, businesses, cafes, restaurants, department stores and shops - I am shocked at their don't-care attitude and tardiness.  I'm sure parents are alarmed at the increasing number of young adults not working right up to their late twenties and early thirties.

Being 36 years old, I am just outside the group you described. I just want to point out that SMRT is run by a Malaysian CEO is 55 years old. And the problem was caused by a damaged rail/cable which is probably due to wear and tear, and it was quickly fixed within a few hours.

I take it you were not in Singapore in the 1960s and 70s. And you obviously don't know anything about history.

I was only a child/young teenager in the 1970s/80s, but I recall the Hotel New World collapse being shown on the news. So who do you think caused that? The 20-35 year olds you see today or the 55+ year olds you see today?

Would you rather an entire hotel collapse because the old people today were so incompetent they couldn't build it properly or be inconvenienced by a four hour delay of the MRT service due to a damaged cable which was then quickly fixed.

And check out the race riots which took place in Singapore throughout the entire 1960s as well. As well as the countless strikes, union problems etc.

And oh yes, if you are free, read about the struggle between Lee Kuan Yew's English-speaking PAP and the Communists (which was mostly made up of or was supported by the Chinese-speaking Singaporeans) in the 1960s as well as well as the Malayan Emergency where the Chinese-speaking Communists took up arms to fight the government after they lost at the elections.

Which generation do you think was responsible for all those crap?

Why do you think S'pore has such strict laws? It is because a particular generation (and no it is not my generation of 30+ year olds) of mostly illiterate people (mostly coolies and labourers) are so dangerous, incompetent and uncivilised that such heavy handedness is required in order to squash the Chinese-speaking Communists, quell the riots, ensure food safety, ensure building safety and to have some sort of civilised environment for the country to grow. They even had to fine people for spitting and not flushing their toilets.

Oh, and if you are free, try reading up on all the wars, massacres, famines, bloodshed and utterly stupid and ridiculous crap that happened around the world prior to 1970s.

WW2, persecution of Jews in Europe, Japanese front of WW2, Chinese 'Great Leap Forward', discrimination against the AA in the USA, Cold War (nearly nuked the entire world), 'White Australia/Canada/USA etc policies', KKK in the USA, British Child Migrants, the way the British treated the locals in many of its colonies, etc etc.

Try talking to the typical 50+ year old Singaporean today and you would be quite lucky if the one you are talking to can even spell his own address and pass the Primary school examinations.

I doubt anyone is even free to finish reading your drivel

It's not drivel - just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's drivel.


As far as I can work out, many problems Singapore has started having in the past few years are because of overcrowding.  It didn't used to be like this and it was a less crowded place.  There are a lot more MRT trains running on each line and some of the slightly older lines were built to run less trains.  Sadly accidents happen, but one thing's for sure, you know it will be investigated and put right - if it happened in many countries around here, they'd just patch it up and resume operations.

[Ah Yes But....]

... but one thing's for sure, you know it will be investigated and put right - if it happened in many countries around here, they'd just patch it up and resume operations.

It'll get patched up, covered up and forgotten about. That's how you end up with two instances of train vandalism seperated by a few months, inaction after the first until people forget.

[Down again]

I heard the NS line is broken again tonight