- The dilemma of keeping the SMRT CEO or letting him go
- The military culture in SMRT
Train fault causes delay on city-bound North-South Line
ST understands that the delay was caused by a defective train that ran past the platforms at Bishan and Ang Mo Kio stations. Up to four south-bound trains could be seen at a standstill on the tracks along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 at around 8.30am.
Published 2 hours ago
Ng Jun Sen
Fabian Koh
SINGAPORE - A train fault on the North-South Line on Monday (Nov 6) morning led to delays for commuters heading towards the city.
The Straits Times understands that it was caused by a defective train that ran past the platforms at Bishan and Ang Mo Kio stations.
Some commuters said the southbound trains from Yio Chu Kang to Newton stations stopped for five minutes at each station.
IT engineer Lek Chun Liang, 30, told The Straits Times he was at Ang Mo Kio station at about 7.50am, when a southbound train pulled up and overshot the station.
The train had to reverse before it opened its doors for commuters to board.
Mr Lek, who was travelling to Orchard for work, said it took him longer than usual to get to his destination. He usually takes about 15 minutes, but on Monday morning it took him about half an hour.
He said: “When I entered the train, it didn’t depart immediately, and delayed for a while before moving off. At that time there were no announcements.
“After slowly travelling towards Bishan, the train overshot the stop again and had to reverse back.”
Mr Lek added that after the train doors closed, it delayed for longer than it did at Ang Mo Kio station, before moving off.
“When it departed Bishan, there was an announcement that there was a train fault and that everyone had to alight at Braddell and board the next train,” he added.
continue reading here :
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...rth-south-line
Now train overshot the station ?
Did anyone check to see if the train is in good working condition before put into service ? Or the management just blindly signed the service report ? SMRT this has got to stop . So how Mr Khaw ? Is your trains safe or not to travel on it ? What happens if someone got injured or get killed while on the train will Mr Khaw take FULL RESPONSIBILITY and resign sir ??? SMRT can you guys please sack the 2 jokers before something serious happens . So you still want to vote for PAP ?
Calls for SMRT CEO Desmond Kuek to quit grow louder
Should he stay or should he go? Odds are, he will go.
By Belmont Lay | 11 mins
The heat is on.
The Straits Times published a a series of in-depth articles (here, here and here) on Nov. 5, 2017, effectively putting the “Should SMRT CEO Desmond Kuek step down?” question on the national agenda and etching it into the public consciousness.
Here are three salient points Singaporeans can acquaint themselves with about this issue:
Asking if the SMRT CEO should step down was framed as part of a ST listicle questioning how deep the SMRT rot is and where the buck should stop.
This is unprecedented, to say the least, as calls for the SMRT CEO to quit have thus far been mainly made by the frustrated public on social media as a form of retaliation in response to unsatisfactory train services.
This shift could be taken as a sign that something major in SMRT is happening and ST could have gotten wind of it.
And then there exists the conundrum: Should Kuek be made to stay on to fix the problem or should he be allowed to leave?
The instinct to let him go is satisfying in the short run, but it essentially renders the current situation unsolved for the next CEO to fix.
And if Kuek leaves, this also means letting him go after more than five years at the helm but not having much progress to show for.
Can the public accept that?
An amnesty exercise was carried out for a few days in SMRT and ended on Friday, Nov. 3.
This was to allow staff to own up to lapses before a wide-scale audit was launched to pinpoint problematic areas.
A company amnesty is not unique and neither is it a usual practice, as it has been carried out before in larger companies overseas in the wake of things going wrong.
ST reported that the massive internal audit at SMRT, which has begun, has been named Operation Osprey.
According to the report, “Osprey” is the name of a predatory hawk, which is a sign that the company is determined to hunt down any other potential perpetrators of malpractice.
Therefore, if the military culture at SMRT has not been clear to outsiders until this point in time, these two examples are the most obvious indications.
These are the manifestations of military minds working and imposing its ethics and style on a civilian transport outfit that has to be run more like a sleek corporate unit.
continue reading here :
In full: SMRT’s statement on Bishan pump system investigation, falsification of maintenance records
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Published: 2:22 PM, November 6, 2017
Updated: 2:44 PM, November 6, 2017
In a new statement on Monday (Nov 6), SMRT said disciplinary action will be taken against six staff members connected to the falsification of maintenance records for the Bishan portal sump pump. Seven other managerial staff, all who have been suspended, will face a further inquiry with regards to their supervisory responsibility, the transport operator added.
An amnesty offered by SMRT for staff to step forward to voluntarily report gaps has been completed on November 3, 2017. A number of submissions relating to scheduled maintenance works not being carried out have been received from the Building & Facilities Maintenance group, which is also responsible for the Bishan water discharge system. The submissions are being studied.
This is SMRT’s statement in full.
SMRT’s internal investigation into the maintenance of the Bishan Water Discharge System has been completed.
SMRT’s investigation noted that the assigned maintenance team for the Bishan portal sump pump last carried out corrective maintenance works on 13 July 2017.
However, the investigation revealed that there were instances of falsified records of scheduled maintenance works by this team between December 2016 and June 2017.
The team of six members from the Building & Facilities Maintenance group comprised a manager, an engineering supervisor and four other crew members.
Disciplinary proceedings will follow. A further inquiry is being conducted against seven other managerial staff from this Maintenance group, including two Vice-President level executives, all of whom have been suspended, with respect to their discharge of supervisory responsibility.
SMRT reiterates its strong stand of having zero tolerance for failures in supervision and diligence over maintenance tasks. As part of our value system of shared responsibility and accountability, the company will also take this Incident into account when reviewing the remuneration of its senior management, from the CEO through the relevant chain of command.
LTA’s separate technical investigations into the Bishan Tunnel flooding incident (“Incident”) are ongoing with SMRT’s participation.
An amnesty was extended to all staff who step forward and voluntarily report gaps. The amnesty ended on 3 November 2017, and a number of submissions relating to scheduled maintenance works not being carried out have been received from the Building & Facilities Maintenance group, which is also responsible for the Bishan water discharge system. The returns are being studied.
The heads of all our other Trains maintenance units, such as rolling stock, signalling and communications, permanent way and power maintenance, have conducted a further assessment and affirmed continuing compliance with specified maintenance standards.
In addition to our Internal Audit and Inspectorate teams, the newly formed Joint Readiness Inspection team will step up on enforcement of ground practices and standards.
continue reading here :
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore...an-pump-system
We the public have lost faith in SMRT’s rail service . You always punish your workers but never punish your top management . Is it fair to your rank and file ? You should spare no effort in resolving all your issues that causes your mrt to breakdown so often . Why is it so hard to sack your 2 jokers when everyone in Sillypore know they are not doing their job well. Under their watch the frequencies of mrt breakdowns have increased rather than decreased even despite the new rail model . I hope somebody will start a petition to get the 2 jokers sacked . We as commuters are really getting fed up with SMRT’s fucked up service .
SMRT confirms falsification of maintenance records at Bishan, to discipline 6 staff and probe 7 managers
By Siau Ming En
Published: 3:00 PM, November 6, 2017
Updated: 5:12 PM, November 6, 2017
SINGAPORE – Transport operator SMRT confirmed on Monday (Nov 6) that maintenance records for the flood pump system at Bishan station had been falsified between last December and June this year, and spelled out further disciplinary action against at least 13 staff.
“Disciplinary proceedings” will be taken against six members of its Building and Facilities Maintenance group - a manager, an engineering supervisor and four other crew members - linked to the falsification of the records, SMRT said in a statement announcing the completion of its internal investigation.
Another seven managerial staff from this Maintenance group – including two executives at the vice-president level – have been suspended and will face a further inquiry for their “supervisory responsibility” in the lapses.
On October 7, a heavy downpour had led to Bishan MRT station being flooded, and train services on the North-South Line being shut down for over 20 hours.
On Oct 31, SMRT released the preliminary findings of its internal probe into the incident. The report claimed that the crew responsible for the maintenance of the pump system at Bishan MRT Station had signed off and submitted maintenance records for nearly a year, without carrying out the works.
The transport operator’s latest statement on Monday confirmed that the records had indeed been falsified, noting: “SMRT reiterates its strong stand of having zero tolerance for failures in supervision and diligence over maintenance tasks.”
The Bishan incident will be taken into account when reviewing the remuneration of its senior management, from chief executive officer Desmond Kuek “through the relevant chain of command”, SMRT added. It did not elaborate.
The transport operator also confirmed that it had offered an “amnesty” for errant staff to come clean on maintenance lapses, and that “a number of submissions” had been received from staff in the same maintenance group connected to the falsification of records at Bishan.
“The amnesty ended on Nov 3 2017, and a number of submissions relating to scheduled maintenance works not being carried out have been received from the Building and Facilities Maintenance group, which is also responsible for the Bishan water discharge system. The returns are being studied,” SMRT added.
Commenting on SMRT’s latest revelation, executive secretary of the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) Melvin Yong urged the transport operator to share information on its investigations and be “forthcoming” with the union during the disciplinary inquiry.
continue reading here :
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore...ff-and-probe-7
And what about the vice president superiors . In fact the entire chain of command should be investigated . I hope the union would do its best to protect its union members . Looks like SMRT is not a good company to work for .
Desmond Kuek’s resignation will not solve SMRT’s maintenance problem and its deep-rooted cultural issues
Published on 2017-11-06 by Terry Xu
There seems to be an outcry by both the public and media for Desmond Kuek, the Chief Executive Officer of SMRT to resign for the constant breakdowns and lapses by the transport company that runs the East-West Line, North-South Line and Downtown Line.
True enough, that as the head of the company and being paid millions of dollars annually, Kuek ought to take responsibility for the failing of the company in ensuring its operations does not cause inconvenience to its commuters. But the question here we ought to ask is whether will we be able to see a change should Kuek step down as CEO.
Let us not forget that the problems faced by SMRT started with Saw Phaik Hwa who as CEO prioritised retail expansion instead of maintenance effort for a decade. Since problems faced by the transport company has not gone away after she stepped down, what makes us think that Quek’s departure can make things any better?
Managerial, structural, cultural and systemic issues
When Kuek first took over in 2012, one of the first things he did was to bring in his trusted colleagues from the military into the company. While some took it that he was promoting cronyism and bring in his khakis to nest in the company, some saw it as a move to weed out the management that had led to the failings of the transport company.
Kuek had raised the issue about the culture in SMRT a couple of times as CEO. In an interview with ST after some SMRT bus drivers from China went on an illegal strike in November 2012, Mr Kuek said: “There are clearly managerial, structural, cultural and systemic issues that need addressing.”
Again, at a press conference last month, after the flooding incident, Mr Kuek said: “Much progress has been made with the inculcation of a positive work culture in the workforce, but there remain some deep-seated cultural issues within the company that has needed more time than anticipated to root out.”
Though Kuek is the CEO of the company, that does not mean he has free reign over what can be done. End of the day, SMRT was partially owned by Temasek Holdings (TH) and currently fully owned by TH. In the case of Saw, it is no secret that she is a good friend of Ms Ho Ching, CEO of TH and spouse of the Singapore Prime Minister. As for Kuek, it is by the virtue that he is a three-star general that he is able to take some action based on his own discrete and not be a puppet.
The investigation into the flooding of the Bishan underground tunnel, revealed there were instances of falsified records of scheduled maintenance works by the assigned maintenance team for the Bishan portal sump pump last carried out corrective maintenance works on 13 July 2017. Several members of the maintenance team along with management staff were suspended following the findings of the investigation.
Frankly, it is funny how certain media are astonished at the maintenance lapses within SMRT, and how anonymous sources within the SMRT said that they are unaware of how pervasive the lapses are.
For those who recall, we ran a story about a former engineer who spoke up on the issues of SMRT when he was with the company and the maintenance lapses that he was forced to turn a blind eye to.
continue reading here :
Ex-SMRT engineer speaks out about the frequent breakdowns
Published on 2015-07-13 by Terry Xu
Last updated on August 31st, 2017 at 05:57 am
Singapore’s Mass Raid Transit (MRT) network experienced its largest disruption on 7 July 2015, with the total breakdown of the East West and North South Lines, lasting over three and a half hours. An estimated 250,000 commuters were inconvenienced by the breakdown, which happened during the evening rush hour.
Since its inception in 1987, the Singapore MRT system, a project spearheaded by former President Ong Teng Cheong, has served commuters well, providing an affordable and efficient mode of transportation for everyone.
However, in recent years, breakdowns from the MRT system have been growing in frequency, even for the lines that have only been in service for a few years. Many of the breakdowns would not have been reported if not for social media.
A press statement released by the SMRT on the recent breakdown said that the company would be seeking assistance from retired engineers to address the situation.
“SMRT is working with external experts to review the design robustness of the power network, and to find ways to further segment it in order to avoid a similar network-wide power failure. We have also brought in a number of retired SMRT staff with experience in network power issues to assist in the investigations. At the same time, we have advanced the procurement of additional condition monitoring systems that were being developed jointly with R&D agencies.”
So is there need to bring in retired engineers who may not be familiar with newer technology? And why are existing engineers unable to fix the system, given that over time, engineers employed by the company would have been more experienced and better trained in the train network?
And why are breakdowns more frequent these days despite promises by the government to fix them since the last General Election in 2011?
Are they not putting in enough effort in doing so or are they unable to do so without addressing a far more serious problem about the transport company.
A resignation letter dated 10 September 2004, written by a former assistant engineer (AE) more than ten years ago may shed some light on the deep rooted problem of the transport company.
continue reading here :
MRT tunnel flooding: Khaw says no evidence of shortcomings in regulatory oversight by LTA, MOT
LTA had highlighted the importance of regular and diligent maintenance of tunnel pump systems to SMRT, but remedial actions instructed were not taken in time, said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan in a written parliamentary response.
06 Nov 2017 06:31PM (Updated: 06 Nov 2017 06:40PM)
SINGAPORE: There is no evidence of shortcomings or lapses in regulatory oversight by staff in the Transport Ministry or Land Transport Authority (LTA), said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Monday (Nov 6), following the train disruption caused by a flooding incident.
In a written response to Non-Constituency MP Leon Perera, Mr Khaw said the responsibility for maintaining rail lines, including the flood prevention systems, lies with the operators. He said as the regulator, LTA sets the Operating and Maintenance Performance Standards, and carries out regular audits of the operators’ maintenance regime and on-site inspections to ensure these standards are complied with.
Mr Perera had asked if, following the incident, senior staff in the Transport Ministry or LTA tasked with oversight of the MRT operator would be affected in terms of compensation.
The poor state of water pump system at Bishan MRT station had led to flooding along a stretch of the North-South Line tunnel on Oct 7, disrupting train services for 20 hours. Train operator SMRT had revealed last week that the maintenance team in charge of the system had signed off on works that were not done. It had earlier said on Oct 16 that the leader of a team in charge of anti-flooding maintenance was removed, and the bonuses of the team’s members will be affected.
Mr Khaw explained that LTA takes a risk-based approach and prioritises resources in areas which are assessed to be most complex, have the highest risk of failure and which could potentially have the biggest impact on the rail network. “The anti-flooding systems are considered less of a high risk area compared to the other core railway systems as the constructs are relatively simple, easy to maintain and have ample provisions,” he said.
Nonetheless, Mr Khaw said that on Sep 29, LTA had, in accordance with its regulatory role, expressly highlighted to SMRT the importance of regular and diligent maintenance of tunnel pump systems, and to surface a list of pumps requiring replacement to LTA.
Read more at
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...ngs-in-9380364
If that is the case why are there still so many breakdowns ?
LTA should revoke SMRT license .
Parliament: No need for public inquiry into MRT flooding, says Khaw Boon Wan
Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan told Parliament Tuesday that the cause of the flooding incident was clear cut, and was attributable to nothing else but maintenance lapses.
Published 32 min ago
Updated 19 min ago
SINGAPORE - The Transport Ministry will not call for a public inquiry into the unprecedented flooding of MRT tunnels which paralysed a large part of the North-South Line for about 20 hours on Oct 7 and 8.
Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan told Parliament Tuesday (Nov 7) that the cause of the incident was clear cut, and was attributable to nothing else but maintenance lapses.
“While investigations by LTA (Land Transport Authority) will take a few more weeks to complete, the facts of the Oct 7 incident are not complicated, and the cause of the incident is clear,” Mr Khaw said. “My Ministry will therefore not be convening a Committee of Inquiry.”
He said the tunnel flooding was preventable. “It should not have happened,” he added. “It was not due to any inadequacy in the design of flood prevention measures. Neither was it due to an extraordinary storm. It was due to poor maintenance and neglect of duties by the specific SMRT maintenance team responsible for the Bishan storm water sump pump system.”
The minister noted that all the three pumps in the Bishan sump pit were working, and all five float switches in the system were also functional.
“Why these float switches failed to function normally on Oct 7 is a subject of the ongoing LTA investigation,” he added.
continue reading here :
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...ding-says-khaw
I wonder why no need to set up a committee of inquiry ? Isn’t it obvious that there is something seriously wrong with your mrt system ?
So still want to vote for PAP ?
Parliament: Water pumps at two other locations on SMRT’s rail network were found to be faulty
Published 37 min ago
Updated 18 min ago
Adrian Lim
Transport Correspondent
SINGAPORE - Two other locations on SMRT’s rail network were found to have water discharge pumps that were “not in serviceable condition”, following an MRT tunnel flooding caused by faulty pumps at Bishan.
Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in Parliament on Tuesday (Nov 7) that this was discovered after checks by SMRT.
Two out of eight pumps at the tunnel portal at Kembangan, and three out of four pumps at Lavender were found to be not functioning properly, he added.
The pumps, which help to discharge rain water collected at stormwater sump pits into drains, were in serviceable condition at two other tunnel portal locations at Redhill and Changi.
A failure by SMRT staff to maintain the water pumps at Bishan resulted in an MRT tunnel flooding on October 7, shutting down train services for about 20 hours on a stretch of the North-South Line, which lasted till the next day.
Delivering a ministerial statement on the incident in Parliament on Monday, Mr Khaw said that SMRT is currently conducting investigations into the relevant teams from the Building and Facilities maintenance group responsible for the pumps at Kembangan and Lavender.
The Bishan storm water sump pit is located underneath the tracks leading into Bishan tunnel portal. It can contain six hours of continuous heavy rainfall even if all three pumps fail.
With regard to the maintenance lapse at Bishan, SMRT said on Monday (Nov 6) that disciplinary action will be taken against six employees, who had falsified maintenance records between December 2016 and June this year.
Shedding more light on the group - which comprises a manager, an engineering supervisor and four other crew members - Mr Khaw said three have been with SMRT for more than 20 years, including one who has been with the company for over 28 years.
continue reading here :
http://www.straitstimes.com/politics...in-serviceable
So the question now is : Is Singapore mrt system
SAFE
to travel or not ?
SMRT to discipline six on maintenance team
During the amnesty period, SMRT staff who owned up to not having done work, or not adhering to company procedures or instructions, would not be penalised.
Published 8 hours ago
7 managers, including two V-Ps, under probe; top management’s remuneration may take hit
Zhaki Abdullah
SMRT will be taking disciplinary action against six of its staff who were part of the team assigned to carry out maintenance work on the Bishan water discharge system, which malfunctioned and led to a 20-hour service disruption last month.
Another seven managers from the same maintenance group, including two executives who hold vice-president positions, will also be investigated.
All of them have since been suspended “with respect to their discharge of supervisory responsibility”, the rail operator said in a statement yesterday.
It added: “As part of our value system of shared responsibility and accountability, the company will also take this incident into account when reviewing the remuneration of its senior management, from the CEO through the relevant chain of command.”
The move comes as SMRT wrapped up its investigations into the maintenance of the Bishan pump system.
It was prompted by the flooding of an MRT tunnel on Oct 7 that disrupted train services on a stretch of the North-South Line for about 20 hours. The float switches that were designed to pump water out of the pit at Bishan station were suspected to be faulty before the downpour.
What the rail operator found was that maintenance records by the six-member team had been falsified between December last year and June this year.
The team from the building and facilities maintenance group comprises a manager, an engineering supervisor and four other crew members, SMRT said.
It also said it is currently studying “a number of submissions” it had received relating to scheduled maintenance works not being carried out - also from the building and facilities maintenance group - following an offer of amnesty to report maintenance lapses, which ended last Friday.
During the amnesty period, staff who owned up to not having done work, or not adhering to company procedures or instructions, would not be penalised. The move is aimed at quickly plugging gaps in the system.
Meanwhile, other maintenance units have been assessed and found to be compliant with specified maintenance standards, said SMRT.
National Transport Workers’ Union executive secretary Melvin Yong called on SMRT to share information on its investigations with the union, and include it in its disciplinary inquiry.
Mr Yong added that the union hopes SMRT will take a “balanced approach” in both its investigations and disciplinary inquiry. He urged the company to define the terms of its amnesty deal and explain how it will be administered fairly.
SMRT said it is also cooperating with the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) investigations into the flooding incident, which are ongoing.
continue reading here :
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...intenance-team
How about the vice presidents ’ superiors ???