Swiss arrested for spraying graffiti on MRT train
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Singaporeans question security lapse by SMRT
BY TEMASEK REVIEW
Despite the best attempts of SMRT to sugar-coat the disastrous security breach at its depot, a deluge of letters appeared in the Straits Times forum today questioning its handling of the case.
On 17 May, two foreigners slipped into Changi depot undetected and sprayed graffiti on the carriage of a train.
A commuter recorded a video clip of the graffiti on the train and uploaded it to Youtube. SMRT lodged a police report only two days later.
Ong Hong Boon still feels secure in spite of the official explanation by SMRT:
“As a Singaporean, I am saddened and disappointed by the breach at SMRT’s Changi train depot by two foreigners. The culprits have achieved wide publicity and demonstrated to the world that the well-guarded facilities in Singapore are not impregnable. How the strategic facilities in Singapore will be protected hereafter is paramount. The lame explanation for the security lapse and additional safeguards planned by SMRT do not mitigate the uneasiness felt by many Singaporeans.”
Another Singaporean Tim Mou Hui questioned the delay by SMRT in informing the public of the security breach:
“SMRT has not provided a satisfactory explanation for the delay in informing the public about the security lapse. Considering that the incident was brought to public awareness only after video footage of the vandalised train was uploaded onto YouTube, one cannot help but wonder whether SMRT intended to avoid public discussion of the embarrassing episode entirely if it could indeed have done so.”
SMRT had explained that its staff did not make a police report immediately as they have mistaken the graffiti for “advertisements”.
However, it failed to explain why the gaping hole in the fence surrounding the depot was left unnoticed for two days.
Its CEO Ms Saw Phaik Hwa also did not apologize to the public, having only expressed “regrets” over what had happened while asking commuters to do their “part”.
Her insensitive remarks drew flak from netizens who question her sincerity in addressing the security lapse.
As Ms Tim puts it succinctly:
“SMRT’s emphasis on ‘the need for commuters to play their part’ skirts the larger public concern about the adequacy of SMRT’s security infrastructure. While we are cognisant of our role in ensuring the security of the MRT system as commuters, we question the extent to which SMRT expects us to go in ensuring the security of the SMRT depot facility.”
In the meantime, the Ministries of Transport and Home Affairs continued to distance itself from the fiasco as if it has nothing to do with them, leaving the hapless SMRT to deal with the public fallout on its own.
Staff thought MRT graffiti was art; security breach went un-noticed for a week. SHAME.
http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=4113
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_537320.html
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Originally posted by ditzy:
Its quite a wake up call to SMRT, I can imagine what happened at their office the day the first report appeared in the papers. How many phonecalls and urgent meetings went out, and how to formulate a response for it. And that is the best they came up with.
I LOLed more to read that LTA tai chi the task back to SMRT, instead of giving them a hand.
Its
predictable, however this showcases the general attitude of
singaporeans and how companies run in singapore regardless private,
glc, or public.You want like
"You embezzle the funds?"
"noononnoon he did it"
"noonono that guy did it"
"nonononon he did it not me i'm serious"
"NO I DID NOT, YOU DID IT!"
"STOP FEIGNING, ITS YOU."
"JUST ADMIT LAH!"
"I THINK ITS YOU!"
and a never-ending "tai-chi"
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I am hoping that Singapore will award the caning sentence so that the international media can once again expose the barbaric ritual of flogging that still exists in this countrys archaic laws. The exposure needs to be much more intense than it ever was during the 1994 incident with Michael Fay. Most of the rest of the free world has abolished this sadistic practice, for decades International Human rights organizations have called for this to end, and the United Nations regards this as tantamount to torture - but still this madness continues in todays world. Singapore boldly ignores international law and shames its image. Right out of the dark ages.
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if you dun do it or carry out the offense, this will never be applicable to you. on the contrary, some americans thought that michael fay deserved the caning and is in favour of this sort of punishment in their state, because there are too many senseless vandalism there.
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In 1994 Most Americans had no idea of what kind of cruelty and brutality was involved with (caning) in Singapore. The only type of flogging they were aware of was the beatings of slaves that ended long ago. and so they equated it with school children misdeeds, never knowing what kind of inhumane and degrading ritual it actually was. Today this occurs in epidemic proportions in Singapore prisons with sadistic guards hired and trained to beat males on a weekly basis, incredibly while a "doctor" stands by throughout the process. Many of the whippings are awarded for minor non violent crimes, yet violence is used against them. This primitive practice is so commonplace that this abuse is overlooked; ignored, and unbelievably to other free countries, defended.
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that is for another discussion...
here is a man who is of sound mind, with an accomplice, with full knowledge of what the consequences of the law is, vandalised public property by cutting a chain link fence, then vandalised private property by spray painting a train...
his actions require consequences which he, as an adult with a sound mind and body, must bear... and the law cannot and must not, because he or his country thinks is a barbaric law, allow him to get away with...
as for corporal punishment, whether you think is barbaric or not, that's a totally different discussion...
the fact is that you go to a country, you obey the laws... if you think the laws cannot be obeyed, do not go into the country...
simple as that...
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the authorities seemed to push all the responsibilities of guarding the train depot to the train operators, which in future may contribute to further fare increases. I think our govt should also contribute manpower into guarding the depots, just like Jurong Island. Should deploy police NSF/NSmens or SAF-FDS to patrol the depot perimeter, while private security companies engaged by train operators mann the depot entrance. LTA should also spend money to upgrade the aging depot fencing and install more comprehensive security features, then let the train operators manage and maintain.
Another question; even if the public bus and trains depots are heavily guarded; how about private buses, coaches and even lorries parking in the heavy vehicle parking areas or even those parking along the streets? These places are usually deserted and may be sabotaged by terrorists. Would there also be security lapses for these vehicles too?
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Originally posted by TTFU:
LOL!
WTH?!?!
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I think in SG, having no graffiti on trains is such a blessing.
You have no idea how badly some trains in Europe(excld Switz and maybe Germany)are vandalised and have graffiti on them, and this case is rampant in France and Belgium.
In some occasions the graffiti is more prominent than the train operator's logo on the train itself! It's that bad. I'm sure local spotters would not like these in SG. -
Originally posted by SBS3688Y:
the authorities seemed to push all the responsibilities of guarding the train depot to the train operators, which in future may contribute to further fare increases. I think our govt should also contribute manpower into guarding the depots, just like Jurong Island. Should deploy police NSF/NSmens or SAF-FDS to patrol the depot perimeter, while private security companies engaged by train operators mann the depot entrance. LTA should also spend money to upgrade the aging depot fencing and install more comprehensive security features, then let the train operators manage and maintain.
Another question; even if the public bus and trains depots are heavily guarded; how about private buses, coaches and even lorries parking in the heavy vehicle parking areas or even those parking along the streets? These places are usually deserted and may be sabotaged by terrorists. Would there also be security lapses for these vehicles too?
i think you need to look at the papers again when the CEO say regettable..there was 1 line that says "blah blah blah" from LTA who owns the facility..iirc
i would agree with you on this: they would be doing those upgrade at the depot,after this big hoo ha has happened, a highly likely possability,but no idea when they are gonna start.