What's Tuck Yew's feelings on MRT breakdown?
Had a fluke chance to listen to Min Lui Tuck Yew share his thoughts about MRT breakdown up close and personal. His demeanor was humble and sincere. Here's the low down:
1) Last year, everyone felt that air travel was very risky (Planes disappeared, got shot down etc). But statistically, it was the safest year for air travel for a long time.
2) The big breakdown this week gave everyone the sense that MRT is unreliable. But the team had done a lot to make a real difference since 2011. Just that it's quiet hard work behind the scene.
- In 2011, MRT breakdown was 1 per 700 trips.
- After 3 years of diligent engineering effort by team, now its 1 per 2000 trips.
- Today, trains have 1 breakdown after 6 years running. (Me: I was surprised cos my car breaks down more often than that!!)
(In other words, events this week is an anomaly not norm. Things have really improved.)
3) It takes 4 years for a train to be purchased and deployed. Decisions Min Lui took in 2012 will only see full results in 2016/7.
4) He was at the MRT station in the morning and was carefully monitoring the testing late at night. Basically, we have a minister doing work without making a big deal about it.
I hope I got the facts right but I think it was heartening to see his sincerity and genuineness. There was no press and he wasn't trying to play to the gallery. I wish more people can see this human side of these people.
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