2011 MRT breakdowns that led to CEO’s resignation mysteriously struck off SMRT’s wiki page

SINGAPORE: The alleged removal of references to SMRT’s infamous 2011 train breakdowns from the company’s Wikipedia page has sparked debate online, with some Singaporeans questioning whether one of the most significant public transport disruptions in the country’s history was being downplayed.

The discussion, which emerged on Reddit, centred on the disappearance of content relating to the breakdowns that stranded more than 200,000 commuters and ultimately led to the resignation of SMRT’s chief executive officer, Saw Phaik Hwa.

The netizen who raised the issue pointed out, “Anyone realize that SMRT’s Wikipedia has been wiped clean of their 2011 incident, which led to their CEO stepping down? Feels like it’s being downplayed. The entire 2011 incident page is gone.”

The discussion quickly drew responses from other Redditors, some of whom pointed out that Wikipedia’s editing process is transparent and that changes can be traced through the platform’s edit history.

One commenter noted that users could review previous edits and discussions before jumping to conclusions. “You can see the edit history on Wikipedia, if you think it’s relevant. Wikipedia mods will resolve any disputes between contributors, have a look at the talk page first and see if there’s a reason for the removal first that makes sense,” the commenter wrote.

The same user cited an edit made to the SMRT Trains article on Feb 3, 2022, which explained the rationale for removing certain incidents from the page. According to the edit summary, “Save for the Pasir Ris & Joo Koon incidents, the rest are non-notable one-off track/train faults and are very much not ‘incidents’. Stuff like that in rail systems are routine and inevitable.”

That explanation did little to convince some netizens, who argued that the 2011 breakdowns were far from routine.

One commenter wrote, “I don’t remember what happened, but if ceo step down, it doesn’t seem like a non-notable occurrence. wonder which suckup removed it.”

Another user argued that the incident had far-reaching consequences beyond service disruptions. “Not just CEO step down. It led to COI. Change in public transport model where LTA bought back train infra and made train companies run the lines. It was the biggest event for smrt. Made the news for days and weeks. It should have its own section on smrt page. Not sure how anyone can justify calling it non-notable.”

Others claimed that information about train faults and breakdowns from more recent years had also been removed from the article.

“Yeah, I’ve realised. Also, the number of train faults/breakdowns for the past years have been taken down too, the mod say it’s irrelevant to the current trends, and it’s not worthy to be a wiki, [but] I believe it’s some suckup trying to cover up things cause afaik SMRT has a lot of breakdowns the past years,” one commenter alleged.

The Wikipedia article, however, has since been revised to once again include information about the North-South Line incident.

The restored section states that the December 2011 SMRT train breakdowns were a series of major disruptions on the North-South Line that took place on the evenings of Dec 15 and the morning of Dec 17, 2011. The disruptions stranded more than 200,000 commuters, triggered widespread public anger and remain among the worst service disruptions in the history of Singapore’s MRT system.

The reappearance of the information has done little to quiet the debate, with some maintaining that events of such significance should never have been removed in the first place, while others asked why there was no mention of the resignation of the CEO or the ensuing COI.

Some netizens speculated that the removal of references to the 2011 SMRT breakdowns could have been an attempt to minimise a politically sensitive episode in Singapore’s transport history. Such suspicions were reflected in comments accusing unnamed individuals of being “suckups” or attempting to “cover up things”.

Others wondered whether this could have been the work of an online “Internet Brigade” (IB) allegedly linked to the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).

The term “Internet Brigade” has been used in Singapore’s political discourse for years to describe individuals who are perceived to defend the PAP online, shape public narratives or challenge criticism of the government on social media, forums and comment sections.

The People’s Action Party (PAP) has consistently denied operating any coordinated online propaganda network, but any allegations surrounding the existence and activities of an organised IB continue to circulate.

According to some observers online, the PAP Internet Brigade (IB) is believed to engage in online discussions, defending the party against criticism, and promoting its initiatives. Members allegedly participate in forums, social media groups, and comment sections to counter negative opinions and to provide a positive narrative about the PAP and its leaders.

While the exact structure and organisation of the PAP IB are not publicly detailed, it is believed to consist of both formal members and volunteers who are sympathetic to the party’s cause. These individuals may receive guidance or talking points from the party, though the extent of this aspect is unconfirmed.

Some criticise the alleged PAP IB for engaging in astroturfing or creating the illusion of widespread grassroots support. There are concerns about the authenticity of the support generated by such brigades, as orchestrated efforts can undermine genuine grassroots movements.

The aggressive tactics that alleged members of the IB employ have also been slammed for stifling legitimate dissent and suppressing free expression. Some suspected IB accounts have even been caught spreading falsehoods online, although they have not been publicly rapped on the knuckles by the country’s anti-fake news law.