MP Jamus Lim says mufflers for jets are needed to minimise noise over Sengkang

SINGAPORE: In Parliament on Monday (Mar 3), Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) made the case for adding mufflers to the jets regularly flying over Sengkang to minimise the loud sounds that residents have found disruptive to their daily lives.

“What’s worse, the location of the town—close to the northeastern edge of the island—means that they must endure the noise for an extended period, as the planes circle round again after making a U-turn to avoid entry into Malaysian airspace,” said Assoc Prof Lim. He added that the “screaming” noise the jets make as they pass is particularly difficult for Singaporeans working at home, some of whom have said they occur as much as seven times an hour.

@jamusjlim

Here’s a speech I recently delivered on how I hope the RSAF will devote a budget toward research and implementation of noise-reduction technologies for RSAF planes, overlaid by actual plane noises recorded from overflights over SengkangGRC.

♬ original sound – Jamus Jerome Lim

While he and his colleagues in Parliament have asked the air force to consider alternatives that would help minimise the noise residents are subjected to daily, they have been told that operational readiness has to be maintained for national defence. They have also been informed that by 2030, Paya Lebar airbase will be decommissioned, which will bring relief to the residents.

Nevertheless, Assoc Prof Lim pointed out that there are ways to bring relief to the residents of Sengkang and other affected areas, thanks to today’s advancements.

“Technology, however, has now offered a tested solution: fin-lined nozzles that can be incorporated into engine design. Much like dimples on a gold ball, this advance in aerospace technology offers potentially quieter jet engines with minimal reductions in performance. Other technologies, like micro-vortex generators, acoustic liners, and other types of modifications to engine nozzles, also appear to hold promise.”

He then noted that Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen had said that the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) would continue to monitor these technologies but asked if there would be an update to these monitoring efforts. The Sengkang MP also asked if there are plans to allocate a budget towards researching and incorporating noise-reduction technologies into military aircraft in Singapore.

“While I understand that defensive capability and safety considerations should always remain priorities for the armed forces, surely the impact that achieving such capability on the daily life of Singaporeans should matter too,” he added.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday morning (March 4), Assoc Prof Lim wrote that the disruptive noises that occur due to overflights by air force jets are heard not only in Sengkang but also in nearby Hougang and Punggol. He added that he and the WP team at Sengkang have heard this recurrent complaint for years and that it affects not only those who work from home but “is also annoying and interrupts the daily life of our students and families”. /TISG

Read also: Sengkang residents complain about “noisy” jet fighters flying overhead, but Singaporeans tell them that’s “The Sound of Freedom”