Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has asserted that he feels Singapore’s transport system is a “first-class” one at the PAP Convention 2017, held at the Big Box in Jurong yesterday morning:
“Actually, if I may be bold and say so, we have a first-class transport system in Singapore.”
Addressing a crowd of about 2000 PAP activists, the head of government acknowledged that while public transport here could be “even better,” Singapore is ranked among the top 4 cities in the world, in terms of train system reliability.
The ruling party leader was quoting an article that ranked Singapore as one of four most reliable train systems in the world, along with train systems in Hong Kong, Taipei and Los Angeles. PM Lee added:
“We’re not the best – Hong Kong is better, Taipei is better.
“We will get better. But we must see our problems in perspective and we must therefore encourage our team: ‘Work at it. Get there. We are with you’.”
The PM also opined that Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan has one of the toughest jobs in the Cabinet and added that Khaw has the People’s Action Party’s full support and confidence, to applause from other party members.
The PM’s comments on the public transport system come about a week after the train collision at Joo Koon station that caused at least 36 people to sustain injuries and a little over a month after the MRT tunnel flooding incident on 7 Oct that caused a 20-hour service disruption.
While acknowledging that the people’s frustrations over persistent MRT issues are understandable, PM Lee asserted that efforts to improve public train transport are showing results.
He added that it only doesn’t feel like results are being achieved because major incidents damage public confidence.
Netizens, frustrated with and inconvenienced by persistent train service breakdowns, were critical of PM Lee’s comment calling the local public transport system a “first-class” one:
PM Lee touches on Singapore transport at PAP convention
VIDEO: "Actually, if I may be bold and say so, we have a first-class transport system in Singapore. But we want it to be even better," says PM Lee Hsien Loong as he spoke about system reliability among the world's top cities.
Posted by Channel NewsAsia on Sunday, 19 November 2017
https://theindependent.sg.sg/khaw-boon-wan-has-our-full-support-and-confidence-pm-lee-says-at-pap-convention-2017/