Posting on Minister of Transport Lui Tuck Yew’s Facebook page, commenter Keith Lang comforted the minister somewhat by saying the real reason why the MRT system keeps breaking down is due to larger issues.
In particular, Mr Lang fingered the “over-excessive immigration policy” for these past few years’ failures with the train system.
“To me, the real problem with this whole MRT fracas is that we have been overloading the system since the late 2000s with the over-excessive immigration policy,” he told Mr Lui. “Once you overload an aging system, cracks and faults will start to appear.
“How can one open the tap on immigration with absolutely no regard on how the infrastructure might be able to handle the overload?” Mr Lang added. “Whatever maintenance issues you have now is just papering over cracks if the system is unable to handle the increased frequency and load.”
Indeed, many Singaporeans have been concerned and complaining about the massive influx of foreigners for many years now. However, while the Government claims to have “slowed-down” the infusion, it nevertheless is still allowing tens of thousands of foreign workers each year, which adds to the already crowded population of 5.4m.
In a White Paper on population projection in the years to 2030, the Government said it was planning for a 6.9m population.
Experts and observers, however, have suggested that Singapore can and should plan for more – between 7m to 10m.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has himself admitted and apologised for his Government’s lack of foresight in infrastructural planning for an enlarged population.
Reactions from Tuesday evening’s shut-down of the system has flooded Mr Lui’s Facebook page, with many criticising him and Desmond Kuek, the CEO of SMRT. Some have also called for them to step down, while others relate what had happened to them personally last night.
Ms Siew Tin related what her children’s friends had gone through when the breakdown happened:
Here is Mr Lang’s post on Mr Lui’s Facebook page, which has generated many comments and viewpoints:
