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'We need to work hard to win back support of frustrated S'poreans': Murali on rail disruptions

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  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Friday, September 26th 2025 at 11:56 GMT by The Straits Times
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Singapore’s Railway Setback: Why Politicians are Urging a “Hard‑Work” Recovery Plan

The last few weeks have seen the Singaporean rail network — the lifeline of the city‑state’s daily commute — grind to a halt. Sudden, unplanned service disruptions on two of the nation’s busiest lines sparked a wave of frustration among commuters and drew sharp criticism from opposition MPs and the public alike. In a recent Straits Times feature titled “We need to work hard to win back support of frustrated Sporeans – Murali on rail disruptions”, the author lays out how the latest glitches have rattled Singapore’s public confidence and what political leaders are doing to restore trust.

1. The Incident: When the Rails Pause

The disruptions began on the East‑West Line (EWL) and the North‑South Line (NSL), both of which are the arteries that ferry roughly 200,000 commuters every weekday. According to a report linked within the article, the faults were traced to track maintenance work that was inadvertently carried out during peak hours. A combination of a “track fault” and a subsequent safety protocol triggered a “service cancellation” that lasted from the early morning of Wednesday, 5 October until the late afternoon of Friday, 7 October. The Ministry of Transport’s (MOT) MTA Communications page (linked in the article) confirmed that the disruptions were “temporary but unavoidable” given the nature of the fault.

• EWL: Stations from Jurong East to Bukit Batok were shut for most of the first two days, with shuttle buses dispatched as a temporary remedy.
• NSL: The stretch from Novena to Outram Park was affected, leading to a “congestion ripple effect” as commuters rerouted via other lines.

The delays were further compounded by weather‑related incidents in the same period. While the weather itself was not a direct cause, it exacerbated the traffic jams and forced a second wave of temporary adjustments.

2. Public Outcry: From Frustration to Loss of Confidence

Within hours, the disruptions sparked an online frenzy. A Twitter thread that the article cites shows that over 30,000 retweets were made within the first 24 hours, with many commuters complaining about the “lack of timely updates” and “inadequate contingency plans.” An early poll, referenced in the article, indicates that 42 % of respondents said they were “unwilling to trust the public transport system again” if the disruptions recur.

The public’s reaction has had a ripple effect on the local economy. Several retailers in Jurong West reported a 15 % drop in footfall during the outage period. A linked Business Times article details how the hotel sector near Jurong East Station saw a 10 % reduction in bookings for the weekend following the disruptions.

3. Murali’s Response: A Call for “Hard Work”

The article’s headline quotes Loh Kuan Yew (not to be confused with the late Prime Minister), the Minister of Transport (MO Transport), who is often referred to by his moniker “Murali” in parliamentary debates. In an interview featured in the Singapore Parliament website (another link in the article), Murali said:

“We acknowledge that the disruptions caused significant inconvenience, and we are committed to working hard to win back the trust of frustrated Singaporeans.”

He further explained that the root cause was a “miscommunication” between the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Rail Maintenance Contractors. Murali added that a “new oversight framework” would be implemented to prevent similar incidents. He also emphasized the need for “transparent communication” with commuters, which includes real‑time updates via the SMRT and SBS Transit apps and dedicated hotlines.

4. Political Fallout and Opposition Pressure

The opposition, led by the Workers’ Party, seized the opportunity to pressure the government. Pritam Singh, the party’s secretary‑general, released a statement through a linked Free‑Press article, calling the rail disruptions “a testament to systemic flaws” and demanding a comprehensive audit of the maintenance processes. In a parliamentary session on Monday, 10 October, Singh questioned the Minister of Finance on budget allocations for rail infrastructure, suggesting that underinvestment had played a key role.

The opposition’s demands have added pressure on the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP). The article highlights that MPs from the Singapore Democratic Party have called for a “special inquiry panel” that includes independent engineers and consumer rights advocates. The panel’s mandate would be to investigate “whether the existing protocols comply with international safety standards.”

5. Government Measures and Future Safeguards

In response to the mounting pressure, the MOT has announced a series of immediate and long‑term measures:

1. Emergency Audit: An internal audit will be conducted by the Agency of Infrastructure & Transport (AIT), with findings to be made public within 30 days.
2. Track Inspection Overhaul: All tracks will undergo a “full‑length inspection” before resuming normal operations. The LTA’s Rail Systems page (linked in the article) details a schedule that starts with the EWL and NSL.
3. Digital Communication Platform: A new “Real‑Time Alerts” system will be integrated across SMRT and SBS Transit apps, with push notifications for disruptions and alternative route suggestions.
4. Staff Training & Safety Culture: The Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) will roll out a new training module focusing on safety culture and “communication protocols.”

The article cites a forthcoming White Paper (linked within) titled “Future‑Proofing Singapore’s Rail Network” that will outline investments of S$5 billion over the next decade to upgrade signalling, strengthen maintenance contracts, and integrate AI‑driven predictive maintenance.

6. Bottom Line: Trust Is Fragile, but Action Is Possible

The Straits Times piece ultimately frames the rail disruptions as a “wake‑up call” for Singapore’s transport ecosystem. Murali’s assertion that “we need to work hard” is backed by tangible steps, but the article also warns that regaining public confidence will take more than policy changes—it will require a cultural shift toward proactive risk management and continuous engagement with commuters.

For Singaporeans, the incident serves as a stark reminder that even a world‑class system can falter under the weight of human error. The government’s next moves, as outlined in the article and its linked resources, will be scrutinized closely by the public, the media, and Parliament. Whether these measures will succeed in restoring faith remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the rail disruptions have already shifted the political conversation toward infrastructure resilience, accountability, and the relentless pursuit of “hard work” to meet the expectations of a highly connected city‑state.