Online flak for SMRT after sacking of 2 staff involved in Pasir Ris accident

SINGAPORE – SMRT Corporation has been criticised for sacking two employees involved in the fatal train track accident on March 22, with a number of social media users questioning its decision on Wednesday (Sept 14).

One of the sacked employees was said to be the driver of the train that killed Muhammad Asyraf Ahmad Buhari, 24, and Nasrulhudin Najumudin, 26.

In a public post, Facebook user Andrew Loh called the firing a case of “scapegoating”. He asked if the sacked train driver was really at fault, and even if he was, whether he should be made to bear the full responsibility.

He went further to say: “Amazing that, at the other end, despite years of failures, disruptions, delays and all sorts of incidents on our trains, affecting millions of commuters, NOT A SINGLE higher-up has ever been held accountable.”

Posting on SMRT’s Facebook page, Ms Emily Chong expressed her sympathy for the sacked worker. In a public Facebook post, she wrote: “At 49 years old, he now has to find a new job to support himself and his family – for a mistake that was not his to bear.”

Some other Facebook users have questioned why SMRT fired the employees before the coroner’s inquiry is heard in court, and results of investigations into the accident have been made public.

Asked about the news of the sacking, Mr Nasrifudin Najumudin, 33, eldest brother of Nasrulhudin, one of the two killed, said they did not expect this to happen. The civil servant said: “I can only say that we were shocked when we heard the news, we didn't expect it. He could be the breadwinner of the family, so we are also sad for him."

 He declined to comment further on the case as he said “it will be unfair” as the family is still waiting for the full report from the coroner. Even though his family is saddened by the death, they have accepted that it happened.

Asked about the sacking, SMRT Corporation’s vice-president of corporate information and communications Patrick Nathan said: “We do not comment on staff disciplinary measures.”

Mr Melvin Yong, the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) executive secretary, however said: “NTWU understands that SMRT has taken action to dismiss two workers related to the incident on March 22. NTWU has previously written to SMRT to withhold any actions against the affected workers until completion of official investigations so as to not prejudice the outcome of the official investigations.

“We will now review the situation, study the grounds for SMRT dismissal, and work with the affected staff on the next steps. The union will continue to render affected staff the necessary support and assistance during this difficult time, as we have since the incident.”

Two SMRT trainees were killed on March 22 while carrying out routine maintenance work on a track near Pasir Ris MRT Station. They were part of a team of 15 deployed to investigate an alarm linked to a signalling equipment that went off.

After an internal probe, SMRT said in April that failure to follow safety measures had led to the accident. Among the lapses were not deploying watchmen to look out for and warn of approaching trains, and not setting a speed limit on the affected track sector to prevent trains on automated mode from entering.

In April, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in Parliament that if human errors are uncovered in the investigations, “those responsible will be held to account”.

However, investigations by the Land Transport Authority, the police and Manpower Ministry have not been made public. A coroners’ inquiry is also slated to convene early next year.