New Transport Minister must look into people running SMRT

I refer to the letter “S$5.4m SMRT fine: Money would be better used servicing trains” (Sept 28) and would ask what happens when the money runs out. Would we need to wait for another breakdown and a bigger fine for another round of servicing?

We can debate how best to use the money, but the authority’s decision to give it to the needy is definitely laudable.

We must look more in depth at the people entrusted to run SMRT. In terms of salary, they are not paid peanuts.

As reported, the current chief executive’s salary has increased rapidly to S$2.25 million.

This has made him its highest-paid chief executive officer.

Even the Prime Minister was concerned, however, when the root cause of the July 7 breakdown was not found (“Root cause of rail breakdown not found; PM ‘very concerned’”; July 9). I could relate to his concern.

I wonder how, if SMRT is doing maintenance routinely or diligently, it could not pinpoint the salty deposits on the insulator and track-side equipment as the main cause, needing foreign expertise to point this out to them.

A lift shutdown for nearly two weeks at Boon Lay MRT Station because there were no spare parts also indicates a lack of foresight in maintenance and scheduling replacement of equipment (“Lift shut down at MRT station inconvenienced many”; Sept 19).

With a new Transport Minister coming in, one of his objectives in tackling these foreseeable issues should be to help get the right, qualified team on board.