‘Volunteer’ or not, experience and results count in managing SMRT

The report, “SMRT Group CEO Desmond Kuek volunteered for job, has ‘heart in the right place’: Khaw” (Nov 7), attracted close to 350 comments from Facebook users, and most of them panned the use of the word “volunteered”, not convinced that it was a good reason to excuse SMRT’s top management for the problems that have been plaguing the rail network.

Many workers who were fired from their jobs for poor performance “volunteered” for their jobs, too, and were subjected to assessment of qualification, skills, relevant experience, etc... He is not a fresh grad applying for a fresh grad job. Volunteering or not is besides the point. The real mysteries are:

1) Who else “volunteered” or were “headhunted” for the job?

2) How was he deemed the best candidate given that he had no experience running a commercial public company or engineering/rail operations?

3) How does his compensation commensurate with his qualification and experience, or the lack thereof, viz-a-viz that of HK MTR and Taipei MRT CEOs?

4) What KPIs were set for him over the last five years and to what extent has he achieved them?

5) In lieu of his last five years’ performance based the KPIs set, how does his earnings stack up against his achievements or underachievements? KENNY CHONG

You mean he applied for the job? What do you mean “volunteered” for the job? This is not a charity or volunteering to donate a liver or kidney. JOEY Y KEK

I did not realise one can volunteer for such an important position, and still appointed without the necessary experience or expertise. JAMES LIM

To volunteer is to do on own free will without expecting any returns (ie. pay). He gets paid (every month with bonus) and this is not called “volunteer”. This is providing a service with a cost. JONG KEE SOONG

He may have the heart to want to do something different for SMRT or he was overconfident about his own abilities... whatever the reason... he failed... five years is a long time... he should step down and let someone else try. TEO WOON HUN

My heart also in the right place. Can employ me as the CEO of SMRT? I only ask for half of his pay. RODERICK RODRIGO

Please read between the lines! Someone asked him to “volunteer “ for the job. KHENG SENG GOH

In the private sector, such positions can also be taken up “voluntarily”. Management just “asks” the staff, “Would you like to take up this challenge?”. That is also called “volunteering”. NUR AZMAN

Now’s the right time to volunteer to leave. Do the honourable thing. FRANCIS LAU

I guess Mr Kuek has done what he could these past five years... Time to let someone else with a proven track record in rail management to take over. This is also not good for him to be cursed by the thousands on a daily basis. CAI CHEN

What is the point of telling us this now? Just get the train system running smoothly. This is all the people are asking. But seriously, we need to look into all our government-linked companies’ corporate culture. DANNY CHIN

What are those “deep-seated cultural” issues... ? Why shoot all arrows at poor Desmond Kuek? No doubt he has the heart for Singspore and he volunteered for the job... but what about the person who approved his appointment? I feel it is only fair for both to share the responsibility, not poor Demond Kuek only. I feel sorry for him. SIEWIM KHOO

A company or nation is never about one person. Everybody plays a part. This blame game will never get us anywhere. Stop it. Fix it. Get the work done and do it well... Start anew! ELIZABETH TAN

*Comments were first posted on TODAY’s Facebook page and are edited for language and clarity.