SG Complains

Have better reporting system for MRT

I fully agreed with Chen Shunfa who posted to AsiaOneNews regarding the need of improving the reporting system in SMRT.

His concern about false reporting fears that deters people from reporting any suspicious items or people in MRT is great concern on national security.

His ideas are sound

1. Assign each MRT train with a specific mobile phone number, from which the officer on duty can retrieve passengers’ messages.

2. Number (label) the train cars so that users may provide more details on the location of a suspect or suspicious package more easily.

I do believe his idea may work however may be abused as well, there must be some kind of prevention for abuse such as “prank call” scenario.

The possibility of train delay due to prank call may frustrate SMRT executives hence the implementation of fines & a controlled button for people to press…

However due to the fact that the buttons are only accessible to a corner of the MRT, one who spotted the “suspicious” item or person may reveal his/her intention to the “enemy” and hence endangering the whole train….if the person is a suicide bomber.

We do need a proper separate reporting system for MRT as per suggested by Chen Shunfa, and we do need it cautiously.

1. SMS/MMS sent will only be accepted if the cellphone numbers is not private numbers

2. Similar fines or jail for abuses of the number for reporting suspicious items or persons
3. SMRT should have a way to triangulate source of SMS & MMS via telcommunication network however it may be better to have labels displayed prominently on each carraige of the MRT for the sms/mms to be clear where the location of suspected suspicious item or person.
4. Faster response by increasing patrolling SMRT officials & plain clothes officials to managed more carriages at the same time.
5. Block off all spaces below the legs of all seats to avoid suspicious items to be stuff below the seats “on purpose” or accidentally.
6. Install special secret window to allow official(s) to throw the suspicous device(s) out of the train in any event of lacking of time despite having been warned by sms/mms.
7. Install a portable gas mask compartments for officials to use gas mask in any event of smoke/toxic gas emitted from suspicious device(s), a oxygen mask hose for each seat on the mrt if budget allows.
8. All official items (mask) to be secured under a special key that are given to only the officials (all of them).

There should be more ideas to come out by themselves however it may be too costly to implement everything that we can think of….unless the fares per trip goes up 1000% which nobody will accept it.