We refer to the article "Another death on the tracks - 4th in 2 months" (Straits Times, 6 Dec 06). It was reported that the "victim, said to be (a) foreign worker in his early 20s, (wa)s hit by (a) train at Yishun MRT station" and that the "incident disrupt(ed) (the) morning rush-hour service".
We would like to highlight that a video footage of the actual incident has been released on the internet and it clearly shows what actually happened - the man hid below the platform and crawled out and laid on the tracks as the train was approaching.
Our questions to SMRT are:
1) How did the man manage to go down to the platform and hide there undetected?
2) As reported by the Straits Times - 4 deaths in 2 months, we feel that this is alarming statistics. What is SMRT doing to prevent incidents like this from happening in future, bearing in mind that existing safety measures have FAILED miserably?
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29 comments:
maybe you would like to suggest ways through which SMRT can monitor every single passenger.
wasn't everyone else negligent for not noticing someone actually went down earlier on?
SMRT just needs to install the full height platform screen doors which they claim to be expensive but has already installed in almost half of their MRT network (the underground stations) anyway.
If it's just one isolated case, they could still "close one eye" without much scrutiny from the public, but 4 deaths in 2 months? It just goes to show how dangerous open platforms are - how easy it is for people to just commit suicide there - and that they can't continue not to address the problem anymore.
If its an accident, then yes, MRT should take action. But people want to commit suicide, what can you do?
You put door, people still can jump building or road mah.
So you are suggesting that SMRT should do nothing to make our MRT stations safer? They should just let people who want to jump onto the MRT tracks and get killed by their MRT Trains, jump.
Adding on, just to remind you - besides those 4 deaths, there was also the case of the woman who was pushed down onto the MRT Tracks by her bf at Clementi MRT Station. So using your logic, if ppl want to commit attempted murder, then what?
Besides, the papers have been reporting the incidents as "accidents".
The questions being asked here aren't very valid. How do you go about preventing suicide? You simply can't. There is nothing any authorities around the world can do about such people.
However the statistics do indicate that the S'pore society is far from the rosy picture painted by the govt and the sycophantic media.
Our questions to SMRT are:
1) How did the man manage to go down to the platform and hide there undetected?
Even the commuters at the platform were unawared that there's the guy was in the track. He can just hide against the wall of the track. The MRT officers can't monitor the whole platform all the times giving the limited manpower. Take note the timing of the accident was 6.48am. http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/viewPost816.aspx
The guy can jump down when there's no one notice him. he can do that just after the previous train depart from the station where the rest of the commuters board the train leaving the platform empty.
2) As reported by the Straits Times - 4 deaths in 2 months, we feel that this is alarming statistics. What is SMRT doing to prevent incidents like this from happening in future, bearing in mind that existing safety measures have FAILED miserably?
If the guy fell down or slip fall from the platform then its SMRT responsibility to buck up the safety but to prevent suicide, its should be blamed to SMRT. I believe there's more people that jump off from HDB flats than from MRT station. Would you blame HDB for that as well?
If a person jump one second before the train come, how would anyone can stop?
Your blog is just like most Stompers that only know how to fault finding others. Give some cost effective solutions pls.
To the last anonymous, pl read the 2nd comment. Thanks.
People want to commit suicide, what can we do? You mean we should just let them kill themselves?
Unbelievable! Some people can be so cold and heartless. Won't you even try to stop them from doing so? Especially when they most likely are doing out of desperation or overwhelmed by emotion, confusion etc.?
So if that is the case, then we should also fence up all the roads in singapore so that people won't get knock down by cars.
And fence all HDB flats in case anyone decide to jump.
To the anonymous posted at 4:29AM:
Its not that we are heartless. But there is nothing we can do to prevent it. We have SOS helpline. We have lots of org to help people who are at the end of the road. But they are not willing to come forward to accept help from these org.
And sometimes, even the families and friends can't tell that they are going to commit sucide. So, how do you suggest we can help to stop them?
We can always build doors at all MRT station. But what if the person jump out of HDB flat instead? or expressway? or even buy knife from NTUC?
We can stop them from jumping down mrt track, but we can't stop them from commiting sucide.
The video's a fake, people. Don't believe everything you see on the Internet.
To borrow PCK's line, aiyah, use your blain lah. People who rather kill themselves would have thought through their options and exhausted them and felt it was the best to die. Would you want to die if you can help it?
True, we can't stop everybody but does that mean it is alright to do nothing if we can do something? Your answer will reflect on you as a person, or robot.
How many MRT stations are there compared to roads? Are HDB flats public or private places? We do what we can lah. If Hongkong can do it, I don't see why we can't. We got GST, they don't have. What is the GST for?
Oh yes, if the video is fake, the actors and directors should get an Oscar each.
While it's impossible to stop people from committing suicide, it's important to stop people from committing suicide at MRT stations because it inconveniences hundreds, if not thousands of people, each time it happens.
It's plain silly for SMRT not to build barriers that prevent people from jumping or climbing down to the platform. If you compare the cost of the stalled trains and lost productivity, I'm quite sure they'll realize that the barriers are a much-needed feature.
MRT suicides are becoming increasingly popular, so it's about time that something is done to make it a less attractive, if not impossible option for people considering suicide.
actually i find this video quite weird... seeing the way the camera shakes suggest to me that someone is recording it instead of being captured on the camera installed on the mrt station.....
aiya its correct tt we cant stop these ppl from committing suicide cos theres a 101 ways to do it... but at least it wont be so sick and gross to have a person mashed up like this rite? it can cause a trauma in ppl who saw it u know
To anonymous posted at February 24, 2007 8:36 PM
u said that the man can do that just after the previous train depart from the station where the rest of the commuters board the train leaving the platform empty.
are u implying that the train at the other platform depart at the same time as the platform where the mn hid himself? if not there is certain to have someone around at the other platform and may be able to see the man hidding himself.
well its very simple singapore goverment does not worry about their fellow mates life.. cause i guess they are lookin forward to make this place a tourist destination as to invite more foriengers to leave here. rather than us... Singapore goverment onli noe how to summon or tax us... if possible the monthly income shld be given to the GOVERMENT RATHER THAN US.. So fellow singaporeans dun ask them why they were so inconsiderate on this incident.. onli if the mp or president die then its a big headline news... haha... lamos
If the solution is simple, affordable and effective, why should the authorities or even the operator (SMRT) considered so long yet no action taken ? I believe the solution can't meet all these 3 criteria (simple, affordable and effective), knowing S'pore is highly efficient.
Are we willing to foot the cost of construction and maintenance, in the name of better safety feature that could even prevent suiciding ?
Why the society is not putting some responsibility on those who created the inconvenience to the public by one's selfish act who didn't consider the consequences of one's act ?
What kind of value is this society that always blame others or authorities when something is wrong due to one of ourselves ?
My only concern is towards the people who saw it. They'll be traumatized for life.
Anonymous February 27, 2007 3:52 AM
Yes, how selfish can one be if one is only concerned about his own convenience despite of the loss of a life?
You obviously have not been through times so trying that the only solution you could see is to end your own life.
Indeed, what kind of values are we encouraging when all we could see is the wrong that others have done to us regardless of context or circumstances?
Its really sad to hear about the safety...
However, i find that having doors like the underground platforms are useful and i never heard about anybody who have the chance to even jump at underground platform before....
So why cant we have the same kind of safety measures for all the waiting platforms? if installing the doors costs alot but can really stop people from getting killed or suicide, i think its necessary.... anybody support this idea at all?
Maybe Singapore should consider euthanasia since the trend(in post-LKY era) sways towards higher cost of living with minimal rise in income. Death, no matter how painful and gruesome, seems the only comfort for those left at the bottom of the ladder.
if install full lenght doors in all mrt stations, its gonna cost a lot of money and in the long run it will be more expensive to run all the stations. When that happens, we the travellers that uses the public transport will have to pay more for the fare... PRICE HIKE ANYONE !!
alvin,
Aiyoh, how much will it cost? As much as those million dollar salaries?
Which is more worth it? Having money taken from you despite your protest or voluntarily give it to prevent loss of lives?
I think barriers do not really work. Since those people already chose to die even if we install preventive measures they will still find ways to die.
Barriers are meant to prevent accidental fall onto the tracks. If we build them just to prevent any suicide cases, it defeats the correct purpose isn't it? Moreover, building barriers won't even stop people from committing suicide if they want to. They can choose to jump down a building or hang themselves. So overall what's the purpose? Prevent some gross suicide case from happening in front of passengers?
If we want to talk about money, why don't we spend even more on educating people and aiding those poor people?
And we might as well get train operators to slow down to 5km/h before even reaching the station, so they can brake if somebody jumps down. :S
Barriers should be built, to prevent any suicides in MRT Tracks and any accidents. Just one accident or suicide is sufficient to disrupt the service right ? How many people would be affected ? There might even be little kids there which can leave them traumatized. Yup, we cannot stop people from committing suicide. But at least we can prevent suicides at MRT Stations which will affect a lot of people in different ways right ?
First, suicides and accidents on the road, there are still some alternative roads for drivers to take. Second, suicides and accidents in HDB Flats, it wouldn't disrupt many peoples daily activities right ?
It is unfortunate that the man committed suicide. I am hoping that they could implement a procedure that could avoid people from going under the train. I know it couldn't be avoidable 100% but somehow be reduced.
My heart goes out to the man's family. He must be going through a really tough time. I believe it would also help the family make it a little less difficult if they take a look at this site. Knowing someone else is going through the same thing helped me cope when I went through the same ordeal.
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