IT was only the fifth day of operations and the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) trains have already been vandalised. Some people just cannot see things in perfect condition, their itchy hands eager to damage things.
I believe they suffer from a psychological condition. If they ever get caught, the first thing police should do is to send them for psychological assessment and then counselling.
When Singapore introduced its MRT in 1987, the government did not allow commuters to eat or drink in trains and stations.
When I took a ride there a few days after the service started, I saw enforcement officers directing commuters who had brought food and drinks to leave the stations.
Those with food in trains were ordered to throw it away.
There were no exceptions. Commuters eventually got the message and they observed the “no food” and “no drinks” rule strictly. Today, after 30 years, the signs are still observed.
I saw this every time I visited the republic.
Singapore is known worldwide for implementing corporal punishment and harsh prison sentences for vandalism, consequences which have deterred tourist graffiti artists.
In 2015, Elton Hinz, 21, and Andreas Von Knorre, 22, were charged with entering Bishan SMRT depot, a protected place, without authorisation three times in 2014.
According to The Straits Times, on Nov 8, they used indelible spray paint to spray graffiti on an SMRT train at the depot along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 between 2.48am and 3.29am.
They were charged and pleaded guilty on March 5, 2015, and were given a nine months’ jail sentence and three strokes of the rotan each.
I was most delighted to use the MRT in Kuala Lumpur on a few occasions and I am satisfied with the service. The fares must be the cheapest in the world.
As with many public transport vehicles, I noticed there are enough signs to tell commuters the dos and don’ts, and information about the MRT service that include the “no littering”, “no food”, “no drinks” and “no smoking” signs, besides urging commuters to give way to pregnant women, senior citizens and the disabled.
Nevertheless, during my ride between Pasar Seni and Semantan last Saturday, I saw two secondary school boys, dressed in uniforms, eating and drinking. There were no enforcement personnel to stop them. I also saw a few of them at the station where I boarded.
If these students could not read or understand English or Bahasa Malaysia, surely they would be able to understand the signs.
The question that came to mind was, “Are those ‘no littering’, ‘no food’, ‘no drinks’ and ‘no smoking’ signs for show only?”
If the lackadaisical attitude of commuters and enforcement staff continues, MRT will face serious problems, and maintenance cost will be higher that its budgeted cost.
MRT must enforce rules strictly and condition commuters to observe rules and discipline themselves.
This is the only way to maintain a high standard of cleanliness and serviceability of trains.
HUSSAINI ABDUL KARIM,
Shah Alam, Selangor