SpotlightOnSingapore

Swiss man in SMRT security lapse-why charge him?

Instead of charging the Swiss national for trespass and vandalism, Singapore should thank him and give him the key to the city.

Single-handedly, he has exposed SMRT security lapses and given us a timely wake-up call.

Transport operators in Singapore should be held responsible if there are any incidents on trains, stations and buses as a consequence of inadequate security.

The onus is on transport operators to provide security for its commuters.

As demonstrated by the Swiss guy, SMRT has been caught with their pants down.

Fortunately, it’s only spray-painting  and a good one at that but what if it had been a concealed explosive device?

16 Responses to “Swiss man in SMRT security lapse-why charge him?”

  1. Saw an exceptionally large blue container truck at the junction of Malcolm Road and Mount Rosie Road. Any car making a turn could easily crash into it.

    I called the Whitley Police Station at about 11.30 am this morning to inform them. At 6pm this evening it was still there.

    Semua tidor lah!

    Andy Young  -  June 8, 2010 at 11:02 pm

  2. I suppose your question is ‘tongue in cheek’.

    Anyway, as Sporeans we know that security-wise, many of our major institutions are quite complacent becos of Spore’s reputation. Only no Sporean is brave enough; and foolish enough to put them to the test.

    And now thanks to this bloke, Spore is going to be in the world lime-light again – for the wrong reasons – when the time comes to cane him.

    Personally, I think we are too liberal when it comes to caning. Such a serious and painful punishment should only be reserved for violent crimes like rape etc. not vandalism. But since this guy knowingly breaks the law, what can we say ….. he asked for it.

    Lam Chun See  -  June 8, 2010 at 11:08 pm

  3. […] Common: Thank you, Oliver Fricker. – Musings From the Lion City: Seriously? – SpotlightOnSingapore: Swiss man in SMRT security lapse-why charge him? – My sketchbook: SMRT and the […]

    Daily SG: 9 Jun 2010 « The Singapore Daily  -  June 9, 2010 at 11:24 am

  4. […] Common: Thank you, Oliver Fricker. – Musings From the Lion City: Seriously? – SpotlightOnSingapore: Swiss man in SMRT security lapse-why charge him? – My sketchbook: SMRT and the […]

    Daily SG: 9 Jun 2010 « The Singapore Daily  -  June 9, 2010 at 11:24 am

  6. Thank you Swiss Guy for showing up security flaws. What security lapse – “SMRT regrets serious security lapse” ?? That fence in today’s ST is more like a security collapse…..reminding one like a bad nightmare…….yes, where Mas Selamat escaped from. Whatever Swiss Guy gets as punishment, make it 10x for SMRT.

    silly  -  June 9, 2010 at 12:51 pm

    • One blogger said she’d give the guy a treat.

      What Singapore bloggers and letter-writers to the media (including me) failed to do i.e. in drawing the attention of the authorities to our inadequate security measures, one guy has achieved it with in such a dramatic manner.

      Unwittingly, he’s saved many lives not to mention he helped save SMRT millions in lawsuits and destroyed properties.

      rogerpoh  -  June 10, 2010 at 10:40 pm

  7. That their depot is broken into is not indicative of a security lapse. To turn the depot into a fortified fortress will be impractical, why not deploy more resources to manage passengers, rather than trespassers? Between the depot and Orchard Station, I rather the station be safe, thank you.

    Icemoon  -  June 9, 2010 at 1:30 pm

    • @Icemoon
      Right, you want to be safe on a train that could potentially carry an explosive device set during a break-in at the depot that could be remotely detonated at a safe distance.
      Sure, why not?

      Kenneth  -  June 9, 2010 at 2:36 pm

      • That’s stretching the imagination. Possible but how probable? To know which train will set off and at what time sounds like an insider job. If so, there is no need to break-in! The traitor could have disabled the cameras and cut a hole for the trespasser to ‘break in’. Or plant the bomb himself.

        So much work when the terrorist can just blow up Orchard Station with much less imagination.

        Icemoon  -  June 9, 2010 at 7:15 pm

  8. He could have been a terrorist and strapped a time bomb under the train or simply sabotage the trains in the depot by setting them on fire with a few well thrown molotov cocktails!

    Go easy on him as he has taught our complacent SMRT a lesson that could saves hundred of lives and chaos.

    aplatedcat  -  June 9, 2010 at 3:10 pm

    • But there was a repetition,in Mid January 2011,an employee unknown to the security,brought his young daughter to the Ulu Pandan Depot. The security didn’t know until a paser by wrote to the Ministry,that a girl was playing at the maintenance track which is a dangerous and safety/security breach. The employee could had brought in an Al Qaeda’s suicide bomper in the depoat

      teo  -  May 30, 2011 at 11:06 pm

  9. The solution to any ‘security lapse’ is to beef up the security .. more concertina wires, more cameras. In other words, throw in more resources at a problem. Nobody asks why the hole was not spotted for two days. What happened to the quality of the personnel entasked with security? So to detect future holes, the sleeping guards have to prowl 10 times up from the two times (for example) daily?

    Icemoon  -  June 9, 2010 at 8:15 pm

    • But there was a repetition,in Mid January 2011,an employee unknown to the security,brought his young daughter to the Ulu Pandan Depot. The security didn’t know until a paser by wrote to the Ministry,that a girl was playing at the maintenance track which is a dangerous and safety/security breach. The employee could had brought in an Al Qaeda’s suicide bomber in the depot

      teo  -  May 30, 2011 at 11:07 pm

  10. […] Common: Thank you, Oliver Fricker. – Musings From the Lion City: Seriously? – SpotlightOnSingapore: Swiss man in SMRT security lapse-why charge him? – My sketchbook: SMRT and the graffiti – funny little world: Extraditing a graffiti artist – ARE […]

    Weekly Roundup: Week 24 « The Singapore Daily  -  June 12, 2010 at 11:51 am

  11. […] blogger, Roger Poh, writes that instead of punishing Fricker and Alexander, SMRT should be punished: Instead of […]

    Global Voices in English » Singapore: Swiss national charged over train vandalism  -  June 14, 2010 at 10:10 pm


Comments are closed.