Responsibility & Accountability

Singapore subway operator SMRT Corp Ltd said today that Chief Executive Saw Phaik Hwa has resigned and board member Tan Ek Kia will take charge until a replacement is appointed.

SMRT's announcement came after the subway network suffered three major failures last month, each lasting several hours, prompting calls for Saw's resignation.

"Ms. Saw will remain with the group to assist the relevant investigation teams and the committee of inquiry reviewing the causes of, and responses to, the disruptions to train operations in December," SMRT said in a statement.

"Tan Ek Kia will assume interim executive responsibility for the management of SMRT, with a particular focus on rail operations."

On one evening in December, hundreds of commuters were trapped underground without light and ventilation for more than an hour before they heard from SMRT, while rescue buses arrived late, partly because some drivers got lost.

"Finally. Now we know that our words do mean something to those in power," said Najib Zakaria, one of 190 people who commented on Saw's resignation on the Online Citizen, a popular Singapore socio-political blog.

"Let's just pray she doesn't pop up in some other GLC (government-linked company) and that this is the first of many accountability resignations," added Ben Teo Teck Chye.

Known for its efficient government services, Singapore has been hit by a spate of breakdowns, the most recent being disruptions to mobile internet services offered by Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, its largest telecoms firm.

SingTel and SMRT are units of Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd, which is headed by Ho Ching, the wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

SMRT said Saw had indicated her wish to step down prior to the spate of train breakdowns.

Over here - CEO of LRT, KTM , Rapid, continues to offer us their excuses instead of their resignation. No wonder we are still a third world country