Transport Marshall w/o cost? Here's how!

relaxx1corner SG

After hearing the news that the MRT and Bus operator may need to implement marshall to deter terrorist attack and possibly increase tranport fare. I understand that there would probably be a need to implement transport marshall, but do we want to pay for it?

So how? Here's an idea, why don't we follow the example of changi airport, where they get NS man to patrol the airport premises. Cheap and good, already paid for by tax payer's money. Can we not also get NS man to patrol the MRT and Bus stations? What do you guys think?

reyes SG

in the first place does security guard patrol at MRT and bus terminal gona make a difference? if they are unarm, they cant even protect themselves. if they are arm, probaly only cisco. how can they ensure safety? check all passenger? if not also no point. not easy to detect potential threat at these train and bus station esp we have high volume of passenger traffic.

to me this idea is stupid. just way for MRT and bus operator to raise their fare. if each passenger need to pay 5 cents more. imagine min 1 million MRT passenger. if means $50000/day .
$1.5 million/mth. $18 million/year. this is minimum. actual could be more.

i agree we need plane marshall. MRT station guard? forget it! and stop finding excuses to give more business to Cisco police.

oldbreadstinks SG

just wondering, why should the police be paid more to do what should be their job in the first place?

epImetheus SG

i can live with the installation of more security cameras at mrt stations/interchanges….but not with guards. what if they decide to ‘jalan jalan’ & take a train ride for free?

laser51088 SG

x2

exactly... extra security here security there... its like we dun have a police force anymore...

prob have some more camera in mrt stations that can be clearly seen by everyone, so that ppl at least KNOW there is camera there n less likely to try stupid stuff...

zenden9 SG

I think they r going to deploy cisco rather than police. Heard police already short of manpower.Cisco is like private security guard,do OT must give OT pay! But like what other say,deploying cisco will not help much!

Kr0n SG

I think relaxx1corner has a pretty good idea. The great thing also, is that we won't be need that many NSmen to go on the trains, because obviously they should be plain-clothed and undercover. The idea of having onboard marshalls basically serves as a deterrent to any potential terrorist activity. Unfortunately, we may not even have enough NSmen to send there because of our population decline.

And as for reyes's estimates on MRT commuters, I've heard that the actual amount is somewhere around 4-5 million rides a day. And if you multiply that number by 5 cents, you will get....a lot of money. Mr. Green . As for the increment, if you're wondering how much of that amount will actually be going directly to those marshalls, I don't think you'll be able to find out, because obviously SMRT will not publish a financial record on that.

Sigh...I still remember those days when bus fares were 35 cents. Confused

loudmonkey SG

I feel there is hardly any deterrant.

marshalls on planes are quite ok, but on MRT trains?

the MRT trains are so long, and there are so many people on the train too, it would be so easy for a suicide bomber to do his job there, how is a marshall on a train going to prevent that? It is almost similar to the suicide bombers who blow up BUSES in Isreal....just what kind of deterrant will work with such people?

There are so many ways that the MRT trains and the rail structure can be sabotaged. Just one bomb on one of the pillars which support the rail tracks will do enough economic damage for SG. It is just like Nicoll Highway in a sense.....except that there are no alternative railway tracks for the trains to divert to.

I think the public needs to do their part too - announcements asking people to report suspicious articles are needed, but whether they are effective is another thing, many singaporeans really prefer to mind their own business.....they dun like to kay poh....

if there are really marshalls, then the people will think that looking out for suspicious articles is not their job, and that the safety on trains are the responsibility of the marshalls, which is definately not the case. People do tend to get complacent over time too.

To me, having marshalls are just a waste of money....sigh....and any real sloution to combating this terrorist problem will be expensive and probably not worth the cost - but again, how can the benefits of effective security be measured in terms of dollars and cents? It is simply difficult to gauge the benefits, if any at all.

antoh SG

i have an idea … having a bomb detector in the entrance …. or x ray devices …. to detect for bombs or contraband items

sgboy2004 SG

all stay at home, no go out...

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loudmonkey SG

Originally posted by sgboy2004:
[b]all stay at home, no go out...

Heheh...I like the idea! Laughing

sgboy2004 SG

u joining the parliment soon? Must moot this motion ok Very Happy

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Parka SG

I think it was mentioned in the Straits Times and someone above on the ability of the marshall to fullfil any duties given a crisis.

Where's the space to run?

loudmonkey SG

Oh well....i really hope that they dont have to do this, and raise fares as a result. Wont achieve anything at all.

eh....sgboy....i think i cannot make it to parlament lah.....but wat abt u?? Laughing

Guile SG

This might just work. A similar device would be the one used in the movie Total Recall. Anyone remembered the scene where the passengers go through this x-ray device which shows them as skeletons?

But such a device would probably cost millions to implement at every station and the cost will undoubtly be paid for by the travellers.

Parka SG

The whole population, well, at least those who take public transport, will die of radiation sooner or later.

Laughing