Opening Remarks by Minister of State for Transport, Mr Baey Yam Keng at Land Transport Masterplan Transport Future Game Design Competition

1.           Good afternoon. Thank you for participating in the LTMP Transport Future Game Design Competition and making it to the final round today. It’s great to see so many young people here, taking on the challenge of this competition. It reflects your keen interest in Singapore’s transport system, your desire to shape its future to better serve your friends and loved ones.

2.           Transport is not just a means of getting from one place to another – it touches every Singaporean’s life, multiple times a day. It is vital to our daily lives, enabling us to get to meaningful places to live, work, study and play.

3.           In November last year, Acting Minister for Transport, Jeffrey Siow, launched the LTMP Refresh, to address the pressing challenges which will impact our transport system, such as changing needs from an aging population, changes to housing and work locations, and climate change. The LTMP Refresh is an ongoing conversation with all of you and more, to create a vision shared by all Singaporeans for our land transport system.

4.           Since the start of the LTMP Refresh, we have received over 4,000 responses from members of the public on their aspirations for the transport system. Over 350 people have participated in focus group discussions across a broad range of issues. These conversations reflected the different travel experiences and needs of different groups, which help us to better shape our vision for the future.

5.           Many of the issues that came up in the LTMP Refresh engagements are the same ones identified in your game proposals. People spoke about wanting their ageing parents and grandparents to be able to travel safely and independently — which means rethinking how we design our footpaths, our stations, our buses and trains. They talked about needing better connections so that they can better navigate our public transport network with strollers and wheelchairs.  Many people expressed a desire for a transport system that does not just move us efficiently, but reflects the kind of gracious society we want to be.

6.           These conversations are an important part of planning our transport system, because in space-constrained Singapore, commuting means sharing the same limited space with others. Making footpaths wider and safer might mean narrowing the road and requiring drivers and bus passengers to accept some congestion and longer travel times. A gain for one group can feel like a loss for another, even if we are trying to make journeys better for as many commuters as possible.

7.           Through the conversations we have, we want to build deeper understanding of one another’s needs and find common ground. Not only will this help us make difficult trade-offs, it will also allow us to understand our own role in making journeys more pleasant. We may not be able to make sure that everyone can have a seat on the train, but with a gracious and understanding society, we can make sure that those who need it more can get one.

Introduction and launch of youth panel

8.           The participation of youth in these conversations is especially valuable. You are not just future users of the system – you are future planners, engineers, entrepreneurs and leaders who will shape Singapore and our mobility landscape, and help us overcome some of the constraints we have today.

9.           I am excited to announce that as part of the LTMP Refresh, the Land Transport Authority will form a Youth Panel for Transport in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and the National Youth Council (NYC). The panel will bring together around 30 youth leaders aged 17 to 35, including students, fresh graduates, and young working adults with strong interest in land transport issues and policy. Panel members will help develop ideas and proposals to improve various aspects of our land transport system.

10.        Through the process, they will gain first-hand experience in how we make transport policy and plans by balancing competing needs, weighing difficult trade-offs, and directly engaging the broader community for feedback to refine ideas.

11.        The Youth Panel, like this game competition, seeks to cultivate a deeper understanding of transport needs and trade-offs and empower youths to contribute ideas and share views. I look forward to hearing your presentations. I have no doubt that your creativity and imagination will be reflected in the game designs. I also hope that you can continue the conversations from today into your daily lives, to practise empathy for users with greater needs in your daily journeys and to encourage your families, friends and communities to do the same.

12.        The future of transport is being built for your generation. But more than that, it will be built by your generation. I hope you will continue to be part of shaping it — with the same creativity, empathy, and energy you have put in today. Thank you!