Speech by Acting Minister for Transport Mr Jeffrey Siow at Ministry of Transport’s Committee of Supply Debate 2026

Introduction

1.           Mr Chairman,

2.           First of all, let me give my thanks to Members for the thoughtful cuts.

a.           As I was listening to the speeches, I felt grateful for the many good suggestions and ideas from colleagues in the chamber. I don’t think we will be able to address every single idea and question that has been asked of us today, but we will try.

b.           It is a longstanding tradition that MOT has many cuts. I should know as I used to work there as a civil servant. Death by a thousand cuts, as we used to say. But the interest shows how much transport is part of Singaporeans’ daily lives. 

c.           Every morning, millions of people step out of their homes and trust that the system will work.

d.           When transport works well, it becomes part of our routines. 

e.           But when it does not, it affects your jobs, your family time, your peace of mind. 

3.           We at MOT understand this heavy responsibility. It is a privilege for us to work on issues that matter so much to Singaporeans. 

4.           To carry this responsibility well, we anchor our work on three principles:

a.           First, to be globally oriented, because Singapore’s survival has always depended on staying connected to the world.

b.           Second, to be future-focused, and always to plan for the long term.

c.           Third, to be people-centric, because transport exists to serve the needs of our people. 

Global Orientation 

5.           Let me start with global orientation. 

a.           Singaporeans are connected to the world by air.

b.           And most of what we eat, buy and use is brought to us by sea.

c.           What happens elsewhere in the world can therefore affect us significantly. This includes the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which we are watching very closely.

6.           As the world around us becomes more volatile, we need to strengthen the foundations that allow Singapore to survive and thrive.

7.           International rules and standards are critical for both aviation and maritime, which operate across national borders. 

a.           To shape these rules and standards, Singapore has served on the Councils of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for over two decades. 

8.           Last year, my team and I campaigned for re-election to both Councils. 

a.           I was moved by the strong support that other countries expressed for Singapore. 

b.           They appreciated our solid record of leadership, consensus-building, and spearheading training programmes over the years.

c.           Singapore was re-elected to both ICAO and IMO Councils with the highest number of votes in our categories. We were very encouraged by this result.

9.           At the same time, it was evident that the rules-based global order is under strain. 

a.           Consensus at ICAO and IMO is harder to achieve, especially on long-term issues like sustainability. 

b.           Positions are more polarised.

c.           And we are seeing more factions along the lines of national interest, instead of global benefit. 

10.        To bolster our influence abroad, we draw from our strength at home. 

a.           Our air and sea hubs are both world-class.   

i.            Changi Airport is one of the best airports in the world; and PSA International is one of the world’s most successful port operators. 

b.           Ms Tin Pei Ling asked about the latest developments for Terminal 5 and Tuas Port.

i.            Construction on T5 started last year and should be completed by the mid-2030s. As Ms Poh Li San noted, this will increase Changi’s capacity by about 50 million passengers per year. Looking at passenger growth trends, we are confident this capacity will be needed to meet underlying demand. The completion of T5 will open up the possibility as well of remaking the older terminals – T1 to T4, in the future. 

ii.           I’m happy to invite Ms Tin and Members to the ‘T5 in the Making’ exhibition at Changi, where you can preview the development of T5 and the future of aviation.  

c.           Mr Sharael Taha asked about the broader aviation ecosystem that will complement T5. Indeed, the ecosystem we are building goes beyond the terminal itself, to the Changi East Industrial Zone, the Changi East Urban District, and potentially the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal as well for better air-sea connectivity. This aerotropolis, to use Mr Sharael Taha’s term, will be sustainable and technology-intensive, and will create many good jobs, while better serving passengers, air cargo users, and MRO companies. 

d.           On Tuas Port, we opened our 12th berth last year and will open four more berths this year. Phase 2 reclamation works are progressing well. SMS Murali will share more. 

Future Focus

11.        These major infrastructure projects are only possible because of our Government’s focus on long-term planning. 

a.           We started planning for T5 13 years ago, and Tuas Port almost 30 years ago.

b.           When we design these projects, we are not just thinking about today. We are planning for the future.

c.           This is why I am happy to hear that Ms Tin Pei Ling and the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport will file a motion on the deployment of technology in transport later this year. I look forward to another exciting debate on the future then in a few months.

Future Focus (Rail)

12.        For MRT lines, we also plan far ahead.

13.        I heard the requests from Ms Poh Li San, Mr Ang Wei Neng, Mr Andre Low, and Mr Sharael Taha for updates on various MRT projects. 

a.           An MRT line takes about 15 years to build. But in just 20 over years, we have almost doubled the length of our entire MRT network. 

b.           This is a remarkable achievement.

c.           And we are still building.

d.           The Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) Stage 5 and the Downtown Line 3 extension will be opened later this year. The two lines will be connected at Sungei Bedok station.

e.           Later this year, we will also open Circle Line Stage 6, so the Circle Line will finally be a real circle. 

14.        Next year, we plan to start construction on the Cross Island Line Phase 3, which will extend the line from Jurong Lake District westwards.

15.        I also promised Mr Ng Chee Meng an update on the Seletar and Tengah Lines. 

a.           I have good news for you. We plan to commence engineering studies this year.

b.           Mr Ng’s residents would be happy to know that we will prioritise studying a corridor to serve Sengkang West and Serangoon North. This could also include future connections to the Cross Island and Circle Lines. 

16.        Mr Ang Wei Neng asked about the Jurong Region Line (JRL).

a.           He will be pleased to know that we are starting engineering studies for the West Coast Extension (WCE) of the JRL later this year.

b.           The first phase of the extension will connect the JRL to the Cross Island Line.

c.           I have more good news. LTA has started works for a new JRL station, between Tengah and Choa Chu Kang stations. 

d.           The working name of the station is JS2a.

e.           JS2a is targeted to open in the mid-2030s, and will serve residents in the Forest Hill district in Tengah, in time for the completion of housing developments there.

17.        The JRL was planned to open in end-2027. Many of my residents, especially in Tengah, are looking forward to it, because it will be a game changer for them in terms of their transport options.

a.           Unfortunately, due to construction delays and testing, the opening of the JRL will be held back by about six months, to mid-2028. 

b.           I know some of my residents, who have already moved into Tengah, will be disappointed. We will do our best to complete the works as soon as possible. 

c.           In the meantime, I have asked LTA to introduce two interim shuttle bus services, from selected JRL stations to key destinations in the region, until the JRL is open. 

18.        Ms Poh Li San asked for an update on the RTS Link. This is another long-term project that took years of discussion with Malaysian counterparts.   

a.           The economic case for the RTS Link is clear. 

b.           But the project still required sustained commitment from both Governments. 

c.           The RTS Link will connect Singaporeans from Woodlands North on the TEL, to Bukit Chagar station in JB in just five minutes. 

d.           We have planned the capacity of the TEL such that it is more than sufficient to accommodate the passenger numbers arriving via the RTS Link.

e.           Ms Poh asked about the fares for the RTS Link. I know my counterpart in Malaysia has announced a figure of $5-$7. I have not discussed the fares with him. Under the terms of the Bilateral Agreement, it is the operator, RTSO, who has to determine the fares. We await RTSO’s announcement of fares in due course. 

19.        Opening new MRT lines is exciting. Announcing new MRT lines is even more exciting. But just as important is to maintain the system that is already built.

20.        The oldest part of our MRT network – the North-South and East-West lines – is close to 40 years old now. 

a.           I was reminded of this last year, when we retired the last of our first generation MRT trains – the Kawasaki-C151s.

b.           Many people of my vintage would have fond memories of taking these trains as a child for the first time, in great wonderment. I have a photo that I treasure very deeply because it is a photo of me and my father taking the train for the first time.

21.        It is timely to rejuvenate some of our older, well-loved MRT stations, not just the trains.

a.           For instance, we announced last year that we will rejuvenate Yishun MRT station, with a new entrance, additional lifts, and a larger concourse.

b.           LTA is now studying other stations for rejuvenation, including Admiralty, Khatib, and Sembawang.

Future Focus (Vehicles)

22.        Beyond our MRT network, we are also planning for a future with Autonomous Vehicles (AVs). 

a.           AVs are not new to us. As Mr Louis Chua noted, we had experimented with AVs since 2013. Technology has taken a while to mature, but with advances in AI, sensors, mapping and computing, AVs are finally a reality. 

b.           Recently, we have been deploying AVs quite aggressively in closed environments such as our airport and seaport, for baggage and cargo.

c.           But it will be some time yet before we see mass deployment of autonomous passenger vehicles on our roads. After all, there are fewer than 7,000 such AVs in the world today, a tiny fraction of the total vehicle population here in Singapore. 

d.           What we are doing now is to plan ahead and prepare early, as we have always done in transport. 

23.        We have been trialling AVs in Punggol since last September, to learn how AVs can work in Singapore’s context.

a.           Since January, we have been taking passengers on the AVs, by invitation.

b.           The AV trials have been running smoothly and safely, and many Punggol residents have expressed strong support. They have been asking SMS Sun Xueling and me, whether they can start taking rides on the AVs, and when.

c.           So I am happy to announce that from 1st April, we will open up rides for interested members of the public  

i.            This will be on a sign-up basis. 

ii.           Rides will be free for a short period, before we begin revenue service.

iii.          SMS Sun will provide more details.

d.           If all goes well, I intend to trial AVs in other parts of Singapore. We are considering Sentosa, Tuas, Mandai and others, as possibilities. 

e.           This will depend on whether there is interest from AV companies and commuters in these areas.

24.        I thank Mr Louis Chua for his support to accelerate the rollout of AVs.

a.           Especially autonomous buses, since we do not have enough bus drivers as he also pointed out. 

b.           LTA will launch trials for autonomous public buses by the second half of this year via bus service 400 in Marina Bay, and bus service 191 in One-North.

c.           But for technological and commercial reasons, autonomous buses are developing more slowly than autonomous cars. So we will continue to watch this space closely.

People-centricity

25.        AVs are just one part of our future transport landscape. 

a.           We are putting together our next Land Transport Masterplan now.

b.           And in developing this plan, there are many exciting things we want to share and hear from Singaporeans. 

c.           To understand your transport needs, and co-create ideas on how we can address these needs.

d.           MOS Baey Yam Keng has been leading this effort.

e.           Over the last 3 months, LTA has met more than 200 people for in-person Focus Group Discussions, and received more than 3,500 written responses from the public.

f.            We hope to hear from more in the coming months, as we intensify our public engagements.

g.           Let me share some of the common feedback that we have received so far.

26.        On public transport, one common feedback is long travel times, especially from HDB estates further away from the city.

a.           Today, public transport may take two to three times as long as private transport, often from areas where there are only bus connections, but no MRT.

b.           I want to narrow this gap to be closer to one to two times. 

c.           Our upcoming MRT lines like the Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line will bring us closer to this goal.  

d.           We will also need to improve the bus network and first- and last-mile connectivity.

e.           To Mr Andre Low’s suggestion on express train lines, express services can indeed reduce travel time by a bit for some commuters because Singapore is small, but they typically require a separate set of tracks and additional signalling systems. This means more significant land take, much higher costs and more time needed for construction. Skip-stop services – essentially sharing tracks between express and regular services – are technically possible, but this is operationally complex and regular trains have to be held back at stations to allow express trains to pass. This will have significant adverse impact for commuters on regular services. So we will keep an eye on this issue, and if the technology improves, we will consider it. But for the Seletar line, I think it is unlikely that we will implement it. 

27.        Another frequently raised topic is train crowding, and Mr Low spoke about the North-East Line. In a slightly over-stated fashion, I think, but he did.

a.           In the longer term, new MRT connections like the Cross Island Line and the Seletar Line will improve the situation for residents in the northeast. 

b.           In the short term, I have brought back free morning off-peak travel on the North-East Line and Sengkang-Punggol LRT, to encourage more commuters to shift out of the morning peak.

c.           Early days yet. But happy to share that this has been quite effective. Around 8% of commuters have shifted off peak, which has resulted in a less crowded ride for other commuters travelling during the morning peak hours. 

d.           The crowdedness has come down, akin to the effect of adding two extra trains, or 20 buses.

28.        A third popular topic is whether we can add more bus services.

a.           I received many such requests, including two in the last half an hour in this Chamber, which I note Flora Drive and Compassvale Crescent. I am sure many Members in this Chamber do too.

b.           My MOT colleagues and LTA have been trying our best.

c.           Since the $1 billion Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme was launched, we have added 25 new bus services, and enhanced over 60 existing ones islandwide. 

29.        I would very much like to launch more bus services. To do so, I need to buy buses. I also need to build depots and interchanges, including in Sungei Serangoon. 

a.           But most importantly, I need to hire bus captains.   

b.           There are just not enough Singaporeans who want to be bus drivers. And we have already reached the limit in terms of how many foreign bus drivers we can recruit. 

c.           Ms Yeo Wan Ling proposed raising the starting salary for bus captains, which is now around $3,600 including overtime, to attract new recruits. I support her suggestion.

d.           We are in discussions with the bus operators and the National Transport Workers’ Union on this, as well as to further improve working conditions and career progression for existing bus captains.

30.        A fourth area we receive a lot of feedback on is COEs.

a.           Ms Tin Pei Ling and Mr Edward Chia asked if we will review the COE system, given new developments such as electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, and the ERP 2 system.

31.        The COE system was introduced in 1990 to control our vehicle population, as we do not have enough land in Singapore for every person, or even every household to own a car. 

a.           If every household owns a car, we would have around 1.5 million cars on our roads, more than double our current car population.

b.           Our roads would be jammed up, like in many cities around the world, during peak hours and also off peak. 

c.           Every vehicle takes up road space and contributes to congestion, including motorcycles. That is why to Mr Azhar Othman’s query, we cannot exclude motorcycles from our COE system. 

d.           But to Mr Liang Eng Hwa’s question, we are watching the volume of Malaysian motorcycles very closely. We expect the increase in the Vehicle Entry Permit fee from $4 to $7 per day, and the opening of the RTS Link from 2027, to reduce the volume of the foreign motorcycle population in Singapore. 

32.        Mr Edward Chia has observed that recent Category A and B prices have converged. 

a.           This is not the first time this has happened. 

b.           In 2014, we added a power rating criterion to engine capacity precisely to separate Category A and B cars more clearly.

c.           This was in response to public feedback that Category A and B cars were becoming indistinguishable because there were more cars with smaller engine capacities but higher power. 

d.           This change worked for some time.

33.        However, as Mr Chia points out, in recent years, manufacturers have been adjusting specifications of cars to fit within Category A. 

a.           This has once again caused Category A and B prices to converge. Last month, Category A prices exceeded Category B. Although in the COE exercise that just concluded an hour ago, Category B prices have returned to somewhat normal, higher than Category A once again.

b.           But with Category A quota supply having peaked last year, and Category B quota supply continuing to increase this year, it is likely that the two prices will continue to converge for some time.

34.        I have therefore asked LTA to review this issue.

a.           We will gather views from the public and industry on how to improve the COE categorisation for cars, including Mr Chia’s specific proposal to apply discounts or surcharges, based on Open Market Value. 

35.        I hope Members can see from the above examples how MOT listens to feedback and tries our hardest to address concerns. I know this matters to you. It also matters to us. 

36.        However, in land transport, many issues are zero sum. There is a trade-off for almost every decision we make, and therefore someone who is upset if he or she feels they are on the wrong side of the line.

a.           An example is bus route planning, which Ms Valerie Lee and Mr Abdul Muhaimin asked about.

b.           LTA’s bus planners are trained, when planning routes, to take into account current and future ridership, journey times, travel patterns, and alternative routes amongst others. 

c.           They are professionals. But even they find it very difficult or almost impossible to satisfy everyone’s preferences, despite their best efforts.

d.           Let me share my own experience in Chua Chu Kang.

i.            Residents in one part of my division have been asking why a particular popular bus service did not stop at a particular bus stop downstairs near their home.

ii.           So I asked LTA. After further analysis, LTA found that it was indeed possible to adjust the route.

iii.          After the adjustment, most of the residents in those HDB blocks were happy.

iv.          But almost immediately, LTA and I got many emails from other commuters, complaining that their journey was now longer, and the buses were more crowded because of this one additional stop.

37.        I understand that, as commuters, we each have our specific personal situations and needs. At the same time, I hope Singaporeans can understand that it is not easy to manage these trade-offs. But someone has to decide. 

a.           And that is our responsibility here at MOT, to adopt a system-wide view and deliver the greatest good for the greatest number.

Conclusion

38.        Mr Chairman, I have shared how we will remain globally oriented, plan for the future, and put people at the centre of everything we do.

a.           And when I say people, I don’t mean just commuters.

b.           I also mean our transport workers, who are the heart of my team.

39.        Over the last nine months, I have met many of them, over meals, festive celebrations, and award ceremonies.

a.           I know how hard they work. 

i.            Our rail maintenance workers toil in the quiet hours of the night. 

ii.           Our seafarers spend months away from their families.

iii.          Our air traffic controllers keep their heads cool in a high-stress environment.

b.           These are but a few examples in our family of over 300,000 transport workers 

c.           Their work is unseen and unheard. But they are the ones who keep us moving. 

d.           They will always have my support. 

40.        In August last year, I met Mr Hasri Bin Abiden at Tengah bus interchange. He has been a bus captain for over 10 years. 

a.           When a new bus service was introduced recently, Hasri volunteered to take on this new route. For experienced bus captains, this is challenging – it means changing routines and dealing with unfamiliar surroundings.   

b.           Hasri told me that before he was deployed, he decided on his own accord to get on his motorcycle and practise the route all by himself at night, for many nights. He wanted to familiarise himself with the route, so he could better serve his future passengers.

c.           Hasri is not alone. 

d.           Every morning, he and many like him, try to be the best they can be, because they are proud of what they do.

41.        So that tomorrow morning, and every morning after that – Singaporeans can step out of our homes with confidence to get to where we want to go.

42.        Thank you, Chairman.