Speech by Minister of State for Transport Dr Lam Pin Min at The National Kindness Transport Gold Award 2019

Dr William Wan, General Secretary, Singapore Kindness Movement

Award Winners,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

1.     A very good morning to everyone. I am very happy to be back here again with you for this year’s National Kindness Award - Transport Gold Awards. This is the 20th year that the Transport Gold Awards have been handed out. In conjunction with this 20th anniversary, the Public Transport Council is also introducing the Caring Commuter Award to recognise commuters for their kind acts.

The Importance of Service Staff in Transport

2.     The transport industry, be it bus, rail, or taxi, is at the heart of mobility in Singapore. It keeps Singapore moving. It transports us from one place to another – for work, school, leisure and so on.

3.     During our commuting journeys, there is one particular group of people we will always meet - service staff like you. You are the service ambassadors we see at the MRT platform, the bus captains who greet us when we board the buses, and our dear taxi uncles who share stories with us.

4.     As commuters, we all know how exemplary service and gracious behaviour make a difference to our public transport experience. Things we may consider as “little acts of kindness”, such as helping commuters with special needs to board and find seats, assisting the elderly to cross the road safely, or even going out of our way to return missing items that have been left behind, are not “little” at all. These acts of kindness make a tremendous difference, to both the giver and receiver, as they make our journey so much more pleasant!

5.     Just to cite some recent examples of outstanding service staff in the news :

a)     We read of MRT station officer Mr Mohamed Ferdaus Mohamed Yusoff, who saved a little boy from falling off a moving escalator

b)     SBST bus captain Ms Thian Siew Mui, who put out a fire in a lorry in Tuas

c)     As well as three SMRT bus captains, who helped a sick passenger buy medicine and food.

6.     I hope that we can see more of such acts of service and kindness, to encourage even more individuals to pay it forward. Such acts are the seeds from which we can nurture the gracious and caring commuting culture we hope to achieve, as part of the Land Transport Masterplan 2040.

Acts of Kindness on our Public Transport

7.     Please allow me to now share some of the stories of kindness that I have heard so far about some of our award winners today.

a)     SBS Transit’s bus captain Ang Eng Huat will be recognised under the Bus Operations category for assisting a commuter with dementia.

       After finding out that a commuter on his bus could be suffering from dementia, Eng Huat proactively asked the commuter for his address and contact details of his family members. He then brought him safely to the bus interchange and contacted the commuter’s daughter. Till today, the daughter of the commuter remains very grateful to Eng Huat for having gone the extra mile by looking out for her father in his time of need.

b)     Another example is taxi driver Lai Ming from HDT Taxi, who will be receiving the award under the Taxi Operations category. Lai Ming is an exemplary public transport operator who has gone the extra mile for his passengers. On one occasion, a family that Lai Ming was sending to the zoo discovered that they had left their tickets at home. Without hesitation, Lai Ming exited the highway and turned back so that they could retrieve their tickets. At the end of the trip, he refused to accept any payment for the additional distance travelled.

Transport Gold Awards 2019

8.     Just like Eng Huat and Lai Ming, many of you have gone out of your way to show acts of kindness, even as you go about your daily work. We are here today to recognise each and every one of you for your exemplary service and gracious behaviour.

9.     I am happy to note that we have 466 winners here today – the highest number ever! Since the first edition in 2000, a total of 5,388 recognitions have been presented to courteous staff and drivers during the Transport Gold Award Ceremonies. I am encouraged that 20 years on, the momentum has not slowed down. In fact, we have seen the number of awards and recognitions increase over time.

Caring Commuter Award

10.    Beyond service staff, many commuters too have gone the extra mile to help fellow commuters during their journeys. This year, the Public Transport Council launched the Caring Commuter Award to recognise such commuters. By passing on acts of kindness and graciousness they have received to other commuters, they too can actively shape their commuting environment.

11.    This year’s Outstanding Caring Commuter Award winner, Mr Lester Wong, was nominated for helping an elderly commuter who fell on the train. Besides helping the elderly commuter to a seat and offering to see her home, Mr Wong also went the extra mile to persuade and accompany the elderly commuter – who lived alone – to seek medical help from a nearby hospital. Mr Wong only left the side of the elderly commuter after she was in the good hands of the nurses at the hospital. I encourage more commuters to be like Mr Wong, to make our public transport system a more gracious one.

12.    With that, I would like to congratulate all our award winners here today and thank you for your efforts in making our transport system much more pleasant for commuters. Keep it up, inspire those around you with your acts of kindness, and continue to make a difference!

13.    Thank you.