Photo credit: SMRT Corporation Ltd

 

[The article was published in Shin Min Daily News on 14 April 2025]

 

RTS Link fares will be kept affordable for commuters. SMRT Chairman Seah revealed that the pricing will be competitive, striking a balance between ridership and operational sustainability. Off-peak fare and season pass will also be introduced.

 

Set to commence operations by end-2026, RTS will connect Woodlands North to Bukit Chagar in about five minutes, with trains running every 3 to 6 minutes during peak hours. For faster immigration processing, there will be co-located Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) facilities, allowing passengers to clear both Singapore and Malaysia authorities at the point of departure.

 

The RTS fares, a topic of interest, have not been announced officially.

 

SMRT Chairman Seah Moon Ming shared during an interview by the paper that fares for RTS will be determined commercially by the joint Malaysia-Singapore venture, RTS Operations. Revenue from the RTS fares will be used in three key areas: payment of a fixed concession fee over 30 years to both governments for infrastructure investment, operations and maintenance (O&M) costs, and investments in operating assets such as trains and systems.

 

He said that when setting the fare structure, factors such as service demand and the cost of providing a reliable and efficient transit experience must be taken into account. Therefore, the key considerations when determining RTS fares include ensuring affordability and encouraging usage. Overall, fares will be competitively priced, with round-trip fares expected to fall between current cross-border public bus and taxi rates.

 

According to research by the reporter, the one-way fare for cross-border buses from Singapore to JB varies—ranging from $2 to over $10 depending on the operator and boarding location. Currently, one-way fare for a Singapore–Malaysia cross-border taxi from Ban San Street to Larkin Sentral in Johor Bahru is $15 per person or $60 per trip.

 

Chairman Seah revealed that RTS will offer off-peak fares and season passes for frequent commuters, to further ensure that those who rely heavily on this cross-border transport service can afford it.

 

Win-Win solution for both Singapore and Johor Bahru merchants

The cross-border population flow brought by the Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS is bound to bring business opportunities, and in the long run, it will create a win-win situation for businesses in both countries. Chairman Seah believes that the opening of RTS will ease congestion on the Causeway, improve connectivity, and generate shared social and economic benefits. 

 

Using the Chinese proverb of how "water naturally flows downhill", he illustrated how it is inevitable for people to travel to the side with lower population. Once the population evens out on both sides, we will begin to see mutual gains. 

 

He pointed out that the improved interconnectivity enabled by the RTS Link will benefit both Johor and Singapore, which have a respective population size of 4.20 million and 6.05 million. With Singapore’s population at around 6.05 million and Johor Bahru’s expected to reach a similar number post-RTS, he believes the resulting 12-million-strong combined market offers major commercial potential. 

 

Chairman Seah encouraged local businesses to look beyond conventional business models to consider different markets. Just as Singaporeans visit Johor Bahru to consume their goods and services, many Malaysians could make purchases in Singapore due to their trust in our brand reputation. 

 

“More importantly, as US-China tensions escalate and global uncertainties deepen, it is increasingly vital for Singapore and Malaysia to strengthen their collaboration—especially given the deep interconnection and mutual dependence of our two economies,” he said.

 

Former Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan led the way out of the low point

In Chairman Seah’s memory, there were two significant contributions by Mr Khaw Boon Wan that were etched deeply in his heart. Mr Khaw Boon Wan, known as "Mr Fix-it", became the Transport Minister and Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure after the 2015 general election to resolve the pressing issue of frequent train disruptions then.

 

Chairman Seah recalled that to encourage staff to work towards improving the reliability and quality of train services, Mr Khaw Boon Wan rewarded the employees by paying out of his own pocket. He also actively fought for their welfare and often visited depots, interchanges and underground tunnels to understand the daily work situation and challenges faced by ground staff.

 

Chairman Seah said: "In addition, Mr Khaw Boon Wan also pushed for the implementation of the 'early closing and late opening' initiative, which granted us a year’s time to carry out maintenance works and renewal projects, which were necessary as we upgraded the MRT system. Much of our achievements today can be attributed to him."
 

Current Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat paving the way towards a better future

If Khaw Boon Wan led SMRT out of its low point 10 years ago, Chairman Seah believes that the current Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance, Chee Hong Tat, is leading SMRT steadily into the future.

 

In March this year, Chee Hong Tat announced during Ministry of Transport’s Committee of Supplies that the government will invest an additional $1 billion over the next five years to further strengthen our rail capabilities and scale up technology adoption. This includes carrying out targeted replacements of sub-systems and components to better sustain the useful life of our assets, expanding condition monitoring capabilities for more proactive intervention and targeted maintenance, and upgrading the skills of rail workers. He pointed out that as more of our rail assets approach the end of their service life, Singapore will need to invest more to improve life cycle management so that we optimise the lifespan of our assets while making replacements in a timely manner.

 

Chairman Seah underscored the importance of this approach, saying, "Replacing the first-generation trains with new ones is also what we have been striving for in the past few years. Unfortunately, train replacement project was severely delayed by the pandemic, resulting in the subsequent hiccups and incidents. However, we have made good progress in this regard. By the end of September this year, we will completely phase out the first-generation trains."

 

‘Kaizen spirit’ permeates the SMRT culture; Cost savings are given back to the community.

Since the introduction of the Kaizen methodology, over 8,000 Kaizen projects have been implemented, saving SMRT over $600 million. About $1.5m of the savings were shared with the communities such as ITE students and nurses. 

 

Inspired by the late founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who often spoke about learning from Japan, Chairman Seah took Japanese classes and sought to implement the Kaizen spirit in SMRT, as an integral part of the company’s work culture.

 

Chairman Seah said that the Kaizen philosophy has encouraged employees to strive for excellence in their respective positions and actively put forward suggestions to improve daily work processes, enhance productivity, and achieve cost savings. It has inculcated a deeper sense of ownership in employees. Since 2018, over 8,000 Kaizen projects have been implemented, amounting to a total cost savings of $600 million. 

 

In 2023, SMRT shared about $1.5m of the savings with the communities starting from ITE students. In 2024, SMRT distributed specially designed prepaid EZ-Link cards to 46,000 nurses across Singapore to thank them for their contributions to public healthcare. In addition, all employees of the company received an additional bonus of $1,000 last year as a form of encouragement. Chairman Seah revealed that the company plans to expand the scope of beneficiaries to people with special needs this year.

 

​​​​​​Photo credit: SMRT Corporation Ltd

‘Gemba Walk’ as a way of encouraging employees

Chairman Seah regularly conducts on-site Gemba Walks to engage with staff and affirm employees’ efforts in enhancing work processes. Growing up, Chairman Seah and his family of five lived in a one-bedroom flat in Geylang Serai. He diligently sought part-time work opportunities while still studying, to support his family financially. These experiences have instilled in him a spirit of resilience. His late father who exemplified the values of integrity and uprightness has also profoundly shaped Chairman Seah’s personal beliefs.

 

Since assuming the role of SMRT Chairman, Mr Seah led the company to uphold the values of unity and being a people-centric organisation, with Kaizen at its core. In the past eight years, he has also upheld the principle of “giving back to society”.

 

Deeply involved in the company’s daily operations, Chairman Seah shared that he regularly goes on Gemba Walks with SMRT Group Chief Executive Officer Mr Ngien Hoon Ping. The word “Gemba” is a Japanese term, which translates to “on-site”. It means management personally visits the workplace to inspect the site and listen to employees’ feedback or express recognition for their improvements. Together, both Chairman Seah and Mr Ngien devoted about 100 hours a year to conduct Gemba Walks. 

 

Photo credit: SMRT Corporation Ltd

 

SMRT sponsored 168 employees to further their studies through the LEAP programme

Since 2017, SMRT has funded 168 employees to further their studies through the Learning through Educational Advancement Programme (LEAP). SMRT currently employs more than 11,000 employees, of which more than 70% are union members. Of the over 6,000 employees under SMRT Trains, nearly 90% are Singaporeans, with the technical team comprising graduates from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), polytechnics, and universities.

 

Chairman Seah highlighted that the company actively supports employees who are keen in expanding their knowledge and engineering expertise. Through the LEAP programme, they are encouraged to continuously learn and grow.

 

He believes that the railway industry is a sunrise industry with plenty and diverse opportunities for innovation and growth. With the government studying the feasibility of introducing two new lines – Tengah Line and Seletar Line – there is a potential of having 3,000 jobs created in the future.

 

Technical Officer rose through the ranks to become a Deputy Director through LEAP programme

 

Photo credit: SMRT Corporation Ltd

 

Mr Mulyadi Muhammad Bin Abdul Rahim, 47, joined SMRT after completing his military service in 2001. At that time, he only held an Institute of Technical Education (ITE) qualification and began his career as a technical officer at Bishan Depot, serving the North-South East-West lines (NSEWL). With the company’s support, Mulyadi began part-time studies two years later and earned a diploma in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at Temasek Polytechnic in 2009, followed by a bachelor’s degree from the National University of Singapore in 2015. As his qualifications and experience grew, so did his career — he was promoted to Project Manager for the Thomson-East Coast Line in 2019, and later to Senior Project Manager in 2021, overseeing the operations and maintenance for the line.

 

Mr Mulyadi shared, “The company is genuinely committed to nurturing internal talent and supporting staff development in every aspect. That’s one of the reasons I’ve stayed for over 20 years.”

 

In June last year, he was seconded to RTS Operations (RTSO) — a joint venture between Singapore and Malaysia — where he currently serves as the Deputy Director, overseeing system installation, maintenance, and operations management. Having witnessed the launch of the Thomson-East Coast Line, he now looks forward to the upcoming Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System.

 

East-West Line Disruption: 10 years of work completed within 6 days 

While it is unfortunate that severe disruption occurred on the East-West Line last September, Chairman Seah said he would rather suspend the service for 6 days for complete repair works and testing, which typically requires 10 years to complete, than compromise on safety. 

 

Based on earlier media reports, a train on the East-West Line broke down on the morning of 25 September last year. On the way back to Ulu Pandan Depot, a defective train axle box on the train dropped, causing one bogie to come off the running rail between Dover and Clementi stations. This led to a partial shutdown of EWL services until 1 Oct, affecting around 500,000 of the line’s 2.8 million daily rides.

 

Chairman Seah expressed that the East-West Line disruption in September was indeed a significant challenge for SMRT, and he sincerely apologise to all commuters for the inconvenience caused. Recounting the incident and reflecting on ways to avoid a similar occurrence, Chairman Seah emphasised the importance of strengthening collaboration with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), enhancing life cycle management practices such as ensuring rail assets are replaced timely, and continuously improving systems and operating procedures. However, he emphasised safety will always remain as SMRT’s top priority.

 

He highlighted that the train was withdrawn from service based on a safety-first decision, and that it was during its withdrawal that further track damage was uncovered.

 

"We responded immediately and found multiple cracks and damages on the track, so we decided to spend 6 days to carry out necessary repairs, replacements, and tests on about 2 kilometers of track, which is equivalent to completing 10 years of work in 6 days. But we would rather delay train service resumption than compromise on the safety of our employees and the public." Chairman Seah said he was grateful that LTA colleagues also extended their assistance alongside all of SMRT employees who were mobilised during the incident. 

 

SMRT ranks in the top 15% globally, surpassing Hong Kong and Japan

According to data from the Community of Metros (COMET), SMRT ranks top 15% among more than 40 metro operators in the world, in terms of rail reliability. Chairman Seah acknowledged while there is still room for improvement, since August 2019, SMRT’s rail reliability hit the milestone of one million mean kilometres between failures (MKBF) and has maintained at that level.

 

According to COMET data, this makes SMRT among the top 15% of more than 40 metro operators globally, even surpassing Hong Kong and Japan. Chairman Seah attributed this achievement to the collective efforts of all employees within the company.

 

Last year, SMRT became the first international rail operator outside of Taiwan to form a metro alliance with five rail companies in Taiwan, focusing on talent development and technical collaboration, among other areas of collaboration.