SINGAPORE: SMRT’s new chief executive officer Neo Kian Hong expressed confidence in earning back the public’s trust as he spoke to reporters about his vision for the transport company.
“We continue to organise our people to deliver well. So as long as we focus on delivering the reliability, over time we should be able to regain their confidence,” Mr Neo said on Monday (Aug 13) in his first interview with the media since his appointment.
Mr Neo was speaking on the sidelines of a visit to SMRT’s Bishan depot, where he was briefed on the new batch of C151C trains.
SMRT has been at the heart of several high-profile incidents in recent times, including a train collision at Joo Koon MRT station last November and a flooded MRT tunnel in October.
Addressing reporters, he revealed that he has set out three goals for the company – providing reliability, creating sustainability and ensuring continuous improvement.
Mr Neo described reliability of services as a “basic requirement” that the transport operator will need to provide under his leadership. “As a trains company, we will be focused on delivering safe and reliable train services,” said Mr Neo.
GIVING UP CAR TO TAKE TRAIN
In order to better serve in his new role, Mr Neo revealed that he has opted against purchasing a new car and instead take public transport and taxis.
“I sold my car earlier on but I didn’t want to buy a new car because it is more useful for me to take the MRT to understand the issues and take our company’s assets like our taxis and buses and so on because I can do work at the same time even as I am travelling,” he explained.
SMRT CEO Neo Kian Hong shakes hands with Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan. (Photo: SMRT)
He also revealed that his family shifted to a new home because of his new role.
“It’s because of this job. I moved near Shunfu to be exact, just to make sure I can take the trains to work and that its easier for me and that my family can support me in doing this,” he added.
Mr Neo replaced former CEO Desmond Kuek, who spent five-and-a-half years heading the transport company.
In 2010, the former succeeded the latter as the chief of defence force. After leaving the military in 2013, Mr Neo was appointed permanent secretary for education development at the Ministry of Education before joining the Defence Ministry last year.
He was also appointed a non-executive director of Singapore Technologies Engineering last June.
“CONFIDENT HE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE”: SMRT CHAIRMAN
During his visit to Bishan depot, Mr Neo was accompanied by SMRT chairman Seah Moon Ming, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan, LTA chief executive Ngien Hoon Ping and LTA deputy chief executive for infrastructure and development Chua Chong Kheng.
Mr Seah said that Mr Neo understood the mission of the company, and is an individual who sees his role as a “duty” to the company and public.
“I am confident that he will make a difference to SMRT,” said Mr Seah. “He is competent to lead and run large organisations well. Over the last two months during the leadership transition, he has worked the ground and understands the ground challenges.”
SMRT has had to defend its appointment of Mr Neo even before he officially took over the reigns, with SMRT’s vice-president for corporate communications Margaret Teo citing the senior civil servant’s “personal values” and “leadership qualities” as key reasons for his appointment in a Straits Times forum letter on Apr 21.
Ms Teo’s letter was in response to another Straits Times forum letter published two days before, in which its author Dr Michael Loh Toon Seng said that he was “disappointed” that SMRT had chosen “another chief executive” without “relevant experience”.
However, Mr Neo said that he has received positive feedback since his appointment was announced.
“The public has been very supportive,” he said. “When it was announced that I am taking over this job, many have come to me and expressed a lot of support. They have also expressed that they are very proud of the rail and that they want us to continue to improve it.”
