Monday, February 3, 2014

Who's Watching Who?

An injured elderly man was found unconscious close to the elevated train tracks between the Tanah Merah and Expo MRT stations on Saturday afternoon.

SMRT was quick to declare that the man was not hit by any train.

According to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), the 70-year-old suffered multiple lacerations to his body and was sent to the Changi General Hospital, where he is now in critical condition at the Intensive Care Unit.

Channel NewsAsia reported that he probably climbed over the platform screen doors at Expo station and walked 900 metres along the track towards Tanah Merah station, but stopped short of an explanation for the injuries inflicted.

Now the Singapore Police Force (SPF) getting into the act, peering at CCTV footage of the MRT station covering the vicinity where the intrepid senior citizen was found. What the SPF should also examine is CCTV footage of SMRT personnel manning the security cameras. Assuming that has not been declared highly classified information by the army generals in charge.

In the aftermath of Swiss national Oliver Fricker, 32, being charged with vandalism and trespassing, SMRT admitted that for two whole days after the 2010 intrusion, it had absolutely no fricking clue that a gaping hole in the perimeter fence had allowed two foreigners easy access into the depot - a restricted zone ringed by high fences and topped with barbed wire - where they could indulge in spray-painting graffiti to their hearts' content. Additional counter terrorism measures were quickly put in place by the Public Transport Security Committee to enhance depot security, meaning more fencing, more expensive cameras - they even hired a "professional" dedicated to the task - all ultimately charged to the commuters via fare hikes and other clever PTC sanctioned mechanisms.

To paraphrase a popular anti-gun control slogan (“Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”), CCTV cameras don't catch people, people catch people. Worse, CCTV cameras are known to be "under maintenance", as in the Mas Selamat great escape (2008), or simply not to be accounted for, as in the put down of Dinesh Raman (2010). SMRT claims that, following  investigations of three MRT service disruptions that occurred earlier this month, two were caused by human error. That's got to be the mother of all understatements.

16 comments:

  1. The whole country seems to be breaking down. And they are chasing phantoms with their complete faith in the efficacy of cctvs, with the latest plan to install them everywhere in HBD estates, and highways. That way no one will be held responsible, only the machinery.

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    1. Ah, but they know who you voted for.

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  2. Tell that to Vivian Balakrishnan and Lui Tuck Yew. CCTV cameras can't prevent floods and traffic jams. The entire PAP team of clowns needs to be thrown out of parliament.

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    1. Not only thrown out but proceed with a national referendum to recovery every $ these clowns have been taking from tax payers.

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  3. "Cctv don't catch people..."

    but I still like their motto : never let a good crisis go to waste, boost GDP growth by spending more, more , more, at taxpayers expense to "fix the problems". The papigs have the holy grail for picking your pockets to boost GDP growth and hence their GDP bonuses. here is a small list: town council sinking funds paid for by you for "pap's upgrading initiatives", ERP and COE (supposedly to control car population) to build chaotic new expressways with more ERP gantries to tax you, annual SMRT/SBS fare hikes mandated by a panel chaired by "independents" called the PTC to allow the PTOs to transfer your pay hikes (if any) to fund more CCTVs. Each time the buses/trains break down, find a new excuse to replace, change or upgrade expensive parts and over-charge the PTOs expenses to show lower profits and extract more for next years's hikes! Foreign labour riots? Then spend even more money to build new shelters for the workers and boost the construction companies' profits (aka cronies' pockets and GDP growth). Also make sure to upgrade the 3G batman cars (still under procurement) to detect alcohol on the bodies of the workers from 3 miles off. If everything else fails and GDP is still too low, just transfer a few billions from the embarrassingly high government surplus (yes, your money, not theirs) to the TLCs and order them to buy the latest gizmos so GDP can turn from negative to positive. For that they are all paid a million bucks, before GDP bonuses. Huat arghhhh!

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  4. How does someone with multiple lacerations of wounds that landed up in ICU with critical conditions could have climbed & made it across the platform fence is beyond incredulous. They have very good imagination, this is even before the CCTV footage was located and recreated...Just goes to show how desperate they want to dispel any impression that it is NOT an intrusion. Let's hope the man survived to tell his story.

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  5. yep people catch people. Install CCTV and you need people to monitor the images simultaneously lah.

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  6. Talk to the Prime Minister, and tell him...it is time for him to go...

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  7. If you have the wrong leader, where will the country be...so please asked him to kindly leave..and let another seat warmer to warm the seat...for the next leader

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  8. How much more faith and trust can the People afford?

    patriot



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  9. PAP cannot be blamed, it is Singaporeans' fault for not able to buy a 0.50ct bandung It is Singaporeans's fault for the shortage of labour. It is Singaporeans' fault for using the social media like no tomorrow. It is Singaporeans' fault for voting opposition party. It is Singaporeans' fault for causing train disruption. It is Singaporeans' fault for the shortage of HDB (MBT: home shortage because Singaporeans are choosy, nothing to do with foreigners), It is Singaporeans' fault for falling sick on festive season causing hospital bed crunch, it is Singaporeans' fault for blaming Anton Casey who attacked Singaporeans verbally. It is Singaporeans' fault for low readership in Strait Times. It is Singaporeans' fault for the congestion at MCE first day. It is Singaporeans' fault that Josephine is clueless why we get so angry. It is Singaporeans' fault to sell alcohol at little india and caused the riot. It is Singaporeans' fault for setting up stall in houang without NEA "proper icense" despite communication with NEA started a month ago. It is Singaporeans' fault for not understanding the agenda behind PWP. The mother of all faults for not being able to understand PAP motherhood statements because PAP knows no wrong. PAP is fautless and Singaporeans took all the focking blame for Shit Times to have its field day writing beyond proportion that Singaporeans are nothing, no credit,no contritbution to society, not hardworking, mediocre, average, daft and you name it. On the other hand, PAP fart smell like spring in the air. This is Singapore. GE2015, Singaporeans have to decide what kind of fate they want.

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    1. We love the smell of PAP's fart especially the 90 year old fart.

      Come 2030, when there are no more citizens, the smell of PAP's fart will still be around.

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  10. Right, it is all Singaporeans' fault, cause they vote for the wrong MP...and the MP are right, cause we paid them $16,000 a month..and millions of dollars for being a Minister,.

    All your fault ..Singaporeans..locally born....so please don't kckb..

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    1. In a benevolent dictatorship you get the benefit of an all knowing, all seeing benevolent dictator. Smile.

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  11. The mother of all understatements - "... two were caused by human error. "

    To err is human and higher mortals cannot be at fault...now which mother...

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  12. Before he goes off, better ask the old man whether we are indeed experiencing a bad dose of incompetent govt with his son in charge? And whether his son & daughter-in-law is really worth being paid in millions?

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