Keep public, private issues separate

It is not right to rope in soldiers as marshals in the event of a massive train breakdown ("Soldiers may help manage crowds in rail disruptions"; Aug 21). SMRT should take its own measures and pay to manage its problems.

The Government and Land Transport Authority could step in at times, out of goodwill, but this should not be the norm.

Soldiers are not workers, they are not paid by SMRT. They are trained to protect a nation. They are not trained to protect a rail operator from backlash when its services are down.

SMRT is a private company. The Government is a publicly shared entity. Getting the Singapore Armed Forces to deploy troops to manage SMRT's rail disruptions would send the message that we are unable to separate private and public affairs.

Nicole Tan Xin Yue (Ms)

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