PM Wong visits public transport workers at SMRT’s Bishan depot ahead of Chinese New Year
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PM Lawrence Wong participating in a mass lo hei (tossing of yusheng) during his visit to SMRT’s Bishan depot on Feb 16.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
- Many public transport workers, like Mr Sng Eng Tiong, sacrificed Chinese New Year holidays to ensure that public transport services continued running.
- Prime Minister Lawrence Wong visited SMRT's Bishan depot on Chinese New Year eve, greeting 180 workers and distributing goodie bags to thank them.
- NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng thanked these workers for their vital role in keeping Singapore moving during the festive season.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – For the past 14 years, chief bus captain Sng Eng Tiong has volunteered to work on the eve, first and second days of Chinese New Year.
In charge of workers’ transportation, Mr Sng works the graveyard shift – ferrying bus drivers home after their shift ends and picking them up every morning to take them to work.
The 48-year-old does so to give his foreign colleagues the chance to take leave and spend time with their loved ones, given that they rarely return home.
“As a Singaporean, my family is here with me in Singapore, so we can always celebrate any time – one day earlier or maybe one day after,” he said, adding that he already had a reunion dinner with his family on the night of Feb 15, one day before the eve of Chinese New Year.
Mr Sng was among over 180 public transport workers whom Prime Minister Lawrence Wong exchanged greetings with at SMRT’s Bishan depot on the morning of Feb 16.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (second from right) and NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng (right) posing for a wefie during their visit to SMRT’s Bishan depot on Feb 16.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Accompanied by National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) president K. Thanaletchimi, NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng and Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow, PM Wong distributed goodie bags to train captains, station managers, maintenance technicians and engineers.
Each goodie bag contained a pair of mandarin oranges, a thermal flask from PM Wong and a $10 red packet from NTUC.
While touring the depot, PM Wong stopped to speak to workers to learn more about their duties and thank them for their hard work.
He ended his visit with a mass lo hei (tossing of yusheng) with around 70 workers.
The visit was hosted by SMRT chairman Seah Moon Ming and SMRT group chief executive Ngien Hoon Ping. Other leaders from the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU), including president Sazali Safiie, general-secretary Mak Mun Whai and NTUC assistant secretary-general and NTWU executive secretary Yeo Wan Ling, were also present.
On working during the Chinese New Year period, Mr Sng, who takes over the duties of regular bus captains at times, said it can be enjoyable as there is less traffic and passengers tend to be happier.
“And if I’m lucky, I might even get a red packet,” he quipped.
On working during Chinese New Year, chief bus captain Sng Eng Tiong said it can be enjoyable as there is less traffic and passengers tend to be happier.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
To take part in the festivities, Mr Sng prepares Chinese New Year biscuits and snacks to share with other bus drivers when he is ferrying them home or to work.
Others working during the festive season include Ms Siti Amirah, a train captain.
The 32-year-old said she is happy to work during this period to allow her Chinese colleagues to take time off.
In a press release by NTUC on Feb 16, Mr Ng said he was grateful to public transport workers for being on duty and keeping Singapore moving, so people can be with their loved ones.
