Uncivilised, Unsophisticated? What Our MRT Announcements Say About Us
Our MRT system stands out among other subway networks worldwide for so many things we can be proud of: its chop-chop efficiency and reliability, its crisp cleanliness, its comfortable design.
And then – sigh – there are the public station and train announcements, which include:
“Molestation and taking upskirt photos is a serious offence.”
“Please be considerate and do not sit on the floor.”
“For your safety, cycling is not allowed on the railway premises.”
“If you see any suspicious-looking person or article, please inform our staff or press the emergency communication button located at the side of the train doors.”
Mirror, mirror…
For a country that has always been hyper careful about “face” – a.k.a. how we market ourselves – this is bizarre. It’s almost like we’re advertising that we’re a society of backward bumpkins and peeping Toms to the 3.2 million people who take the train every day.
Of course, daily commuters may not even notice these broadcasts, buried as they are in a multitude of other announcements pouring from the PA system in four languages. (The sheer volume of those messages is a discussion for another day.) But imagine what tourists or those who are hearing this for the first time might think.
Recently, a female friend visiting from overseas asked me about the molestation announcement, worried that it was something which happens frequently in our trains. And one r/singapore comment on a Reddit thread about the MRT reads: “I know of foreigners who got spooked by the announcement to watch out for suspicious persons or articles. They thought that a terrorist attack is imminent.”
IMAGE: CANVA
Doing things differently
Granted, the broadcasts – meant to deter potential offenders and alert possible victims – come from a need to address specific issues. (The number of reported voyeurism cases here, in fact, rose by 12% in 2023 from the year before, and the number of cycling-related accidents on roads and pavements is also growing, according to 2022 data.)
But isn’t there a more enlightened way of getting them across?
Apart from the fact that they don’t reflect well on Singapore, there are a few other reasons that support a case for doing away with them.
For one, such methods may not work on a psychological level. As a top-voted comment on the same subreddit points out: “If I’m gonna be an upskirter or molester, I won’t be deterred by some announcement on the PA system.”
On a practical front, we now live in an age where almost everyone is plugged in at full volume to their headphones, especially on public transport. Which means a public announcement system really isn’t the best method of delivering any important message anymore, amirite?
I’d also like to think we, as a society, have evolved past this blunt, naggy communication style, and are working towards smarter, more creative ways of conveying a point.
So how like that? I don’t have the perfect answers, but I do know it's time to start a conversation about this. Here are some thoughts on how we might be able to better shape behaviour in our MRT stations and trains:
- Do it by design: Subtle design interventions could point people in the necessary direction of how to behave correctly. For example, installing movable barriers at the entrance of MRT stations would let cyclists know to get off their bikes and push them. Or introducing a border of bumps along the ground could deter people from sitting on the floor.
- Tap into technology: SMRT is already using an AI-based video system to improve commuter safety on the train tracks at Bukit Panjang LRT station. What about expanding this to the most crowded stations to see if it’s effective in detecting misbehaviour beyond the tracks?
- Send a sign: Visual directives showing the penalties for specific crimes, coupled with the increased presence of security staff or community volunteers, could perhaps be a more effective deterrent than background audio.
- Don’t spare the rod: Call me harsh, but if these issues are considered so serious that we need public announcements to deter potential offenders, surely it’s worth increasing the punishments for them? For example, under current law, it’s possible for adult voyeurs to get away with just a fine (although they can also get jail time and caning). Maybe it’s time to make imprisonment and caning mandatory for all offenders.
Got better ideas? You know what to do. Announce them, lah!
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