From civil service to Cabinet: Jeffrey Siow embraces the challenge of Singapore's transport system

Straits Times

14 hours ago

Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow described his new role as 'politically intense' and 'a heavy responsibility'. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
SINGAPORE – Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow did not expect to return to familiar ground in his first political appointment.
Having spent five of his 24 years in public service as director of land transport from 2012 to 2017, the seasoned civil servant thought he would be handed an entirely new portfolio when tapped by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to be part of the new Cabinet.
Instead, Mr Siow has rejoined the ministry he once served – this time at the top.
The 47-year-old is embracing the challenge of his new role, which he described as 'politically intense' and 'a heavy responsibility'.
'I'm still very much starting the political journey and learning the politics of it,' he told reporters during his first sit-down interview on June 11.
'The role of a minister is quite different. You are setting the direction. You are setting the pace,' he said. 'The good thing is that the work is not too unfamiliar. Neither are the people.'
His mission at the Ministry of Transport (MOT) is to 'bring back Singaporeans' pride and love for our transportation system'.
'We must make sure that on the public transport side, we run the system well – as well as we have run the air and the sea systems,' he said.
Asked how he might do things differently, given his experience in transport policy, Mr Siow said he views transportation as a long-term endeavour that builds on the work of his predecessors.
' But the pace at which you can move, the speed at which you can do things, can be adjusted,' he noted.
Since taking the helm, Mr Siow has asked his team to prioritise meetings with people outside his ministry, and has been responding to public feedback.
'There were some people who were very angry, but after I explained to them... (we) can have a very good conversation,' he added. 'I think I've been making progress there, too.'
In his previous role as director of land transport, Mr Siow was involved in the planning of the Thomson-East Coast MRT line, which has since opened in stages from 2020. He was also involved in conceptualising the Jurong Region Line, which will open in phases from 2027 to 2029.
As principal private secretary to then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong from 2017 to 2021, Mr Siow worked on issues such as airspace management and the setting of maritime boundaries.
Since he was sworn in on May 23, the Acting Minister has visited bus drivers and operations staff at the new Sengkang West bus depot, tried his hand at moving containers via remote at Tuas Port, and met rail workers during overnight maintenance in tunnels near Nicoll Highway MRT station.
'Being able to re-engage in those issues again, re-engage with ex-colleagues again, continue the work that they've been doing, I think, has been a real blessing,' he said.
Mr Siow believes that a good public transport system is one that gets people to where they want to go in the shortest amount of time and at the lowest possible price. He takes public transport whenever he can – 'because I think it's helpful to actually see things for yourself'.
But he said Singaporeans must expect bus and train fares to rise over time because the wages of public transport workers must increase over time as well.
He added: 'They are earning a living too, and they also face cost-of-living pressures. So surely that must be part of it, right?'
Calling public transport fare increases 'planned unhappiness', Mr Siow said the Government already provides significant subsidies for public transport. It pays for the construction of infrastructure, and defrays the operating costs of buses and trains by about $1 billion each a year.
The remainder of these costs is borne by commuters, and balancing the different contributions ensures the transport system is sustainable.
' The Government's commitment has always been that whoever cannot afford public transport, we will help, and we've done so every time with transport vouchers and concessions,' he added.
On the issue of rail reliability, Mr Siow said there has been an underinvestment in technology across public transport systems around the world, especially in the West.
Hence, Singapore is working closely with, and learning from, countries that do it better, such as China, Japan and South Korea.
Mr Siow said rail disruptions will invariably happen, but the key is to ensure that the MRT network here is resilient.
This can be achieved by making sure that the rail network is interconnected, so that passengers can take other routes during a breakdown. This is why orbital lines – like the upcoming Cross Island Line, which connects to all existing lines except the Circle Line – are critical, he added.
New rail lines will also help to keep crowding to an acceptable level, and make service disruptions more manageable, he said.
In addition, MOT has been investing a lot of effort in improving rail reliability through the train operators, making sure they have time to conduct maintenance and use state-of-the-art technology, Mr Siow noted.
'It's an ongoing challenge, because the more rail lines you run, the more things you have to watch,' he added.
Still, while much attention is on land transport, Mr Siow said the fast-changing and existential issues are actually in air and sea transport, which contribute 5 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively, to Singapore's gross domestic product.
On the aviation front, a big part of the Acting Minister's job over the next few years will be to ensure that Singapore continues to be a hub for air traffic and that Changi Airport's future needs are met. This includes making sure that the Terminal 5 (T5) project stays on track.
'Every time we do something, the competitors follow, or sometimes they even come up with new things. And then we have to figure out how we can compete,' Mr Siow said.
'T5 is, in some ways, a big move by us. But who knows – very soon, others will do the same, and then we have to think of what is next.'
For the maritime sector, ensuring the continued flow of trade is key.
Tuas Port will significantly expand Singapore's handling capacity when it is fully completed in the 2040s, and Mr Siow also hopes to raise awareness of the sector's success and its role as a 'job engine' for Singapore.
Acknowledging the public scrutiny that comes with the transport portfolio, Mr Siow said he knows he will not be able to please everyone, or get everything right.
'People will have their opinions. It's fine... But I will try to do the greatest good for the greatest number of people. That's my objective,' he added.
Mr Siow said he is happy that PM Wong has confidence in his ability to do the job, and that he also has the support of former transport minister Khaw Boon Wan, whom he had worked with previously.
One piece of advice Mr Khaw gave him was to ensure that everyone in the transport ecosystem – from government agencies to operators to commuters – is pulling in the same direction.
'That's what I intend to do, too. In all three areas, whether it is air, sea or land, I intend to take the same approach,' Mr Siow said.
Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.