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AsiaOne
5 days ago
- Politics
- AsiaOne
'I take it whenever I can': Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow wants to rekindle Singaporeans' love for public transport, Singapore News
Breakdowns, delays, and accidents — these issues have plagued Singapore's rail and bus systems and caused many sleepless nights for former transport ministers. Now, Jeffrey Siow, 47, a first-time parliamentarian who is helming the Ministry of Transport (MOT), finds himself in a "politically intense" position with significant public interest. That is because everybody in Singapore "care" about the fortunes of the transportation system here, he said. Siow was speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Transport's (MOT) headquarters in Queenstown — his first sit-down interview since being appointed to the role on May 21. The Acting Transport Minister replaces Chee Hong Tat, who is now the Minster for National Development. Siow was a former second permanent secretary at the Manpower Ministry and Ministry of Trade and Industry, before resigning to contest the General Election on May 3. He was also a director at the Ministry of Transport from 2012 to 2017 where he was involved in planning the Thomson-East Coast MRT line and the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link. Less than a month into his second stint in the ministry, Siow said that he has hit the ground running by speaking with transport operators, commuters and other stakeholders to reconnect with the transport sector. He even took the train on his first day as acting minister to the office on May 26. "I take public transport whenever I can because it's helpful to see things for yourself," said Siow, who revealed he commutes on the North East Line and Circle Line. "And whenever I see something, LTA is kept a little busy. Yesterday evening, I saw that one of the handrails on the escalator was a bit worn. So, I told them (to) fix it," he added. "Those little things… I think it's helpful to just do that as much as I can." Stepping into a 'hot potato' role Netizens had questioned why a political newcomer like Siow was handed such a high stakes ministry — often viewed as a "hot potato". His predecessors all had prior political experience before taking on the portfolio. Asked how his appointment as transport minister came about, Siow said it was not much of a discussion with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. "He explained why he thought I could do the job, and I went back to think about it," he added, who took the offer as a vote of confidence from the prime minister. Siow also consulted former Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan, who offered his support. Siow said: "I look at the very positive side, which is that my job is a very meaningful one that matters to all Singaporeans. I enjoy doing a work that matters to people. "And in the case of transport, when you do something, things are tangible… it's real. Though technically still "Acting" Minister, Siow, who is also Senior Minister of State for Finance, doesn't see himself as on probation. "I like the job. On the policy side, I am comfortable and of course I'm very much starting my political journey," he said. "I'm very grateful to have the support of a very good team with me and I feel a lot of their love and support." Building resilience to the rail system Over the nearly two-hour interview, Siow laid out his ambitions for the next five years — starting with restoring Singaporeans' pride in the public transport system. Citing major cities such as New York and London, Siow said that public transport is very much a part of one's life. The same holds true for Singapore, where photos of old, non-air-conditioned public buses remain a part of our collective memory and transport heritage. "People feel pride in Changi (Airport), but the public transport side, I think we can do a lot more," he added. "We must run it as well as we have run the air and sea systems, so that Singaporeans can take pride in it." While Siow acknowledges that disruptions will happen "every now and then", he feels that it is important to build resilience to the rail system. This comes after the rail operator SMRT was fined $3 million for a major six-day disruption on the East-West Line (EWL) in September 2024. An estimated 500,000 out of 2.8 million train journeys were affected on each day of the disruption. Siow said that his ministry will continue investing to improve reliability to the rail and bus systems. To that end, Siow said that public transport fares are expected to rise over time. Calling it "planned unhappiness", he said: "We know we have to do this.. .because there are people who work in the transport sector whose wages need to rise over time. "If you say that fares must decline, you are essentially saying that wages must decline." The Government, he added, remains committed to support lower-income commuters through transport vouchers and fare concessions. Self-driving public buses Another "big push" that the ministry is aiming in the next five years is autonomous vehicles. In January, LTA announced that it would trial self-driving public bus services in Marina Bay and one-north in Buona Vista. The authority previously said that it will buy six autonomous buses with at least 16 seats and deploy them on bus services 400 and 191. They will operate alongside existing buses and will be deployed from mid-2026 for an initial period of three years. Autonomous vehicle trials are currently on-going in FairPrice warehouses in Joo Koon and shuttle bus services at Resorts World Sentosa and Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Self-driving technology, Siow said, will help address manpower challenges. "I have no doubt in five years you will be you will see many autonomous vehicles in Singapore, and we will start off probably with fixed routes in HDB estates, taking people to safely, to point to point to where they want to go," he added. Autonomous vehicles, he said, could also eventually shift how Singaporeans think about car ownership. "It may make less sense for you to drive your own car," he said. "You can call a car; the car arrives within five minutes. You pay for it on a pay-per use basis. You then get to where you want to go, you don't need to park. "I think the dynamic will change, and that will have interesting implications for how we think about private vehicles… and the COE system. That's maybe a further bit down the road, but I think it is worth really thinking about it." [[nid:718848]] chingshijie@
The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
No need for travel e-SIM or roaming: S'pore telcos offer generous cross-border data bundles
SINGAPORE: More local telcos are offering 'borderless' mobile plans at record low prices to woo an increasing number of globetrotting consumers. Such plans allow consumers to use a generous bundle of mobile data across borders without paying more, or activating a travel e-SIM or roaming feature. The latest to jump on this trend is M1, whose Maxx plan offers 290GB of data for use in Singapore and Malaysia for a record low of S$7.90 (US$6.16) a month. The plan also includes 10GB of mobile data for use in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan. This follows the January launch of Simba Telecom's S$10 monthly SuperRoam 10 plan that provides 300GB of 5G data that can be used in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. A separate 12GB of roaming mobile data for seven other Asian destinations is included in the same plan. Singapore's virtual telco started the borderless trend here in September 2023, when it let customers use 100GB across eight Asian destinations (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh). The monthly plan costs S$30 for the first three months, and S$37 after that. Fabian Sossa, vice-president of corporate and global marketing at said: 'The plan is designed for mobile professionals, digital nomads, students, tourists and families with cross-border ties... essentially anyone who needs connectivity across multiple countries without friction.' Since then, other telcos have followed suit. While most of these plans today cover connectivity in Malaysia, others also include popular Asian destinations like Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong. A rise in cross-border travel after the Covid-19 pandemic provided the initial impetus. For instance, the number of daily travellers at the Woodlands Checkpoint stood at 327,000 on average in 2024. This is up 22 per cent from the 269,000 in 2023, according to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority. Likewise, in 2024, Indonesia received 1.4 million visitors from Singapore, while Singapore received 2.49 million visitors from Indonesia. Singapore is one of the top five source countries for visitors to Indonesia, while Indonesia is the second-largest source country for visitors to Singapore. Experts said the setting up of special trade zones in the region and the upcoming launch of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link will further boost demand for such mobile data plans. These special economic zones, which include the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, are meant to boost the flow of goods, services and people across borders, and reduce barriers to trade and investment. The RTS Link will connect Malaysia's second-largest city, Johor Bahru, and Woodlands in Singapore over the Strait of Johor. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Peter Liu, an analyst at Gartner specialising in telecoms, said the upcoming special economic zones will significantly increase business travel and create a new category of 'super commuters' comprising skilled professionals working across borders daily or weekly. 'The seamless border, competitive tax incentives and infrastructure investments will normalise cross-border work arrangements, making borderless connectivity services essential rather than optional for this emerging professional class,' he said. Even prior to the setting up of the economic zones, the number of Malaysians and Singaporeans crossing each other's borders already provides a captive market for telcos, said Simba Telecom chief technology officer Benjamin Tan. 'The days of rationing roaming data are behind us. Consumers today want to use their mobile devices as freely outside as they do at home,' he said. Shilpa Aggarwal, vice-president of mobile customer solutions at Singtel, also cited the large number of mobile workers between Singapore and Malaysia as a reason for the telco's generous Malaysia roaming data allowance. Gomo, a sub-brand of Singtel, offers a basic 300GB of local data as well as 6GB of roaming data for use in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and Australia for S$15 a month. Soh Wei Sheng, 30, who recently completed his master's degree, subscribes to Simba's 300GB plan as he frequently travels to Malaysia and Indonesia for leisure with his family. 'It is affordable and hassle-free when I travel,' he said. Cinthia Poh, a 41-year-old civil servant, uses Singtel Gomo so she does not have to purchase travel SIM cards any more when she travels to Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. She usually buys add-ons when the overseas roaming data is insufficient. Analysts said it is unlikely that the regions covered by these borderless mobile plans will expand, as telcos still need to make money, particularly from roaming fees. Kiranjeet Kaur, associate research director at IDC, said: 'Roaming still forms a significant part of a telco's revenue. Incumbent telcos will still try to retain their consumer base with premium offerings rather than joining the race to the bottom in prices.' - The Straits Times/ANN
Business Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
No need for travel e-SIM or roaming: Singapore telcos offer generous cross-border data bundles
[SINGAPORE] More local telcos are offering 'borderless' mobile plans at record low prices to woo an increasing number of globetrotting consumers. Such plans allow consumers to use a generous bundle of mobile data across borders without paying more, or activating a travel e-SIM or roaming feature. The latest to jump on this trend is M1, whose Maxx plan offers 290GB of data for use in Singapore and Malaysia for a record low of S$7.90 a month. The plan also includes 10GB of mobile data for use in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan. This follows the January launch of Simba Telecom's S$10 monthly SuperRoam 10 plan that provides 300GB of 5G data that can be used in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. A separate 12GB of roaming mobile data for seven other Asian destinations is included in the same plan. Singapore's virtual telco started the borderless trend here in September 2023, when it let customers use 100GB across eight Asian destinations (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh). The monthly plan costs S$30 for the first three months, and S$37 after that. Fabian Sossa, vice-president of corporate and global marketing at said: 'The plan is designed for mobile professionals, digital nomads, students, tourists and families with cross-border ties... essentially anyone who needs connectivity across multiple countries without friction.' BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Since then, other telcos have followed suit. While most of these plans today cover connectivity in Malaysia, others also include popular Asian destinations such as Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong. A rise in cross-border travel after the Covid-19 pandemic provided the initial impetus. For instance, the number of daily travellers at the Woodlands Checkpoint stood at 327,000 on average in 2024. This is up 22 per cent from the 269,000 in 2023, according to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority. Likewise, in 2024, Indonesia received 1.4 million visitors from Singapore, while Singapore received 2.49 million visitors from Indonesia. Singapore is one of the top five source countries for visitors to Indonesia, while Indonesia is the second-largest source country for visitors to Singapore. Experts said the setting up of special trade zones in the region and the upcoming launch of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link will further boost demand for such mobile data plans. These special economic zones, which include the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, are meant to boost the flow of goods, services and people across borders, and reduce barriers to trade and investment. The RTS Link will connect Malaysia's second-largest city, Johor Bahru, and Woodlands in Singapore over the Strait of Johor. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Peter Liu, an analyst at Gartner specialising in telecoms, said the upcoming special economic zones will significantly increase business travel and create a new category of 'super commuters' comprising skilled professionals working across borders daily or weekly. 'The seamless border, competitive tax incentives and infrastructure investments will normalise cross-border work arrangements, making borderless connectivity services essential rather than optional for this emerging professional class,' he said. Even prior to the setting up of the economic zones, the number of Malaysians and Singaporeans crossing each other's borders already provides a captive market for telcos, said Simba Telecom chief technology officer Benjamin Tan. 'The days of rationing roaming data are behind us. Consumers today want to use their mobile devices as freely outside as they do at home,' he said. Shilpa Aggarwal, vice-president of mobile customer solutions at Singtel, also cited the large number of mobile workers between Singapore and Malaysia as a reason for the telco's generous Malaysia roaming data allowance. Gomo, a sub-brand of Singtel, offers a basic 300GB of local data as well as 6GB of roaming data for use in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and Australia for S$15 a month. Soh Wei Sheng, 30, who recently completed his master's degree, subscribes to Simba's 300GB plan as he frequently travels to Malaysia and Indonesia for leisure with his family. 'It is affordable and hassle-free when I travel,' he said. Cinthia Poh, a 41-year-old civil servant, uses Singtel Gomo so she does not have to purchase travel SIM cards any more when she travels to Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. She usually buys add-ons when the overseas roaming data is insufficient. Analysts said it is unlikely that the regions covered by these borderless mobile plans will expand, as telcos still need to make money, particularly from roaming fees. Kiranjeet Kaur, associate research director at IDC, said: 'Roaming still forms a significant part of a telco's revenue. Incumbent telcos will still try to retain their consumer base with premium offerings rather than joining the race to the bottom in prices.' THE STRAITS TIMES
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
More telcos in Singapore offering ‘borderless' mobile plans to woo globetrotters
A rise in cross-border travel after the Covid-19 pandemic provided the initial impetus for 'borderless' mobile plans. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY SINGAPORE – More local telcos are offering 'borderless' mobile plans at record low prices to woo an increasing number of globetrotting consumers. Such plans allow consumers to use a generous bundle of mobile data across borders without paying more, or activating a travel e-SIM or roaming feature. The latest to jump on this trend is M1, whose Maxx plan offers 290GB of data for use in Singapore and Malaysia for a record low of $7.90 a month. The plan also includes 10GB of mobile data for use in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan. This follows the January launch of Simba Telecom's $10 monthly SuperRoam 10 plan that provides 300GB of 5G data that can be used in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. A separate 12GB of roaming mobile data for seven other Asian destinations is included in the same plan. Singapore's virtual telco started the borderless trend here in September 2023, when it let customers use 100GB across eight Asian destinations (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh). The monthly plan costs $30 for the first three months, and $37 after that. Mr Fabian Sossa, vice-president of corporate and global marketing at said: 'The plan is designed for mobile professionals, digital nomads, students, tourists and families with cross-border ties... essentially anyone who needs connectivity across multiple countries without friction.' Since then, other telcos have followed suit. While most of these plans today cover connectivity in Malaysia, others also include popular Asian destinations like Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong. A rise in cross-border travel after the Covid-19 pandemic provided the initial impetus. For instance, the number of daily travellers at the Woodlands Checkpoint stood at 327,000 on average in 2024. This is up 22 per cent from the 269,000 in 2023, according to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority. Likewise, in 2024, Indonesia received 1.4 million visitors from Singapore, while Singapore received 2.49 million visitors from Indonesia. Singapore is one of the top five source countries for visitors to Indonesia, while Indonesia is the second-largest source country for visitors to Singapore. Experts said the setting up of special trade zones in the region and the upcoming launch of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link will further boost demand for such mobile data plans. These special economic zones, which include the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, are meant to boost the flow of goods, services and people across borders, and reduce barriers to trade and investment. The RTS Link will connect Malaysia's second-largest city, Johor Bahru, and Woodlands in Singapore over the Strait of Johor. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Mr Peter Liu, an analyst at Gartner specialising in telecoms, said the upcoming special economic zones will significantly increase business travel and create a new category of 'super commuters' comprising skilled professionals working across borders daily or weekly. 'The seamless border, competitive tax incentives and infrastructure investments will normalise cross-border work arrangements, making borderless connectivity services essential rather than optional for this emerging professional class,' he said. Even prior to the setting up of the economic zones, the number of Malaysians and Singaporeans crossing each other's borders already provides a captive market for telcos, said Simba Telecom chief technology officer Benjamin Tan. 'The days of rationing roaming data are behind us. Consumers today want to use their mobile devices as freely outside as they do at home,' he said. Ms Shilpa Aggarwal, vice-president of mobile customer solutions at Singtel, also cited the large number of mobile workers between Singapore and Malaysia as a reason for the telco's generous Malaysia roaming data allowance. Gomo, a sub-brand of Singtel, offers a basic 300GB of local data as well as 6GB of roaming data for use in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and Australia for $15 a month. Mr Soh Wei Sheng, 30, who recently completed his master's degree, subscribes to Simba's 300GB plan as he frequently travels to Malaysia and Indonesia for leisure with his family. 'It is affordable and hassle-free when I travel ,' he said. Ms Cinthia Poh, a 41-year-old civil servant, uses Singtel Gomo so she does not have to purchase travel SIM cards any more when she travels to Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. She usually buys add-ons when the overseas roaming data is insufficient. Analysts said it is unlikely that the regions covered by these borderless mobile plans will expand, as telcos still need to make money, particularly from roaming fees. Ms Kiranjeet Kaur, associate research director at IDC, said: 'Roaming still forms a significant part of a telco's revenue. Incumbent telcos will still try to retain their consumer base with premium offerings rather than joining the race to the bottom in prices.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
