Comments on: Yaacob: Bukit Timah flooding is a “freak” event

By: Newhik

Newhik — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:37:50 +0000

The “freak” storm aside, what the Ministers and Officials should be doing to reassure or placate the people, is that they should immediately propose corrective measures or actions taken

No one can blame for sudden events, that’s wy they are called sudden.
But to ask Singapore to suck it up and not say anything to reassure them, shows tha tthe Singapore elites has really lost touch with the common people.

As long as their homes remains high and dry, its not their problem to fix

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:34:18 +0000

Hi All,

There are 2 points I would like to point out:
1) Freak Event
With ever worsening global warming and environmental damage, the weather has become unpredictable. Past criteria to determine probability of flash floods and other unusual events might not be applicable anymore. So it is not wise and professional for the minister to say something is freak, especially to say it AGAIN in 2009, after uttering the same word in 2006.

2) Inability to act under duress or contingency
This is a common issue surfacing now and then. The government cannot act in unusual circumstances. As someone has pointed out, PUB could have done something downstream at Marina Barrage to alleviate the flood in Bukit Timah. But it seems they were not aware of the gravity of the situation after a few hours later. So is the installation of early warning detectors a CLEAR indication that PUB was “sleeping” when the flood occurred?!

By: Craps again

Craps again — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:02:32 +0000

“But having said that, it is not possiblefor us to plan for every event”
The limping man’s escape was also a ‘freak’ event,happened once in a blue moon.None of you planned it.But some of you
could have ‘prevented’ it.The security procedures were not in order and there was a lapse in guards.All these could have been
implemented and the ‘freak’ incident would not have happened!
How much human resouces and man power and machineries were
mobilized,inconvenience caused etc.etc.in the aftermath of the escape, which could have been prevented.
Similarily,for this ‘freak’ flood,it could have been prevented.
Fortunately, no fatal incident happened this time around.But are we that lucky the second time around?

By: c-p-k

c-p-k — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:29:53 +0000

“I hope the public will have more patience with us because it will take us some time to enlarge those drains. But having said that, it is not possible for us to plan for every event,” he said.”

Then why are we paying them $millions? It’s all money down
the drain. Pun unintended.

By: James Lu

James Lu — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:31:45 +0000

WE MISSED DR LEE BOON YANG !
At the annual Patron of The Arts Award organised by the National Arts Council, we donors, regardless of amount contributed to the arts were all given the honour to receive an award, shake hands and post for photo with MICA Minister who confers the awards. For the past 2 years I was deeply impressed by Dr Lee Boon Yang’s ( then MICA Minister) warmth, sincerity, patience and kindness, by standing on stage for 45 mins to personally hand over the awards to some 200 recipients. although the ceremony was long we were touched by a Minister that really cares.
Sad that we had missed all these nice gesture last Friday, as the new Minister no longer did that , instead ,beneficiaries were asked to give away the awards. Suddenly, the whole ceremony has lost its meaning, the purpose of POA was lost. Is this the new style of young ministers ? we wonder.
MM Lee has been our hero and set many good examples, how come he did not MENTOR the new guards? Besides having the capability and expertise, politicians holding high power positions should have good EQ, and community engagement skills.
This is the general feeling of all those supporters who gave $10,000 to $49,999 to the Arts, is the amount too small to deserve that expected honour now?
James Lu

By: Vote of Opposition

Vote of Opposition — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:57:45 +0000

Well, the last flood of such scale was not 50 years ago! The most serious flood happened in the 70s. While such flash floods happened few years ago as some readers had correctly pointed out. The problem is the PAP gov did not pay attention to such issue and point their finger to freak weather as the scape goat!

The minister should answer to the people, 1st world Singapore cannot cope with flash flood?? If you say the canals are blocked, then it may be a more believable story!

Freak Weathers? What sort of freak minister we have??

By: Karma went on exile

Karma went on exile — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 06:30:38 +0000

A freak event even if people show kindness and forgive, how can people forgive the lack of flood prevention in the infrastructure?
I am sure this is not the first time the place flooded.
Its no freak. Low lying terrains will get flooded based on geography sec1 level.
singapore is so small. pls be preventive and preemptive and not reactive.

By: Cleaner

Cleaner — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:58:38 +0000

This yaacob guy wasn’t concerned or interested at all in Keeping Singapore Clean. He only likes flying around attending haze conferences and cannot sit still. Lets change him.

By: Darth Vader

Darth Vader — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:37:22 +0000

I’m sorry, it should be what “water table” means.

By: Darth Vader

Darth Vader — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:36:23 +0000

janetnt, I have actually done construction work in the Bukit Timah area, and I can tell you that the water table there is very high. Go check a dictionary if you don’t know what “water tableAny intelligent person will tell you that such an area will flood very quickly in heavy rain. For that reason the enlargement of the canal (note the correct spelling) is necessary. And you didn’t answer the question why the flood pumps in the Marina Barrage (another project I also worked on) weren’t activated. Please comment only if you actually have a clue as to what is actually happening instead of blindly supporting the government all the time like you do.

For the other pro-government voices here, nobody is blaming the government for failing to predict the storm. What everybody is blaming them for is their “it’s not my responsibility” attitude.

Especially since they’re so severely overpaid.