Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew has stopped taking public transport regularly.

When he first took over as the Transport Ministry two and a half years ago, he was seen commuting on buses and trains.

Source: Mr Brown

Now he prefers to spend more time waiting at the bus stops and MRT stations. He is now more interested in their frequencies over a one-hour period.

So what? You may ask.

Trains still break down occasionally. The taxi system is broken (cabs on Friday anymore?). And buses are crowded (remember 190?). Even our national airline is not doing well.

Anyway, here are 8 facts from Minister Lui's recent interview in Straits Times where you will know more about the man but little about his plans. 

1. He considers buying a secondhand car.

"It depends on the price. It depends on how the market will possibly move next year with all these changes. So it's hard to say. But the depreciation (of a new car) is fastest in the first two years. So if you are not those who hanker after driving a new car, but actually a reliable car, a two to three year old secondhand car makes very good sense."

Source

A reliable second-hand car that can last more than a decade.

2. His reflections as a Transport Minister over the past 2.5 years

"Interesting, challenging too. What we are doing with transport boils down to better connectivity."

Source

Yes, it is a daily challenge for the commuters too.

3. He said that it was not easy for car-driving Singaporeans to switch to public transport, citing himself as an example. 

"It is probably a gradual move. For the people who are used to driving, it is not so easy to win them (over). It is very hard, for a variety of reasons, including for myself now. So it is not so easy to mandate, and say all of you use public transport."

Source: Straight Talk (2013) by Raymond Lim

A speech given by ex-Transport Minister Raymond Lim 5 years ago to urge Singaporeans to switch to public transport.  Time to reassess this "gradual move"?

4. He has a pasta machine.

"It is actually not so easy for one person to work the pasta machine."

Source

The future of our transport system.

5. He said that Tiong Bahru in the early 70s wasn't the best of neighbourhoods.

"I could have mixed with the wrong crowd and could have been influenced by the wrong people and all that. The neighbourhood that I was living in wasn't the best of neighbourhoods. This was the old Tiong Bahru."

Source

Must be an opposition ward.

6: His typical meal at home. 

On a weekday, it is normally rice and some dishes. Nothing so fancy. But during the weekends I help my wife to cook. We enjoy cooking together.

Source

He shares the same chef as Prime Minister Lee?

7: He scored C6 in Mathematics. 

"I still remember my Sec 4 mid-year exams, I looked at the maths paper, additional maths, and I said goodness gracious, I'm in big trouble. I ended up with a C6. Today you would say it is disastrous."

Source: Sgag

8. He organised criticisms into three categories.

"There is some that is quite destructive, very personal, and some of that you ought to just put aside and not pay too much attention to it. But the others, more in line with feedback than direct criticisms, we should pay attention and see how we can improve."

Examples of feedback:

i) Quite destructive, very personal

Source: Lui Tuck Yew Facebook

ii) Put aside and Not pay too much attention

Source: Lui Tuck Yew Facebook

iii) In line with feedback and should pay attention

Source: Lui Tuck Yew Facebook

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