Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited the SMRT Bishan Depot last night (May 26, 2015) and gave much needed encouragement to the engineers and technicians who spent lonely, humid nights away from friends and families upgrading trains and tracks while we cuddle with our loved ones in air-conditioned rooms.

Naturally, for any politician, it was the perfect chance for photos and some storytelling:

1. Shots of technicians replacing sleepers.

[caption width="760" id="attachment_54094" align="aligncenter"] Source: PM Lee Facebook[/caption]

PM's caption: "Sleeper replacement in the MRT network is progressing steadily. Sleepers are the (wooden or concrete) beams that support the rails that the trains run on. It is tough but essential work, which can only be done when the trains are not running."

2. A lowdown on what this vehicle is all about

[caption width="760" id="attachment_54095" align="aligncenter"] Source: PM Lee Facebook[/caption]

PM's caption: "SMRT uses specialised vehicles to maintain the rail network. Once trains stop running at night, these bright yellow vehicles roll out from the depot with engineers on board. Each performs a different specialised task. Some use ultrasound to inspect the rails for internal defects, while this Track Tamping Vehicle (pictured) packs the ballast (stones that form the track bed) under each sleeper to ensure that the sleepers are aligned correctly and can support the track."

3. PM thanking the crew

[caption width="760" id="attachment_54092" align="aligncenter"] Source: PM Lee Facebook[/caption]

PM's caption: "Meeting the engineers and technicians. Working the graveyard shift (2230 to 0800) means they’ve all had to adjust their family and personal lives."

4. A mandatory shot of the who's who. (Hey, that's Ho Ching!)

[caption width="760" id="attachment_54093" align="aligncenter"] Source: PM Lee Facebook[/caption]

PM's caption: "My thanks to SMRT CEO Desmond Kuek (on my left) and his team for showing me around the depot and explaining what was going on."

Some one, however, was missing from all these shots.

That's right. Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew was missing from all the shots that PM uploaded.

Not that Lui wasn't there. PM clarified that he was actually there and some netizens pointed out that Lui was spotted in the video, which was highlighted only as a link right at the end of PM's Facebook post.

Time for some investigation (ie: screenshots)

1. Wait! There's a minister!

Oops. Wrong minister. That's labour chief Chan Chun Sing by the way.

2. Peekaboo

Finally the Transport Minister was spotted - after the video's half way mark. And standing there like a fly on the wall.

3. Even though he wore a bright yellow vest to stand out

He was caught in the offside position.

4. Be it small groups...

5. or a group shot...

He wasn't there.

Last night was not the first time that Minister Lui displayed his clandestine ways.

During the Bukit Panjang LRT breakdown on March 10 this year, the Transport Minister was obviously doing his rounds but instead uploaded pictures of inanimate objects.

[caption width="700" id="attachment_54102" align="aligncenter"] Source: Lui Tuck Yew Facebook[/caption] 

[caption width="480" id="attachment_54103" align="aligncenter"] Source: Lui Tuck Yew Facebook[/caption]

Look at what Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishan, who also takes care of the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, posted:

[caption width="760" id="attachment_54104" align="aligncenter"] Source: Vivian Balakrishnan Facebook[/caption] 

[caption width="760" id="attachment_54105" align="aligncenter"] Source: Vivian Balakrishnan Facebook[/caption] 

[caption width="760" id="attachment_54106" align="aligncenter"] Source: Vivian Balakrishnan Facebook[/caption] 

Time to get a better PR team, Minister Lui.

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