SBS Transit to discipline staff who shouted vulgarity at passenger for cutting bus queue at JB CIQ

SBS Transit will be taking disciplinary action against a traffic inspector after a video of him scolding a passenger who tried to jump the queue for a cross-border bus in Johor Bahru went viral.

The incident took place on Nov. 19, at about 7pm at JB CIQ checkpoint.

The incident

A clip of the incident posted to Facebook showed the staff shouting at an elderly man who was trying to enter a bus.

"F*ck you! Go back! You!...Oi!" the staff told the man while gesturing at him to return to the queue.

According to the post, the elderly passenger tried to skip the queue, claiming he was "sick" and needed to get on the bus.

The passenger also allegedly threatened to "hit someone", and raised his voice to two other bus employees, an eyewitness claimed.

"He also claimed he was Singaporean so he did not have to queue," said the eyewitness.

The eyewitness added that the man left after the police were called.

SBS Transit to discipline staff

On the incident, SBS Transit spokesperson Grace Wu told Mothership that an SBS Transit traffic inspector stopped a male passenger from jumping the queue to board a Service 170 bus to maintain orderly boarding for passenger safety.

Unfortunately, the passenger had refused to comply with the traffic inspector's and bus captain's repeated instructions to do so, said Wu.

"Having said that, our traffic inspector could have managed the situation more calmly and professionally, and we are taking disciplinary action against him to avoid a repeat of the situation," Wu said.

Wu also encouraged passengers to be gracious and considerate, including taking turns to board buses in an orderly manner, as this helps ensure a safer and more pleasant journey for everyone.

SBS Transit and the National Transport Workers' Union (NTWU) said in a joint statement that the Singapore–Malaysia land crossing is the busiest in the world, and long queues at peak hours are common.

"Traffic inspectors work under intense pressure to keep boarding orderly and safe for the thousands who rely on these buses daily," SBS Transit and NTWU said.

SBS Transit and NTWU said they recognise that public transport workers must adhere to high levels of professionalism, and support the company’s engagement of the staff involved, including providing the necessary guidance, counselling, and training.

"We also urge all commuters to play their part. Showing respect to frontline workers and following queue instructions help create a safer, smoother, and more considerate journey for everyone."

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Top image from The SG Daily/Facebook