An incident at Jurong East MRT station during the peak hour rush has gone viral after two teenagers were seen blocking the entrance of a train carriage at around 7:30am. Their action caused a bottleneck as commuters tried to board the train, prompting one irate commuter — a middle-aged woman — to scold them loudly in front of everyone.
The teens, believed to be students, had seated themselves near the door, seemingly unaware or indifferent to the crowd piling up behind them. Multiple eyewitnesses claimed that despite the train being crowded, the two remained fixated on their phones and made no effort to move aside or make space.
Eventually, one frustrated aunty shouted at them to “wake up their idea,” reminding them that MRT entrances are not sitting areas — especially during peak hour. Her words were echoed by approving nods and murmurs of support from nearby passengers.
Facebook Users Slam Behaviour as “Selfish” and “Brainless”
The incident triggered a flood of reactions online after photos surfaced on Facebook. Netizens were quick to criticise the students’ lack of consideration, with many pointing out that this kind of behaviour seems to be increasingly common among the younger generation.
“Simple common sense also must teach?” one user wrote, while another added, “So much education but no basic manners.” Others lamented the state of public etiquette, comparing Singapore’s public transport culture unfavourably to countries like Japan and Taiwan, where such behaviour is rarely seen.
Several top commenters blamed the overuse of mobile phones, saying that today’s youth are so glued to their screens they no longer observe their surroundings. Others blamed poor parenting and lack of consequences in school.
Calls for Stricter Enforcement and Education in Public Behaviour
Some Singaporeans have called on MRT operators and LTA to deploy more officers on public trains, especially during school and work peak hours, to ensure such inconsiderate actions are dealt with swiftly.
“There are signs in every cabin – no sitting on the floor, no blocking entrances. It’s not that they don’t know, they just don’t care,” a netizen said. Others proposed naming and shaming schools when students are caught misbehaving in uniform, in hopes of instilling discipline through accountability.
While some commenters sympathised with the students, suggesting they might be tired or overwhelmed, the general consensus was that basic courtesy in shared public spaces should not have to be taught — it should already be part of growing up.
As public transport usage continues to rise, especially among students, this incident serves as a harsh reminder: common sense is still one of the most valuable things to bring onto a train.