Faishal Ibrahim ditches traffic jam for MRT, praises ride as ‘smoother than kopi’
Acting Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim has sung praises for Singapore’s public transport system, just two weeks after Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh and Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong were spotted riding the MRT and LRT respectively.
In a Facebook post on April 25, Associate Professor Faishal said he had been caught in a traffic jam while on his way to the launch of the newly revamped Malay Heritage Centre (MHC), but “made a quick switch to the train” and still arrived on time.
Assoc Prof Faishal, who is also Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs, praised the train system for running “smoother than my morning kopi”.
Photos shared in the post showed him riding a crowded Downtown Line train, dressed in a green baju melayu and holding his phone.
He was later seen alongside Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the reopening of the MHC, which had been closed since 2022 for restoration works.
According to Instagram Stories posted by the MHC, Assoc Prof Faishal also performed Malay spoken word poetry — pantun — at the event, drawing cheers from the audience.
While his pantun skills impressed attendees, reactions to his train commute were more mixed.
Netizens praise – and offer practical suggestions
His Facebook post has garnered more than 1,400 likes and 119 comments, with some netizens praising his choice of baju melayu and describing him as “humble”.
One commenter said he wished he had been there to “accompany” the minister on his commute on a “more than world-class transport system”. Another noted that it was “nice” to see a politician share about taking public transport, making it feel “more normal” for everyone and “not something unusual”.
“A minister who set a good example for the rest of the population,” another commenter wrote.
However, one netizen suggested what he felt was a more convenient route to the MHC, which is located in Kampong Glam.
“If you are a frequent walker, you would have known that a more convenient way to reach (the Kampong Glam area) is just to walk and cross Nicoll (Highway) and Beach (Road) using overhead bridges,” the commenter wrote.
Another commenter suggested the switch could be prompted by something other than a traffic jam.
“Just admit Malay Heritage Centre no parking lot. Don’t say jam.”
Explore more on these topics
See something interesting? Contribute your story to us.
