SIA, SBS Transit, PSA Among 19 Key Transport Entities to Face Greater Regulatory Scrutiny

Law to Guard Against Adverse Influences, Major Interruptions in Services Kicks In

- Lee Nian Tjoe

Bus operator SBS Transit, national carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) and port operator PSA are among 19 key entities in the transport sector that will be subject to greater regulatory scrutiny under a law that came into force on April 1.

The Transport Sector (Critical Firms) Act gives the Government more control over key Singapore companies in the air, land and sea transport sectors to guard against adverse influences and major interruptions in essential transport services.

The list of designated entities was published in the Government Gazette on April 1.

The entities comprise 17 critical firms that provide essential transport services directly in Singapore, as well as two that hold equity interest in key transport firms here, meaning they have control or influence in decisions affecting the provision of essential transport services.

The law prepares Singapore for extreme scenarios and guards against the risk of malicious actors gaining control of and adversely influencing key transport entities here.

Among the 17 designated operating companies, five are from the land transport sector.

They are rail operators SBS Transit Rail, SMRT TEL and SMRT Trains, as well as bus companies SBS Transit and SMRT Buses.

In the air transport realm, nine companies will be designated.