Nine-year-old Wins SBS Transit's Art Competition Aimed at Promoting Safety on Board Buses

Nine-year-old Tan Hui Xin takes the bus twice a week to classes and often sees fellow passengers "steadying" themselves with just their feet spread further apart.

"It's like that saying - 'Look Ma, no hands!'", she recalls.

And it's not surprising that there have been many occasions that people lose their balance - luckily, none have resulted in any injury, at least not that Hui Xin can recall.

And so when she heard from her teacher that SBS Transit was organising an art competition to promote the habit of holding onto stanchion poles and hand-straps, she took out her coloured pencils and started drawing.

The result: A colourful, eye-catching art piece that depicts just what happens when passengers on board a bus decide not to hold onto supports provided.

Nine-year-old Ms Tan Hui Xin posing with her family members, teachers and the
Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport with her winning entry in the background.

Hui Xin's entry beat 584 others to emerge tops in a competition aimed not just at letting school children flex their creative muscles, but also spread a safety message. The entries, which were submitted over a one month period in August 2014, came from 69 schools islandwide. A total of 17 were subsequently shortlisted and displayed at 16 SBS Transit bus interchanges for public viewing. Members of the public were invited to vote for their favourite art piece to generate greater awareness for this safety campaign. The voting contest ended on 25 October with more than 11,500 votes cast.

After an intense voting competition online, the top three prize winners received their prizes from the Guest-of-Honour, Ms Josephine Teo, Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport, at the Prize Presentation today at Toa Payoh Interchange Concourse. The 14 merit prize winners were also presented with their prizes during the event.

Exhibits of the shortlisted art pieces were on display at Toa Payoh Interchange during the event so that commuters can enjoy them.

To drive home the safety message further, foldable shopping bags with the Hold On! message prominently printed on, were given out at the event today. The bags were kindly sponsored by Cycle & Carriage Industries Pte Ltd, India International Insurance Pte Ltd, Scania Singapore Pte Ltd and Volvo Bus Singapore.