SMRT bus driver who helped put out car fire among 30 winners of Transport Gold Award

SMRT bus driver Yau Minddin Muhamad (left) and SBS Transit senior assistant interchange supervisor Lim Poh Boon won the Outstanding Award, a top honour given out at the annual Transport Gold Awards.

ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI

Published Oct 28, 2026, 05:01 PM

Updated Oct 28, 2026, 05:01 PM

SMRT bus driver Yau Minddin Muhamad stopped a bus to fight a car fire near KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. He used a fire extinguisher for five minutes until firefighters arrived, despite a small explosion and scratches.

Yau was one of 30 people to receive the Transport Gold Awards’ top Outstanding Award. The awards, organised by the Singapore Kindness Movement, LTA and partners, honour transport workers who go beyond their duties.

SBS Transit senior assistant interchange supervisor Lim Poh Boon also received an award for helping an 86-year-old passenger recover a wallet with $3,000.

SINGAPORE – SMRT bus driver Yau Minddin Muhamad was heading back to Woodlands Depot one evening when he saw a car going up in flames near KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Without stopping to think, he jumped out of the bus with the on-board fire extinguisher in hand, and started to try and put the fire out.

For about five minutes, Yau Minddin, 49, battled the blaze until the Singapore Civil Defence Force firefighters arrived. But not before a small explosion from the car engine left him with minor injuries on his knuckles, he said.

Yau Minddin said he noticed the driver of the burning car desperately waving for help, but no one stepped up to help. Instead, passers-by were recording the fire using their smartphones.

There were no passengers on the bus when the incident happened at about 5pm on Aug 17, 2025 .

Yau Manddin, who has been a bus driver for about 10 years, was among 30 transport sector workers who were recognised for their exemplary performance with the Outstanding Award on Oct 28.

The award is a top honour given out at the annual Transport Gold Awards.

Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow gave out the awards at the event – organised by the Singa­pore Kindness Movement, Land Transport Authority and industry partners – which is now into its 27th year.

The award winners were selected after each one got at least three commendations under their belt. The award was given to those who exceed their standard duties by devoting personal time and resources, showing composure under pressure or lending a hand in life-threatening emergencies.

Another Outstanding Award winner was SBS Transit senior assistant interchange supervisor Lim Poh Boon, for going the extra mile to help an elderly passenger find his lost wallet in December 2025.

When Lim first heard that the 86-year-old passenger had lost his wallet with identification documents and $3,000 in cash, Lim set out to trace the man’s journey from Holland Village to Clementi.

He studied the man’s concession card records and went to check the seats and aisles of about two or three 165 buses for more than 30 minutes.

It was no easy task tracing the man’s journey, said Lim. The senior could not remember what time he took the bus, or where he got off. He also could not remember if the bus he got on was a single or double-decker bus.

Having lost his own wallet before, Lim said he understood what the elderly man was going through, especially when the cash was for his daily living expenses.

The senior was happy to get his wallet back and wanted to treat Lim and his colleagues to snacks. Lim said: “There is no need for that because it is our responsibility to help him.”

Esther Loi is a journalist at The Straits Times, where she covers transport issues.

SMRT巴士司机Yau Minddin Muhamad（左）和SBS Transit高级助理换乘站主管Lim Poh Boon荣获杰出奖，这是年度交通金奖颁发的最高荣誉。

ST 摄影：AZMI ATHNI

发布于 2026 年 10 月 28 日下午 5:01

更新于2026年10月28日下午5:01

SMRT巴士司机姚敏丁·穆罕默德（Yau Minddin Muhamad）停车扑灭KK妇女儿童医院附近一辆汽车的火灾。尽管发生小爆炸并造成一些擦伤，他仍坚持使用灭火器灭火五分钟，直到消防员赶到。

姚女士是荣获交通运输金奖最高杰出奖的30人之一。该奖项由新加坡爱心运动、陆路交通管理局及其合作伙伴共同举办，旨在表彰那些超越职责范围、做出卓越贡献的交通运输从业人员。

新捷运高级助理换乘站主管林宝文也因帮助一名 86 岁乘客找回装有 3000 新元的钱包而获奖。

新加坡——一天晚上，SMRT巴士司机Yau Minddin Muhamad在返回兀兰车厂的途中，看到一辆汽车在KK妇女儿童医院附近起火。

他没有丝毫犹豫，拿着车上的灭火器跳下车，开始尝试灭火。

49岁的姚敏丁奋力扑救了大约五分钟，直到新加坡民防部队的消防员赶到。他说，在此之前，汽车引擎的一次小爆炸导致他的指关节受了轻伤。

姚敏丁说，他注意到着火汽车的司机拼命挥手求救，但无人上前帮忙。相反，路人都在用手机拍摄火灾现场。

2025年8月17日下午5点左右发生这起事件时，公交车上没有乘客。

担任巴士司机约 10 年的姚文丁是 10 月 28 日因其卓越表现而获得杰出奖的 30 位交通运输业从业人员之一。

该奖项是年度交通运输金奖颁奖典礼上颁发的最高荣誉。

交通部长萧敬腾在活动上颁发了奖项。该活动由新加坡善行运动、陆路交通管理局和行业合作伙伴共同举办，今年已是第 27 届。

获奖者均需至少获得三项嘉奖方可入选。该奖项旨在表彰那些超越职责范围，投入个人时间和资源、在压力下保持冷静或在危及生命的紧急情况下伸出援手的人员。

另一位杰出奖获得者是 SBS Transit 高级助理换乘主管林宝文，他在 2025 年 12 月竭尽全力帮助一位老年乘客找回丢失的钱包。

林先生第一次听说这位 86 岁的乘客丢失了钱包，里面有身份证件和 3000 美元现金时，便着手追踪这位老人从荷兰村到金文泰的行程。

他仔细查看了该男子的优惠卡记录，并花了 30 多分钟检查了大约两三辆 165 型公交车的座位和过道。

林先生说，追踪这位老人的行程并非易事。这位老人记不清自己是什么时候坐的公交车，也记不清在哪里下车。他还记不清自己坐的是单层公交车还是双层公交车。

林先生之前也丢过钱包，他说他能理解这位老人的感受，尤其是当钱包里的钱是老人的日常开销时。

这位老人很高兴找回了钱包，想请林先生和他的同事们吃点心。林先生说：“不必这样，帮助他是我们的责任。”

埃丝特·罗伊是《海峡时报》的记者，主要报道交通运输问题。