SINGAPORE \u2013 From April 10 to 12, eight-year-old Muhammad Khalif Muhammad Khair Abdillah\u2019s voice will fill MRT station platforms when a train arrives and the doors slide open.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease give way to alighting passengers. Together, we can make our journeys more inclusive,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Khalif, who has autism, recorded the announcement as part of an initiative by public transport operator SMRT to mark World Autism Awareness Month in April.<\/p>\n
It marks the first time a child with special needs has voiced a platform announcement on the MRT network.<\/p>\n
The announcement will be heard across the Circle Line, East-West Line, North-South Line and Thomson-East Coast Line, all operated by SMRT.<\/p>\n
It will be played about once every hour between 7am and 11pm. <\/p>\n
The initiative is part of a partnership between SMRT and social service agency Rainbow Centre, Singapore, to support World Autism Awareness Month.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel happy!\u201d Khalif, a pupil in the junior programme at Rainbow Centre Yishun Park School, said of the voice recording experience. <\/p>\n
Was he nervous? \u201cIt was fun!\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
What did he enjoy most about the recording? \u201cI can hear my voice at the MRT.\u201d<\/p>\n
His favourite MRT station? \u201cSembawang!\u201d<\/p>\n Muhammad Khalif Muhammad Khair Abdillah, who has autism, recorded the announcement as part of an initiative by public transport operator SMRT to mark World Autism Awareness Month in April.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n In 2022, Rainbow Centre Yishun Park School and SMRT set up an indoor park with features like MRT fare gantries to give students in the school a place where they can practise using public transport safely. This helps them to familiarise themselves with public transport and build confidence before they travel on their own. <\/p>\n During the interview at Rainbow Centre Yishun Park School, Khalif guided The Straits Times team through the routines of taking public transport, including how to tap in and out at the gantries, and reminded them to take a seat on the train.<\/p>\n He also demonstrated how to cross the road safely, clearly relishing the chance to lead the way.<\/p>\n Midway through the interview, he paused and declared: \u201cI\u2019m enjoying this!\u201d<\/p>\n Khalif was chosen to record the announcement after impressing his teachers when he emceed at a school open house, said Ms Celin Foo, head of the junior programme.<\/p>\n \u201cHe has a natural way of connecting with people, and it was clear he had more to offer beyond the classroom. This SMRT project gives him a bigger platform to build on those strengths,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n Khalif\u2019s mother, Ms Nurhidayah Salleh, 33, described him as a loving and intuitive child. At home, he calls his three-year-old sister \u201cmy sweetie\u201d and is quick to comfort his mother when he senses she is feeling down.<\/p>\n Khalif was diagnosed with autism at about five years old. \u201cTo see where he is now, I feel proud of him,\u201d Ms Nurhidayah said.<\/p>\n Muhammad Khalif\u2019s mother, Ms Nurhidayah Salleh, described him as a loving and intuitive child.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n She hopes that people who hear Khalif\u2019s announcement will come away with a better understanding of autism. \u201cWe have to be there for them, support them and try to understand them,\u201d she said of children with autism.<\/p>\n \u201cMore importantly, people should learn not to judge,\u201d she added. \u201cI hope people won\u2019t judge these children, because everyone is different.\u201d<\/p>\n Ms Foo said initiatives like the platform announcement help more people to better understand autism. <\/p>\n \u201cIn Singapore, it\u2019s common to see or interact with individuals with autism \u2013 on public transport, at malls, in schools. Without understanding, these encounters can be misunderstood or even uncomfortable,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n \u201cProjects like this play an important role in fostering greater empathy and inclusion.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cFor our students like Khalif, this is more than just showcasing a skill \u2013 it\u2019s a chance to highlight their abilities and potential,\u201d Ms Foo added. \u201cThey can work, lead, communicate and contribute meaningfully to the community, just like anyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n What does Khalif hope people will feel when they hear his voice?<\/p>\n His reply came quickly: \u201cI hope they will feel happy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/picture><\/div>
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