Ng Chee Meng reveals trial of community umbrella racks at Jalan Kayu bus stops, asks residents to return after use

Ng Chee Meng announces community umbrella racks at Jalan Kayu bus stops, netizens doubt success

Jalan Kayu Member of Parliament (MP) Ng Chee Meng recently announced a trial of community umbrella racks at two bus stops in his constituency.

Commuters can borrow an umbrella when they need to and return it after use.

Ng Chee Meng encourages Jalan Kayu residents to donate to umbrella racks

Mr Ng took to Facebook on Saturday (12 Sept) to unveil the feature.

“Ever gotten caught in the rain without an umbrella? We’ve all been there,” he wrote.

As a result, he decided to try the “simple” solution of community umbrella racks. His photos showed a rack lined with several black umbrellas.

“Pay it forward, stay dry!” the poster on the rack read.

Mr Ng said that residents could borrow an umbrella when they needed it and return it after they were done.

He also encouraged those with spare umbrellas to drop them off at the community rack to help their neighbours.

The racks are currently installed at bus stops 68059 and 68051, the two stops on Jalan Kayu closest to the Tampines Expressway (TPE).

“A big thank you to our residents who suggested this – a small idea with a big heart,” Mr Ng concluded.

Feasible or not? Netizens divided

Despite the idea’s positive intentions, some netizens in the comments section questioned if it would work in practice.

Several expressed concerns that the umbrellas would all be stolen within a week.

Another user said it was a well-intentioned idea but unlikely to succeed.

They claimed that the idea would work only if people had to pay a deposit to borrow the umbrellas and received a refund when they returned them.

One optimistic netizen urged others to “have a little faith” in the Jalan Kayu community’s ability to look out for each other.

This wasn’t Mr Ng’s first umbrella-related idea either. In 2025, he suggested installing giant parasols at pedestrian crossings in Fernvale to provide shade.

Netizens were also divided on that idea, which never seemed to gain much traction.

Also read: Ng Chee Meng suggests giant umbrellas to provide shade at Fernvale crossings, netizens divided on usefulness

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Featured image adapted from Ng Chee Meng on Facebook.