SINGAPORE: From April 10 to 12, eight-year-old Muhammad Khalif Muhammad Khair Abdillah’s voice will fill MRT station platforms when a train arrives and the doors slide open.
“Please give way to alighting passengers. Together, we can make our journeys more inclusive,” he says.
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.
It marks the first time a child with special needs has voiced a platform announcement on the MRT network.
The announcement will be heard across the Circle Line (CCL), East-West Line (EWL), North-South Line (NSL), and Thomson-East Coast (TEL), all operated by SMRT.
It will be played about once every hour between 7am and 11pm.
The initiative is part of a partnership between SMRT and social service agency Rainbow Centre, Singapore to support World Autism Awareness Month.
“I feel happy!” Khalif, a student in the Junior Programme in Rainbow Centre Yishun Park School, said of the voice recording experience.
Was he nervous? “It was fun!”
What did he enjoy most about the recording? “I can hear my voice at the MRT.”
His favourite MRT station? “Sembawang!”
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 commuting safely. This helps them to familiarise themselves with public transport and build confidence before they travel on their own.
During the interview at Rainbow Centre Yishun Park School, Khalif guided The Straits Times team through the routines of public transport, including how to tap in and out, and also reminding them to take a seat on the train.
He also demonstrated how to cross the road safely, clearly relishing the chance to lead the way.
Midway through the interview, he paused and declared: “I’m enjoying this!”
Khalif was chosen to record the announcement after impressing his teachers when he emceed at a school open house, said Celin Foo, head of the junior programme.
“He 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,” she added.
Khalif’s mother, Nurhidayah Salleh, 33, described him as a loving and intuitive child. At home, he calls his three-year-old sister “my sweetie” and is quick to comfort his mother when he senses she is feeling down.
Khalif was diagnosed with autism at about five years old. “To see where he is now, I feel proud of him,” Nurhidayah said.
She hopes that people who hear Khalif’s announcement will come away with a better understanding of autism.
“We have to be there for them, support them and try to understand them,” she said of children with autism.
“More importantly, people should learn not to judge,” she added. “I hope people won’t judge these children, because everyone is different.”
Foo said initiatives like the platform announcement help more people to better understand autism.
“In Singapore, it’s common to see or interact with individuals with autism – on public transport, at malls, in schools. Without understanding, these encounters can be misunderstood or even uncomfortable,” she said.
“Projects like this play an important role in fostering greater empathy and inclusion.”
“For our students like Khalif, this is more than just showcasing a skill – it’s a chance to highlight their abilities and potential,” Foo added. “They can work, lead, communicate, and contribute meaningfully to the community, just like anyone else.”
What does Khalif hope people will feel when they hear his voice?
His reply came quickly: “I hope they will feel happy.” - The Straits Times/ANN
