I was on the bus to work with my colleague, Hieu, yesterday. We were seated opposite a fat Malay lady, who looked like she was listening to music under her tudung. And then a PRC couple came on board with a pram, which they rolled to the disabled persons area on the bus. A baby was inside.
“They’re not supposed to do that!” The fat Malay lady spoke up. I was a little surprised because she looked like the type that would sit silently, lost in her own music. “They’re supposed to fold up the pram!”
I nodded. She continued: “There’s a sign in front that says they should fold it up! Come to Singapore don’t follow our laws. Humph!”
At this point it was clear she thought I was Singaporean, and I also didn’t want to say much. “Aiya,” I said, “What to do? The bus captain didn’t say anything.”
Then the makcik drew herself up. “Of course not! Alamak, the bus captain is from the same country!”
I think I’ve always been a secret Singaporean.
What too many people here seem to not appreciate about S’pore is that low-corruption “nanny state” is strongly supported by the ordinary citizens who see its many rules as something that simply exists to make their collective lives easier rather than oppress them, and who genuinely care about the others (and about the environment and so many other things).
Compare that with high-corruption “nanny state” of People’s Republic of China (and too many other places), where rules exist only to be circumvented by those who see themselves as “smarter” than others.
tinfoilparachute 