Is Singaporean truly gracious? I have been to Bangkok recently the second time in two years and immerse myself in the cultural diversity and lifestyle of the Thais. Though the rapid wave of modernisation has caught up with the people of Thailand in the form of ultra modern skyscrapers and lifestyle it amazes me to observe that Thais still value the simplicity of life and the graciousness of civility which sad to say is missing in us.
There has been many articles in the newspaper of how badly Singaporeans behave in public. There are incidences of elderly being punched just for asking another person to keep the voice down in a public transport whilst talking on the phone, how youths were beaten up for the seamingless innocent incident of looking at another or the usual complaints of not giving up the seats in the MRT or public transport to the elderly or the more needed. Are we Singaporean's just unkind? Are the Asian values of humility and respect loss in the wave of globalisation and modernisation?
The National Courtesy Campaign was launched on 1 June 1979 by Lee, Kuan Yew, the then Prime Minister of Singapore with the aim of creating a pleasant social environment where Singaporeans are considerate and thoughtful of each other's needs. The campaign began as an initiative to encourage Singaporeans to be more polite and friendly to tourists to support the tourist industry in Singapore and the government had thought that the target to build a courteous and pleasant society could be achieved over a period of 10 years. But almost 30 years to the date and 20 years passed the 10 years marked, could we say that we are more courteous than we are back then? Can we say that we are truly a gracious society?
The person behind the campaign himself, Mr Lee Kuan Yew had said during ISEAS 40th Anniversary on January 8, 2008 that Singaporeans will never be a gracious society at least not in his lifetime. Singaporeans are still a long way to develop and mature culturally as a people.
We still have residents peeing inside the lifts as if by doing that they are contributing to the environment but not having to waste water in flushing down the toilet. We have drivers honking their ways around and changing lanes without signalling and realising that they have driven in a inconsiderate manner instead of putting up their hand up as a gesture of sorry decided to show their middle finger, the universal finger of "Bite Me".
Campaign after campaign, slogans after slogans, Singaporeans are still as what they are. If we are not worse off in our social graciousness we are becoming more and more discerning to the extend of demanding. To us, good courteous service is demanded of but as a consumer it is not expected of us to reciprocrate.
I remembered queing behind a lady at a supermarket recently who were dumping all her groceries on the counter causing a few to fall off on the floor. She then blasted at the poor girl for being slow. The cashier could only sheepishly afford an apologetic smile. Being a civil minded as I am, I told the lady off, instead I was awarded with a glaring look. If she can afford to shoot out rays out of her eyes she would have instantly obliterate me on the spot.
When I was in Thailand, what attracted me was the way the service provider will put their hands together and said "Sawadeekrap / kah" (depending on your gender), and this is their way of life. From the hawkers to the banker, from the doctor to the taxi driver from the sales assistant to the tut tut riders. In Singapore we just sent them off by saying 'next please'.
As the saying goes, 'I will not see Singaporeans being a gracious society in my lifetime" may hold some truth afterall. I just hope that at least in my lifetime Singaporeans will learn to be gracious.
No comments:
Post a Comment