Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid....

One cannot miss the repetitive broadcast of the anti-terrorist video on the video monitors at your local mass rapid transit stations while you are waiting for the next train to arrive.

"Be suspicious of anyone carrying a big bag onto the train..." declared the narration showing a seemingly dubious person wearing a cap entered the train laden with a black sports bag. Then there was the nosy obaasan who could not take her eyes off this "suspicious behavior" of someone with a bag.

Come on folks, are we all supposed to be so neurotic in our daily lives and fill them with a heightened degree of suspicion to report about anything that moves? Not in Singapore where once every tourism brochure put out by the then Singapore Tourist Promotion Board touted that Singapore was a safe country.... or has the situation now changed.

Such "safety" video at the train stations reminded me of the cultural revolution in China when everyone should report on own family's any devilish Western ideology for proper corrective punishment. This has led to a society of fear and the lack of trust-worthiness from within the family nucleus - which leads to everyone just out for him/herself. The threat of fear is no way to create a positive environment in Singapore or anywhere. Yes, we should be vigilant about any potential threats, but to create an environment of fear and suspicion by insinuating any element of stereo-typing through an amateurish video production that was done without proper consideration of psychological after-effects, is purely an irresponsible act forced upon every citizen exposed to such a propaganda.

Two extreme effects seemed to the result in Singapore - those who could not care two hoots about it because it was not believable, and those who really are fearful of the safety factor in Singapore now. I guess the Singapore Government could justify such a precautionary act, especially when a more intelligent terrorist under custody escaped the rank and file guardianships of the million-dollar ministers' men. To date the escapee could not be found, certainly it would have been logical to assume the threat will forever be there as long as he is not caught. Oops, there goes the destination's advantage for promoting itself as a safe place to have fun and games... A job now tougher for the new Singapore Tourism Board I bet.... duh...

Happy Toilet School?

I could not believe my eyes to see this long banner placed outside the fence of a primary school at Jalan Membina in Singapore. It touted the school as the gold medal winner of a Happy Toilet School Education Program.

This was one of the many banners that gave citations to the numerous "accomplishments" of the schools. So many banners that lined up the fence that had made the school impersonal and well-hidden from outside view - except for looking through its main gate.

It seemed like every school would love to show that it had done well and accomplished numerous awards. In Singapore and for this school in particular, relevance appeared to have taken a second place. Quantity rather than quality counted. Putting a banner should have been done with pride, but rarely one would have wanted to claim credit for being a "Happy Toilet School." That was if one had thought through its PR priorities carefully enough so that its organization would not become the toilet hole of jokes in the neighborhood.

And in any case it was rather odd to humanize a toilet with an emotive expression such as being happy. The originator of this campaign or contest was clearly at fault to have coined the term "Happy Toilet." Whatever its reason, the worst was that it came from an educational institution that could have better projected a good use of the English language.... or pardon me, it could have been Singlish.