Law Abiding Citizens



SBHEU - Singapore Business Houses Employees Union

BERSATU - Singapore Association of Trade Union

Found the above union member's badge at my parents' home belonging to my father. Brought back memories when i showed it to him. My father has been a law abiding citizen. First, of the British Empire, then of the Federation of Malaya and now of the Republic of Singapore. He provided for the family. Never smoke, never drink, besides the occasional 4D/TOTO bets, is not a gambling addict.

And yet, i cannot help but felt a sense of fear when i was deciding whether to put up the picture of this now defunct union badge onto my blog. You see, as a citizen of Singapore for forty years of my life, i am so conditioned to practise "self censorship".

I do not know what came over me today. But i think it started on that Thursday, i was at the bus terminal waiting for about half an hour, by then the queue had snaked well over the length of the railing and intrude onto the walkway and it seemed to threaten to invade the opposite bus queue. By the time i boarded the bus, all the seats were taken and so i proceeded to the rear. The last row of seats were fully occupied. There was a family comprising of a little girl and her parents. They had luggage, probably going home to Johor Bahru across the causeway. The family occupied a corner of the last row with the dad seated facing the aisle, a burly man. I thought it was rather considerate of him, because the family of three plus the bulky luggage only took three seats. The bag was "seated" in between the mom and pop whereas the little lass was seated awkwardly on the mom's lap as well as onto what was remaining of the corner seat. He could have given his family ample room by placing the luggage in front of him by the aisle, thereby taking up "standing space", or even better, took up four seats.

By this time, the "ground crew" ( i do not know what to call them) from the bus company were waving for the standing passengers to move to the rear so that more can come onboard. I complied. Trying to balance standing at the slightly slopped tail end of the bus, almost coming onto contact with the man's knees. I think i have done my best for the share holders of this bus company.

There was this man who was standing next to me, he was not so law abiding. Maybe he did not benefit from forty years of Singapore upbringing. Bring back memories of squeezing onto military three-tonners during national service days, the consequence of which could be dire if you did not comply. He ignored the instruction of the bus company employees. I do not know why, right there, i felt that i have never felt like this before. In the past, i would view this fellow with disdain. Inconsiderate behaviour. This time, to put it simply, i supported his action.

I do not have many friends but i dare say that all of them are law abiding citizens as far as i know. Those very close ones were from my secondary and polytechnic school days. I know of three law abiding citizens of Singapore as my very good friends.

Law abiding friend #01

A friend from my Polytechnic school days. Technically inclined and liked to dabble in computer software, the goto guy for my "FORTRAN programming" tutorials. A project leader, worked hard and got distinction for the final year project.

National Service: Army, Service Support ( down-graded due to an episode of spontaneous pneumothorax)

After NS found work in the manufacturing sector in the area of software testing function. Worked and studied part-time in the National University of Singapore, obtained an engineering bachalor's degree. He would go back to the office to conduct conference call with his overseas counterpart in the wee hours. Tight project date-lines were a given during those boom times. Non-smoker, non-drinker. Remain single till today.

Age: 41 years old

Status: Retrenched.

Law abiding friend #02

Also a fellow class mate at the polytechnic. A talent for art. Did okay for his results.

National Service: Combat, Artillery

First job worked for a while with a hard disk manufacturing plant. Through good fortune found work in a field of his forte - Technical Illustration ! He poured himself into the work. With cumulative experienced in technical illustration for 15 years ( 7 years in the first company subsequently moving to the next and rose to senior position) Was dispatched to Tokyo for a couple of years for work assignment. Worked day and night and on weekends. Projects, dead line, projects, dead line ...

The last two years he suffered hypertension and was down for a period due to kidney stones. Non-smoker, and yes, dispite going to Japan, he remained a non-drinker. Single.

Age: 40 years old

Status: Retrenched.

He paid for his dad's Prostate cancer treatment through his Medisave (the father was a taxi-driver) whom had since pass on. Now, he is paying for his mom's diabetes, glucoma treatment and medication...

Currently undergoing "retraining" in the field of horticulture and landscaping. I hate to see him waste his talent to spend the remaining rest of his life as a landscaping labourer. Hope he can take up the mouse again maybe as a landscaping artist. But he express reservations, with his carpal tunnel condition, he dreaded working with the mouse again, i think only professionals in their field would understand. Has been taking up yoga and Tai-Chi (for the later, he wanted to make sure the mom get some exercise and that is why he is doing it and bringing her along)

Law abiding friend #03

A secondary school friend whom we still meet up during Chinese New Year class gathering. Went to a diferent polytechnic.

National Service: Combat, Navy

After NS, found work in the manufacturing sector, also a computer nut. Put himself through part-time studies finally obtaining a bachelor's degree in computer science. Married with three kids. After moving away from manufacturing found work in the IT sector. Initially was for a permanent position, then later worked on a contract basis, moving from site to site till now...non-smoker, non-drinker.

Age: 40 years old

Status: Express worry that this time round his contract will not be renewed.

31 December 2010