S'pore not world-class in social behaviour

MR TOH Cheng Seong ("Commuters can help make rides pleasant"; yesterday) compared commuter behaviour on our trains with that in Taipei and Tokyo.

The ungracious behaviour here brings to the fore core values that need greater emphasis and focus in our society.

Refusing to allow commuters to alight first, talking loudly on mobile phones, refusing to give way to those more in need of a seat, littering and other examples of bad behaviour are commonplace in our trains.

However much service standards are improved and however more frequently trains arrive, the train system will always fall short of world-class standards as long as we do not learn to behave more graciously.

The authorities have taken pains to instil in our citizens the need for more social graces, but their efforts seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

Getting the public to become more caring and considerate cannot happen overnight.

Slogans, courtesy campaigns and various forms of exhortation will have no effect on society unless the people themselves, and the authorities, realise that education must begin at home and be followed through in the school system.

Parents have a big part to play in bringing up children with good values and social graces, while schools should reinforce these values and place increased emphasis on developing good character traits in their students.

Enforced correctly, these qualities will become second nature to Singaporeans as they go about their daily lives.

Singapore possesses one of the highest standards of living in the world and has demonstrated dynamic progress in various spheres.

But we cannot claim world-class standards in human behaviour unless we practise zero tolerance for bad manners, whether on our trains, buses or in our day-to-day activities.

V. Subramaniam (Dr)
ST Forum, 1 Jan 2014

Good citizens make good commuters

THE attitudes of Singaporean commuters, as noted by Mr Toh Cheng Seong ("Commuters can help make rides pleasant"; Tuesday) and Dr V. Subramaniam ("S'pore not world-class in social behaviour"; Wednesday), bring to the forefront for 2014 what constitutes a good citizen, beyond what makes a considerate commuter.

We are, by and large, intelligent and push ourselves to achieve the highest education we can attain. Most Singaporeans have self-confidence and are in possession of commendable self-control.

Most of us offer our services dutifully, are not wilfully negligent and are cooperative with state officials in the discharge of their duties.

We vote honestly and are blind to sectional differences of sexual orientation or religion, preferring candidates for their candour, ideas and ideals.

Yet, not many Singaporeans are public-spirited, preferring to live a cloistered and insular existence, and are quite unconcerned with standing up for the rights of the disenfranchised.

Insofar as welfare is concerned, we are overly engrossed with self-centred interests, so that "I" takes precedence over "we", while family assumes disproportionate importance over neighbours.

Our navel gazing extends to protecting our own backyards in preventing the building of what is patently good for the nation.

Our good citizen scorecard is just about par for the course for a newly developed country.

The Singaporean is not special. We just happened to have been better led, were more productive and managed to offer better value to the world.

Governance in other countries has improved, our wages may soon become uncompetitively high (if not already so) and value can now be found in all the up-and-coming Third World countries riding on the coat-tails of our experience.

Unless we better ourselves, rich Singapore, which used to motivate itself by thinking and behaving poor, will end up poor.

Yik Keng Yeong (Dr)
ST Forum, 3 Jan 2014

Nurture 'heartware' in people

THERE is some truth to Dr V. Subramaniam's view that efforts to instil the need for more social graces in citizens seem to have fallen on deaf ears ("S'pore not world-class in social behaviour"; Wednesday).

Singaporeans and residents are becoming resistant to kindness campaigns.

Graciousness is a quality that should be nurtured and grown naturally, without coercion. It is often a neglected aspect which is so vital in everyday living.

Being considerate and kind to others should come from the heart. This is where the softer "heartware" needs to be nurtured in families and in students, starting from a young age.

Highlighting and criticising ugly social behaviour will not do society any good.

Members of the public should write in to the media about their experiences with kind strangers.

Reading about such experiences is not only uplifting, but also accentuates the positive social behaviour of our citizens.

People here have to realise the importance of being gracious and considerate to others.

Increasing awareness of the "heartware" will bring warmth to residents in Singapore and make it a more liveable and pleasant place to dwell in.

There should not be room for the "I before others" mindset in any nurturing society.

Ada Chan Siew Foen (Ms)
ST Forum, 3 Jan 2014

Commuters can help make rides pleasant

UNLIKE Mr Alain Choo Wai Hung, I do not recall that Hong Kong's MTR trains arrive every 1 1/2 minutes ("Singapore transport system still needs work"; last Friday).

Its website says train arrivals vary between two and 12 minutes during peak hours, and between 3 1/2 and 14 minutes during off-peak periods, depending on the service lines.

Trains and train stations in Hong Kong, especially the more popular ones, are just as crowded as Singapore's.

During peak hours there, I sometimes have to wait for a fourth train to arrive before I can get on board.

What Singapore lacks is good commuter behaviour, which plays a critical role in making the overall travelling experience pleasant.

In Taipei, commuters queue and wait patiently for everyone to exit the train before they enter.

In Tokyo, they avoid talking loudly into their phones or turning up the volume for the music, video or game they are engaged in.

In Singapore, such good manners are often the exception.

Worse, some commuters even take to sitting or lying on the floor of the train cabin.

Litter is an increasingly common sight on our trains and buses, and it is not removed at the end of each service schedule.

For our transport system to achieve world-class standards, commuters play a part too, along with ongoing efforts to enhance service quality.

Toh Cheng Seong
ST Forum, 31 Dec 2013

Singapore transport system still needs work

MISS Saraswati Siu Lum Wong compared Singapore's transport network with that of Los Angeles ("Transport network here better than in other cities"; Monday).

She was right to say Los Angeles is a city that is extremely spread out. However, in Los Angeles, a city that is much bigger than Singapore, almost everyone drives.

The buses that ply the downtown area and other parts of the city are also punctual. Information on route details and arrival times are clearly indicated at bus stops. This information is not available at all locations in Singapore. Even if it were, it is not accurate.

The writer should compare the transport systems of cities similar to Singapore, for instance, Taipei or Hong Kong.

Singapore pales in comparison with these cities.

Hong Kong's MTR comes every 11/2 minutes. Taipei's MRT comes just as quickly and information panels show when the next two trains will arrive.

In Hong Kong, train announcements are made in three languages; in Taipei, four. The announcements are audible even in tunnels. However, Singapore's train network has announcements only in English, except for the North East Line. Announcements can hardly be heard once the trains move.

Public transport fares overseas are also not as expensive as perceived, if the minimum wage of workers there is taken into account. Day tickets are also available overseas at an affordable price, but in Singapore, such tickets are available only to tourists.

Singapore's transport network is still evolving. But unless the authorities get it right and at a faster pace, Singaporeans will have to continue to endure the inefficiency, overcrowded conditions and slowness of the network.

Alain Choo Wai Hung
ST Forum, 27 Dec 2013

Transport network here better than in other cities

IN RECENT years, there have been complaints of our public transport system being inefficient, overcrowded and slow.

However, many have failed to consider how it is more accessible and economical compared with those in other cities.

I have travelled to major cities such as Jakarta and Los Angeles, and must admit that Singapore has got it right.

A large part of Singapore's success is owed to the country's small geographical area, which allows public transport network usage to be maximised. This is unlike cities like Los Angeles which are extremely spread out.

Also, despite the recent increase in fares, public transport here is still cheaper than in other cities.

The design of our transport system also makes travelling very convenient.

Not many people think about how the fact that the MRT has specific lines for trains going to the same destination makes navigating our transport network a lot easier.

In many other cities, such as San Francisco, the subways have multiple lines sharing the same track, making it difficult for first-time tourists to navigate their way through.

The mobility we enjoy as a result of a highly accessible and inexpensive transportation network has provided Singaporeans with a special sort of freedom that many people around the world lack.

We should remember this the next time we complain about the transport system here.

Saraswati Siu Lum Wong (Miss)
ST Forum, 23 Dec 2013

Leave reserved seats empty

I WAS on holiday in South Korea recently and was amazed to see that as packed as the train was one day, none of the reserved seats was taken ("Nudging commuters to be gracious"; Dec 8 and "'Little things' can ease commute"; Dec 22).

In every cabin, there are six seats reserved for the elderly, disabled and expectant mothers.

This ensures that this group of commuters is almost guaranteed a seat on the train even if it is extremely crowded.

This is very cultured behaviour.

Most commuters in Singapore would give up their seats to someone who needs it more than they do.

However, we could also make it a habit to leave the reserved seats empty for those who need them more.

Rachel Lim Li Ting, 11, Primary 6 pupil
ST Forum, 1 Jan 2014