A woman was fined $30 for having a piece of sweet in her mouth by an MRT officer. She apparently broke the rule that disallows eating and drinking on the MRT. The video presenter ends saying, "Nothing escapes the eyes of the law, including a sweet."
Please watch the depressing video produced by Razor TV (Straits Times):
Comments from another local blogger:
The reason for not allowing people to eat and drink on trains is they might drop or spill what ever they are consuming and dirty the train - it is not eating or drinking itself that is the problem but intentional or unintentional littering. The woman in the video has technically violated the no eating rule but the chance of a piece of sweet falling from out of a person's mouth onto the the train is zero. The officer enforced the law rigidly without any regard to the spirit of the law. I wonder if breast feeding is allowed on the MRT or will they go ahead fine the 3 month old baby.
This reminds me of the story about a family that was detained at the Changi Airport for saying word "bomb" twice. They were on their way to Australia for a holiday. The child asked the mom why people were made to take off their shoes at the security checkpoint. The mom explained that they had to check for bombs. The security officers who were trained to detain people using the word "bomb" twice heard that and the family had to miss their holiday in Darwin: http://spawnily.livejournal.com/413020.html
What is more important than rules are the reasons behind the rules. We will have better citizens and smarter workers if they are brought up to question the logic behind the rules they are asked to follow.
Categories News, Noteworthy Opinions
Sweets in the mouth ... PLEASE!!! This is more ridiculous than anything else! What about if a child has sweet in his/her mouth? Do they fine the kid as well?
Don't get me wrong ... I like a clean city too ... but this is getting too far!!!
HS
No Coughing & Sneezing. Fine $500. Oops. Will I be fined for making a joke?
A few questions after watching the video:
a) What is with the reality journalism? (it's extremely cheesy and unnecessary - low ratings for RazorTV and/or easier way for SMRT to frighten the masses?)
b) could the exchange have been staged? (though this is unlikely, I feel - anyone know aunty Zaina Bibi, the victim?)
c) was only the footage of the most docile commuter reaction used? (most people would have been "WTF, for a sweet?" and argued in that situation - if so, we should look for those who argued with uncle Foo and get their reactions)
...and yes, you can fined for making a joke - it's called defamation, hehehe!
What happen to Gopalan Nair's Blog- unable to open???
Seelan any idea?? Hope it is not "deliberately done"
Can you advise pls??
Would one rather have her puke on the train instead?! I get carsick so I can understand... but this is ironic.
Cannot drink water as well?!
OMG this is sad... later what happen if you collapse on the train because of dehydration then how arh?
Now imagine this!
500 dollar fine for...
- Talking
- Not letting others alight first
- Putting the iPod volume too loud
- Occupying the Priority seat
- Standing to the right of the escalator
- Putting hands on the platform screen door
- Using the lift if not handicapped
etc etc etc etc
'Just Follow Law' is a classic example of the rigidity of Singaporeans. A recommended viewing
Not saying they're right in their rigidity but sometimes regulations like these are brought upon by other inconsiderate people who litter and flout rules.
This is only the beginning maybe they'll grow more lenient with the rules as time goes on--which is usually the case :D
Anyway I don't think we are circus animals to be frightened into submission.
You can carry a wet, dripping umbrella from station to train. But you can't have a sip of water from your water bottle, even if you're not likely to spill a drop.
That's how silly laws are becoming in Singapore. What is sillier is how the transport minister, Raymond Lim, can even be defending it when he should be looking into making it more flexible.
And to ask permission from the station manager just to have a sip of water (without guarantee you'll get a nod)? Are well-informed adults to behave like schoolkids the moment they step into an MRT station?
Go after those who litter and make a mess of our public transport, but whatever happened to discretion?
(WTF is with that verification? Giving me sessual?)