The Telepathic Brinjalees

My bag was soaked. My sparkling new Lenovo Thinkpad was spoilt. I was drenched from neck to toe. I was $10 poorer, by choice. And I didn't even get a proper "thanks".


It was raining like crap, at about 11am. I boarded the bus from Bukit Merah Central to go home, which was about 3 bus stops away. I was carrying my bag, with my little, lovely Lenovo inside. I was also carrying lunch which I just bought.

The bus ride was perfectly normal for the first 32 seconds. At the 33rd second, I saw a middle-aged Indian woman (MIAW) having a heated conversation with the bus driver (BD). The conversation follows:

MIAW: Does this bus go to Tiong Bahru MRT?
BD: No... no, that one you must take bus number 5. Then stop after two stops.

MIAW: This doesn't go to Tiong Bahru MRT? I need to go there now! Where is this bus going? I want to -
BD: This bus no go to Tiong Bahru. You-

MIAW: I want a refund! I want a refund now. Does this bus go to Tiong Bahru? (exasperated and clearly panicking)
BD: I tell you oredi. This bus go to Bukit Merah. This no go to Tiong Bahru. You see outside?
You must get down and walk -

MIAW: I can't walk! I need to go there now! I need to go to WORK! Do you understand? I need to GO! How long does it take to go to Tiong Bahru?
BD: (pissed off) 24 hours.

MIAW: (very, very pissed off) Why aren't you helping! You're talking to me like this because you think I'm not a bloody Singaporean right? You think I'm a foreigner right? You Singaporeans are all like this. I'm a SINGAPOREAN TOO!
BD: Huh? I'm MALAYSIAN.

MIAW: What? OK. (cools down). Where is Tiong Bahru mrt?
BD: I tell you already: IT'S THAT SIDE ONE LAH! You take taxi and go. Can reach there.

MIAW: I don't have that kind of money.
BD: I give you the money.

MIAW: (Breaks down and cries)

At this point, my stop had arrived. I also couldn't bear to not guide the woman to Tiong Bahru mrt, which was near my home. As she cried, I asked her to come with me so that I could show her the way to the station.

It was pouring. You have no idea. I asked her to share the umbrella with me, but it was pointless. We were both drenched. This woman was from India (presumably a professional , looking at her contemporary dress-sense), and this was here 2nd day at her job. She'd taken time off from work to meet an agent for a rental flat, but she was lost and wanted to head back to work. But she got lost even more and was scared pissed that she'd lose her job for being late. So she took it out on the driver. And she started to take it out on me.

She asked angrily where I was taking her in the rain, and she whined that she wanted to go back to work, and that she wanted to find Tiong Bahru mrt. After speaking to her as one would with a lost 4-year-old, I found out that she really wanted to go to LAVENDER where her workplace was. To do so, she wanted to take the train from Tiong Bahru. Genius. I thought that if this continued, (1) I'd be soaked silly, (2) she'd be scolding me silly and commit suicide after that, and (3) I'd go crazy.

I told her to take a taxi and just go. She said she didn't have money. Fine - I gave her $10 and asked to find the next available taxi and just GO. She whined that she was all wet. I half expected her to ask me for a towel and fresh change of clothes. She asked for my handphone number to return me the $10 - I told her to forget it. I left her there and went home to a shocked wifey.


My bag was soaked. My sparkling new Lenovo Thinkpad was spoilt. I was drenched from neck to toe. I was $10 poorer, by choice. And I didn't even get a proper "thanks".

Moral of the story - SBS employs a fair number of Malaysians.

"This Is It" is a 2-hour insight into the workings of what was to be Michael Jackson's final set of concerts.

I enjoyed every second of it. By the end of the two hours of dance rehearsals, sound checks, prop preparations, special effects preparations and so on, I had a somewhat clearer picture of MJ - a perfectionist, very eccentric, prone to possible tantrums, a genius in presenting entertainment, an idol to all the supporting cast and crew, a developer of talent, and quite simply, a very feeling person. I swear I would have cried if they had shown his memorial right after the movie.

For everyone in my generation who grew up listening and watching him, there can be no one else like MJ.

Too often, we have read that Singaporeans are apathetic, that Singapore has no soul, and foreigners treat Singapore as a hotel.

The issue is that every country needs a "soul" - that is, a set of stories that glorify the country, as a force to reckon with. These stories or myths must include great role models to follow, upon whom legends are created, to motivate future generations, to help them navigate through tough times by recalling the valour and spirit of their predecessors. The "American Dream" and "Long March" are some examples - they were forged during times of great crisis, and as they say, character is usually formed in times of great pain.

We do have have our own stories - the separation from Malaysia from which we emerged nimble and hardworking; the great economic downturns of 1984, 1997, 2001 where we emerged ready for more challenges and better equipped for a new economy; the race riots of the 1960s from which we learnt the importance of religious and racial tolerance.

Unfortunately, these stories are generated by leaders of our times. They've had to do it in order to rally the nation together to a common purpose - to recharge and forge forward. It is also no coincidence that in each of these crises, the Government played a major role in saving the day. The creation of public institutions such as HDB to build cheap housing, the formation of People's Association and grassroots networks to create an active ground, the drive to retrain workers via WDA are all major efforts of the Government to save the economy or foster social cohesion.

However, the catch is. to create a soul of the nation, it is the work of all actors, not just the Government. The people who are undergoing crisis must create their own stories. They must form an active civic space to come to their own conclusions, think about their own heroes, and create an identity which they feel is worth fighting for. There is a danger now that people don't feel anything or care about anything because it seems the Government seems to be doing it all for them.

If that's the case, we are in trouble. If we don't create a vibrant civic space, then all we'll be worried about is about jobs, incomes, security and less about community, friendships, the "big picture" of what Singapore means to us. Some may argue that the Government itself has caused such a mood, by clamping down on free speech and alternate views. But if you look closely, the Government is only hypersensitive about political freedom - everything else is not out-of-bounds, provided it does not harm others.

What I'm saying is not to push to envelope - what I'm saying is that there is a lot of space in Singapore to create a civic space. This simply means bringing together small groups of people and making an identity for the group, to give it a meaning and purpose. This is why RCs and CCs are so important - they are meant to cultivate social networks, which should have led to an active civic society. But the Government-led notion of grassroots has made the grassroots synonymous with "gah-men" and has put off huge chunks of Gex Xers and Yers.

But how do we wean off this feeling that because the Government is doing everything for us, we don't have to do anything? Should the Goverment do less? But will that not create a backlash? It will. How the Government, in wanting to promote a civic space, should calibrate its pulling back of some issues, is something it really needs to think about. If need be, it would require a fair amount of Government-bashing and political unpopularity (nothing Singaporeans aren't familiar with!) to push it through.

This one's been "cooking" since before I started working.

Parents of persons with disabilities, or folks who have siblings with disabilities, need not worry anymore on what'll happen to their cares when they pass on - introducing the Special Needs Trust Company.

Usually people are worried how their disabled children can get a monthly allowance/funds for subsistence after they pass on - they also don't trust the money with relatives as relatives may just decide to forget about the disabled folks and makan the money.

Under the Special Needs Trust Company, people can put in a minimum of $5000 to open an account for their disabled cares, for it to be disbursed after they pass on. It's a Government-backed trust, so returns are guaranteed, and a trustee will disburse the funds according to a pre-determined, agreed schedule.

Special school teachers - do spread the word.

Read more here and here.

I was rummaging through my old files when I came across a government booklet on organ transplanting. Whether we like it or not, all Singaporeans and PRs are included in the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA). Of course, you can opt out but you will end up lower in the priority register if you end up needing a transplant.

So it will be very wise for all involved parties to read the facts about HOTA and get ready for all possible scenarios. I know... it's a real pain in the liver to read a government website, but just try can? A few minutes only...