Getforme Singapore Blog

I just came back from the coffeeshop in the next block of flats. For breakfast this morning, I had bought some fried dough fritters for S$0.70 each. I had also bought a packet of fried beehoon with some longbeans and a piece of luncheon meat for S$2.10.

Not so long ago, these breakfast stuff were so much cheaper. But, then this is 2008 — the year when food stuff prices shoot up, not only in Singapore but also in countries around the world.

Here in Singapore, the price of rice has gone up. Perhaps, because of this, nowadays I do not get the usual generously heaped bowl of rice that I get from my favourite food stall in the foodcourt at Hougang Mall.

I just opened a letter from the government which tells me the total amount of money that I will be receiving this year from the GST Offset Package and Growth Dividends. These will be paid to me on 30 April, 1 July and 1 October 2008. The money is good news to everyone of us grappling with the spiralling cost of living.

Should I expect more from the government? I should not. I should take things in my stride and tighten my belt. Already I have not been taking taxi rides for the past four or five years. I also do not smoke or drink. Nor have I been visiting restaurants in recent memory. Therefore, I am at an advantage compared with many others. What more can I do to help myself cut costs? I can do without the morning visits to the coffeeshop. I can cook instant oats for breakfast instead. It’s good for health and so much cheaper.

Yesterday, on the frontpage of the New York Times, I read about the slump in consumer spending in America which has resulted in some large retail stores filing for bankruptcy protection and some others downsizing.

The NYT report said that ‘Even retailers that can avoid bankruptcy are shutting down stores to preserve cash through what could be a long economic downturn.’ Yes, that’s a good measure — preserving cash. And the advice does not only apply to retail stores and companies. It also rings true for us individuals. I say, keep the cash that you have in your hands and resist splurting on unnecessary things. We really do not need to upgrade our handphone again.

While what is happening in America is far beyond our shores, it may not be long before we and the rest of the world feel the after-effects of a drop in American demand for goods. We Singaporeans have been fortunate to have the best that life can offer. We live in far better conditions than do our neighbours. But, let us not be complacent. Let us tighten our belts and help the government help us ride out this storm which may last quite a while.

The dust seems to have settled on the Section 377A debate — at least, in Parliament anyway. Despite a citizens’ petition to repeal Section 377A, The Penal Code (Amendment) Bill has been passed; Section 377A stays. But, the Prime Minister has also pointed the Government’s stand on homosexuality in Singapore with the following comments:[1]

“Homosexuals work in all sectors, all over the economy; in the public sector as well, and in the civil service as well. They are free to lead their lives, free to pursue their social activities.

“But there are restraints and we do not approve of them actively promoting their lifestyle to others or setting the tone for mainstream society.

“They live their lives, that’s their personal life, it’s their space. But the tone of the overall society, I think it remains conventional, it remains straight and we want it to remain so…

“De facto, gays have a lot of space in Singapore. Gay groups hold public discussions, they publish websites, I’ve visited some of them. There are films, plays on gay themes… There are gay bars and clubs… Everybody knows where they are. They don’t have to go underground. We don’t harass gays. The Government does not act as moral policeman. And we don’t proactively enforce Section 377A on them…

“It’s a difficult subject. Not everybody supports the Government, but we decide what is right, we move.”

Elsewhere, in the newspapers and online, both pro- and anti- gay individuals and groups have had their say on the subject. The chairman of National Family Council said in the forum page of The Straits Times [2] that “the majority of Singaporeans would be concerned about exposing their children to alternative family values that they themselves do not espouse”.

A Straits Times reader wrote that “Husband and wife in a family setting is the foundation of our society. Destroy that unit and we destroy our society. To push their cause will further allienate gays from society.”[3]

Another, who took issue with NMP Professor Thio’s comments in Parliament, said that “It was entirely unnecessary to highlight bedroom practices and refer to anal sex between men as ’shoving a straw up someone’s nose to drink’.”[4]

It seems there can be no end to the debate. But, move on we must. We have to get on with daily living and not let such things distract us from living our lives to the fullest every single day. It’s great to be able to wake up to a bright new day. Some of us might not get to see tomorrow. But, for the rest of us, homosexuals and non-homosexuals, moving on with our personal lives is important. So is not stirring the dust on the ground on which we stand. We all share the same ground. Let us not try to affect each other with our emotions. Live and let live, I say.

Sources:

[1] The Straits Times 24 Oct 2007 (H5) “Why we should leave Section 377A alone: PM”

[2] The Straits Times 20 Oct 2007 (H16) “Not the right time to review Section 377A”

[3] The Straits Times 25 Oct 2007 (H14) “Govt did the right thing in keeping gay-sex law”

[4] The Straits Times 25 Oct 2007 (H14) “NMP Thio’s comments were inappropriate”

I was at the library near home yesterday, accessing the Internet on one of its multi-media workstations. It was noisy as there was chattering from three middle-aged aunties and their young children all of whom were hovering around one of the workstations.

Despite this, I managed to shut out the noise from my mind as I concentrated on reading a Website I was visiting. When I next looked up from the screen, I realised this group was now occupying three workstations — two of which were on my side of the counter.

But, the children seated at each of these two workstations were not using the terminals — they weren’t even logged in. They were just plain sitting there, playing on the keyboard. Standing around the workstations in the multi-media section were some teenagers waiting for their turn to use the Internet. But the young children did not bulge from their seats. Apparently, they were under instructions to ‘chope’ the seats till 3.30pm when they would need to use the Internet.

It was only 2.50pm then. So from 2.50pm to 3.30pm nobody else could use the two unused workstations. At about 3.10pm, some of the teenagers were ‘negotiating’ with one of these aunties for the use of the workstations. The auntie would only agree to letting these teenagers use the two workstations provided the teenagers logged out at 3.30pm — the time when the aunties would need to use these two workstations.

I was appalled at such selfish behaviour. It was bad enough when you saw these chaps ‘chopeing’ the seats at hawker centres and food courts. But, this one took the cake.

What could I do? It wasn’t my business. The teenage girls were meek. When I had finished using the Internet, I logged out and stopped by the customer service counter on my way out of the library. I approached a librarian at the counter to voice my displeasure that such things were happening in the library. Another librarian, sitting next to the one I was talking to, immediately leapt to her feet, saying these people had no right to do such things. I saw her walk briskly towards the group of aunties.

Having said my piece, I walked out of the place. This certainly was home here in Singapore.

‘chope’: reserve (local slang)

auntie: housewife (local slang)