I was saddened to read the following news:

Six SBS double—decker buses burnt at Ang Mo Kio depot

Channel NewsAsia - Monday, March 8

Six SBS double—decker buses burnt at Ang Mo Kio depot

SINGAPORE: Six SBS double—decker buses were burnt beyond recognition at the Ang Mo Kio Bus Depot at 3.30am on Sunday.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it dispatched two fire engines and 20 fire fighters to the scene.

The fire was brought under control within 30 minutes.

No casualties were reported and the cause of the fire is being investigated.

A spokesperson from SBS said the loss of the buses will have some impact on its operations.

However, SBS will try to minimise inconvenience to commuters by redeploying buses where possible.

The total cost of the six buses is believed to be about S$3 million as each new double decker bus costs about half a million dollars.

It is of utmost importance to punish if there are vandals involved. The safety and security of buses must be reviewed and enforced.

Om Nath Panday

8 MAR 2010

An analysis of 2 evils. GST vs payroll tax.

TRAVEL TALES

Are you an armchair traveller or a globe trotter? Chances are you are mainly armchair traveller. A globetrotter is one who travels round the world. We do occassionally travel abroad but then it is in the vacation period. Do you travel far or nearby region? Some would say that they have been to Denmark or the Hawaii, Japan or China, or nearby areas like in Thailand, Malaysia or to Batam island.

Pilgrim tales

A good story has the following qualities:

- is believable

- include a moral

- presents a surprise ending

- is enjoyable to listen to

A pilgrim’s tale need not follow strictly along these lines. Narration of the spiritual beauty of the holy place and challenges that a pilgrim undertakes in his long journey is good enough to stir the heart of the listener. As the listener absorbs the details of the travel tale, he or she wishes to go to the place and strive to purify their balance life on Earth. Pilgrimage is common because of the strong emphasis in religious books or teachings to visit holy places located in other land.  

In 1017 a scholar Alberuni aka Al-Biruni travelled to India under the request of Sultan Muhmud of Persia. He learnt about religion, philosophy, literature, geography, chronology, astronomy, customs, law and astrology to under more about Indian life.

Hence travels could be associated with studying in a different place, seeking knowledge or medical treatment, having pleasure or adventure, doing a holy pilgrimage or learning new things.

Unlike the globetrotter who has to arrange for his visa, go to immigration and customs clearance, travel on foot or land transport and experience the different climate, meet people of different culture and language and experience fun and fatigue, the armchair travel is very easy – the person sits on the chair to read books, watch the television or just dream while relaxing.

Six hundred years after the death of Geoffrey Chaucer, a group of walkers follows the medieval pilgrim's route from Canterbury to Rome. During the course of the journey they agree that each will tell a tale in the spirit of the 14th Century Canterbury Tales. Their professions have medieval parallels and, like Chaucer's storytellers, they offer an insight into the attitudes and habits of the day.

A mixture of women and men, British and American, they tell stories of love, adventure, ambition, hypocrisy and revenge. Chaucer often presented moral tales of bygone heroes and villains in re-packaged form. However, conforming to today's culture, these modern travellers focus on their own lives, perceptions and feelings.

Visit to Holy places

I have travelled to Nepal and the views are scenic like Lumbini, Janakpur Sita (Mother Earth) temple, steppe plantation @ Bungmati, Bhaktapur (ancient capital of Nepal), Pokhara and Syambhunath temple in Katmandu. Sarnath, Varnasi and Shillong in India are also beautiful.      

People

As you travel you encounter all sorts of people, people with different cultures and speaking different languages. English is still spoken in many parts of the world and this fact facilitates travel to make it smoother. You can enrich your vocabulary of a foreign language in some measure.  In Hue you could see a man carrying so much items on his tricycle that he barely see where he is going but then he can still manage it. You witness a temple ceremony in Ubud, Bali. The crab seller in Thailand gives you a good bargain. Beach lovers swarm the beaches of the world, cherishing the sun, sea, surf and lovely food. A group of Rajasthani women in traditional costume stir your feelings for a nation that is still partially living in the past.

Food

You love the Indonesian food or the Thai delicacies serve while you were there. Yes, you remember the enjoyable grape plus mango in a hotel. You also bought a recipe book to try some foreign dishes when you are back home. The lingering memories of good food in your travels would make you seek for such food here in Singapore but then you may not get the real taste because it could be due to your travel excitement and environment. I enjoyed the strawberries in Genting and the tea in Cameron Highland but then some of which I brought home; I could find the magical taste. Hence it is the cool mountain environment and the setting of the place that gives the special flavour. 

Farm life

A farmer life entails a lot of hard work and planning: buying the seeds, planting it during the right season, ensuring that crop is not attacked by insects or other pests, harvesting it and finally preparing the crop to be sold to the market or global distributors. Be it the farm in the US or in China, an R & D centre at Kranji Resort farm or a dairy farm in Australia or a fish farm in Singapore or a farm based on greenhouse heating, you will learn a lot about cultivation or animal rearing. 

Dairy farm is important for the supply of milk and processed products like butter, cheese and ghee. A fish farm is specialised one because of the type of fish reared in controlled condition. The poultry farm supplies fresh eggs and chickens or ducks to the market. City dwellers should be grateful to the farmers for providing them essential food which is high in nutritional value. In the third world nations, it is common to come across a long distance travelling lorry is seen laden with workers and goods. The continent of Asia is busy with peasants hard at work because modern machines are still lacking. 

Sea Coast

A trip to an island or the coastal region provides different opportunities like fishing, cruising or enjoying the sea breeze and the sun or just dream watching the azure waters.  The sea world is different from a mountain environment.  

Animal world

No matter how tall is a tale, a travel is incomplete if we forget about the other lives like the animals and birds. You see a beetle in the desert of Kenya and take a photo of it. The Puffins are also beautiful creature.

The magic of travels

As you listen to the beautiful tale of a traveller, you yearn to travel there. The seasoned traveller shows you of some photos. You look at them with glued eyes, deeply fascinated.

You chanced to see a man selling delicious crackers in Batam. The ixora flower in Lombok fascinates you. You see a framed painting and you accept it with pleasure as a seller gives you at a cheap rate. You were at an art exhibition a few days ago. In your trouble at a foreign land, you realise there is trouble. There is a possibility of martial law being imposed. You count your blessings that you are safe and sound here in Singapore. Thanks for the national harmony and good government here. 

You see the picture of a leopard in a travel magazine. The leopard spots looks like an excellent artwork to you. This is just a photo. Can you face a real leopard? You feel the shivers in your spine.

The map of Batam falls down from the album. You take a closer look. You have heard so much tales of Batam but actually you don’t know the places in Batam Island. It is said that Batam is bigger than Singapore. There are some businessmen from Singapore who have opened up shops there. Then there is the fact about getting your car repaired in Johor Baru because it is cheaper there. Before the advent of fuel check at the border, cars would move towards JB to top up full. Now the Johor petrol stations are reluctant to fill to Singapore cars because of the vicinity area limit.

Your focus shifts as you see a green car in a travel magazine. This is really revolutionary – a technological marvel. You bring your lips closer to the photo wanting to kiss the car. Who drives this car? A lady, you imagine in your mind.

However, the idea of long distance is not that easy as that of an armchair traveller. There is the question of immigration or visa arrangement, entrust the maid to take care of the house in your absence and not allow strangers at home or perhaps bring the maid along with you to make her enjoy (after all she’s a human too), having a travel bag, booking with the airline or Transport Company, having enough cash, medicine and clothing for the intended travel and etc.  

So after having made the arrangements, the dream holiday becomes a reality. Many lovely moments await like watching the sunset, witness the snowy mountains, frolic at the beach, wake up late and subsequently be served breakfast, read in a travel magazine about an ancient place where Jack and the Beanstalk story came into being, visit a hideout where artists lived in a place in ancient Serbia or talk to the natives of other lands and so on.   

You read a paragraph on about A Dense Fog Has Fallen in a book.

Incident at Siloso Beach

The island Sentosa beckons tourists and Singaporeans alike to come and visit. I daily see the IR resort progressive pace of construction and it is nearing completion. Sentosa means the island of tranquillity, calmness and contentment.

On New Year’s Eve, many youngsters had a drink and dance party @ Siloso Beach. Little did people realise that within a few days, the calmness would be shattered by news of beach molest that took place.

A girl (name undisclosed) is said to be surrounded by 4 males. The photos taken suggest ugliness taking place. The website or blogs devoted to this incident is flooding with many reactions.

There are many things left unanswered and many questions raised. One is like why was the girl dressed in a manner overexposing herself? Some says that it was beach wear and a natural attire to wear. Then there are bad remarks against a particular race. I think this is uncalled for. An incident has happened but it has nothing to do with race, culture or religion.

Should we blame the young blood? They love to enjoy and I think that clean fun is better than mass intoxication of alcohol and subsequent problem.

What I fear is that small spark can trigger the disturbance to our national harmony. Already in neighbouring lands, there are ample problems and meeting of minds to solve the arising problems.

How should we prevent such an incident in the future? Should the authority at Sentosa issue paper permit with photo and particulars of people going in to the party (with IC & passport number recorded)? Is this documentation going to spoil the mood of the people wishing to enjoy and let their hair down? Would it deter people from joining the party?

With photo and particulars, it is easier for the authority to trace the person doing wrong. Should we have a permanent police presence in Sentosa? The question of law and order is becoming more important as the numbers of visitors  increases due to the upcoming theme park  & casino and higher entry price being charged. Moreover expectation of visitors is going up for better service and money worth due to higher entry fees.  

Society feels sad and concerned about the unfortunate girl. I say that WOMEN AND CHILDREN MUST ALWAYS BE PROTECTED. THIS SHOULD BE TAUGHT CLEARLY IN ALL SCHOOLS BY THE TEACHERS AT ALL LEAVEL, ESPECIALLY IN HIGHER  PRIMARY, SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION.

Let us not spoil the image of our lovely Sentosa.    

Om Nath Panday

9 JAN 2010

LIFE’S A JOURNEY

Although it is a mere fiction, this tale of a man talking about his life offers a lot of insight including how this land progressed over the years through great changes especially in the area of technology and lifestyle. Read on to learn more ...

Mr. Ratnam, now in his seventies, realises that he has more discoveries to make about life than the years gone by. It is now surprising when such a revelation comes to you. “It’s never late until you have arrived to the stage of being bedridden” says Mr. Ratnam.

Do whatever you can or wish to do (but you were unable to do in the past because you were busy with work and your family before retirement). Now Ratnam likes to engage in his favourite hobby photography. Taking photos has never been so easy like the present era. In those days, the cameras were bulky, heavy and you have to focus properly because the autofocus function was not fully developed. There was a camera factory here but it went bankrupt. Ratnam tries hard to remember but he can’t recall the name of the firm.

To own a video camera in those days was a luxury. Then he began to see the growing trend of video camera. The early video cameras were bulky. He used to see some tourists carrying video cameras to take shots of Singapore. A Japanese tourist has ever asked Ratnam to pose for a shot showing his arm muscles so that he could keep it as a memory that he met someone in Singapore. He promised to send a photo to him but in spite of the fact that he gave his mailing address, he did not receive any photo. Mr. Ratnam is of the view that in the moment of emotion a tourist may make a promise but it is seldom carried out once the person arrives home and the popular saying Out of sight, Out of Mind is true. 

Mr. Ratnam has kept some of his letters and he loves to read them. In his secondary years, He befriended a girl named Melorah. She was an attractive and intelligent girl. She gave him a black and white photo of her and Ratnam kept it in his pocket diary. One day his mother Susila saw the photo and she asked him about it. Ratnam told his mother that he loved the girl. Her mother made mental note of Melorah and was glad to make her the daughter in-law. Ratnam had no father because his dad went missing in the Brunei jungle after a plane crash. That was when Ratnam was just four years old.

Ratnam knew his own responsibilities well because he was acquainted with hardship from his early days. They used to stay in the old house of their grandparent who has long ago passed away. Once Ratnam started working, he bought a four room HDB house and gradually paid off the loan sum. Ratnam has seen how some Singaporeans have upgraded themselves from 3 rooms to 4 rooms or even 5 rooms and then downgrade back to 3 room or studio apartment. In Singapore, owning a home is considered to be a big asset. Unlike in other lands, the government has a good policy of providing proper housing to the citizens. 

Melorah still occupies his mind but the love affair was short-lived. She went on a vacation to Philippine and was killed in an auto accident. News of her death brought sorrow to Ratnam. Now he is married with a wife Radha and with three children – Ramesh, Rakesh and Urmila.

The daughter Urmila has been married off. The two sons Ramesh and Rakesh are working. Ramesh is an engineer while Rakesh is a sailor who goes round the world. Once Rakesh gave Ratnam a video camera and he was very pleased. Tears fell from his face because without his dear son, he would never own a video camera in his life.

As Ratnam looks at his display cabinet, he sees some medals he has won in his school days and also on the job. Working in the Maxwell Post Office, he has earned the reputation of being the best postal officer. He retired at the age of 60.

People do not like to read much but prefer to use the PC or laptop to go to the web pages to get news or information. Ratnam recalls how he used to go to the National Library daily and today what are left of the old library are just some preserved red bricks and the old gate. All gone! (including the good reading habit).     

The family photo album is an important asset. It remind you of the good old days – when you were young (as a baby, a teenager or a man in the twenties), when you got engaged and subsequently married, when you were working with your nice colleagues, bosses and supervisors, when you went on a long vacation to faraway places, when you won a medal or a prize, when you were at a party and etc. As the old memories came fast and furious, Ratnam becomes emotional. 

Ratnam’s coat was tailored by an expensive tailor but he didn’t mind it because one doesn’t get married often.   Ratnam says that his wife Susila was very shy with people during the early years and it was much later that she gained confidence in conversation. Now she is a good writer and was a school teacher.

Keeping coins, old records and CDs has been a pursuit of Ratnam. He loves the old songs and old stamps or coins. He felt sad when his gramophone was broken during his house shifting. He took much trouble in getting it repaired by an old company and today the firm does no longer exist.    

School days were considered both fun and painful. If you work hard, then the reward is always sweet.  Ratnam does not believe in cheating. Trying to understand what the teacher has taught and practising over and over, one can gain mastery of his subjects. This is the true essence of success in school. In trying to understand Ratnam better, one feels that his philosophy of education is noble. The journey to school and back home was just too bad – cramped seats and the bus was noisy. The roads in those days were not tarred and some places were too muddy. If one was not careful, then the school uniform would get stained with mud all over the place.           

School now means books, books and books. Then there is assignments to be done at home, practice for coming examinations or assessments papers. In the olden days, education was not that taxing to the mind. There were syllabus to be completed but then knowledge has not expanded so much like today. The websites are expanding knowledge by leaps and bounds, I means exponentially.

You cannot be caught sleeping or talking with your classmates. The teacher could punish you with two tight slaps or even give the sugar cane (administering the cane  in the local lingo). Today the power of corporal punishment have been removed from the teachers. It is the school administration that decides how best to tackle naughty pupils. 

The class was always on the lookout. If the form teacher was angry, early alerts were given to the class by a fellow pupil.  Ratnam ended his conversation with a chuckle.

As I reflect on, I realise that this is Ratnam’s life journey, although partially narrated but well narrated.

Om Nath Panday

3 JAN 2010