A woman was caught with a sweet in her mouth while riding on the MRT. She explained to the station master, Mr Roger Foo, that she felt giddy and thirsty but since drinking was disallowed, she took a sweet instead.
Mr Foo was insistent that it was against the law to eat on the train, even if it was just a sweet – and he promptly proceeded to fine her S$30.
What’re your thoughts on this incident? Was Mr Foo blindly following the letter of the law instead of understanding the spirit of it?
The following video is from Razor TV:
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a) Mindlessly following the rules or b) good opportunity for quickie
if someone with low sugar has to take his dose of glucose is denied being doing so and die on the spot. will MRT be responsible for the death of a fellow citizen?
SMRT has lost its focus. What they should be cracking down on, are people who deliberately, blatantly and defiantly flout the rule. Why film people sucking on a sweet?
Go get those who are eating their curry puffs, burgers, chicken wings, charkwayteows and ice creams. Go catch those drinking their bubble teas and soft drinks.
Why make a mountain out of a molehill? Over someone keeping their sweets in their mouth?
Then I am not allowed to swallow my own saliva cos that constitutes drinking?
this mr foo feels pressured in front of the camera crew to show that he is doing his part. I think he would let this matter pass if he were unaccompanied by the media.
so moral of story is, it’s ST’s razor tv that caused the problem. :)
Sick but ugly truth of our country.
We threaten our people with fines so that they will be gracious and follow the law.
What a joke.
I feel the entire episode is staged — part of a PR campaign to drive home the message: No eating or drinking on the train.
I mean, if a commuter was caught wolfing down his chicken rice or hamburger, as I have seen many times, there’s no argument. Mr Foo will be justified in throwing the book at such people who have such blatant disregard of the law.
With this Razor TV stunt, some commuters will be really scared to break the law against eating/drinking on the trains. So this filmlet serves the purpose of discouraging anti-social behaviour.
But in reality, sucking a lozenge and having to pay a penalty reminds me of the time when we used to be afraid to flick the ash from our cigarettes for fear of being fined for littering!
BTW, is Razor TV part of SPH or some pro-government establishment?
If this is really nothing but an act to scare potential offenders, who knows – the woman may actually get paid for “eating” on the MRT after she has paid the imaginary fine of $30.
The sign did not state eating of sweet is not permitted.
In a way..we all deserve this…..feel more pressure till we break…
that’s how silly we have became…hahaha…
and i hope one day…things will be different…where we can live like human beings, being human…
that guy’s reason is utterly dumb: “if u eat sweet, everyone will eat sweet, then there’ll be chaos!!!”
but so typical sgrean hor. some similar examples include:
“if u litter, then everyone will litter, then there’ll be chaos!!!”
“if u protest, then everyone will protest, then there’ll be chaos!!!”
“if u dun vote PAP, then everyone wldn’t vote PAP, then Singapore will die!!!”
LOL
where’s the law to cap the costs of Public Transport & impose a deterant sentence for falling short of service standars?
TODAY on tuesday 21 July, reported that there were 92 MRT disruptions from 2007 to July 12 2009.
12 were caused by people entering the train tracks,
17 were caused by equipement related faults,
1/3 of the 92 incidents were more than half hour long.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
i think all this fines are to pad the profits for the operators. 8)
Yes, LOL at no.10, it will become exponential growth and it will be the end…with the case of PAP, remember what He says, our womenfolk will be maids
What’s the original reason we cannot eat on the train?
>> food oil, fats or leftovers, may dirty or spill on the train and premises, this is unhygenic
>>food comes with smells, some smells (e.g, smell of pork lard, durian sweets, garlic, etc) could be offensive.
>>liquids which are sticky (sweet food) is also unacceptable as spillages are hard to detect after they dry, and it would nevertheless pose a health problem due to insects
But if the quantities of food involved, are just the size of a thumb, none of the above issues will show up. Even if a hundred people chew lozenge on the train, so what. Who is offended? Nobody.
The drinking of mineral water is also not offensive to anyone nor unhygenic in any way.
So it is complete mystery to me why LTA is suddenly putting such draconian measures in place. It is making life so miserable. The simple pleasures of life, sucking a lozenge, for example is deemed illegal, WHICH sick perverted and twisted mind in the civil service came up with this order which is carried to such extreme level beats me. (I have no problem to banning of foods in general, but the implementation should be carried out with some common sense. How can a small quantity like a sweet consumption, be met with such unfair penalties? That’s right, the biggest failure of the government is that it has no common sense.)
Anyway based on the same law, is it not logical that the LTA is saying its citizens also cannot have a sweet or eat taco’s in a cinema, bus, on the roadside, anywhere other than in a restaurant, food court or your own home?
Singapore will be a laughing stock of the universe when this news circulates. First it was chewing gum, (that i could accept with a little bit of reluctance though), now sweets. This seems to be unnecessary intrusion into a citizen’s rights, given that such rights does no harm to fellow commuters, citizens, firm, or the state.
GILA!!
No eating or drinking should only apply to actions which will mess up the trains/stations.
Examples are eating of burgers. bread/pastries, fishballs, char siew fun ( I have seen students eating) , ice-creams.
Eating of sweets definitely do not fall within the eating/drinking category unless they are licking lollipops.
I would suggest that the woman writes to the PM or see her MP
No choice lah….in Singapore how many can really afford car?
Malaysian: Hey I got fined for speeding today and fined yesterday of parking near a hydrant. So Sway!!!
Singaporean: I can’t afford a car, but I DID get fined for eating a sweet on the MRT.
I must send this to Reader’s Digest. Maybe I get $30 for the joke.
HAHAHAHA! Ridiculous.
if i were to screen this to the world and not tell the viewers its Singapore, they will mistake it to be Communist China…
Then is it against the law to drink one’s own saliva?
Are we supposed to spit out all the liquid in our mouth so that we don’t break the law?
4) hansolo
/////////// this mr foo feels pressured in front of the camera crew to show that he is doing his part. I think he would let this matter pass if he were unaccompanied by the media.
so moral of story is, it’s ST’s razor tv that caused the problem. //////
3 possibilties.
1. Mr Foo sway sway at wrong place wrong time, so if he do not follow rule, his job is at risk.
2. He is part of the show
3. The woman passenger also part of the show.
sweet eating is eating or not eating is very subjective, should leave it alone
Like some posters say, the focus must be to nap those who are having a full meal on the train, which I think many have witnessed.
btw, does taking sweet reduces thirst? I thought it will make one even more thirsty.
17) thetimeisnowsg
//// Then is it against the law to drink one’s own saliva?
Are we supposed to spit out all the liquid in our mouth so that we don’t break the law?////////
Then SMRT gotta provide dentist’s chaiirs complete with the thingy that sucks siliva : )
This is like the time the tried the toilet flushing rule that was unenforceable, unless the NEA officer goes into the toilet cubilcle with you.
They gave up and now use auto flush.
11) mice is nice
/////////t there were 92 MRT disruptions from 2007 to July 12 2009.
12 were caused by people entering the train tracks,////////
sadly mostly all were suicides
and you do not want to be the people who have to clean up the mess
that is why they are gonna put screen door to all stations eventually
Uniquely Singapore!
“3 possibilties.
1. Mr Foo sway sway at wrong place wrong time, so if he do not follow rule, his job is at risk.
2. He is part of the show
3. The woman passenger also part of the show.”
KopitiamApek,
you forget to add another possibility.
4. It is Mr Fool not Mr Foo. He make himself a fool but following stupid reason. If everyone is like this, then where is the line ? No wonder call a fool because the line is drawn on his face !
“btw, does taking sweet reduces thirst? I thought it will make one even more thirsty.”
YOu forget to add one very practical scenario. Sweet is a must for those who cough heavily and having flu especially in air-con-MRT train. The sweet such as Hacks, Vicks, and medical “sweet” are used prevent coughing, flu-ing so as to cough to spread germ. It is so easy to spread germ especially in sardine-packed box like MRT train. No wonder, I cough nowsaday thank to MRT’s stupidity…. Ha Chew, Ha Chew,Ha Chew… don’t blame me for spreading the germ… Ha Chew, Ha Chew, … Eat my germs… blame it on the stupidity of gahmen …
What to do?There are too many good singaporean going around with their camera phone ,taking pictures and complaining on commuters eating on public transport ,embarassing them by putting their action on STXXX.
This resulted in the enforcement .
And we have those BH who just follows rules and act instead of using their brain and contributing on how to prevent or minimise such act.
Some years back ,before the ban of smoking on MRT entrance,an Indonesian tourist was shouted in front of his son by a MRT staff for smoking at the entrance .But the fact is that he bought the cigerette from the MRT kiosk .There was even a ashtray on the bin at the entrance.Isn’t it misleading?
For the above mentioned case at least its worth paying the fine becos she actually ate something.,even though a verbal warning should be enough to embarrass her.
There are worst cases where citizen are charge in court for offence that they did not commit or simply not their fault but due to the inefficiency of the Authority.
There are cases of being told to pay for a summon for illegal parking without receiving any summon on the spot or any one approaching.The driver just stop to pick up a waiting passenger.But he just got to pay $100 or he has to pay double in Court.
There are cases where you are issue a parking summon even when you display a valid coupon.And….sorry.,a bit off track but SomPah,I Kenna WanOng many times……WanOng ah WanOng……………
SMRT may want to partner with NTUC to open more clinics in MRT station because it will be lucrative business for those having flu and cough. Can even sell super-product like “Structured Super-pill” to cure all your sickness, but then remember to read the small print.
Someone should write to Straits Times and demand for an explanation for this absurd move! What harm does eating a sweet or drinking plain water cause? MRT rides so long, what people to die of thirst is it??
“What to do?There are too many good singaporean going around with their camera phone ,taking pictures and complaining on commuters eating on public transport ,embarassing them by putting their action on STXXX.”
People are complaining on eating burger and french-files, not eating sweet. The gahmen as usual in act of convenience for them just fine whatever as long as it is eating. Did the gahmen contract mad cow’s disease or getting senile like old fart ?
Sometimes MRT so cold cold and dry thy lip. No more saliva anymore. How , How ? Sucking thumb as last resort ?
24) agongkia
I was stopped from eating my takeaway tow huay outside the MRT shop which I bought it from, a MRT shop which has no seating
I believe I cannot bring it into the train also right?
So I wondered, where did all the tow huay sold goes to?
28) Daniel
/////. How , How ? Sucking thumb as last resort ?/////////
You do that you could get fined for behaving childishly, : 0
24) agongkia
///////There are cases where you are issue a parking summon even when you display a valid coupon.And….sorry.,a bit off track but SomPah,I Kenna WanOng many times……WanOng ah WanOng……………////////
I kena once, at the Botanic Garden carpark, the attendance probably in the darkness could not see my coupon, I took the coupon I displayed to the booth to show her, she says I kena then tear the coupon to show her. How to win?
So LL lor. WanOng ah I also say
“Someone should write to Straits Times and demand for an explanation for this absurd move! What harm does eating a sweet or drinking plain water cause? MRT rides so long, what people to die of thirst is it??”
I don’t think you want to question their stupidity. Even the MPs and ministers didn’t even raise any objection to $3 top-up EZLink topup requirement instead of topping up only about to reach zero. No doubt the stupidity arise from been calculative about money, that is to prevent people from getting the last ride of the ezlink card that own the SMRT money.
KopitiamApek ,
“You do that you could get fined for behaving childishly, : 0″
Oh yes, could be , because sucking thumb is also a act of protest ?
That’s why i always say our elites are not able to understand what the ordinary folks’ daily issues and ordinary problems.
They have lost touch with the ground. They simply not fit to be our leaders.
Clearly the purpose of this video is for killing one to warn the others. Sweet itself is a medicine especially for hyperglycaemia(low blood sugar). What if the person faint because he or she can’t raise her blood sugar in time? SMRT is going to be responsible? SMRT please wake up your idea.
Next time if you stand (cos no more seats) you better stand straight and not hunch back, they may fine you for that because hunch back takes up more space inside the train noe! maybe only when I say, they cannot find anymore fault to penalise you just to collect in more miscellaneous fund.
Don’t take this video seriously. The only reason the woman was fined was because as others have said Mr Foo was under pressure to do his job by the book since a camera team was filming him. If there was no filming there would be no fine. Anywhere in the world if someone is being filmed by a full camera crew to see if they will do their job properly, they’ll follow their job description to the letter.
Ask yourselves what you would have done in Mr Foo’s situation knowing that this camera crew is filming you with the specific purpose of developing a video that shows whether or not you are doing your job properly.
hi kopitiamApek,
post #21 on July 22nd, 2009 9.24 pm
////sadly mostly all were suicides
and you do not want to be the people who have to clean up the mess
that is why they are gonna put screen door to all stations eventually////
12 incidents where people entered the track out of 92, of which how many dead? i not sure but the ratio of 12 out of 92 is a small fraction.
screen doors should have been installed from the start.
in my opinion initail installation is cheaper, beacause:
- costs were likely cheaper years ago
- work flow easier, no need to factor in disruption to human traffic since its unlikely the installation can be done overnight
- taxpayers money were used, now the operators have to foot the bill 1st, then charge commuters later.
- train disruptions due to people going onto the tracks cost is quite a cost too, as always- prevention is better than cure ;)
hey, your nick now is red? :)
Real or not? I don’t believe lah. Cannot trust TOC one because Chee SJ set the standard. If giddy better take taxi loh but now taking taxi also cannot cheat liao cause taxi company issue receipt but last time good lah, no receipt can claim extra so that got money to buy glucose.
38) mice is nice
I try to dig up some stats on that, but even one is one too
nobody should die that horrible way
ya agree. retrofitting is costlier than doing it the first instance.
like retrofitting for barrier free access now, should have done it upfront
cost per train disruption is humongous, few hundred thousand people late for work.
same with highways, bad for the economy, that is why the tow trucks are activiated so fast these days
the entire highway network is being camera monitored 24/7 fyi
nick red due to blood splatter after being nuked by NKorean missles lah : )
but even one is one too many
38) mice is nice
/////12 incidents where people entered the track out of 92, of which how many dead? i not sure but the ratio of 12 out of 92 is a small fraction.//////
I think the other 80 were system failures. The 12 where human intrusion were the cause, were almost 100% suicide cases.
The sad thing was the publicity given to such terrible way of dying could have actually “inspired” other to use the same way to end their lifes.
System failure s usually are less disruptive, suicides are very, as they are dealing with a human being, albeit dead.
If I kept coughing in the train and the commuters felt uncomfortable about my cough, can’t I even take lozenges to sooth my itchy throat? Singapore is a totally clueless country where the bad (usually from FT) are let off and the good (usually Singaporeans) are given fine. Are Singapore government so afraid of foreigners that they vent their anger on local citizens? Are civil servants so blind as to follow laws even if it find it necessary to forgo a life that needs to be saved? I am totally speechless of how this “law enforcer” react without any flexibility and talent.
Not only that David, Singapore is also famous for tunnel vision and hindsight capability…
43) David
///(usually from FT) are let off and the good (usually Singaporeans) are given fine/////
David, I have to disagree with you on that
We really do not know, do we?
36) tiredsingaporean
//// Next time if you stand (cos no more seats) you better stand straight and not hunch back, they may fine you for that because hunch back /////
then a fat person chia lat liao
: )
and skinny apek can get discount or not?
That’s the follow the law blindly syndrome. Its everywhere. Singaporeans are gutless to make their own stands. I see it everywhere even in the workplace. Using the rules and regulations to stamp on others while other FTs are running riot and just bypassing the rules. Its sad.
Pls go to http://talk2lta.lta.gov.sg/ and let your views be known. They are asking for feedback, and it will be our fault if we keep quiet and just cry foul when the current law does not change.
NOT ALL SINGAPOREAN HUMANOIDS are the same.
Also NOT ALL can live to 65.
Also some people need to drink water regularly for health or medical reasons.
singapore is already very fine a city.
why recent implementation of law like this?
would this make people be angry about MRT?
recently, news reported about the number of downtime or stoppages due to some reasons or something like that. Would this news make people think bad about MRT?
I wonder why recently like that.
MRT is said by many readers as the more efficient public mass transport system avail in singapore compared to the Bus and it was OTC who contributed to bringing this service for all to enjoy.
This reporter seems to do what she was told? or did she said what she felt or spontaneous?
but look at it this way, more laws like this may make singaporeans EVEN MORE law abiding I think.
so , what is the effect?