Tuesday, April 26, 2011

GE 2011: Vote by Default?

For many, many years, felt like a fish out of water in this place. Whether socially, culturally or politically. Our arrogance, narrow-mindedness and spinelessness are some of the traits that are suffocating too. For a long time, felt ashamed of my nationality. Not until my years of "evasion" in a foreign land that helped to intensify the boundary of the sense of my nationality. Not saying that I like this place or its people any better.

But in the face of the large influx of foreigners into this island, at all levels, not just at the unskilled end, but middle and top level, I feel more empathetic. Been home for 19 months, and already feel that this island is being colonnalised once again by Caucasians, holding the top ranking jobs whilst the locals are thrust into servitude level and at the same time competiting servitude with foreign workers from other south east asia countries. For once, foreigners has helped to wipe the arrogance off our faces. No longer do we think ourselves as high and mighty and unbeatable compared to the other SEA or EA nationalities.

General election is round the corner. The erosion of national identity, coupled with the persistent contempt thrown at us by the long-ruling political party, this election creates a sense of purpose this time round for me and more empathy felt towards my fellow people.

Perhaps it's due to Chen Show Mao. Taiwan-born naturalised local, with Harvard--, Stanford- and Oxford-plated academic achievements under his belt and his career establishments overseas...one who has so so so so much to lose returning to this land and to make matters worse, by joining the opposition political party, knowing the risks (defamation law suits, bankruptcy) and hardships (to fight into Parliament) involve in choosing this less trodden path. For what cause? And for who?



But he is one of the many who come forward. There were others who did and suffered tremeduously.

And what do we do, as the voters of this nation, when there are people after people who come forward, to take up the tall task of challenging the existing regime while we continue to sit in our comfort zones, hiding in fear and apathy.

Do we still respond to these gestures with a vote by default?


Friday, April 01, 2011

日本人,你活该倒霉


2010年,英国税务局发现,有430万纳税人多缴、140万名纳税人少缴个人所得税。受影响的纳税人总人数近600万,相等于狮城人口总数。


税务局向少缴的纳税人追讨余额,规定纳税人在指定期限内偿还,否则承担余款的利息。多缴的纳税人则面对遥遥无期的款项退还。


税务局常任秘书出面丢下了简短的解释:税务计算出现错误是理所当然的。受波及的人数之多、无端带来的不便以及税务局的高姿态都不是理所当然的。他拒绝道歉,只差没说,受影响的纳税人活该倒霉。


2010年,狮城名贵的购物区发生了前所未有的大水灾。当地政客的反应与该常任秘书“遥相呼应”。重金聘请的政客摇摆不定,将事故归咎于天灾,转而攻击科技的限制,最后索性把矛头指向狮城人民乱抛垃圾、建造马路的恶习。同样是你活该倒霉的高姿态。


今年3月,日本遭遇地震和海啸的天灾以及核外泄的人祸。难道堂堂的领导人该对自己的人民说,你活该倒霉?


在小事上,哪怕是一根牙签出现了1毫米的偏差,日本人也要追根究底纠正过来。错误的确是会发生的,这个谁都知道。日本人却选择由此开始,迈向做得更好的方向


在大事上,日日与天灾为“舞”的日本人接受天灾的理所当然,然后便是:应对、尽人事;面对人祸时,也同样只有应对、尽人事。


天灾是无法避免的,这个事实人人都知道。可是,日本人选择不就此止步、更不允许科技屈服。因此,灾害范围才得以如此、福岛反应炉才能成功地平复了9.1级地震的挑衅,虽然败给了海啸。


问题当前,领导人素质的高低一览无遗。

25米的残疾


终于,我们的一些基础设施看到了残障人士的存在,却也抖出了另类的残疾人士。



公共场所里醒目的残障设施让社会中的某一群人得以外显化。英国社会正视他们的存在,硬体设施时时提醒着我这群人存在的权利。就算是没有轮椅专用列车的火车,也会为轮椅搭客就地安排滑行道,从旁协助轮椅搭客上下车。


这样的“软体”素质,再配以硬件设施,行动不便者在社会体系中达到真正的通行无阻。


以经济挂帅的狮城岛国,在地铁列车运行了二十年后,才施施然地安装滑行道、电梯以及设立轮椅车厢区。狮城岛国在关爱群众的领域中,总算通过硬件设施爬前了一小步。


轮椅人士专用电梯设立在月台中间,体贴地衔接轮椅专用车厢。电动扶梯或楼梯虽然在月台两端,但不管从哪一列车厢下车,搭客步行到电动扶梯的距离都不会超过25米。


可是,列车到站,车厢涌出一团直奔电梯的人群。稍后,一名坐在代步机上的老者出现在这团人后面。电梯到达月台,这团四肢健全、行动正常、两手空空的黑发一族一窝蜂地挤入电梯,把那名行动不便者挡在电梯外。然后,电梯里这团患有另类残疾的人们对那名白发斑斑的老人视若无睹。25米之远的电动扶梯太遥远了。


越过闸门,电梯与电动扶梯的距离更短。同样四肢健全的残疾人士宁愿花时间等候电梯,也不愿挪动脚步走到电动扶梯那边搭电动扶梯上月台。



好不容易才在硬件设施上挪前了一步,在人文素质的领域中,还是落后了几个光年。