Now don't get cynical. There are kind souls among Singaporeans who should be recognised

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Aug 2, 2006

After reading the surveys about how awful and unhappy Singaporeans are, it was a relief to read Ms Puspa Mala Vaitinadan's letter 'Faith in man restored by rescue of injured dog' (ST, July 31).

I'm glad that someone has shown the courage to tell the world that it is possible to be kind in Singapore.

Singaporeans by their own admission are grumpy and insecure. Walk along the streets and you'll be bombarded by slimming ads for women and hair restoring solutions for men.

Get into a bus or train and you'll be hit elbows or blocked at the door by the crowds. Don't think of getting a seat.

Singaporeans enjoy a first-rate infrastructure but there are many people who are inconsiderate about the needs and comfort of other commuters.

Yet, in spite of all the boorish behavior, there are Singaporeans who behave in a kind and decent manner without a thought for themselves.

Ms Vaitinadan met a stranger who helped an injured dog and there are more of such Singaporeans who don't get publicity but still do good things.

One of the most touching personal examples I encountered was at the beginning of the year when I came back from an overseas trip and was locked out of my home.

I had no money to stay in a hotel and so I decided to stay outside the apartment until the next morning. A stranger came and insisted I spend the night in his spare room instead of hanging out and wondering around the apartment like lost vagrant.

Besides inviting me to his two-room flat, he and his wife insisted that I take the main bedroom while they slept on the floor in the living room.

We live in a cynical world. Every encounter with a different human being has an edge to it. What makes encounter with a kind stranger even more heart-warming was that at a time when foreign nationals are being blamed for crimes and other social problems, here was a kind couple who thought I was a China national.

As we approach our 41st birthday and celebrate big achievements in many fields, I wonder if we could do something different and include the ordinary Singaporeans who act with kindness?

These are people like Ms Vaitinadan's dog rescuer and my host. These acts of kindness may not create great shifts in the economy or politics but they make life so much more pleasant.

Having more of such acts would surely help us climb the ranks of those happiness surveys.

Tang Li

Copyright: (C) Singapore Press Holdings Ltd 2006