8/05/2006

telling half truths?

Now, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wants Singaporeans to show their best side to the international financial community.

In June, he launched a `Four Million Smiles' campaign, urging Singaporeans to smile more during the IMF-World Bank meeting - though only a month later, a Friends of the Earth survey showed that Singaporeans ranked as the unhappiest people in Asia.

Since the start of the year, more than 10,000 taxi drivers have attended a three-hour training course on how to provide better service for passengers during the meetings.

An accompanying handbook instructs taxi drivers to keep their hair neat, avoid fidgeting, ensure they don't have body odour, and not clutter their taxi with too many accessories.

"They also told us not to talk about sensitive issues like criticising the government and racial issues," taxi driver Choy Kok Wai, 49, told Reuters.

The above is a report from AFP/REUTERS posted in littlespeck.com

Now, presenting a picture of 4 million smiles when we were found to be one of the unhappiest people in the world, show our best side, which means now showing our ugly side, taxi drivers used to criticise the govt but told not to, would my double here condemn these as telling half truths?

4 comments:

Speedwing said...

Hi Redbean, you must be enjoying your little exchange with your double at the other thread. Why nudge him to respond? I for one is not looking forward to his language and name calling.

About the 4 million smile campaign, I think it is meant to show the world that Singaporeans are not as uptight and kiasu as is commonly believed. Whether it will work or not, it remains to be seen. In my opinion, this campaign would have the reverse effect. Now that all the visitors in September have been made aware of this campaign, they will be on the lookout for every little mishap or on the lookout for unsmiling faces.

It will be interesting to see the final result of this drive. Ofcourse it will depend on who you ask after September. The Singaporean authority would surely without a doubt hail it a success. On the other side, those who are out to pour cold water would probably find something to talk about.

Abao said...

To: RedBean
红豆、别在火上加油。
can a not?

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

hi speed,

i am just trying to show him the light. young people are easily misled.

abao,

oil price is at all time high. can't afford to pour oil onto fire lah.

anyway he will only be here during office hour. it is part of his work. we will see him here on monday morning. 8 to 5 : )

Abao said...

I see. Well I hope he can stop such actions otherwise I'm going to move back to redbeanforum to avoid seeing his ramblings.