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 Posted By kaychin on 14 Jan 10, Thu | Permalink

Some years ago, a co-worker, probably tired of my constant need to complain, told me that I would fit better in the USA than Singapore.

Ironically, I'm still in the Lion City, while he had settled in California.

What I also found funny is how a senior statesman of my beloved island state remarked recently to an American journalist that complaining is Singaporeans' favorite past-time.

If you know how much I hate being stereotyped, you will know that I am not just going to take these comments sitting down.

But let me share with you an incident, and maybe you can decide if I am an idiot first-class.

After buying a car, I joyfully went to the security department in my company (I no longer work that) to obtain a parking decal.

Sounds like a simple task in most civilized societies right? Nope.

"Sorry, we don't have enough parking lots and there is a long waiting list. We can only put you in the queue."

"You've got to be kidding me right? So where should I leave my car when I come to work."

"Sorry, not our problem."

Of course, I should have known better.

My ex-company is the biggest publishing company in the region, the company stock is one of the highest priced in the country, it has some of the best-paid journalists in the world.

So why should I be surprised that most of my colleagues own a car, if not a few cars each?

Unconvinced, I asked to see the record of all the car labels issued to company staff.

Guess what I found out?

Some of my colleagues were holding several passes, but after calling a few of them, I found out that some of them were no longer in use because the cars had been sold.

Worse, employees who had left the company years ago remained on the register.

Thanks to my effort, a few hundred invalid passes were struck off the book.

Happy and proud, I went back to the security chief, with the hope of getting my entitlement.

"Thanks, but sorry, you are number XYZ on the waiting list, we have to give the rest first."

"But, but, but ... the rest just sat around but I helped you ........ "

"Sorry, company policy."

Refusing to budge, I sat down and wrote my big boss a love letter, telling him, factually, that I couldn't deliver a proposal he wanted because I had used about eight hours of executive time just so I could drive to work.

Totally impressed with my skills as a "investigative reporter", he pulled his strings to get me my parking pass.

Words soon got around and I was, for a short time, a "legend".

There were more incidents like this one.

So am I boastful, quarrelsome or just resourceful and has a strong dislike for injustice?

Quoting a father from the video project I did last year, I would say, "That's not for me to say."

More importantly, let me say this without blinking, "I don't really care how you label me because I will get things done."

Now let me tell you how I intend to extend my quarrelsome nature to my pet concern these days - the state of our taxi service.

In a few days, I will be launching a blog to charter my cabbing experiences.

In this blog, I will provide license number, name of the cab driver, his company, and my rating of his service.

I will be conducting interviews with them, so that every one of them will become a known personality.

If they agree, I will also make a beautiful portrait of them.

Perhaps by heralding the good ones, others may follow in those lanes.

How do I deal with the rogues? I will still post the details but as for the picture, I will still try. If they are willing, why deprive them?

Will this help to make this a better society?

I think so.

Otherwise, I won't bother.

Now if you are not happy with my complaining, then complain about it.

Because I am staying.

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