Commentary

Commentary: Lorries-Safety Taking a Back Seat

Imagine driving your car down any major highway or roads and seeing a group of people sitting precariously on the back of lorries, with hardly any safety measures in place. In Singapore, this is a common sight where construction companies often ferry their workers using lorries to and fro the workers’ dormitories and the construction site. The only thing that are protecting the workers and preventing them from falling out is a short metal rail, no higher than one metre. Even so, this metal rail often look wobbly in the wind and people have doubts as to whether such a safety measure would protect the workers. Figures have shown that a total of 210 passengers on the cargo decks of lorries were injured or killed last year, up from 69 in 2005, a 300 per cent increase over 69 of 2005.

The authorities have noticed this flaw and recently put in place a set of safety guidelines which include the rails along the back of the lorries have to be raised higher, so as to protect the workers and to minimise the chance of a worker being flung out of the lorry in the case of an accident and have enforced penalties for the breaching of the rule. Personally, I do not agree with this safety method mainly of two reasons, the first being that such safety methods are ineffective and do not address the issue of protecting the workers during accidents. The second reason is that by implementing such ineffective safety measures, it only shows that the government are actually showing double standards when it comes to road safety.

The safety measures,which include raising the height of the metal rail at the back of the lorry and reducing the number of people allowed at the back of the lorry, implemented by the government are simply not effective in protecting the lives of not only the workers but also our close kin who are sitting in the back of the lorries. This measure does not fully address the need for a safer transport system when ferrying workers. The raised metal rail do not protect the workers in the case of an accident. During an accident at which the lorry is probably traveling around sixty kilometers per hour, the impact of the accident will be so great that the metal rails do not stop the passengers at the back of the lorry from being flung out of the lorry or prevent them from getting injured. When it comes to a sudden braking of the lorry, the metal rails do not protect the passengers, but endangers the lives of the passengers at the back of the lorry. The main purpose of the metal rails is to act as barrier so as to prevent passengers at the back from falling out of the lorry when on the move. It does not do enough to actually prevent the passengers from being seriously injured or from protecting them during an accident. Such measures only slightly reduce the number of deaths due to such incidents but does not fully address the need for a more effective transport system in ferrying the workers that will ensure that all lives will be encountered for during the accident. Other more effective measures such as installing seat belts or hiring a bus instead of lorries could be looked into to protect the lives of the workers. Hence, the safety measures that the government has introduced are not effective in protecting the lives of the workers during an accident and there are other more efficient methods that can be implemented.

The government has enforced rules that passengers are required to put on their seat belts in enclosed private cars. However, the government has still allowed workers to travel in open lorries with no seat belts and the only safety measure is a metal rail which does not do much in protecting the lives of the workers. This clearly shows the double standards in which the authorities are showing when it comes to road safety. An increasing number of workers are killed because of the lack of safety measures implemented and the government should enforce equivalent safety measures for foreign workers when it comes to road safety. While higher cost has been cited by both employers and the government as the main reason a safer arrangement cannot be provided, the value of one’s life would definitely far exceed the price for such measures to be implemented. If the government can make seat belts compulsory for all car passengers, the government should implement equivalent safety measures for foreign workers who have come all the way here at considerable expense to earn a living and help us build our nation. The government by implementing such measures, only displays the double standards when road safety comes into play and hence should look into better solutions to safeguard lives.

In conclusion, the safety measures to protect the workers who are ferried by lorries are ineffective as shown by the above two points and the government should look into more safer methods to solve this problem.
After all, would we have accepted such safety measures if those dead were Singaporeans? Would we not have demanded safer protection for workers on the road?

ERP

ERP: Write about your relationship with an elder person, and reflect on what aging means to you.

My grandfather was born into a wealthy family and had escaped from China and moved to Singapore when he was very young, which till today, I did not know why. I had tried asking him but all he revealed was that, “Those memories were a thing of the past”.

A great deal of my childhood was spent with my grandfather. I had a lot of respect for my grandfather, who was not only my companion when I was young, but also my best friend who would always tolerate my frequent tantrums. The fondest memory I had of my grandfather, as a child was that I would always find an opportunity to snuggle onto his lap and listen to him telling me stories and the adventures he experienced. From a boy growing up in Communist China, to how he survived the war, to how he met my grandmother, these stories never fail to transport me into my grandfather’s world and to experience what he felt. “Tell me more! Tell me more!” I would always say as soon as he finished his story. On days when he was in a good mood, my grandfather would continue on with another story but on others, he would pat me on my head and carry me out from my lap and said, “Another day. A better story.”

The stories that I had grown up listening to never seem to be anything more than another way to entertain me but as I grew older, there was something that I could relate to the stories. They taught me how to grapple with life and its obstacles.

Age seemed to catch up with my grandfather. He became more forgetful and this grew worse with time. The doctor diagnosed it as dementia. My grandfather could hardly remember anyone of us, not to mention me. At his very best, he could recognize my grandmother and that was it. It was heartbreaking to see my grandfather so lost and that the person I adored most could not remember me and the many memories we shared.

I decided that it was only right of me to accompany my grandfather through these lonely years. Instead of him telling me stories now, I was the one reading to him. I would sit in front of him, holding a book as he dazed off in his rocking chair. It started from fairytales to classics and to the books that I liked. I was not sure if he understood or was even paying attention to the stories but I still went on and on and stopped only when he dozed off. “You are tired. We will continue tomorrow.” I said as I folded a flap on the page of the book. Walking over, I covered his frail body with a blanket and pecked him on his cheeks.

The only time my grandfather did not doze off during our reading session was when I was reporting the news from the newspaper. Throughout the years of reading to him, my grandfather did not complain about the reading sessions we had and I just took it that he liked me reading to him, as much as he loved my company.

As I grew older, it became increasingly difficult to spare some time to read to my grandfather. The only times when I could find some time to accompany and read to my grandfather was spent on reading the literature books that I was assigned during school. On other days, I would have to record stories and sent the tapes to my grandmother who would then play them. Nevertheless, I would occasionally still visit my grandfather and really enjoyed being in his company and reminiscing the times we had together.

With those books, I found that it was hard to take in as much when I read aloud as when I read silently to myself. But that changed. The disadvantages of reading aloud was remained the fact that it took longer, but I did not complain, knowing that I was doing this because of my grandfather. Moreover, books read aloud also stayed long in my memory. Till today, I still remember the books I have read to my grandfather.

My grandfather died in his sleep in the beginning of the year. I was away when this happen but from what I heard from my parents, his last days were spent by hearing my recorded stories on cassette tapes. Looking at those cassette tapes which I gave my grandfather, now all stored in a box, I felt heartened for I knew that my grandfather enjoyed not only my reading but also my accompany.

I took out a cassette tape from the box and inserted it into the tape recorder.

As one grows old, you lose the memory of the people you really love the most but at the same time, you gain something even more precious, the love of the people around you. For what my grandfather mentioned in his stories “We’re meant to lose the people we love. How else are we supposed to know how important they are?”

The Evolution of Goodness

Personally to me, there are 2 reasons for why we do good.

Firstly, people do good because of the relationships between the giver and the receiver. For example, a mother would try her best to help her child in times of trouble. This is an example in which relationship plays a part in way why people do good. This is so as they would want to protect their own kind, and because of they share the same blood, it would only be right that someone would sacrifice anything to do something good for another one who is related to him.
Secondly, people do good because of the mindset of reciprocity. When someone does something good to another person, a person would feel indebeted to him and would have the mindset of wanting to repay the other person. It's the same as the idea of 'you sratch my back, I sratch yours'.

Commentary: Deaf to the world

Newspaper Article: Deaf to the World-Youngsters absorbed in their cell phones or music players face greater risk of accidents on the road.
The central issue raised by the article is that the young in Singapore are getting so absorbed in their mobile phones and music players that they often do not notice other pedestrians and vehicles when crossing the road, leading to them having a greater risk of being involved in road accidents.
Commentary:
Plug that out and save your life
Imagine walking down Orchard Road, or any other busy street and someone banged into you. Or riding a bicycle down the road and despite ringing the bicycle bell, the pedestrian in front does not get out of your way. Well, these sights are getting more and more common, and usually the youngsters are the ones that do notice other pedestrians. This is so because they are so absorbed in their cell phones or music players that they often do not notice their surroundings.
As technology advances, almost everyone owns a cell phone or maybe a music player. These gadgets are used for entertainment and communication but in recent times, they are the reasons why road accidents happen, especially involving youngsters. A recent test conducted showed that out of 30 youngsters, who were listening to music, half of them had their audio player volume at fifty per cent or louder, which make them prone to accidents. Personally, I do not agree with the way the youngsters are so absorbed into their gadgets that they do not notice their surroundings mainly because of two reasons, the first being that these actions lead to youngsters having a greater risk of getting into accidents and the second being that the way that these youngsters act is very self-centered.
Youngsters who are so absorbed in their cell phones or music players often do not notice their surroundings and face a greater risk of accidents on the road. Studies have shown that distraction from handheld devices like mobile phones and MP3 players is one of the major causes of road accidents and that sending messages and driving simultaneously reduced reaction time by 35 per cent. This showed that these handheld devices often cause one’s attention to be distracted and their alertness to lessen whether one is driving or crossing the road, thus leading to road-related accidents. Plugging into music while on the road can also be a factor that leads to a higher risk of getting into accidents. For example, an ear specialist pointed out that, devices like noise-cancelling earphones can silence almost a hundred per cent of ambient noise. People who plugged into their MP3s while crossing the road may have a higher chance of not hearing the honking of the car or the car engine and that they also may not notice the sound of bicycle bells, when on the street, which may all lead to the possibility of accidents. Drivers too may also face a risk of accidents when they get too absorbed listening to their music that they do notice the roads or other vehicles. In conclusion, people who are using their cell phones or music players on the road are often prone to road-related accidents.
The way that these youngsters act is also very self-centered. Firstly, these youngsters who are plugged into their music players or are too absorbed in their cell phones are very self-centered, mainly because they have a mindset that others may give way too them. More often than so, this is not the case. They expect the other pedestrians to look out for their safety so that they are able to continue their text messaging and listening to music when it is everyone’s responsibility to care for their own safety. This self-centredness not only jeopardises their own safety but also of others. This act is selfish and self-centred which only put them into danger. In conclusion, the way that these youngsters act is selfish after all it is everybody’s responsibility to safeguard their safety.
The only way to avoid banging into people or bicycles and being involved in accidents is to plug out those head phones and keep those handphones when crossing the road and this may well save your life.

"Improved" Introduction

Imagine walking down Orchard Road with the loud clanging sounds buzzing in your ears from the nearby construction sites, dust blowing into your face and the once prim and proper image of the shopping strip now turned into a nightmare, I am sure you would be annoyed, not mentioning the tourists visiting Orchard Road. To think that Orchard Road just undergone a major $40-million makeover, you would be wondering, "What the heck is the difference? Where did our tax-payers money go to?" Well, you are not the only one for I think that the Orchard Road makeover was uncalled for and was necessary. Instead of beautifying Singapore's primary shopping belt, the changes have gone unnoticed and the results have backfired and I will explain why in this essay.

Introduction to Orchard Road Facelift

Imagine walking down Orchard Road with the loud clanging sounds buzzing in your ears from the nearby construction sites, dust blowing into your face and the once prim and proper image of the shopping strip now turned into a nightmare, I am sure you would be annoyed, not mentioning the tourists visiting Orchard Road. To think that Orchard Road just undergone a major $40-million makeover, you would be wondering, "What the heck is the difference? Where did our tax-payers money go to?''

Orchard Road Facelift

Depsite the much hype about the major facelift of Orchard Road for the past few months, many people were dissapointed when the $40-million makeover of Orchard Road was unveiled to the public. New street lamps, co-ordinated street furniture, decorative glass panels and potted flower totems were some of the many changes in Orchard Road but many pedestrians have failed to notice them. Personally, I do not approve and felt that the major makeover of Orchard Road was not worth it mainly because of two reasons, the first being that the makeover did not reach its aim of beautifying Orchard Road but in fact brought about some undesirable results and the second reason is that the sum of money for the makeover of Orchard Road could be used for more important issues.

Orchard Road is the primary shopping belt of Singapore and the changes done to beautify it may give Orchard Road a new image and attract more tourists. However, the facelift did not meet the aim of beautifying Orchard Road and in fact may backfire. Firstly, not many pedestrians noticed the changes in Orchard Road. Out of a 100 people surveyed, 40 did not notice it the changes. Those who noticed the changes made comments that "there's not much change" and that there was no "big difference". One may then argue that if no one even notices the changes, what is the point of even beautifying Orchard Road. This shows that the impact of the facelift was not as great as it was supposed to be and that the aim of beautifying Orchard Road was not met since the changes did not make much difference. Secondly, the major facelift brought about even more trouble and negativity than it was suppose to beautify the shopping district. The noise pollution coming from the construction sites had put off many shoppers and that the pathways to shops were blocked. Both tourists and locals were annoyed by the construction process and this has ruined the once prim and proper image of Orchard Road. The facelift did not meet its aim of beautifying the shopping district and in fact caused even more negative results has definitely led to people thinking that the whole makeover process costing up to $40-million dollars may just be a waste of money.

This leads us to my next point that the money used to beautify Orchard Road should be used for much more important and meaningful issues. An area the money could be used for is the cleanliness and the maintenance of Orchard Road. Comments were made that the "pavement looks so dirty" and that of "clean up the walkaways". This is a much more feasible way in beautifying Orchard Road by making sure that it is clean, leaving a deeper and better impression on tourists visiting the shopping district.

In conclusion, I do not think the Orchard Road makeover was worth it because its aim of beautifying Orchard Road was not met, there were negative results and comments from the public and that the extravagant amount spent can be used on much more important issues.