Give Thanks - My Wonderful Grandmother.

My Wonderful Grandmother at 90.

I was inspired to write something about my wonderful grandmother after reading "Mum's the word's - Give Thanks -My Domestic Helper" at  SingaporeDaily, ( Link ). Actually, I wrote about my wonderful grandmother about year back but I would like to share it with you again and hope you like it.

I'm now 65, in my sunset years. Somehow recently, I have frequent flash of memories of a few affectionate people who had left me many years ago. Fond thoughts of them keep resurfacing in my mind. Regretfully, their love and affection for me then were not understood nor appreciated. I wish I could call them now and tell them how much I appreciate their love and affection for me.

The first person I would call is my Wonderful Grandmother. I remember her with much affection, love and above all, admiration. She died about 25 years ago at a ripe old age of 95.

Ah Ma, as I lovingly called her, was one of those women who could be said to have come from a long line of strong, resilient, resourceful women going all the way back to the ancestral country in China. In her late twenties, she walked for days from her remote village in Fujian, a province of China and then sailed in a wooden junk for weeks to arrive Singapore in 1925. 

As an immigrant, she arrived with nothing more than a sling of personal belonging over her shoulders and a hope for a future here. Unfortunately, I do not know much about her past before her arrival in Singapore. What I do know is that she had my father as her eldest son, an uncle and two daughters in Singapore. My grandfather died during the Japanese Occupation in 1944 from serious complication of a leg injury. I had no recollection of him whatsoever because I was not born then.

Though the family were poor, Ah Ma had this amazing will in keeping the family intact through the greatest misfortunes and crises. She brought up her four children single handily with enterprising spirit and business skills. She sold many stuffs, one of which I remember was "samsu " liquor ( an Indian word for a high spirit) popular among the poor Indian laborers at that time. Alone, she brewed the "samsu" in the dense forest of Bukit Timah from yeast and fermented rice. Often, she had to endure time behind bar after being raided and caught by custom officers for brewing and selling the illicit liquor. 

Even with limited resources, she helped my parents, who had 9 children, in whatever way she could, mostly financial and paid for my entire education till pre-university. I was brought up by her "samsu" money. Of all her 40 over grandchildren, she loved me the most, probably as a traditional lady, she believed that the eldest grandson is similar to a son. 

She ensured that I was the best fed, clothed, educated, received the biggest "ang-pow" during the Chinese New Year and also the only one who could have had the only chicken drum stick on the dinning table. She doted on me and I became the envy of my uncle's family, resulting in numerous family squabbles.

I slept with Ah Ma on the same bed from a month old till I was about 10 and continued to sleep in the same room with her till my late twenties. As a young boy, I was terrified by her loud snoring while sleeping beside her. She cared for me more than my parents did for me, as my parents had a handful of my siblings to worry about. 

Whenever I had the slightest of fever, Ah Ma would stay up all night to sponge me to sleep. She would specially buy for me my favorite "fish ball noodle" for my dinner as I would then had poor appetite. It was a luxurious dish to have during the difficult time of the fifties and sometimes I would duped her by pretending to be sick to have it. She knew my tricks but would still buy it for me, whatever.

And whenever I was in a terrified situation, like being chased by a ferocious dog or bullied by a bigger boy, I would screamed "Ah Ma, Ah Ma" for help. The dog or bully would retreat in seconds. When my mum whacked me for mischievous deeds, Ah Ma would always be around to fend off the blows. They would end up quarreling. In my growing up years, she gave me endless love, confidence and security. She was also my soul mate.

Although with no formal education, she sent me to an English school, believing that an English education would ensure that I would be able to get a good job in the civil service, which was prestigious at that time. All my siblings went to a village Chinese school. 

She watched over my progress in schools like a hawk, scanning my report books for the one sign she understood that told of bad school performance: RED ink. I remember once she threw my school bag out of the house, when she discovered that I had forged my father's signature in my report card. In the end, I did not disappoint her in my studies as I was always promoted to the next level till my pre-university days.

When I started my first job in a factory, she would wake up before dawn, regardless of her state of health, to cook pork porridge for me, worrying that I might be hungry before work. Today, I deeply regret that I frequently shouted at her when she persistently screamed at me to wake up from my slumber in the morning to get to work. My son is doing the same thing to me now. 

In my youthful years, with slant moral values or total lack of it, I did a few very regrettable things that must have hurt and destroyed my grandmother heart completely. I remember abandoning her to stay out on my own after a minor quarrel with her. It was only after my friends came telling me that since the day I left the house, she had been waiting outside the house every night for my return. I shamefully realized then that I had done the most ungrateful and heartless thing to her. I wish I had kneel down then to seek her forgiveness but she was happy just to see me back with her again.

In my adult years, I was busy in selfish pursue of all things materialistic and did not pay much attention nor spent much time with Ah Ma. I wish I could reverse that. But, Alas! it's too late now. To my young readers, don't make the same mistake like me.    

Ah Ma's love for me was unparalleled in its selflessness. Her greatest joy was when she carried my son for her first photo shot.

There was nothing that Ah Ma wouldn’t do for me. I can still see her, clad  in a black silky trouser and light blue shanfu, her hair gathered into a tight bunch at the back of the head, her face and neck dripping with sweat, drawing water from the well. I can still hear her loud scolding voice, laced with the colourful expletives of Hokkien, daily dispensed to the neighbors in the village. She had two distinctive "Bugs Bunny" front teeth that makes her shy to have photo of herself. However, to me she was the most beautiful woman I ever known.

Today, her two sons and eldest daughter are gone but her youngest daughter is still alive and well in her late seventies. Her 60 over grandchildren and great-grandchildren are mostly successful in their various professions. I remember Ah Ma with so much love it hurts, and the mere mention of her brings fond memories and sometime, choking tears. I miss you, Ah Ma. 

In this Thanksgiving month, I would like to thank you, Ah Ma, from the bottom of my heart for all the love and affection you had given me when you were with me. Thank you, Ah Ma...wherever you might be..

 

Hokkien Pop Song - Grandma's Words.

LTA's half-baked policies on Taxi Availability.

Again, LTA has come out with some half-baked policies to address taxi commuters perennial complaints over the availability of taxis. They had forgotten their ill-conceived and almost discarded policy of "taxis allow to pick and drop passengers ONLY at taxi stands inside CBD" and "Share-A-Cab Scheme".

Now, they arbitrarily mandated that from January next year, all taxi operators must ensure that 70% of their drivers are on the roads during peak hours and taxi drivers must log in a minimum of 250km per day and progressively to 85% within 3 years or their fleet will stagnated.

But, will this new taxi rules boost taxi availability?

I don't think so.

Why?

Because,

Firstly, to taxi drivers who depend on their "money-making" machine for a livelihood, clocking 250km per day is "chicken feed". A driver needs only 3 hrs speeding at 80kmh to clock 240km. (albeit cruising empty at expressways).

Presently, most night shift taxi drivers doing a 10hrs shift are logging in at least 250km/shift and the day shift drivers too are logging in similar mileage. In total, a taxi with 2 drivers would easily does 500km/day or more.

All big taxi operators can testify that a vast majority of their drivers already surpassed the mandated 250kg/day standard. So, why get a child to take PSLE when he already got his "O" level?.

Secondly, all cab companies have no direct incentives to press for more mileages on their taxis, as doing so would increase their maintenance costs and bottom line. They are more interested to collect rental from cabbies with as big a fleet as they can muster and at minimum usage.

Thirdly, an extra 900 more cabs out of 28,000 (3.2%) on the road resulting from the new rule is like a drop in an ocean. Only the uninitiated public will be hook winked to believe it will increase taxi availability. Maybe, the minute minority of drivers who use their taxis for personal transport might have to change their driving schedules.

Finally, the new rule will mean more vehicles on the road with a corresponding environmental cost, but with no guarantee that the extra mileage will be occupied mileage. Cabby can always cruise empty.

LTA....wake up!. You've got your act wrong again!

Now, what measures do I think will increase taxi availability? Please allow me, an ordinary old taxi driver, to present my humble suggestions based on my seven years of observation and taxi driving experiences. I stand to be corrected and I welcome your comments.

Upfront, I wish to say that instead of punishing cabbies with disincentives if they don't meet quota, cabbies should be incentivised to pick fares as and when they appear. Cabbies will naturally drive when and to places where the yield is highest i.e. when and where surcharges applies. They also look forward to cab booking.

I think so long as this status-quo remains, it will be hard for taxi availability to improve meaningfully, as the majority of taxi drivers are into this trade for the money. It's perfectly natural and sensible.

Demand for taxis is never even throughout the day or places. There will always be peak demand at certain hours and places. I guess everyone is aware of this fact. If so, then the "treatment" should be targeted at the localized "tumor", not mandating radiation therapy for the whole body.

If the intent of the new rule is to eliminate "personal-use" taxi drivers, then its effective to a certain extent. But, the new rule will not put significantly more taxis on the roads at the right place and at the right time. Traffic congestion during peak hours also contribute to scarcity of taxis and longer waiting time.

From my experience, before the implementation of the longer evening peak hours surcharges from 6pm to 12 midnight (instead of 5pm to 8pm) a year ago, many taxis commuters in the CBD had difficulties in getting a cab. Now, getting a cab in the CBD is much easier because more cabs are attracted to this area due to the extended hours of $3 surcharge. Therefore, taxi availability in CBD had improved significantly. So, pricing mechanism did help to bring supply to meet demand.

But, there are still plentiful of complaints of non-availability of cabs at some areas. If I'm not wrong, these complaints are mainly from commuters at the fringes of CBD, where surcharge is not applicable. I'm sure LTA knows this fact.

As I said earlier, cabbies are naturally attracted to pick fares at areas with surcharges and commuters at fringes of CBD, like Orchard Towers, HarbourFront, Havelock, Little India, Beach Road..etc...etc...are avoided, although its illegal to do so. LTA enforcements to nap errant cabbies are not very effective.

An immediate solution to this perennial problem is to expand the radius of the CBD to include these hotspots that has lots of complaining commuters. Many hotels, shopping malls and tourists attractions are in the fringes of CBD.  Physical relocation of ERP gantries is cost prohibitive but with modern technology, the GPS system in taxis can be tweeted to apply the surcharge for these additional hotspots. Similarly, the many hotspots during the day, especially during the morning peak hours in housing estates can be included.     

Another solution to improve taxi availability is to allow a real time bidding for taxis, where the highest bidder gets the ride. Mr. Tan Kim Lian (ex-presidential candidate) had such a system in hand (Here).

A more drastic solution is to remove all surcharges and implement a pricey three separate fare structure for peak, non-peak and midnight period across the island.

For example: For Non-peak hour : S1.50 per kilometer,
                      For Peak Hour: $2.00 per kilometer,
                      Midnight: $3 per kilometer.

Flag-down prices remain unchanged. Over time, demand for cab will fall drastically and taxi population will drop too, resulting in less pollution and traffic congestion on all roads.

Freelancing taxi drivers and "fringes" commuters will be eliminated. Taxi commuting will become a premium mode of transport for those who can afford it or are willing to pay for it, like in New York, London or Tokyo.

Redundant taxi drivers can become bus drivers to mitigate various problems from PRC bus drivers and commuters can help themselves to the much cheaper and efficient bus and MRT services.

Honestly, I hope such a day will not come. So far, nobody has come out with any satisfactory solutions to solve the taxi availability dilemma, as the trade-off are difficult ones.

Now, in fairness to LTA, they had also done a few good things for taxi drivers like:

1. Allow taxis to pick & drop passengers at more places inside CBD

2.  An online portal will be set up next year to match hirer with relief drivers.

3. A $20 discount on vocational licence renewal fee.

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For the benefits of both the taxi drivers and commuters alike, I hope LTA could relax the following stone cast rules.

1. Waive all ERP charges for taxis.

2. Allow taxis to travel, pick and drop passengers in all bus lanes outside CBD areas.

3. Match-make regular taxi commuters with drivers at LTA's online portal.

I know I'm hoping for miracles to happen.